CONCISE: Compressed 'n' Composable Integer Set

Bit arrays, or bitmaps, are used to significantly speed up set operations in several areas, such as data warehousing, information retrieval, and data mining, to cite a few. However, bitmaps usually use a large storage space, thus requiring compression. Nevertheless, there is a space-time tradeoff among compression schemes. The Word Aligned Hybrid (WAH) bitmap compression trades some space to allow for bitwise operations without first decompressing bitmaps. WAH has been recognized as the most efficient scheme in terms of computation time. In this paper we present CONCISE (Compressed 'n' Composable Integer Set), a new scheme that enjoys significatively better performances than those of WAH. In particular, when compared to WAH, our algorithm is able to reduce the required memory up to 50%, by having similar or better performance in terms of computation time. Further, we show that CONCISE can be efficiently used to manipulate bitmaps representing sets of integral numbers in lieu of well-known data structures such as arrays, lists, hashtables, and self-balancing binary search trees. Extensive experiments over synthetic data show the effectiveness of our approach.Comment: Preprint submitted to Information Processing Letters, 7 page

HUMAN CAPITAL AND OPENNESS TO INTERNATIONAL TRADE: EVIDENCE FROM THE ENLARGED EUROPE

In the increasingly knowledge-based global economy, a well-educated and highly-skilled labour force and a significant degree of openness to international trade are vital for countries to successfully meet the challenge of worldwide competition. This paperhuman capital, openness to international trade, economic growth

An approach to harmonic load- and source-pull measurements for high-efficiency PA design

High-efficiency power-amplifier design requires numerous efforts to investigate both input and output harmonic terminations effects. A simplified theoretical approach to clarify the relevance of such terminations is presented here, and design criteria to improve efficiency for high-frequency applications are briefly discussed. An advanced active load/source-pull test-bench has been used to validate theoretical harmonic tuning techniques, characterizing an active device. The adopted optimization strategy is presented, together with measured results obtained with a medium-power 1-mm MESFET at 1 GHz. Input second harmonic impedances effects are stressed, showing a drain efficiency spread between 37%-49% for a fixed input power level, corresponding to 1-dB compression. Finally, as predicted by the presented theory, after input second harmonic tuning, further improvements are obtained, increasing fundamental output load resistive part, demonstrating an additional drain efficiency enhancement, which reaches a level of 55% at 1-dB compression

Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Proteomics and Pharmacokinetics

Tremendous technology improvements of the last decades has given mass spectrometry a more and more expanding role in the study of a wide range of molecules: from the identification and quantification of small molecular weight molecules to the structural determination of biomacromolecules. Many are the fields of application for this technique and the various versions of it. In the present study three different applications have been explored. The first application is a pharmacokinetics study of anticancer drug Gemcitabine and its principal metabolite, where the role of the LC-MS/MS is essential both for the selectivity of the detection of the small analytes and the sensitivity enhanced by multi-reaction monitoring experiments. The design of the study involved the collection of several blood samples at selected times and from patients that would have met certain eligibility criteria. The ESI demonstrated to be the most suitable approach and it provided the necessary data to conclude that toxicity of Gemcitabine did not increase when administered at FDR (Fixed Dose Rate) infusion in patients with impaired hepatic function. The second application describes an example of how MS represents a powerful tool in cancer research, from serum profiling study with high resolution MALDITOF and bioinformatic analysis, to the identification of potential biomarker through peak identification. Almost 400 serum sample – homogeneously distributed between biopsy confirmed ovarian cancer and high risk serum samples – were analyzed on a high resolution MALDI-TOF instrument after automated reverse phase magnetic beads separation. The high throughput data have undergone sophisticated bioinformatic procedures that lead to a list of upand down-regulated peaks, although identification studies were possible only for those peaks that showed a good reproducibility. One down-regolated peak has been identified using the LC-MS/MS technique. The identified peak confirmed a basic role of fibrinogen in the ovarian cancer; the other four peaks that have been identified as down-regulated showed an absolutely not satisfactory ionization in electro-spray, therefore further analysis will be performed on these analytes in order to determinate their amino acidic sequence. The most suitable technique seems to be MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, since the peptides already showed a good degree of ionization in MALDI. The third and last study belongs to a quite new field, which is the combination of immuno precipitation assays with MALDI-TOF (Immuno Precipitation Mass Spectrometry, IPMS) experiments in order to evaluate the specificity of a series of monoclonal antibodies to specific antigen. The automated assay that has been developed provides structural information about the antigen that binds the monoclonal antibody to be tested and previously conjugated to the surface of magnetic beads, ideal support for robotic automation. IPMS showed its potential as a complementary tool of crucial importance in the selection of the monoclonal antibody for the development of ELISA based assay to be applied in the screening of a consistent number of human specimens for the clinical validation of proteins indicated in literature as potential biomarkers. Mass spectrometry in association with fractionation techniques, such as liquid or magnetic beads chromatography, is a very flexible tool in the cancer research field. Further improvement in the instrumentation and in the technology will bring always more and more results to be confident in

EU INTEGRATION, HEALTH STANDARDS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Health is one of the most important assets for human beings, since it allows people to fully use their capacity. Poor or compromised health reduces the well-being of individuals, by affecting their future incomes, wealth and consumption. For policy implicHealth, Human capital, Development

Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Proteomics and Pharmacokinetics

