Improving Link Reliability through Network Coding in Cooperative Cellular Networks

The paper proposes a XOR-based network coded cooperation protocol for the uplink transmission of relay assisted cellular networks and an algorithm for selection and assignment of the relay nodes. The performances of the cooperation protocol are expressed in terms of network decoder outage probability and Block Error Rate of the cooperating users. These performance indicators are analyzed theoretically and by computer simulations. The relay nodes assignment is based on the optimization, according to several criteria, of the graph that describes the cooperation cluster formed after an initial selection of the relay nodes. The graph optimization is performed using Genetic Algorithms adapted to the topology of the cooperation cluster and the optimization criteria considered

European mtDNA Variants Are Associated With Differential Responses to Cisplatin, an Anticancer Drug: Implications for Drug Resistance and Side Effects.

Background: Cisplatin, a powerful antitumor agent, causes formation of DNA adducts, and activation of apoptotic pathways. Presently, cisplatin resistance develops in up to 70% of patients but the underlying molecular mechanism(s) are unclear and there are no markers to determine which patients will become resistant. Mitochondria play a significant role not only in energy metabolism but also retrograde signaling (mitochondria to nucleus) that modulates inflammation, complement, and apoptosis pathways. Maternally inherited mitochondrial (mt) DNA can be classified into haplogroups representing different ethnic populations that have diverse susceptibilities to diseases and medications. Methods: Transmitochondrial cybrids, where all cell lines possess identical nuclear genomes but either the H (Southern European) or J (Northern European) mtDNA haplogroups, were treated with cisplatin and analyzed for differential responses related to viability, oxidative stress, and expression levels of genes associated with cancer, cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and resistance, apoptosis and signaling pathways. Results: The cisplatin-treated-J cybrids showed greater loss of cell viability along with lower levels of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential compared to cisplatin-treated-H cybrids. After cisplatin treatment, J cybrids showed increased gene expression of BAX, CASP3, and CYP51A, but lower levels of SFRP1 compared to untreated-J cybrids. The cisplatin-treated-H cybrids had elevated expression of CDKN1A/P21, which has a role in cisplatin toxicity, compared to untreated-H cybrids. The cisplatin-treated H had higher transcription levels of ABCC1, DHRS2/HEP27, and EFEMP1 compared to cisplatin-treated-J cybrids. Conclusions: Cybrid cell lines that contain identical nuclei but either H mtDNA mitochondria or J mtDNA mitochondria respond differently to cisplatin treatments suggesting involvement of the retrograde signaling (from mitochondria to nucleus) in the drug-induced cell death. Varying toxicities and transcription levels of the H vs. J cybrids after cisplatin treatment support the hypothesis that mtDNA variants play a role in the expression of genes affecting resistance and side effects of cisplatin

Combined distributed turbo coding and space frequency block coding techniques

The distributed space-time (frequency) coding and distributed channel turbo coding used independently represent two cooperative techniques that can provide increased throughput and spectral efficiency at an imposed maximum Bit Error Rate (BER) and delay required from the new generation of cellular networks. This paper proposes two cooperative algorithms that employ jointly the two types of techniques, analyzes their BER and spectral efficiency performances versus the qualities of the channels involved, and presents some conclusions regarding the adaptive employment of these algorithms. © 2010 V. Bota et al.FP7/ICT/2007/21547

Polyomavirus Nephropathy: Ten-Year Experience

BACKGROUND: Polyomavirus nephropathy (BKVN) is an important cause of chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD). Recipient determinants (male sex, white race, and older age), deceased donation, high-dose immunosuppression, diabetes, delayed graft function (DGF), cytomegalovirus infection, and acute rejection (AR) are risk factors. Reducing immunosuppression is the best strategy in BKVN. The objective of our study was to evaluate CAD progression after therapeutic strategies in BKVN and risk factors for graft loss (GL). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 23 biopsies, from patients with CAD and histological evidence of BKVN, conducted over a period of 10 years. Glomerular filtration rate was <30 mL/min in 16 patients at the time of the BKVN diagnosis. RESULTS: BKVN was histologically diagnosed in 23 recipients (19 men, 4 women). All patients were white, with age of 51.2 ± 12.1 years (6 patients, age >60 years), and 22 had a deceased donor. Diabetes affected 4 patients, DGF occurred in 3, cytomegalovirus infection in 2, and AR in 15. All patients were medicated with calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) (95.7% tacrolimus) and corticoids, and 16 also received an antimetabolite. One year after antimetabolite reduction/discontinuation and/or CNI reduction/switching and/or antiviral agents, graft function was decreased in 11 patients, increased/stabilized in 10, and unknown in 2. GL occurred in 9 patients. Older age (hazard ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-3.28) and DGF (hazard ratio, 2.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-12.64) were the main risk factors for GL. The lower GFR at the time of the BKVN diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of initiation of dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: GL occurred in 39.1% of patients with BKVN and DGF; older age and lower GFR at the time of diagnosis were important risk factors. Early diagnosis of BKVN is essential to prevent GL.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A proposal for a coordinated effort for the determination of brainwide neuroanatomical connectivity in model organisms at a mesoscopic scale

