DATA INTEGRATION AND PHENOTYPIC FLEXIBILITY

Distributed Video Coding (DVC) is a new paradigm for video compression based on the information theoretical results of Slepian and Wolf (SW), and Wyner and Ziv (WZ). While conventional coding has a rigid complexity allocation as most of the complex tasks are performed at the encoder side, DVC enables a flexible complexity allocation between the encoder and the decoder. The most novel and interesting case is low complexity encoding and complex decoding, which is the opposite of conventional coding. While the latter is suitable for applications where the cost of the decoder is more critical than the encoder's one, DVC opens the door for a new range of applications where low complexity encoding is required and the decoder's complexity is not critical. This is interesting with the deployment of small and battery-powered multimedia mobile devices all around in our daily life. Further, since DVC operates as a reversed-complexity scheme when compared to conventional coding, DVC also enables the interesting scenario of low complexity encoding and decoding between two ends by transcoding between DVC and conventional coding. More specifically, low complexity encoding is possible by DVC at one end. Then, the resulting stream is decoded and conventionally re-encoded to enable low complexity decoding at the other end. Multiview video is attractive for a wide range of applications such as free viewpoint television, which is a system that allows viewing the scene from a viewpoint chosen by the viewer. Moreover, multiview can be beneficial for monitoring purposes in video surveillance. The increased use of multiview video systems is mainly due to the improvements in video technology and the reduced cost of cameras. While a multiview conventional codec will try to exploit the correlation among the different cameras at the encoder side, DVC allows for separate encoding of correlated video sources. Therefore, DVC requires no communication between the cameras in a multiview scenario. This is an advantage since communication is time consuming (i.e. more delay) and requires complex networking. Another appealing feature of DVC is the fact that it is based on a statistical framework. Moreover, DVC behaves as a natural joint source-channel coding solution. This results in an improved error resilience performance when compared to conventional coding. Further, DVC-based scalable codecs do not require a deterministic knowledge of the lower layers. In other words, the enhancement layers are completely independent from the base layer codec. This is called the codec-independent scalability feature, which offers a high flexibility in the way the various layers are distributed in a network. This thesis addresses the following topics: First, the theoretical foundations of DVC as well as the practical DVC scheme used in this research are presented. The potential applications for DVC are also outlined. DVC-based schemes use conventional coding to compress parts of the data, while the rest is compressed in a distributed fashion. Thus, different conventional codecs are studied in this research as they are compared in terms of compression efficiency for a rich set of sequences. This includes fine tuning the compression parameters such that the best performance is achieved for each codec. Further, DVC tools for improved Side Information (SI) and Error Concealment (EC) are introduced for monoview DVC using a partially decoded frame. The improved SI results in a significant gain in reconstruction quality for video with high activity and motion. This is done by re-estimating the erroneous motion vectors using the partially decoded frame to improve the SI quality. The latter is then used to enhance the reconstruction of the finally decoded frame. Further, the introduced spatio-temporal EC improves the quality of decoded video in the case of erroneously received packets, outperforming both spatial and temporal EC. Moreover, it also outperforms error-concealed conventional coding in different modes. Then, multiview DVC is studied in terms of SI generation, which differentiates it from the monoview case. More specifically, different multiview prediction techniques for SI generation are described and compared in terms of prediction quality, complexity and compression efficiency. Further, a technique for iterative multiview SI is introduced, where the final SI is used in an enhanced reconstruction process. The iterative SI outperforms the other SI generation techniques, especially for high motion video content. Finally, fusion techniques of temporal and inter-view side informations are introduced as well, which improves the performance of multiview DVC over monoview coding. DVC is also used to enable scalability for image and video coding. Since DVC is based on a statistical framework, the base and enhancement layers are completely independent, which is an interesting property called codec-independent scalability. Moreover, the introduced DVC scalable schemes show a good robustness to errors as the quality of decoded video steadily decreases with error rate increase. On the other hand, conventional coding exhibits a cliff effect as the performance drops dramatically after a certain error rate value. Further, the issue of privacy protection is addressed for DVC by transform domain scrambling, which is used to alter regions of interest in video such that the scene is still understood and privacy is preserved as well. The proposed scrambling techniques are shown to provide a good level of security without impairing the performance of the DVC scheme when compared to the one without scrambling. This is particularly attractive for video surveillance scenarios, which is one of the most promising applications for DVC. Finally, a practical DVC demonstrator built during this research is described, where the main requirements as well as the observed limitations are presented. Furthermore, it is defined in a setup being as close as possible to a complete real application scenario. This shows that it is actually possible to implement a complete end-to-end practical DVC system relying only on realistic assumptions. Even though DVC is inferior in terms of compression efficiency to the state of the art conventional coding for the moment, strengths of DVC reside in its good error resilience properties and the codec-independent scalability feature. Therefore, DVC offers promising possibilities for video compression with transmission over error-prone environments requirement as it significantly outperforms conventional coding in this case.

