L’optimisation des réseaux cellulaires assistée par ordinateur: le logiciel RNO (Radio Network Optimisation)

Quality of service has become today a major concern for operators of mobile communication networks. The massive development of networks and strong competition between operators has lead to the necessary and daily follow-up of network quality of service, a key factor for its subscriber’s fidelity. This article aims at presenting the optimization methodology and proposes its illustration with a case of RNO (Radio Network Optimisation) software usage, one of the Alcatel optimization toolchain component. After a short presentation of cellular network, the optimization basic principles are described. RNO software and its main functionnalities are then detailed before a last part dedicated to a real case of optimization done with RNO software.     

Mammographic findings of recurrent breast cancer after lumpectomy and radiation therapy: comparison with the primary tumor

PURPOSE: To compare the mammographic findings of recurrent breast cancer with those of the primary tumor in patients who underwent lumpectomy and radiation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammograms were reviewed of primary and recurrent tumors in 25 patients (26 lesions). Mammographic appearance, location, and histopathologic characteristics were retrospectively compared between primary and recurrent tumors. RESULTS: Primary and recurrent tumors were mammographically similar in 21 (81%) of the 26 lesions. Of 14 primary tumors with calcifications, 12 (86%) recurred with calcifications, and of the 12 masses, nine (75%) recurred as masses. Recurrent tumors that occurred in the lumpectomy quadrant were more often similar in mammographic appearance to the primary tumor (20 of 22 tumors) than those in other quadrants (one of four tumors) (P < .02). CONCLUSION: After conservative treatment of breast cancer, the majority of recurrent tumors appear to be mammographically similar to primary tumors. It is prudent to review preoperative mammograms during follow-up of patients after lumpectomy and radiation therapy.     

Fast template tracking in video sequences

Tracking of poorly defined, rotating and/or distorted objects in a video sequence poses significant problems especially in medical diagnostics including ultrasound (sonographic) video used for examination and diagnosis of internal movement of tissue or muscle and nerve action. Cross-correlation techniques have been successful in retrieving dynamic information directly from ultrasound video data. We outline a fast implementation of tracking based on normalized cross-correlation using an adaptive template and present results from our application, developed in MATLAB?, which successfully tracks arbitrarily selected objects in deformed or severely compromised images. Common ultrasound image evaluation is qualitative but there is need to retrieve quantitative dynamic information such as the trajectory or velocity of selected areas. Our approach uses normalized two-dimensional cross-correlation to find the position of an initially selected template enclosing the feature of interest and map its trajectory frame-by-frame to produce displacement and velocity plots. We illustrate operation of the application using routine ultrasound data and demonstrate its performance using test video of objects rotating full circle and rolling down a ramp. We analyse errors associated with sampling to compare performance of our implementation with a more rigorous but tedious and computationally expensive correlation of a resampled, rotated, and shifted template.     

Ferritin Protein Regulates the Degradation of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Proteins implicated in iron homeostasis are assumed to be also involved in the cellular processing of iron oxide nanoparticles. In this work, the role of an endogenous iron storage protein—namely the ferritin—is examined in the remediation and biodegradation of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Previous in vivo studies suggest the intracellular transfer of the iron ions released during the degradation of nanoparticles to endogenous protein cages within lysosomal compartments. Here, the capacity of ferritin cages to accommodate and store the degradation products of nanoparticles is investigated in vitro in the physiological acidic environment of the lysosomes. Moreover, it is questioned whether ferritin proteins can play an active role in the degradation of the nanoparticles. The magnetic, colloidal, and structural follow‐up of iron oxide nanoparticles and proteins in lysosome‐like medium confirms the efficient remediation of potentially harmful iron ions generated by nanoparticles within ferritins. The presence of ferritins, however, delays the degradation of particles due to a complex colloidal behavior of the mixture in acidic medium. This study exemplifies the important implications of intracellular proteins in processes of degradation and metabolization of iron oxide nanoparticles.     

On the composition of time Petri nets

Complex systems are often designed and built from smaller pieces, called components. Components are open sub-systems meant to be combined (or composed) to form other components or closed systems. It is well known that Petri nets allow such a component based modeling, relying on parallel composition and transition synchronization. However, synchronizing transitions that carry temporal constraints does not yield a compositional method for assembling components, a highly desirable property. The paper addresses this particular problem: how to build complex systems in a compositional manner from components specified by Time Petri nets (TPN). A first solution is proposed, adequate for a particular subclass of Time Petri nets but significantly increasing the complexity of components. Then an improved solution is developed, relying on an extension of Time Petri nets with two relations added on transitions. This latter solution requires a much simpler transformation of nets, does not significantly increase their complexity, and is applicable to a larger class of TPN.     

Constipation Mitigation by Rhubarb Extract in Middle-Aged Adults Is Linked to Gut Microbiome Modulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Gut microbiota alterations are intimately linked to chronic constipation upon aging. We investigated the role of targeted changes in the gut microbiota composition in the relief of constipation symptoms after rhubarb extract (RE) supplementation in middle-aged volunteers. Subjects (95% women, average 58 years old) were randomized to three groups treated with RE at two different doses determined by its content of rhein (supplementation of 12.5 mg and 25 mg per day) vs. placebo (maltodextrin) for 30 days. We demonstrated that daily oral supplementation of RE for 30 days was safe even at the higher dose. Stool frequency and consistency, and perceived change in transit problem, transit speed and difficulty in evacuating, investigated by validated questionnaires, were improved in both groups of RE-treated volunteers compared to placebo. Higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae (mainly Roseburia and Agathobacter) only occurred after RE treatment when present at low levels at baseline, whereas an opposite shift in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels was observed in both RE-treated groups (increase) and placebo (decrease). Fecal Lachnospiraceae and SCFA were positively correlated with stool consistency. This study demonstrates that RE supplementation promotes butyrate-producing bacteria and SCFA, an effect that could contribute to relieving chronic constipation in middle-aged persons.     

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube‐based composite: Elaboration and monitoring of the nanotubes alignment

We present the different elaboration steps of a composite formed of carbon nanotubes (CNT) carpet embedded in an epoxy polymer. Detailed characterization at each step of the elaboration process is performed. The good alignment of CNT in as‐grown carpets is kept all along the elaboration process of the composite, as it is measured at both macro and microscopic scales by X‐ray scattering. We also ensured by X‐ray fluorescence measurements that the iron‐based catalyst particles used for the synthesis were removed from the carpet after a high temperature post‐annealing treatment. These measurements give valuable information for further applications involving unidirectional nanotube composites and membranes, where CNT alignment is a key parameter. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39730.