A Delaunay Edges and Simulated Annealing-Based Integrated Approach for Mesh Router Placement Optimization in Wireless Mesh Networks.

Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) can build a communications infrastructure using only routers (called mesh routers), making it possible to form networks over a wide area at low cost. The mesh routers cover clients (called mesh clients), allowing mesh clients to communicate with different nodes. Since the communication performance of WMNs is affected by the position of mesh routers, the communication performance can be improved by optimizing the mesh router placement.

Lipoarabinomannan in sputum to detect bacterial load and treatment response in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: Analytic validation and evaluation in two cohorts.

Background: Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a major antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In this report, we evaluated the ability of a novel immunoassay to measure concentrations of LAM in sputum as a biomarker of bacterial load prior to and during treatment in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Methods And Findings: Phage display technology was used to isolate monoclonal antibodies binding to epitopes unique in LAM from MTB and slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).

High-density lipoprotein suppresses tumor necrosis factor alpha production by mycobacteria-infected human macrophages.

Immune responses to parasitic pathogens are affected by the host physiological condition. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are transporters of lipids between the liver and peripheral tissues, and modulate pro-inflammatory immune responses. Pathogenic mycobacteria are parasitic intracellular bacteria that can survive within macrophages for a long period.

Ultrasonographic findings of proximal median neuropathy: A case series of suspected distal neuralgic amyotrophy.

Spontaneous anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) palsy develops following the resolution of nerve pain, which may be considered as distal neuralgic amyotrophy. NA is assumed to have a complex etiology, but an autoimmune mechanism is likely involved. However, precise assessment of the lesion is challenging.

Difference in Antibody Responses to Antigens in Japanese Tuberculosis Patients Infected with the Beijing/Non-Beijing Genotype.

The Beijing genotype (MTB), notorious for its virulence and predisposition to relapse, could be identified by spoligotyping based on genetic heterogeneity. The plasma samples from 20 cases of Beijing and 16 cases of non-Beijing MTB infected individuals and 24 healthy controls (HCs) were collected, and antibodies against 11 antigens (Rv0679c142Asn, Rv0679c142Lys, Ag85B, Ag85A, ARC, TDM-M, TDM-K, HBHA, MDP-1, LAM, and TBGL) were measured by ELISA. Compared to the HCs, the MTB infected subjects showed higher titers of anti-Ag85B IgG (positivity 58.

Diagnostic value of antibody responses to multiple antigens from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in active and latent tuberculosis.

We investigated the antibody responses to 10 prospective Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) antigens and evaluated their ability to discriminate between latent (LTBI) and active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Our results indicate that plasma levels of anti-α-crystallin (ACR), antilipoarabinomannan, anti-trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate, and anti-tubercular-glycolipid antigen antibodies were higher in patients with active TB, compared to those in the LTBI and control subjects. No differences in the antibodies were observed between the control and LTBI subjects.

A de novo mutation of the MYH7 gene in a large Chinese family with autosomal dominant myopathy.

Laing distal myopathy (LDM) is an autosomal dominant myopathy that is caused by mutations in the slow/beta cardiac myosin heavy-chain (MYH7) gene. It has been recently reported that LDM presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations. We herein report a large Chinese family with autosomal dominant myopathy.

Pathogenic exon-trapping by SVA retrotransposon and rescue in Fukuyama muscular dystrophy.

Fukuyama muscular dystrophy (FCMD; MIM253800), one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders in Japan, was the first human disease found to result from ancestral insertion of a SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA) retrotransposon into a causative gene. In FCMD, the SVA insertion occurs in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the fukutin gene. The pathogenic mechanism for FCMD is unknown, and no effective clinical treatments exist.

An evaluation of the performance of a novel stick-type kit for rapid detection of Helicobacter pylori antibodies in urine.

Background: ODK-0702 is a stick-type urinary Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibodies detection kit, developed to improve the original housing type urinary H. pylori antibodies detection kit "RAPIRUN H.

Diaphragmatic paralysis in a patient with spinal cord infarction.

This report describes the rare case of a 72-year-old woman with spinal cord infarction who presented with persistent diaphragmatic paralysis. Her neurological examination showed tetraplegia, sensory loss to pain and thermal stimulations, and paradoxical abdominal movement. Chest X-ray and diaphragmatic fluoroscopy revealed absent diaphragmatic movement.

[Clinical and pathological significance of carotid siphon calcification observed on bone condition of brain CT].

Purpose: On plain brain computed tomography (CT), it is difficult to evaluate stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA) because ICA is surrounded by structures, even though we can observe calcification of carotid siphon in some patients by using bone condition. However the pathologic significance has not been well known. We studied the pathologic significance of carotid siphon calcification observed on bone condition of brain CT.