Random Key Distribution (RKD) schemes have been widely accepted to enable low-cost secure communications in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). However, efficiency of secure link establishment comes with the risk of compromised communications between benign nodes by adversaries who physically capture sensor nodes. The challenge is to enhance resilience of WSN against node capture, while maintaining the flexibility and low cost features of RKD schemes. We address this problem by proposing an effective technique, namely KDel, which don’t require any special-purpose hardware or expensive computations. We demonstrate that our approach significantly increases the resilience of RKD schemes against node capture at the cost of a little communications, while maintaining network connectivity at the same level. Moreover, our scheme is generally applicable as it can improve the resilience of any RKD scheme.

This study describes the systematic creation, application and evaluation of a comprehensive framework for the design of distance graduate programmes, the goal of which is to inform decision-making for sustainable curricula that suit the growing demand for flexible learning options. A wide range of challenges face educators, and existing models appear to be insufficient to guide such endeavours. Successful distance learning is rooted in the values of the institution and requires a significant amount of organizational support, needs assessment of stakeholders, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation. This first international study of distance masters degree programmes in Tourism and Hospitality Management (TH triangulating data by adding the perspective of traditional instructors transitioning into a blended learning format. This study provides a robust curriculum model linking new findings and rich eclectic sources that can assist distance programme planners in the selection of technologyenhanced approaches to meet the unique needs and interests of learners while balancing change. Extending the academic plan of Stark and Lattuca (1997, 2009), this timely study offers a design framework to formatively stimulate quality interaction, foster high-level thinking and motivate both learners and instructors in a student-centred paradigm. Holistic design, not technology alone, opens the way to enhancing flexibility and programme competitiveness and resilience in a borderless academic community.

We showed recently that diabetic and mildly obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats are more susceptible to azoxymethane (AOM)-induced Zymbal gland and intestinal carcinogenesis than control Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. In the present study, we examined the effect of caloric restriction (CR) and high-fat diet (HFD) on AOM-induced carcinogenesis in these strains. Experiment 1: Six-week-old male LETO and OLETF rats (n=21) were given s.c. injections of 15 mg/kg AOM once weekly for 3 weeks, then fed, Group 1) control diet, Group 2) 20% CR diet, or Group 3) HFD (control diet with 10% safflower oil), and killed at 36 weeks of age. In LETO rats, the incidences of colon tumors (adenoma plus adenocarcinoma) in Groups 1-3 were 45%, 33% and 55%, respectively. Average number of tumors/rat in CR group was fewer than that in HFD group (P<0.05). In OLETF rats, the incidences of colon tumors in Groups 1-3 were 76%, 48% and 62%, respectively. Zymbal gland tumors in CR group developed later than those in control and HFD groups in OLETF rats. Experiment 2: Male LETO and OLETF rats (n=5) were fed control diet, 20% CR diet or HFD for 5 weeks, and killed at 24 weeks of age. In LETO rats, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, insulin and leptin levels decreased by 20% CR, and increased by HFD compared to the control group. In OLETF rats, those levels decreased by 20% CR, and increased by HFD except leptin. Expression of hepatic IGF-1 and Sirt-1 mRNA elevated by 20% CR in both strains. The liver of OLETF rat HFD group showed severe fatty change histologically. In conclusion, 20% CR inhibited, and HFD promoted colon carcinogenesis in LETO rats. In OLETF rats, 20% CR inhibited, but HFD did not promote colon carcinogenesis because of early development of Zymbal gland tumors. Hyperinsulinemia and/or hyperlipidemia may exert the promoting effect in rat carcinogenesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 594. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-594

