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This paper presents a domain-specific framework for the integration of geographically distributed heterogeneous autonomous healthcare information systems. Integration is seen and understood in terms of access to information resources, and in terms of content, structure, and visualization of patient record segments, with the goal of creating a virtual patient record at the medical workstations. The proposed approach covers integration aspects related to presentation, control, data, and function. The architecture and the components of the framework are based on the newly introduced Patient Meta-Record (PMR) concept, but also make use of existing or emerging standards for distributed object-oriented computing and information presentation. At the application and middle-ware layers of the presented healthcare information systems architecture, the PMR concept enhances or enables services for data mediation, distributed directory access, and workflow management. At the bitways layer, high performance networks provide a fast medium, which is indispensable for medical image distribution, collaborative work, hypermedia library applications, and teleconsultation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that inhibit the expression of particular genes, a function that makes them useful towards the treatment of many diseases. Computational methods that predict which genes are targeted by particular miRNA molecules are known as target prediction methods. In this paper, we present a MapReduce-based system, termed MR-microT, for one of the most popular and accurate, but computational intensive, prediction methods. MR-microT offers the highly requested by life scientists feature of predicting the targets of ad-hoc miRNA molecules in near-real time through an intuitive Web interface.

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This paper addresses the applicability and interoperation of standards and emerging technologies for the operation and management of ATM networks. The issue is tackled from a practical perspective based on experiences gained through the design, realisation and experimentation of a system developed by the ACTS AC208 REFORM project. Assuming an ATM-based network infrastructure offering a range of services with distinct QoS guarantees, the REFORM system encompasses the required functions for ensuring cost-effective network survivability and availability; fast-responding, reliable fault detection and selfhealing mechanisms, distributed dynamic routing functions with inherent load balancing capabilities, efficient VP layer design and dynamic network reconfiguration functions. A number of standards and emerging technologies were used for designing and realising the wide spectrum of the functionality incorporated within the REFORM system, including: ITU-T OAM I.610 and Q.2931, ATMF UNI 3.0 and PNNI version 1, OMG CORBA and Component Model, TINA NRA and ISO/OSI and ITU-T TMN. Based on the gained experience, the paper discusses and draws conclusions on the applicability, coexistence and interoperation of the adopted technologies. It is shown that these technologies can coexist, through careful design, to the benefits of network design and operation.