COSSAP simulation model of DS-CDMA indoor microwave ATM LAN

This thesis presents an original work in the area of designing and implementing a simulation testbed for modelling a high speed spread spectrum Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Local Area Network (LAN). The spread spectrum technique used in this LAN model is Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA). The simulation model includes at least a physical layer of such a LAN, embedded into the COSSAP1 simulation environment, and has been fully tested. All the newly developed building blocks are comprised of standard blocks from the COSSAP libraries or compatible user-built primitive blocks (only where it is absolutely necessary), and are flexible enough to allow the modification of simulation or model parameters; such as the number of signal channels, modulation method used, different spreading code sequences and so on. All these changes can be made with minimal effort. Another significant contribution made in this thesis is the extended research into evaluating the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance of different spread spectrum COMA coding schemes for an indoor microwave A1M LAN [8]. Different spread spectrum CDMA coding schemes are compared for their transmission error rate in Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel with varying transmitted signal power and at different channel Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) levels. Since a wireless microwave channel is very prone to transmission errors, a major contribution of the simulation testbed developed in this thesis is its use in the finding of an optimal physical layer transmission scheme with the best Bit Error Rate (BER) performance in an indoor environment

Pervasive 2D Barcodes for Camera Phone Applications

In a previous study, we evaluated six 2D barcodes using eight criteria for standardization potential: omnidirectional symbol reading, support for low-resolution cameras, reading robustness under different lighting conditions, barcode reading distance, error correction capability, security, support for multiple character sets, and data capacity. We also considered the fidelity of the camera phone\u27s captured image as a metric for gauging reading reliability. Here, we review the six 2D barcodes and then use an additional metric - a first-read rate - to quantitatively verify our earlier results and better gauge reading reliability

The Use of Border in Colour 2D Barcode

In recent years, a trend has emerged in the use of colour to increase the data capacity of the 2D barcode. However the decoding of such colour barcode can be challenging in a mobile environment due to blurring effect that is commonly found in images captured by camera mobile phone. Blurring affects the synchronisation between the cells. It also causes the colour value of the cell to be wrongly interpreted. Hence, this paper proposes the use of border to improve the synchronisation and decoding. Three different types of border and the choice of its width will be investigated

Development Of A Novel Finder Pattern For Effective Color 2D-Barcode Detection

With a camera mobile phone, which has become a must-have device, 2D-barcode works as an interface to bridge the physical and digital world. As the notion of ubiquitous computing has permeated, developing a new 2D-barcode and its applications has been a growing trend worldwide. A 2D-barcode symbol consists of two broad areas: data area and guide area. The components of the latter is collectively called finder pattern and used in locating the 2D-barcode symbol. The failure of finding the target symbol prevents a barcode reader from successfully decoding the barcode. Hence, designing a functional finder pattern is one of the key for improving the robustness of barcode reading, and thus, the entire 2D-barcode system. We have designed a novel finder pattern integrated with a color 2D-barcode for camera mobile phone applications. Through the development and evaluation of the finder pattern for effective color 2D-barcode detection, this paper discusses keys to improve the functionality and reliability of finder patterns, which should be kept in mind when designing a finder pattern for any 2D-barcode symbol

Cyclic Tetrapyrrolic Photosensitisers from the leaves of Phaeanthus ophthalmicus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Twenty-seven extracts from 26 plants were identified as photo-cytotoxic in the course of our bioassay guided screening program for photosensitisers from 128 extracts prepared from 64 terrestrial plants in two different collection sites in Malaysia - Royal Belum Forest Reserve in the State of Perak and Gunung Nuang in the State of Selangor. One of the photo-cytotoxic extracts from the leaves of <it>Phaeanthus ophtalmicus </it>was further investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The ethanolic extract of the leaves from <it>Phaeanthus ophtalmicus </it>was able to reduce the <it>in vitro </it>viability of leukaemic HL60 cells to < 50% when exposed to 9.6 J/cm²of a broad spectrum light at a concentration of 20 μg/mL. Dereplication of the photo-cytotoxic fractions from <it>P. ophthalmicus </it>extracts based on TLC R_fvalues and HPLC co-injection of reference tetrapyrrolic compounds enabled quick identification of known photosensitisers, pheophorbide-<it>a</it>, pheophorbide-<it>a </it>methyl ester, 13²-hydroxypheophorbide-<it>a </it>methyl ester, pheophytin-<it>a </it>and 15¹-hydroxypurpurin 7-lactone dimethyl ester. In addition, compound <b>1 </b>which was not previously isolated as a natural product was also identified as 7-formyl-15¹-hydroxypurpurin-7-lactone methyl ester using standard spectroscopic techniques.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that the main photosensitisers in plants are based on the cyclic tetrapyrrole structure and photosensitisers with other structures, if present, are present in very minor amounts or are not as active as those with the cyclic tetrapyrrole structure.</p

Factors associated with nursing home placement of all patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation in Singapore community hospitals from 1996 to 2005: A disease stratified analysis

10.1371/journal.pone.0082697PLoS ONE812-POLN

Altered regulation of Prox1-gene-expression in liver tumors

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

The Airborne Metagenome in an Indoor Urban Environment

The indoor atmosphere is an ecological unit that impacts on public health. To investigate the composition of organisms in this space, we applied culture-independent approaches to microbes harvested from the air of two densely populated urban buildings, from which we analyzed 80 megabases genomic DNA sequence and 6000 16S rDNA clones. The air microbiota is primarily bacteria, including potential opportunistic pathogens commonly isolated from human-inhabited environments such as hospitals, but none of the data contain matches to virulent pathogens or bioterror agents. Comparison of air samples with each other and nearby environments suggested that the indoor air microbes are not random transients from surrounding outdoor environments, but rather originate from indoor niches. Sequence annotation by gene function revealed specific adaptive capabilities enriched in the air environment, including genes potentially involved in resistance to desiccation and oxidative damage. This baseline index of air microbiota will be valuable for improving designs of surveillance for natural or man-made release of virulent pathogens

Rapamycin synergizes cisplatin sensitivity in basal-like breast cancer cells through up-regulation of p73.

Recent gene expression profiling studies have identified five breast cancer subtypes, of which the basal-like subtype is the most aggressive. Basal-like breast cancer poses serious clinical challenges as there are currently no targeted therapies available to treat it. Although there is increasing evidence that these tumors possess specific sensitivity to cisplatin, its success is often compromised due to its dose-limiting nephrotoxicity and the development of drug resistance. To overcome this limitation, our goal was to maximize the benefits associated with cisplatin therapy through drug combination strategies. Using a validated kinase inhibitor library, we showed that inhibition of the mTOR, TGFβRI, NFκB, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK pathways sensitized basal-like MDA-MB-468 cells to cisplatin treatment. Further analysis demonstrated that the combination of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and cisplatin generated significant drug synergism in basal-like MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and HCC1937 cells but not in luminal-like T47D or MCF-7 cells. We further showed that the synergistic effect of rapamycin plus cisplatin on basal-like breast cancer cells was mediated through the induction of p73. Depletion of endogenous p73 in basal-like cells abolished these synergistic effects. In conclusion, combination therapy with mTOR inhibitors and cisplatin may be a useful therapeutic strategy in the treatment of basal-like breast cancers