Ctc

Two very important NP-hard problems in the area of computational complexity are the problems of Matrix Multiplication (MM) and Circuit Optimization. Solving particular cases of such problems yield to improvements in many other problems as they are core sub-routines implemented in many other algorithms. However, obtaining optimal solutions is an intractable problem since the space to explore for each problem is exponentially large. All suggested methodologies rely on wellchosen heuristics, selected according to the topology of the specific problem. Such heuristics may yield to efficient and acceptable solutions but they do not guarantee that no better can be done. In this paper, we suggest a general framework for obtaining solutions to such problems. We have developed a 2-step methodology, where in the first place we describe algebraically the problem and then we convert it to a SAT-CNF problem, which we solve using SAT-solvers. By running the same procedure for different values of k...

Uveal melanoma is one of the most deadly diseases in ophthalmology for which markers able to predict the appearance of metastasis are needed. The study investigates the role of circulating tumor cells (CTC) as a prognostic factor in this disease. We report the detection of circulating tumor cells by Isolation by Size of Epithelial Tumor cells (ISET) in a cohort of 31 uveal melanoma patients: we identified single CTCs or clusters of cells in 17 patients, while the control population, subjects with choroidal nevi, showed no CTC in peripheral blood. The presence of CTCs did not correlate with any clinical and pathological parameter, such as tumor larger basal diameter (LBD), tumor height and TNM. By stratifying patients in groups on the basis of the number of CTC (lower or higher than 10 CTC per 10 mL blood) and the presence of CTC clusters we found a significant difference in LBD (p = 0.019), Tumor height (p = 0.048), disease-free and overall survival (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we confirm the role of CTC as a negative prognostic marker in uveal melanoma patients after a long follow-up period. Further characterization of CTC will help understanding uveal melanoma metastasization and improve patient management.

&lt;p&gt;Lymph nodes and spleen were taken from each mouse 20 days after the last immunization. Proliferative responses are expressed as proliferation index (PI): a ratio of [&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;H]-thymidine incorporation (cpm) between cells stimulated with Tc52 and non-stimulated in &lt;b&gt;A.&lt;/b&gt; lymph nodes cells, and &lt;b&gt;B&lt;/b&gt;. spleen cells. Results are shown in box plots, line corresponds to median, boxes to 25&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; and 75&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; percentiles, and whiskers to minimum and maximum values. Results are representative of three independent experiments. *&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05; **&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.01; ***&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001.&lt;/p