Cooperative breeding occurs in several major animal phyla, predominantly in arthropods and chordates.A number of comparative analyses have focused on understanding the evolution of cooperative breeding, yielding mixed, inconclusive, and often phyla-specific findings.We argue that much of this ambiguity results from an erroneous classification of social systems into noncooperatively and cooperatively breeding species.The shortcomings of this assumption are apparent among birds where noncooperative species constitute a heterogeneous group: some species are clearly non-family living, with offspring dispersing at or shortly after nutritional independency, whereas other species form persistent family groups through offspring delaying their dispersal substantially beyond independency.Here, we propose an objective, life history-based criterion classifying noncooperative bird species into non-family living and family living species.We demonstrate that by using the family time (the time offspring remain with its parent/s beyond independence) and body size-scaled reproductive investment, we are able to differentiate 2 groups with contrasting life histories.Our classification matches seasonal environmental variation experienced by different species: family living species postpone dispersal beyond the onset of less favorable autumn conditions.We discuss the consequences of this new social system classification for evolutionary and ecological research, potentially allowing solutions to some of the most intriguing riddles in the evolutionary history of birds-and cooperative behavior itself.

Inhibition of inflammatory response in transgenic fat-1 mice on a calorie-restricted diet

Calorie restriction and aging: review of the literature and implications for studies in humans

Background/Aim. Obesity is an established risk factor for numerous chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of well-balanced different caloric restriction (CR) diets on anthropometric parameters and standard biochemical cardiovascular risk markers [lipid profile, glucose homeostasis and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)] in overweight/obese females. Methods. Participants (age 20? 40 years) were randomized into 3 different CR diet groups: the group I ? restriction of 20% calories from baseline energy requirements, the group II ? restriction of 50% calories from baseline energy requirements and the group III ? alternating daily diets with 70%/30% restriction. The study lasted 42 weeks. Anthropometric parameters were measured at the start and after 4, 8, 20 and 42 weeks after dietary intervention beginning. Biochemical markers were determined at baseline and after 20 and 42 weeks from dietary restriction start. Results. Body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat (in %), in the different CR diet groups significantly decreased after 42 weeks. Body weight was less 11 kg in the group I and 12 kg in the groups II and III. WC was reduced by 11 cm in the groups I and III and by 10 cm in the group II. Different CR diets had the same effects on body fat (a reduction of 15% of body fat). Total cholesterol decreased by 7% in the group I and by 8% in the group III. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased by 14% in the group I and by 13% in group III. There were no significant changes in total and LDLcholesterol levels in the group II. The atherogenic index presented as trigliceride/high density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio decreased by 0.22 in the group I, by 0.25 in the group II and by 0.32 in the group III. Various CR diets had the same effects on reducing the hs-CRP levels. Conclusion. Different CR diets with the same macronutrient content are equally effective in reducing body weight, WC and body fat, improve cardiometabolic risk factors and decrease level of proinflammatory hs-CRP in overweight/obese females.

According to the "mitochondrial theory of aging" the lifelong accumulation of various kinds of damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been related to the age-dependent mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction. Caloric restriction (CR) diet is able to prevent or delay the onset of several age-related damages to mtDNA. The effects of aging and CR on the presence of abasic sites and single-strand breaks of the sugar-phosphate backbone in mtDNA have been analyzed by applying Ligation Mediated-PCR to a H strand region of brain mtDNA from young and old ad libitum-fed and old CR-treated rats. The region, encompassing the Direct Repeat 1 of the 4,834 bp-long deletion, is highly damaged in the old ad libitum-fed animals with respect to the young ones, whereas in the CR rats it shows a much lower extent of damage. The data confirm, at single nucleotide resolution, the protective effect of CR on the age-related mtDNA damage.

