Fast and scalable inference of multi-sample cancer lineages.

Somatic variants can be used as lineage markers for the phylogenetic reconstruction of cancer evolution. Since somatic phylogenetics is complicated by sample heterogeneity, novel specialized tree-building methods are required for cancer phylogeny reconstruction. We present LICHeE (Lineage Inference for Cancer Heterogeneity and Evolution), a novel method that automates the phylogenetic inference of cancer progression from multiple somatic samples. LICHeE uses variant allele frequencies of somatic single nucleotide variants obtained by deep sequencing to reconstruct multi-sample cell lineage trees and infer the subclonal composition of the samples. LICHeE is open source and available at http://viq854.github.io/lichee

Method-MS, final report 2010

Radiometric determination methods, such as alpha spectrometry require long counting times when low activities are to be determined. Mass spectrometric techniques as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) have shown several advantages compared to traditional methods when measuring long-lived radionuclides. Mass spectrometric methods for determination of very low concentrations of elemental isotopes, and thereby isotopic ratios, have been developed using a variety of ion sources. Although primarily applied to the determination of the lighter stable element isotopes and radioactive isotopes in geological studies, the techniques can equally well be applied to the measurement of activity concentrations of long-lived low-level radionuclides in various samples using “isotope dilution” methods such as those applied in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Due to the low specific activity of long-lived radionuclides, many of these are more conveniently detected using mass spectrometric techniques. Mass spectrometry also enables the individual determination of Pu-239 and Pu-240, which cannot be obtained by alpha spectrometry. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) are rapidly growing techniques for the ultra-trace analytical determination of stable and long-lived isotopes and have a wide potential within environmental science, including ecosystem tracers and radio ecological studies. Such instrumentation, of course needs good radiochemical separation, to give best performance. The objectives of the project is to identify current needs and problems within low-level determination of long-lived radioisotopes by ICP-MS, to perform intercalibration and development and improvement of ICP-MS methods for the measurement of radionuclides and isotope ratios and to develop new methods based on modified separation chemistry applied to new auxiliary equipment

European health systems and COVID-19: some early lessons

COVID-19 is putting unprecedented pressure on European healthcare systems. Tamara Popic draws together some early lessons, arguing that the crisis should prompt a rethink of the direction of healthcare policies across Europe, and that the principle of solidarity must now move to the forefront as countries seek to mitigate the impact of the outbreak

