Multicast Connections in Wireless Sensor Networks with Topology Control, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2016, nr 1

The article explores the quality of multicast trees constructed by heuristic routing algorithms in wireless sensor networks where topology control protocols operate. Network topology planning and performance analysis are crucial challenges for wire and wireless network designers. They are also involved in the research on routing algorithms, and protocols for these networks. In addition, it is worth to emphasize that the generation of realistic network topologies makes it possible to construct and study routing algorithms, protocols and traffic characteristics for WSN networks

Status menopauzalny – główny czynnik determinujący dokładność prognostyczną modeli diagnostyki różnicowej guzów przydatków

Objectives: The aim of this study was to externally validate the diagnostic performance of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis logistic regression models (LR1 and LR2, 2005) and other popular prognostic models including the Timmerman logistic regression model (1999), the Alcazar model (2003), the risk of malignancy index (RMI, 1990), and the risk of malignancy algorithm (ROMA, 2009). We compared these models to subjective ultrasonographic assessment performed by an experienced ultrasonography specialist, and with our previously developed scales: the sonomorphologic index and the vascularization index. Furthermore, we evaluated diagnostic tests with regard to the menopausal status of patients. Materials and methods: This study included 268 patients with adnexal masses; 167 patients with benign ovarian tumors and 101 patients with malignant ovarian tumors were enrolled. All tumors were evaluated by using transvaginal ultrasonography according to the diagnostic criteria of the nalyzed models. Materials and methods: This study included 268 patients with adnexal asses; 167 patients with benign ovarian tumors and 101 patients with malignant ovarian tumors were enrolled. All tumors were evaluated by using transvaginal ultrasonography according to the diagnostic criteria of the analyzed models. Results: The subjective ultrasonographic sessment and all of the studied predictive models achieved similar diagnostic performance in the whole study population. However, significant differences were observed when preand postmenopausal patients were analyzed separately. In the subgroup of premenopausal atients, the highest area under the curve (AUC) was achieved by subjective ultrasonographic assessment (0.931), the Alcazar model (0.912), and LR1 (0.909). Alternatively, in the group of postmenopausal patients, the highest AUC was noted for the Timmerman model (0.973), ROMA (0.951), and RMI (0.938). Conclusions: Menopausal status is a key factor that affects the utility of prognostic models for differential diagnosis of ovarian tumors. Diagnostic models of ovarian tumors are reasonable tools for predicting tumor malignancy.Cel: Celem pracy była zewnętrzna walidacja wybranych modeli prognostycznych: autorstwa grupy International Ovarian Tumor Analysis opartych na regresji logistycznej (LR1 i LR2, 2005) oraz innych popularnych modeli przeznaczonych do diagnostyki różnicowej guzów jajnika takich jak: model zaproponowany przez Timmerman’a i wsp. (1999), Alcazar’a i wsp., (2003), indeks ryzyka nowotworu (RMI – risk of malignancy index, 1990) oraz testu ROMA (risk of malignancy algorithm, 2009). Modele zostały porównane z subiektywną oceną ultrasonograficzną rzeprowadzoną przez doświadczonego specjalistę oraz skalami diagnostycznymi utworzonymi w naszym ośrodku: indeksem sonomorfologicznym (SM, 2004) i indeksem waskularyzacji (SD, 2004). Użyteczność analizowanych modeli została oceniona w zależności od różnych cech kliniczno-patologicznych, między innymi w zależności od statusu menopauzalnego pacjentki. Metodyka: W badaniu poddano analizie 268 guzów przydatków, w tym 167 guzów niezłośliwych i 101 nowotworów złośliwych jajnika. Każdy z guzów został oceniony w odniesieniu do kryteriów diagnostycznych analizowanych testów. Przed operacją oznaczono również poziom markerów CA125 i HE4. Wyniki: W całej badanej populacji wszystkie modele predykcyjne wykazały podobną wartość diagnostyczną. Natomiast, stwierdzono istotne różnice pomiędzy testami w sytuacji gdy analizowano osobno pacjentki przed i po menopauzie. Największe pole pod krzywą ROC (AU-ROC - area under the ROC curve) w grupie pacjentek przed menopauzą uzyskały: subiektywna ocena ultrasonograficzna (0,931), model Alcazar’a (0,912) oraz LR1 (0,909). Natomiast w grupie kobiet po menopauzie największy AU-ROC uzyskały: model Timmerman’a (0,973), ROMA (0,951) i RMI (0,938). Wnioski : Status menopauzalny jest podstawowym czynnikiem determinującym użyteczność modelu predykcyjnego w diagnostyce różnicowej guzów przydatków. Wszystkie z badanych modeli uzyskały wartość diagnostyczną umożliwiającą stosunkowo dokładną diagnostykę przedoperacyjną guzów przydatków