Obesity, particularly in conjunction with further cardiometabolic risk factors, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Increased physical activity and dietary modifications are cornerstones of therapeutic interventions to treat obesity and related risk factors. Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) has emerged as an innovative, time-efficient type of exercise that can provide positive effects on body composition and muscle strength. However, the impact of WB-EMS on cardiometabolic health in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) has yet to be determined. The aim of this pilot study was, therefore, to investigate the feasibility and effects of WB-EMS on cardiometabolic risk markers and muscle strength in obese women diagnosed with MetS. Twenty-nine obese women (56.0 ± 10.9 years, BMI: 36.7 ± 4.6 kg/m2) with the clinical diagnosis of MetS were randomized to either 12 weeks of WB-EMS (n = 15) or an inactive control group (CON, n = 14). Both groups received nutritional counseling (aim: -500 kcal energy deficit/day). WB-EMS was performed 2x/week (20 min/session). Body composition, maximum strength (Fmax) of major muscle groups, selected cardiometabolic risk indices and the metabolic syndrome Z-score (MetS-Z) were determined baseline and after the intervention. WB-EMS was well tolerated and no adverse events occurred. Body weight was significantly reduced in both groups by an average of ~3 kg (P < 0.01). The body fat percentage was only decreased in the WB-EMS group (P = 0.018). Total cholesterol concentrations decreased in the WB-EMS group (P = 0.018) and in CON (P = 0.027). Only the WB-EMS group increased Fmax significantly in all major muscle groups (P < 0.05) and improved the overall cardiometabolic risk score (MetS-Z, P = 0.029). This pilot study indicates that WB-EMS can be considered as a feasible and time-efficient exercise option for improving body composition, muscle strength and cardiometabolic health in obese women with MetS. Moreover, these findings underpin the crucial role of exercise during weight loss interventions in improving health outcomes.

Calorie restriction has a number of health benefits, however is associated with reduction of bone mineral density (BMD). As calcium and vitamin D are considered to be the most essential nutrients for bone health, this study aimed to determine if restriction of vitamins and minerals is the cause of this bone deterioration in calorie‐restricted diet. We hypothesize that calorie restriction without restricting the vitamins and minerals will not reduce bone mineral density in calorie‐restricted mice. To determine the effect of calorie restriction (CR) on bone mineral density, 6‐month‐old C57BL/6 female mice were fed AIN93 diet ad libitum (AL) or 20% CR for 8 months. Mice were divided into 2 groups: 1) Mice fed AL and 2) Mice fed 20% complete calorie restriction (CCR) where vitamins and minerals are also restricted. Mice were scanned with dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the age of 6 month (baseline), and 14 month (after 8 months of experimental diet) and analyzed for the bone mass. Calorie restricted mice showed a noticeable reduction in BMD as compared to AL fed mice. To determine if long‐term calorie restriction without restricting vitamins and minerals can attenuate this bone deterioration in CCR mice after 8 months of experimental diet. Six‐month‐old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 2 groups: 1) Mice fed AL and 2) Mice fed 20% CCR for 8 months to induce bone loss. Then 20% CCR diet was replaced with 20% CR diet without restricting vitamins and minerals for another 8 months. Interestingly, reduction of BMD seen in CCR fed mice at the age of 14 month was attenuated at the age of 22 month when this group was fed for 8 months with 20% CR diet without restricting vitamins and minerals. In either case (vitamins and mineral restricted or not restricted), muscle mass, and strength were improved in 20% calorie restricted group as compared to AL group as determined by DXA, and wet weight at sacrifice for muscle mass and by rotarod performance test and endurance stress test for muscle strength. These data indicate that 20% CR without compromising vitamin and minerals could be a natural, cost effective and safe optimal dietary regimen that would improve muscle mass and strength without any deleterious effect on bone.Support or Funding InformationNIH NIA K01 KAG034233A and QNRF UREP23‐097‐1‐026