Two approaches for face recognition with IOT technologies

LAUREA MAGISTRALESistema di riconoscimento facciale, è stato visto nel 1960. Un sistema che classifica le foto dei volti a mano usando un tablet RAND, un dispositivo che le persone potrebbero usare per inserire le coordinate orizzontali e verticali su una griglia usando uno stilo che emette impulsi elettromagnetici. Il sistema potrebbe registrare manualmente le posizioni delle coordinate di varie caratteristiche del viso tra cui naso, attaccatura dei capelli, occhi e bocca. Da allora, il riconoscimento facciale si è evoluto utilizzando diversi tipi di algoritmi per identificare una persona nel modo più accurato possibile. Dopo una serie di fallimenti, la verifica di una persona da un'immagine digitale o da una cornice video da una sorgente video è oggi utilizzata nei sistemi di sicurezza, per le forze dell'ordine e i governi statali. Diffondendo ai social media, attraverso lo sblocco di dispositivi mobili, il riconoscimento facciale gioca oggi un ruolo importante nella sicurezza e in altre tecnologie simili. L'Internet delle cose consente di rilevare o controllare gli oggetti da remoto attraverso le infrastrutture di rete esistenti. Converge più tecnologie come comunicazione wireless, analisi in tempo reale, apprendimento automatico, sensori di merci e sistemi integrati. Il valore di mercato globale di Iot sta incassando rapidamente, si stima che raggiungerà $7,1 trilioni entro il 2020. Ciò fornisce una ragione perfetta per utilizzare tali sistemi per il riconoscimento facciale. È facilmente distribuibile, facilmente accessibile, compatibile e facile da implementare. In questa tesi, discutiamo di due approcci di riconoscimento facciale che utilizzano il modello Raspberry Pi 3 (dispositivo Iot). Includeremo diverse tecnologie con gli stessi campioni per i risultati corrispondenti. Studieremo la fisica degli approcci, confronteremo questi risultati per vedere quale è più adatto a cosa e quali sono i loro pro e contro.Facial recognition system, has been seen back in 1960. A system that classifies photos of faces by hand using a RAND tablet, a device that people could use to input horizontal and vertical coordinates on a grid using a stylus that emits electromagnetic pulses. The system could manually record the coordinate locations of various facial features including the nose, hairline, eyes and mouth. (brief-history-of-face-recognition-software, 2018) Since then, face recognition has evolved using different kinds of algorithms to identify a person as accurately as possible. After series of failures, verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source is today used in security systems, for law enforcement agencies, and state governments. Spreading to social media, through unlocking mobile devices, face recognition plays a big part in security and other similar technologies today. (Facial recognition system, 2018) The Internet of things allows objects to be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructures. It converges of multiple technologies such as wireless communication, real-time analytics, machine learning, commodity sensors, and embedded systems. Iot’s global market value is grossing quickly, it is estimated that it will reach$7.1 trillion by the year 2020. This gives perfect reason to use such systems for face recognition. It is easy distributable, easy-accessible, compatible and easy to deploy. (Internet_of_things, 2018) In this thesis, we discuss about two facial recognition approaches using the Raspberry Pi 3 model (Iot device). We will include different technologies with same samples for matching results. We will study the physics of the approaches, we will compare these results to see which is better suited for what, and what are their pros and cons

Pollination networks: dynamic responses to rain-driven resource pulses

Pollination is essential to life on earth. The network of species interactions within a plant-pollinator community exhibit structures which support species coexistence and the persistence of pollination. My thesis centers on understanding how network structure and function respond to rain-driven resource pulses. I sampled a spatially and temporally resolved set of 18 flower-visitation networks in the Simpson Desert, Australia, and discovered 33 new bee species. To ensure representative sampling of pollinators, I compared net sampling and pan trapping. Net sampling more effectively captured visitor diversity and abundance, reflected the spatio-temporal variability in floral resources, and linked visitors to pollination through behavioural observations. I next tested if visitation networks are adequate substitutes for pollination networks. Networks were similar in structure, but the pollen-transport network displayed higher specialisation, lower interaction evenness and fewer links, and pollen transport was confirmed in only one third of visitation interactions. I then tested how rain affected community and network structure. Species diversity and composition varied dramatically with rainfall. An increase in the previous nine months cumulative rainfall increased network size and specialisation, but when network size was accounted for, nestedness and connectance were unaffected. Networks changed in distinct ways: plant species richness determined the number of modules, the richness of poorly connected visitor species determined module size, and the number of well-connected species per module was never greater than one. Finally, I tested if species traits determined a species network role, and found zygomorphic plant species became more connected as bee species richness increased, suggesting species complementarity. My thesis demonstrated that pollination is ensured through stable network structure, despite rain-driven changes in network makeup and species network role

Portuguese healthcare reforms in the context of crisis: external pressure or domestic choice?

As a result of the recent economic crisis, in 2011 Portugal signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund (the 'Troika'). In exchange for Troika's financial assistance, the Memorandum required the implementation of a specific set of reforms targeted at the healthcare sector. The literature on policy reforms in the context of crisis and conditionality argues that governments have little room to maneuver in responding to external pressure. We challenge this view, finding that even in cases of conditionality and strong external pressures, crisis can be used as a window of opportunity for reforms substantially shaped by domestic policy choices. In the case of Portuguese health reforms, these choices aimed on resolving country-specific deficiencies of the healthcare system and were enabled by the two main political parties' strategies of tacit cooperation and blame avoidance. The article emphasizes the need for more fine-grained analysis of welfare reforms in the crisis affected countries that pays equal attention to the institutional characteristics and to the political context and strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio