Classic linear dimensionality reduction (LDR) methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), are known not to be robust against outliers. Following a systematic analysis of the multi-class LDR problem in a unified framework, we propose a new algorithm, called minimal distance maximization (MDM), to address the non-robustness issue. The principle behi...

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are an increasing cause of hospitalisations and are associated with accelerated progression of airflow obstruction. Approximately half of COPD exacerbations are associated with bacteria and many patients have lower airways colonisation. This suggests that bacterial infection in COPD could be due to reduced pathogen removal. This stud...

Plasmonic waveguides have shown the potential to guide subwavelength optical modes, the so called surface plasmon polaritons, at metal-dielectric interfaces. In particular, a metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) structure supports a subwavelength propagating mode at a wavelength range extending from DC to visible. Thus, such a waveguide could be important in providing an interface between conventional ...

PURPOSE To evaluate experimental cranial vault reconstructions, by combining bone morphogenetic protein type 2 (BMP-2) and different matrices. METHODS Fourty-nine animals were initially included (seven per group). We designed an experimental, open, prospective and comparative study, divided in seven groups: 1 - BMP-2+calcium phosphate (BT); 2 - BMP-2+acellular dermal matrix (BM); 3 - BMP-2+ca...

INTRODUCTION Skin testing with major and minor determinants of benzylpenicillin is the recommended standard practice to evaluate subjects with immediate hypersensitivity to betalactams. The withdrawal of these products from the market has set us back to the early days, before the introduction of reagents for in vivo testing. OBJECTIVES To compare a recently released kit of benzylpenicillin co...

Tryptophan catabolism via the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) allows human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and other APC to suppress T cell proliferation. IDO helps protect murine fetuses from rejection by the maternal immune system and can promote tolerance and immunosuppression. For tryptophan to be catabolized by IDO, it must first enter the APC via transmembrane transport. It ha...

Macrophages are essential to maintaining lung homoeostasis and recent work has demonstrated that influenza-infected lung macrophages downregulate their expression of the scavenger receptor CD36. This receptor has also been shown to be involved in phagocytosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae, a primary agent associated with pneumonia secondary to viral infection. The aim of this study was to investi...

INTRODUCTION The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines recommend that breast reconstruction should be available to all women undergoing mastectomy and discussed at the initial surgical consultation (2002, and updated 2009). The National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit (2009) showed that 21% of mastectomy patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction (I...