It is well established now that dietary calorie restriction (CR) leads to extension of life span in many species, although the exact mechanism of this effect is still eluding. In the present study, we examined the effect of 40 % CR imposed during a prolonged period of life span (from 6 to 30 months) of rats on the activity of DNA polymerase β (pol β) in view of its role in short gap base excision DNA repair and template driven primer extension. DNA pol β activity is very low at this late age. However, cortical neuronal extracts prepared from CR rats of 30 months age showed significantly higher pol β protein levels and activity when compared to control 30 month old rats. Yet, one-nucleotide gap repair in old control neurons and an improved efficiency in CR neurons could be visualized only after supplementation of the extracts with T4 DNA ligase indicating the lack of CR affect on ligase activity. No impressive primer extension activity is seen either in the CR or old control neurons. These results are taken to convey that extended CR through adult life leads to improved pol β activity and therefore, pol β dependent DNA gap repair activity.

Timing activity to match resource availability is a widely conserved ability in nature. Scheduled feeding of a limited amount of food induces increased activity prior to feeding time in animals as diverse as fish and rodents. Typically, food anticipatory activity (FAA) involves temporally restricting unlimited food access (RF) to several hours in the middle of the light cycle, which is a time of day when rodents are not normally active. We compared this model to calorie restriction (CR), giving the mice 60% of their normal daily calorie intake at the same time each day. Measurement of body temperature and home cage behaviors suggests that the RF and CR models are very similar but CR has the advantage of a clearly defined food intake and more stable mean body temperature. Using the CR model, we then attempted to verify the published result that orexin deletion diminishes food anticipatory activity (FAA) but observed little to no diminution in the response to CR and, surprisingly, that orexin KO mice are refractory to body weight loss on a CR diet. Next we tested the orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and ghrelin and the anorexigenic hormone, leptin, using mouse mutants. NPY deletion did not alter the behavior or physiological response to CR. Leptin deletion impaired FAA in terms of some activity measures, such as walking and rearing, but did not substantially diminish hanging behavior preceding feeding time, suggesting that leptin knockout mice do anticipate daily meal time but do not manifest the full spectrum of activities that typify FAA. Ghrelin knockout mice do not have impaired FAA on a CR diet. Collectively, these results suggest that the individual hormones and neuropepetides tested do not regulate FAA by acting individually but this does not rule out the possibility of their concerted action in mediating FAA.

Objective: Detecting the level of antioxidant and tissue damage that can occur in liver tissue induced metabolic syndrome by a high fructose diet in rats and the changes after exercise and/or caloric restriction. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into five groups: control (C), metabolic syndrome (M), metabolic syndrome with exercise (ME), metabolic syndrome with caloric restriction (MCR), and metabolic syndrome with exercise and caloric restriction (MECR). To induce metabolic syndrome, a 10% fructose solution was given to rats in drinking water for 3 months. Exercise and caloric restriction were applied to the related groups for 6 weeks after the induction of metabolic syndrome. Glucose in the blood, lipid peroxidation (LPO), sialic acid (SA), hexosamine, mucin, fucose, glutathione (GSH) levels, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tissue factor (TF), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione-Stransferase (GST) activities were measured in rat liver homogenates. Results: In the liver, LPO levels increased and TF activities decreased in the M group compared to the C group and increased in the MCR and MECR groups compared to M group. GSH levels, SOD, and CAT activities decreased in M compared to C group and increased more significantly in MECR group compared to M group. SA levels increased in MCR and MECR groups compared with M group. Fucose levels also increased in MECR compared with the all others. Conclusion: Liver tissue damage that occurs after a fructose diet and decreased antioxidant levels was shown to improve best in combined exercise and caloric restriction treatment (MECR group).

Caloric Restriction Impairs Regulatory T cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment After Radiation and Primes Effector T cells.