Opioids in clinical practice

The treatment of pain improves quality of life. Opioids are commonly prescribed painkillers. The side effectsof opioids depend on the route of administration, dosage, drug metabolism, comorbid diseases and thepatient’s general condition. Despite many beneficial effects, opioids can lead to increased mortality in heartfailure, myocardial infarction, pulmonary oedema, and COPD. This article reviews specific uses of opioidmedications. Opioids induce immunosuppression, and may undergo drug-drug interactions, especiallyduring polytherapy or polypragmasia

Association between polymorphisms in the SOX9 region and canine disorder of sex development (78,XX; SRY-negative) revisited in a multibreed case-control study

Testicular or ovotesticular disorders of sex development (DSD) in individuals with female karyotype (XX) lacking the SRY gene has been observed in several mammalian species, including dogs. A genetic background for this abnormality has been extensively sought, and the region harboring the SOX9 gene has often been considered key in canine DSD. Three types of polymorphism have been studied in this region to date: a) copy number variation (CNV) in a region about 400 kb upstream of SOX9, named CNVR1; b) duplication of SOX9; and c) insertion of a single G-nucleotide (rs852549625) approximately 2.2 Mb upstream of SOX9. The aim of this study was thus to comprehensively analyze these polymorphisms in a large multibreed case-control cohort containing 45 XX DSD dogs, representing 23 breeds. The control set contained 57 fertile females. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used to study CNVR1 and the duplication of SOX9. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to visualize copy numbers on a cellular level. The Sanger sequencing approach was performed to analyze the region harboring the G-insertion. We confirmed that CNVR1 is highly polymorphic and that copy numbers varied between 0 and 7 in the case and control cohorts. Interestingly, the number of copies was significantly higher (P = 0.038) in XX DSD dogs (mean = 2.7) than in the control females (mean = 2.0) but not in all studied breeds. Duplication of the SOX9 gene was noted only in a single XX DSD dog (an American Bully), which had three copies of SOX9. Distribution of the G-nucleotide insertion was similar in the XX DSD (frequency 0.20) and control (frequency 0.14) cohorts. Concluding, our study showed that CNVR1, located upstream of SOX9, is associated with the XX DSD phenotype, though in a breed-specific manner. Duplication of the SOX9 gene is a rare cause of this disorder in dogs. Moreover, we did not observe any association of G-insertion with the DSD phenotype. We assume that the genetic background of XX DSD can be different in certain breeds

Sensory Communication

Contains table of contents for Section 2, an introduction and reports on twelve research projects.National Institutes of Health Grant R01 DC00117National Institutes of Health Grant R01 DC02032National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Grant 2 R01 DC00126National Institutes of Health Grant 2 R01 DC00270National Institutes of Health Contract N01 DC-5-2107National Institutes of Health Grant 2 R01 DC00100U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N61339-96-K-0002U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N61339-96-K-0003U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-97-1-0635U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-97-1-0655U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Subcontract 40167U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-96-1-0379U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research Grant F49620-96-1-0202National Institutes of Health Grant RO1 NS33778Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Innovative Minimally Invasive Therapy Research Fellowship Gran

Sensory Communication

Contains table of contents for Section 2, an introduction and reports on fourteen research projects.National Institutes of Health Grant RO1 DC00117National Institutes of Health Grant RO1 DC02032National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Grant R01 DC00126National Institutes of Health Grant R01 DC00270National Institutes of Health Contract N01 DC52107U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research/Naval Air Warfare Center Contract N61339-95-K-0014U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research/Naval Air Warfare Center Contract N61339-96-K-0003U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-96-1-0379U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research Grant F49620-95-1-0176U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research Grant F49620-96-1-0202U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Subcontract 40167U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research/Naval Air Warfare Center Contract N61339-96-K-0002National Institutes of Health Grant R01-NS33778U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-92-J-184

Automated extraction of structured data from HTML documents

Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 45).by Maciej Stachowiak.M.Eng