Online machine learning algorithms to optimize performances of complex wireless communication systems.

Data-driven and feedback cycle-based approaches are necessary to optimize the performance of modern complex wireless communication systems. Machine learning technologies can provide solutions for these requirements. This study shows a comprehensive framework of optimizing wireless communication systems and proposes two optimal decision schemes that have not been well-investigated in existing research. The first one is supervised learning modeling and optimal decision making by optimization, and the second is a simple and implementable reinforcement learning algorithm. The proposed schemes were verified through real-world experiments and computer simulations, which revealed the necessity and validity of this research.

Metastatic Prostate Cancer of Hand.

Soft tissue metastases of prostate cancer to other sites are extremely rare, and, to our best knowledge, there have been no reports of metastasis to soft tissue of the hand. A 63-year-old man was diagnosed with prostatic cancer. During treatment, bone and soft tissue metastases to the right hand, appearing in the first web space, were observed. The tumor was resected, along with both the first and second metacarpal bones. The thumb was reconstructed by pollicization of the remaining index finger, enabling the patient to use the pollicized thumb for activities of daily living. This is the first case report of prostate cancer metastasizing to the soft tissue in hand. After wide resection, pollicization was able to reconstruct a functional hand and thumb.

Intraosseous schwannoma of the ilium.

We presented a 27-year-old male diagnosed with intraosseous schwannoma of the ilium. Computed tomographic images revealed a well-demarcated, lobulated, expansile, osteolytic lesion in the right supraacetabular region of the ilium. In addition, an intratumoral punctate calcification and a sclerotic rim were observed. T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images demonstrated a heterogeneously hyperintense lesion with a hypointense rim. Major parts of the lesion, excluding some central areas, were enhanced on gadolinium-enhanced MR images. Pathological examination revealed an intraosseous schwannoma. Our findings indicate that intraosseous schwannoma should be considered when images demonstrate a well-demarcated, lobulated, expansile, osteolytic lesion with a sclerotic rim.

Malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the lumbar spinal root mimicking schwannoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Malignant solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) arising from the spinal cord are extremely rare and poorly understood mesenchymal neoplasms. To date, only one malignant SFT located in the spinal canal of the sacrum has been described, but none arising from the lumbar nerve root have been reported. Although most SFTs with benign histological features can be treated by complete surgical excision alone, malignant SFTs may require adjuvant therapy. However, systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy have not been shown effective in patients with malignant SFTs. PURPOSE: To describe a patient with a malignant SFT arising from the lumbar nerve root. STUDY DESIGN: A case report and review of literature. METHODS: We describe the clinical course of the patient and the radiological and pathological findings of the tumor. The effect of systemic chemotherapy was evaluated and the relevant literature was reviewed. This work has no disclosure of funding and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Gifu University. RESULTS: The tumor had been resected previously at another hospital, but it recurred and showed multiple metastatic lesions on both lungs within 3 months. Although the patient received systemic chemotherapy, both primary and metastatic lesions were found to be stable disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The patient died due to cachexia 6 months after her first visit. CONCLUSION: This patient presented with a highly unusual tumor. Even if a tumor is a dumbbell-shaped mass, similar to a neural tumor, SFT should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Is "black geode" sign a characteristic MRI finding for extracranial schwannomas?

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the "black geode" sign is a characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding for extracranial schwannomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients with pathologically confirmed extracranial schwannomas underwent preoperative gadolinium-enhanced MRI. The black geode sign was defined as the appearance of enhanced outer and inner rings. MR images were retrospectively reviewed for size, configuration, and signal intensity of the lesions in addition to the presence of the black geode sign. RESULTS: Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images revealed the black geode sign in seven of 43 patients (16%). The thickness of inner rings (mean 0.6 cm, range 0.3-0.8 cm) was significantly greater than that of outer rings (mean 0.2 cm, range 0.1-0.3 cm) (P < 0.01). While outer rings were circular or elliptical in shape with smooth contours, inner rings had a lobular configuration with irregular thickness and contours. The degrees of enhancement were significantly stronger with inner rings than with outer rings (P < 0.01). In histopathological correlation of five patients who underwent total excision, inner and outer rings corresponded to peridegenerative areas and fibrous capsules, respectively. CONCLUSION: The black geode sign may be fairly specific to extracranial schwannomas on gadolinium-enhanced MR images.