Tremendous technology improvements of the last decades has given mass spectrometry a more and more expanding role in the study of a wide range of molecules: from the identification and quantification of small molecular weight molecules to the structural determination of biomacromolecules. Many are the fields of application for this technique and the various versions of it. In the present study three different applications have been explored. The first application is a pharmacokinetics study of anticancer drug Gemcitabine and its principal metabolite, where the role of the LC-MS/MS is essential both for the selectivity of the detection of the small analytes and the sensitivity enhanced by multi-reaction monitoring experiments. The design of the study involved the collection of several blood samples at selected times and from patients that would have met certain eligibility criteria. The ESI demonstrated to be the most suitable approach and it provided the necessary data to conclude that toxicity of Gemcitabine did not increase when administered at FDR (Fixed Dose Rate) infusion in patients with impaired hepatic function. The second application describes an example of how MS represents a powerful tool in cancer research, from serum profiling study with high resolution MALDITOF and bioinformatic analysis, to the identification of potential biomarker through peak identification. Almost 400 serum sample – homogeneously distributed between biopsy confirmed ovarian cancer and high risk serum samples – were analyzed on a high resolution MALDI-TOF instrument after automated reverse phase magnetic beads separation. The high throughput data have undergone sophisticated bioinformatic procedures that lead to a list of upand down-regulated peaks, although identification studies were possible only for those peaks that showed a good reproducibility. One down-regolated peak has been identified using the LC-MS/MS technique. The identified peak confirmed a basic role of fibrinogen in the ovarian cancer; the other four peaks that have been identified as down-regulated showed an absolutely not satisfactory ionization in electro-spray, therefore further analysis will be performed on these analytes in order to determinate their amino acidic sequence. The most suitable technique seems to be MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, since the peptides already showed a good degree of ionization in MALDI. The third and last study belongs to a quite new field, which is the combination of immuno precipitation assays with MALDI-TOF (Immuno Precipitation Mass Spectrometry, IPMS) experiments in order to evaluate the specificity of a series of monoclonal antibodies to specific antigen. The automated assay that has been developed provides structural information about the antigen that binds the monoclonal antibody to be tested and previously conjugated to the surface of magnetic beads, ideal support for robotic automation. IPMS showed its potential as a complementary tool of crucial importance in the selection of the monoclonal antibody for the development of ELISA based assay to be applied in the screening of a consistent number of human specimens for the clinical validation of proteins indicated in literature as potential biomarkers. Mass spectrometry in association with fractionation techniques, such as liquid or magnetic beads chromatography, is a very flexible tool in the cancer research field. Further improvement in the instrumentation and in the technology will bring always more and more results to be confident in

HUMAN CAPITAL AND DEVELOPMENT: SOME EVIDENCE FROM EASTERN EUROPE

The concept of development is not only referred to the level or to the growth rate of GDP of a country, but it concerns different aspects of individual life. Development leads to a changing of values, behaviours and attitudes of people interested in it and in the well-being of the whole society. \\r\\nSince the second part of the last century, more and more economists always assert that human capital is a fundamental asset to promote economic growth and development. Health and education are the two principal ingredients of human capital. There is a strong positive bidirectional relationship between education and health; in fact, it is statistically supported that the two variables move together, so healthy people are more likely to achieve an higher level of education rather than sick people and, vice-versa, more educated people are more likely to enjoy good health status. This generates a virtuous cycle that can lead to greater development. Indeed, health increases people's capabilities allowing achievement in their well-beings, since healthy people can work longer and with higher productivity than poor health people. For this reason individuals' income rises allowing them major choices in terms of consumption, savings and investments. Considering the economic benefits that start from health and education, not only at microeconomic level but also for a country, it is important to pay attention to the role of this two variables in the economic development process. There are several channels through which health and education can be associated with better enhancement in economic results. They can be find in the labour market and in the participation in the labour market; worker productivity; human capital investments; saving capacity; availability of save to invest in physical and intellectual capital; fertility choices and structure of population.\\r\\nThe present paper analyzes the two-way linkage between education and health and their relationship with economic development identifying the conditions of some Eastern European countries. The methodology through which the results are obtained is the multidimensional scaling method which allows to define relations between countries in terms of proximity/distance with respect to the considered indicators, providing a spatial representation of themhuman capital, education, health, economic development, multidimensional scaling

INTERNATIONALIZATION AND INNOVATION: THE CHALLENGES FOR EUROPE IN A CHANGING WORLD

A large part of the economic literature is unanimous in believing technological progress and openness to foreign trade are key variables to trigger the processes of stable and persistent economic growth. An in-depth analysis of these factors, thus, becomes necessary both to meet the challenges of the international market, and to strengthen the European integration process. This paper aims to provide an empirical analysis of the interaction between foreign trade and technological progress by performing a multidimensional scaling. This technique is used to produce a graphical representation of the 27 EU member states, in accordance to the degree of similarity or dissimilarity between them. The indicators used, and the indexes calculated, reflect the different degree of internationalization of each country's economy, the regulation of trade flows, investment in specific R&D and technological progress.International trade, integration, technological progress

Neural-Based Nonlinear Device Models for Intermodulation Analysis

A new procedure to learn a nonlinear model together with its derivative parameters using a composite neural network is presented.So far neural networks have never been used to extract large-signal device model accounting for distortion parameters.Applying this method to FET devices leads to nonlinear models for current- voltage functions which allow improved prediction of weak and mildly device nonlinearities in the whole bias region. The resulting models have demonstrated to be suitable for both small-signal and large-signal analyses,including intermodulation distortion prediction