Recent results have shown that general K-channel multiple-description-coding (MDC) approaches often have significant advantages over conventional twochannel MDC methods. We provide new asymptotic results to describe the performance of a general K-channel symmetric MDC lattice vector quantizer (MDLVQ). We consider a memoryless L-dimensional source with probability density function f and differen...

Dendritic cells (DC) are a heterogeneous population of innate immune cells that are fundamental to initiating responses against invading pathogens and regulating immune responses. Myeloid DC (mDC) act as a bridge between the innate and adaptive immune response during virus infections but their role in immunity to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains ill-defined. This review examines aspec...

Metalloproteinase-like, disintegrin-like, and cysteine-rich proteins (MDCs) are potential novel regulators of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, as well as of matrix degradation. We have asked whether MDCs are expressed in cultured diploid vascular cells, and have identified MDC 15 in human aortic smooth muscle (SMC) and umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC). MDC 15 mRNA is expressed at highe...

Millipore diffusion chambers (MDC) with 0.22-mum filters loaded with spores or vegetative cells of Clostridium botulinum were surgically implanted intraperitoneally (ip) into guinea pigs. MDC expose C. botulinum spores or vegetative cells to body fluids yet protect them from phagocytes. Guinea pigs receiving MDC containing 10(9) spores plus 10(8) polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes and MDC with ...

To facilitate real-time voice communication through the Internet, forward error correction (FEC) and multiple description coding (MDC) can be used as low-delay packet-loss recovery techniques. We use both a Gilbert channel model and data obtained from real IP connections to compare the rate-distortion performance of different variants of FEC and MDC. Using identical overall rates with stringent...

We parametrize a linear-scaling quantum mechanical force field called mDC for the accurate reproduction of nonbonded interactions. We provide a new benchmark database of accurate ab initio interactions between sulfur-containing molecules. A variety of nonbond databases are used to compare the new mDC method with other semiempirical, molecular mechanical, ab initio, and combined semiempirical qu...

We present a system for video streaming well adapted to the unpredictable and varying nature of Internet. The proposed system uses a superposition of several Multiple Description Coding (MDC) schemes, each with N = 2 descriptions, to reach rate scalability and adaptability to varying channel conditions. Each MDC (N = 2 descriptions), that we will call base MDC has a bit rate and a redundancy as...

OBJECTIVE Recently, imbalance in the vasopressin (AVP) system, measured as elevated levels of copeptin (the C-terminal part of the AVP pro-hormone) in plasma, was linked to the development of abdominal obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). Here, we aim to investigate if the genetic variation of the human AVP receptor 1b gene (AVPR1B) is associated with measures of obesity and DM. DESIGN Malmö D...

The intestinal mucosa contains a subset of lymphocytes that produce Th2 cytokines, yet the signals responsible for the recruitment of these cells are poorly understood. Macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) is a recently described CC chemokine known to chemoattract the Th2 cytokine producing cells that express the receptor CCR4. The studies herein demonstrate the constitutive production of M...

We present a collision and preimage security analysis of MDC-4, a 24 years old construction for transforming an n-bit block cipher into a 2n-bit hash function. We start with MDC-4 based on one single block cipher, and prove that any adversary with query access to the underlying block cipher requires at least 2 queries (asymptotically) to find a collision. For the preimage resistance, we present...