The fast growth and merging of communication infrastructures and services turned the planning and design of wireless networks into a very complex subject. The Radio Network Design (RND) is a NP-hard ...optimization problem which consists on the maximization of the coverage of a given area while minimizing the base station (BS) deployment. Solving such problems resourcefully is relevant for many fields of application and has direct impact in engineering, scientific and industrial areas. Its significance is growing due to cost dropping or profit increase allowance and can additionally be applied to several different business targets. Numerous works can be found in the literature dealing with the RND problem, although they all suffer from the same shortfall: a non-comparable efficiency. Therefore, the aim of this work is threefold: first, to offer a reliable RND benchmark reference covering a wide algorithmic spectrum, second, to offer a grand insight of accurately comparisons of efficiency, reliability and swiftness of the different employed algorithmic models and third, to disclose reproducibility details of the implemented models, including simulations of a hardware co-processing accelerator.
The incorporation of new biomedical technologies in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer is changing medicine to an evidence-based diagnosis. We summarize some studies related to brain tumour ...research in Europe, based on the metabolic information provided by in vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and transcriptomic profiling observed by DNA microarrays. The first result presents the improvement in brain tumour diagnosis by combining Long TE and Short TE single voxel MR Spectra. Afterwards, a mixture model for binned and truncated data to characterize and classify MRS is reviewed. The classification of Glioblastomas Multiforme and Meningothelial Meningiomas using single-labeling cDNA-based microarrays was studied as proof of principle in the incorporation of genomic information to clinical diagnosis. Finally, we present a Decision Support System for in-vivo classification of brain tumours were the best inferred classifiers are deployed for their clinical use.
BackgroundDirect acting antivirals (DAAs) have become elective treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but final data regarding routine medical practice are still limited.PurposeThe ...objective of this study was to assess treatment effectiveness and safety of DAAs in real practice.Material and methodsDescriptive, retrospective, non-interventional study. Inclusion criteria: all HCV monoinfected patients who started treatment with DAAs from January 2014 to March 2015. Exclusion criteria: patients with liver transplant.The following variables were collected from the digital medical record: demographics, degree of fibrosis, clinical data (decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma), response to previous HCV treatment and viral genotype, viral load and analytical data (at baseline and at the end of treatment) and adverse events.Primary effectiveness endpoint was SVR12 (sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment). Secondary endpoint was virologic response (undetectable virus load) and normalisation of serum transaminases at the end of treatment.Safety was evaluated by laboratory abnormalities and adverse events (AEs).Results48 patients were included: 29 (60.4%) were male; average age 60 years (SD=8.1).Distribution of virus genotypes were: genotype 1a=8 (16.7%) patients; 1b=33 (68.7%); 2=1 (2.1%); 3=4 (8.3%); and 4=2 (4.2%).42 (87.5%) patients were cirrhotic, 17 (40.5%) of these were decompensated and 5 (10.4%) had a hepatocellular carcinoma.24 patients (50%) were treatment naïve, 20 (41.7%) had a failed prior therapy with peginterferon/ribavirin and 4 (8.3%) with a protease inhibitor.The prescribed DAAs were: SOF+SMV=27 (56.2%), SOF+DCV=10 (20.9%), OTP/PTV/r+DSV=5 (10.4%), SMV+P-INF=3 (6.2%), SOF/LDV=1 (2.1%), DCV+SMV=1 (2.1%) and SOF=1 (2.1%). Ribavirin was present in 33 (68.7%) treatments.Treatment duration was 12 weeks in 34 (70.8%) patients and 24 weeks in 14 (29.1%).SVR12 was achieved in 31 (88.6%) patients with available laboratory data (72.9%). At the end of the treatment, virologic response was achieved in 100% of patients with data available (89.6%), and 85% of patients with available laboratory data (83.3%) had normalised serum transaminases.Most frequent AEs were: asthenia 25 (52%), ribavirin associated anaemia 15 (45.5%), pruritus 16 (33.3%), dry skin 10 (20.8%) and insomnia 10 (20.8%).ConclusionData show a high percentage of SVR12 and a totally virologic response at the end of treatment. Moreover, AEs did not differ from those described in clinical trials. DDAs seemed to be efficacious and well tolerated in real clinical practice.References and/or AcknowledgementsRev Esp Quimioter 2015;28(Suppl 1):48-51No conflict of interest.
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen and morphogen expressed in fetal organs. It requires activation by specific serine proteases. The role of activated HGF during fetal development has ...not been evaluated. We hypothesized that the serum levels of activated HGF would be increased in preterm neonates. Cord blood total HGF and activated HGF levels were measured in 19 preterm (gestational age, 28.04±2.39 weeks) and 24 term (gestational age, 39.37±0.95 weeks) newborns. Anthropometric parameters and metabolic indices were evaluated. Activated HGF was higher in preterm than in term neonates (0.81±0.05 vs. 0.61±0.06 ng/mL, p<0.05), whereas total HGF levels did not differ significantly between groups. In addition, total and activated HGF further increased by ∼40% in preterm neonates 12 h after birth. Finally, activated HGF correlated inversely with gestational age (r=-0.369; p=0.015) and birth weight (r=-0.440; p=0.003). Our study demonstrates that regulation of HGF activity and circulating HGF levels differ between term and preterm neonates along fetal development.