In this era of complete genomes, our knowledge of neuroanatomical circuitry remains surprisingly sparse. Such knowledge is however critical both for basic and clinical research into brain function. Here we advocate for a concerted effort to fill this gap, through systematic, experimental mapping of neural circuits at a mesoscopic scale of resolution suitable for comprehensive, brain-wide coverage, using injections of tracers or viral vectors. We detail the scientific and medical rationale and briefly review existing knowledge and experimental techniques. We define a set of desiderata, including brain-wide coverage; validated and extensible experimental techniques suitable for standardization and automation; centralized, open access data repository; compatibility with existing resources, and tractability with current informatics technology. We discuss a hypothetical but tractable plan for mouse, additional efforts for the macaque, and technique development for human. We estimate that the mouse connectivity project could be completed within five years with a comparatively modest budget.Comment: 41 page

Development of myocardial infarction in depend of the variants topographic anatomy of the blood supply to the heart

Objective: to reveal the role ot anatomical variants of coronary dominance in the localization of the infarct-dependent artery, the focus of necrosis and their interrelations. Materials and methods: The coronary angiography of 133 patients was retrospectively analyzed. Two groups were compared: patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina. According to the coronary dominance of the heart, patients were divided into 3 subgroups: left-dominance (LD), right-dominance (RD) and balanced type. Results: patients with LD and myocardial inlarction commonly occurred with significant stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), mainly in the proximal part. The right coronary artery (RCA) and the posterior lateral branch were infarction-dependent arteries for patients with RD. At the low localization of the focus of necrosis, the LAD is the infarct-dependent in patients with LD and RD of coronary dominance. However, the focus of necrosis of the anterior localization among patients with LD was significantly more common in LAD stenosis in the proximal and middle segments. Among patients with RD, significant stenosis of LAD in the proximal segment and the first obtuse marginal artery (0M1) were significant causes of myocardial infarction with the focus of necrosis in the anterior localization. Lateral myocardial infarction with LD was associated with significant stenosis of the first diagonal artery (D1). Whereas RD - with OM1 and LAD in the proximal segment. Stenosis of the right coronary artery often leads to the posterior Ml. Posterior myocardial infarction wasn't identified among patients with LD type. Conclusion: we found differences in the arteries, the hemodynamically significant stenosis of which is reliably associated with the development of anterior, lateral and posterior myocardial infarction. These findings may indicate that among patients with different artery dominance there're differences in the blood supply of the anterior and lateral walls of the left ventricle (and not only of the posterior wall).Цель: Выявить роль анатомических вариантов кровоснабжения миокарда в локализации инфаркт-зависимой артерии, очага некроза и их взаимоотношений. Материалы и методы: Ретроспективно проанализированы коронороангиографии 133 пациентов. Сравнивались 2 группы: пациенты с острым инфарктом миокарда (ИМ) и с нестабильной стенокардией. По типу кровоснабжения сердца пациенты разделены на З подгруппы: левовенечный (ЛТ), правовенечный (ПТ) и сбалансированный тип. Результаты: У пациентов с ЛTчаще встречается ИМ при значимом стенозе передней нисходящей артерии (ПНА), преимущественно проксимальных отделов. Правая коронарная артерия (ПКА) и задняя боковая ветвь являлись инфаркт-зависимыми артериями для пациентов с ПТ. При нижней локализации очага некроза ПНА- инфаркт-зависимая у пациентов как с ПТ, так и с ПТ кровоснабжения. Но очаг некроза передней локализации среди пациентов с ЛT достоверно чаще встречался при стенозе ПНА преимущественно в проксимальном и среднем сегментах. Среди пациентов с ПТ значимые стенозы ПНА в проксимальном сегменте и первой ветви тупого края (ВТК1) -значимые причины ИМ передней локализации. Боковой ИМ при ПТ был ассоциирован со значимым стенозом первой диагональной артерии. При ПТ - с ВТК 1 и ПНА в проксимальном сегменте. Стеноз ПКА чаще приводил к развитию заднего ИМ. Среди пациентов с левовенечным типом задний ИМ выявлен не был. Заключение: Обнаружены различия в артериях, гемодинамически значимый стеноз которых достоверно связан с развитием ИМ передней, боковой и задней локализации, что может свидетельствовать о различиях в кровоснабжении переднего и бокового отделов миокарда левого желудочка (а не только задней стенки) при левом и правом типах кровоснабжения

Relationships between Gene Expression and Brain Wiring in the Adult Rodent Brain

We studied the global relationship between gene expression and neuroanatomical connectivity in the adult rodent brain. We utilized a large data set of the rat brain “connectome” from the Brain Architecture Management System (942 brain regions and over 5000 connections) and used statistical approaches to relate the data to the gene expression signatures of 17,530 genes in 142 anatomical regions from the Allen Brain Atlas. Our analysis shows that adult gene expression signatures have a statistically significant relationship to connectivity. In particular, brain regions that have similar expression profiles tend to have similar connectivity profiles, and this effect is not entirely attributable to spatial correlations. In addition, brain regions which are connected have more similar expression patterns. Using a simple optimization approach, we identified a set of genes most correlated with neuroanatomical connectivity, and find that this set is enriched for genes involved in neuronal development and axon guidance. A number of the genes have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder. Our results have the potential to shed light on the role of gene expression patterns in influencing neuronal activity and connectivity, with potential applications to our understanding of brain disorders. Supplementary data are available at http://www.chibi.ubc.ca/ABAMS

Virtual Touch (TM) Quantification to Diagnose and Monitor Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C: A NICE Medical Technology Guidance

King’s Technology Evaluation Centre is funded by NICE to act as an External Assessment Centre for the Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme. The NHS has a financial interest in the guidance issued by NICE as a result of this work and two authors are NHS employees (Prof. Keevil and Dr. Lewis