"Flow-void" sign at MR imaging: a rare finding of extracranial head and neck schwannomas.

The authors present two cases of extracranial head and neck schwannomas that exhibited the "flow-void" sign at MR imaging. In the described cases, MR images showed intratumoral signal voids, which corresponded to dilated vessels. Dynamic contrast-enhanced CT also demonstrated dilated vessels within the tumors on the arterial phase and tumor parenchymal enhancement on the delayed phase. Histopathologic examinations of excised specimens revealed thin-walled, dilated abnormal vessels with or without hyaline degeneration. Schwannoma should be considered when MR images demonstrate the "flow-void" sign in extracranial head and neck tumors.

Analysis of HSF4 binding regions reveals its necessity for gene regulation during development and heat shock response in mouse lenses.

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) regulate gene expression in response to heat shock and in physiological conditions. In mammals, HSF1 is required for heat-mediated induction of classic heat shock genes; however, we do not know the molecular mechanisms by which HSF4 regulates gene expression or the biological consequences of its binding to chromatin. Here, we identified that HSF4 binds to various genomic regions, including the introns and distal parts of protein-coding genes in vivo in mouse lenses, and a substantial numbers of the regions were also occupied by HSF1 and HSF2. HSF4 regulated expression of some genes at a developmental stage when HSF1 and HSF2 expression decreased. Although HSF4 binding did not affect expression of many genes, it induces demethylated status of histone H3K9 on the binding regions. Unexpectedly, a lot of HSF4 targets were induced by heat shock treatment, and HSF4 is required for induction of a set of non-classic heat shock genes in response to heat shock, in part by facilitating HSF1 binding through chromatin modification. These results suggest novel mechanisms of gene regulation controlled by HSF4 in non-classic heat shock response and in lens development.

Chicken gizzard filamin, retina filamin and cgABP260 are respectively, smooth muscle-, non-muscle- and pan-muscle-type isoforms: distribution and localization in muscles.

We determined the full cDNA sequences of chicken gizzard filamin and cgABP260 (chicken gizzard actin-binding protein 260). The primary and secondary structures predicted by these sequences were similar to those of chicken retina filamin and human filamins. Like mammals, chickens have 3 filamin isoforms. Comparison of their amino acid sequences indicated that gizzard filamin, retina filamin, and cgABP260 were the counterparts of human FLNa (filamin a), b, and c, respectively. Antibodies against the actin-binding domain (ABD) of these 3 filamin isoforms were raised in rabbits. Using immunoabsorption and affinity chromatography, we prepared the monospecific antibody against the ABD of each filamin. In immunoblotting, the antibody against the gizzard filamin ABD detected a single band in gizzard, but not in striated muscles or brain. In brain, only the antibody against the retina filamin ABD produced a strong single band. The antibody against the cgABP260 ABD detected a single peptide band in smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle. In immunofluorescence microscopy of muscular tissues using these antibodies, the antibody against the gizzard filamin ABD only stained smooth muscle cells, and the antibody against the retina filamin ABD strongly stained endothelial cells of blood vessels and weakly stained cells in connective tissue. The antibody against the cgABP260 ABD stained the Z-lines and myotendinous junctions of breast muscle, the Z-lines and intercalated disks of cardiac muscle, and dense plaques of smooth muscle. These findings indicate that chicken gizzard filamin, retina filamin, and cgABP260 are, respectively, smooth muscle-type, non-muscle-type, and pan-muscle-type filamin isoforms.