TNF-alpha transduction pathway in prostate cancer seems to be diverted towards p38 activation. P38 may protect prostate tumoral cells from TNF-alpha apoptosis induced. The aim of this study was study ...the role of p38 in vivo (were evaluated some p38 downstream factors), as well as in vitro (in prostatic tumoral cell lines, LNCaP and PC3, pre-treated with TNF-alpha).
Two prostatic tumoral cell lines (LNCaP and PC3) were used in in vitro studies. Two different experiments were made: with TNF-alpha (several concentrations) and p38 specific inhibitor (SB203580). The apoptotic index were evaluated using DAPI staining and flow cytometry. P38 activation was measured by Western blot analysis. 15 normal samples (NP) and 27 prostate cancer samples (PC) were used in in vivo study, all of them were processed for immunohistochemistry and Western-blot.
In vitro, TNF-alpha induced apoptosis in LnCap when we increased its concentration but not in PC3. TNF-alpha stimulation led to increase a time-dependent p38 phosphorylation in two intermediate doses whereas in PC3 not changes were found. In LNCaP after its preincubation with SB203580 and TNF-alpha treatment showed a significative increasing of apoptosis. In vivo, all NP samples were found positives to p-Elk-1 and p-ATF-2 (nuclei of epithelial cells). In PC the expression of p-Elk-1 or p-ATF-2 increased and was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm of epithelial cells.
Our data in vitro and in vivo suggest that p38 plays a very important role in prostatic tumour progression. These data suggest that the control activation of p38 might be a possible target to cancer prostate treatment.
To find out the socio-demographic and clinical profile of the patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): characteristics, state of health, situation of disease and social resources.
A ...descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study, in the Morales Meseguer and Reina Sofía Hospitals in Murcia (Spain), was performed between June 2007 and April 2008. The inclusion criteria was hospital admission due to COPD and patients with cognitive deterioration, a hospital stay > 30 days or < 2 days, or were institutionalised, were excluded. Socio-demographic, state of health and social variables were collected using the patient's clinical history and an interview during hospital stay and at discharge. The descriptive statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS v.15.
A total of 143 patients were studied, of which 90.2% were males who had a mean age of 72.76 ± 8.04 years, 95.1% were in an inactive work situation and had a mean score on the social problem scale of 8.08 ± 2.1. Most were in a fragile state (71.3%), approximately half (44.8%) suffered heart disease as the main co-morbidity factor, and the impact of the disease on quality of life was 55.1 ± 19.01. The level of knowledge on the therapeutic regime was 3.13 ± 0.7. A total of 72% were independent for carrying out Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) after hospital discharge.
Most of the population that suffers from COPD were elderly males, who were retired without social problems, with a high percentage of co-morbidity, an intermediate alteration in their quality of life, having a moderate level of knowledge about the therapeutic regime and were independent for BADL, but fragile.
The decrease with time of TL intensity in LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLDs: Chinese GR-200A (produced by the Solid Dosimetric Detector & Method Lab., Research Institute of Chemical Defence, Beijing, China) and ...Polish MCP-N (made by TLD Niewiadomski & Co., Kraków, Poland) was studied at room temperature over periods ranging from 10 minutes to 3 months. All detectors which underwent a standard annealing procedure were read out in a Harshaw 5500 hot nitrogen reader using a 8°C/s linear cycle over the range 60–300°C. Each peak was analysed using the GCA glow curve deconvolution program, specially designed for this phosphor. We confirm the expected slow exponential decrease for each peak, finding that the fading of peak 3 in GR-200A LiF:Mg,Cu,P appears to more rapid than that in MCP-N. We also present the time dependence of the ratio of peaks 2 and 3 with respect to the main peak. The knowledge of such ratios could be useful in assessing the time between exposure and readout for periods of up to about 3 months.
A study reproducing usual exposure conditions in a special care baby unit has been performed to measure doses using TL materials in a versatile phantom specially designed for neonates having X ray ...examinations. The phantom offers the possibilities of reproducing different patient thicknesses and representing either a solid or hollow lung region. The results of the dose measurements using TL materials at the entrance, exit and both laterals of the phantom during different chest radiograph conditions are presented. Test conditions were reproduced in both hollow and solid chest cages simulating patient thicknesses of 5, 6 and 7 cm. The study was completed using two types of TL materials, LiF:Mg,Cu,P and LiF:Mg,Ti, in order to analyse and correct the differences on energy response between the two phosphors.
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