Abstract
In breast cancer treated with breast-conserving radiotherapy, the influence of the boost dose on cosmetic outcome after long-term follow-up is unknown. We included 348 patients participating in the EORTC 'boost versus no boost' mega trial with a minimum follow-up of 6 years. Digitalised pictures were analysed using specific software, enabling quantification of seven relative asymmetry features associated with different aspects of fibrosis. After 3 years, we noted a statistically significantly poorer outcome for the boost patients for six features compared with those of the no boost patients. Up to 9 years of follow-up, results continued to worsen in the same magnitude for the both patient groups. We noted the following determinants for poorer outcome: (i) boost treatment, (ii) larger excision volumes, (iii) younger age, (iv) tumours located in the central lower quadrants of the breast and (v) a boost dose administered with photons. A boost dose worsens the change in breast appearance in the first 3 years. Moreover, the development of fibrosis associated with whole-breast irradiation, as estimated with the relative asymmetry features, is an ongoing process until (at least) 9 years after irradiation.

Abstract
This paper quantifies the impact of topological characteristics on the performance of single radio multichannel IEEE 802.11 mesh networks. Topological characteristics are the number of nodes per subnetwork, the hop count, the neighbor node density, the hidden nodes, the number of nodes in the neighborhood of the gateway, and the hidden nodes in the neighborhood of the gateway. Network performance metrics are throughput, fairness and delay. The data mining Support Vector Machine (SVM) model was used to extract the relationships between the network topology metrics and the network performance metrics based on data results obtained through ns-2 simulation of random networks. The results obtained can be used as a basis to design channel assignment algorithms or to aid the deployment and management of single radio wireless mesh networks.

Abstract
SIARD Suite enables us to preserve a relational database in an open format. It migrates a relational database to SIARD format and preserves technical and contextual metadata along with the primary data ensuring long term accessibility. This paper introduces a web application, the SIARD Archive Browser, which allows operations on the archive such as searching for a specific record, counting records in a table containing a keyword, sorting by a column and making joins. In many use cases, the application avoids the need to load a preserved database to a DBMS. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Abstract
Phylogenetic networks are a useful way of displaying relationships between nucleotide or protein sequences. They diverge from phylogenetic trees as networks present cycles, several possible evolutionary histories of the sequences analysed, while a tree presents a single evolutionary relationship. Networks are especially useful in studying markers with a high level of homoplasy (same mutation happening more than once during evolution) like the control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), where the researcher does not need to compromise with a single explanation for the evolution suggested by the data. However in many instances, trees are required. One case where this happens is in the founder analysis methodology that aims at estimating migration times of human populations along history and prehistory. Currently, the founder analysis methodology implicates the creation of networks, from where a probable tree will be extracted by hand by the researcher, a time-consuming process, prone to errors and to the ambiguous decisions of the researcher. In order to automate the founder analysis methodology an algorithm that extracts a single probable tree from a network in a fast, systematic way is presented here.

Abstract

Abstract
In this work, we analyze a remote optical sensor system based on Raman amplification, composed by one Long Period Grating (LPG) as a sensor head, separated by 50 km from the optical source, and the interrogation unit composed by two Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) modulated by two Piezoelectrics Transductors (PZTs). Optical fiber sensor systems are typically limited to operate at distances of only few kilometers due to the attenuation effects and noise present in the optical fiber that adversely affects the performance of the sensor interrogation process. We present experimental and simulated results obtained in the context of the analysis of remote optical fiber sensors. The simulation models compute the Raman interaction between the pumps and the sensor signals and allow speeding up the analyses regarding the setup to be experimentally implemented in order to measure/monitor environmental temperature. Experimental results obtained in the implemented setup show that under Raman amplification the power ratio between the two central wavelengths of the FBGs has a linear relation with the change of the LPG resonance induced by environmental temperature.