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Exact inference for adaptive group sequential designs
Methods for controlling the type‐1 error of an adaptive group sequential trial were developed in seminal papers by Cui, Hung, and Wang (Biometrics, 1999), Lehmacher and Wassmer (Biometrics, 1999), and Müller and Schäfer (Biometrics, 2001). However, corresponding solutions for the equally important and related problem of parameter estimation at the end of the adaptive trial have not been completely satisfactory. In this paper, a method is provided for computing a two‐sided confidence interval having exact coverage, along with a point estimate that is median unbiased for the primary efficacy parameter in a two‐arm ad...
Source: Statistics in Medicine - May 22, 2013 Category: Statistics Authors: Ping Gao, Lingyun Liu, Cyrus Mehta Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Contrasted material responses to nanosecond multiple-pulse laser damage: from statistical behavior to material modification
This work is dedicated to the study of so-called fatigue effects upon nanosecond laser-induced damage of several crystalline materials and synthetic fused silica irradiated by multiple pulses. The obtained damage probability versus fluence and pulse number data are exploited to determine if the ... (Source: Optics Letters)
Source: Optics Letters - May 22, 2013 Category: Physics Authors: Frank R. WagnerCéline GouldieffJean-Yves Natoli Source Type: research

Neurobiological insight into hyperbaric hyperoxia
ConclusionsThe present study firstly confirmed the rCBF distribution increase during HBO in sensory‐motor and visual cortices and it showed for the first time a higher perfusion tracer distribution in areas encompassed in dorsal attention system and in default mode network. These findings unfold both the externally directed cognition performance improvement related to the HBO and the internally directed cognition states during resting state conditions, suggesting possible beneficial effects in TBI and stroke patients.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Acta Physiologica)
Source: Acta Physiologica - May 21, 2013 Category: Physiology Authors: Alessandro Micarelli, Hans Jacobsson, Stig A Larsson, Cathrine Jonsson, Marco Pagani Tags: Regular Paper Source Type: research

Effects of dielectric inhomogeneity in polyelectrolyte solutions
Soft Matter, 2013, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C3SM50632K, CommunicationIssei Nakamura, Zhen-Gang WangWe illustrate the effects of dielectric inhomogeneity on the statistical properties of polyelectrolytes in solution, by a lattice Monte Carlo simulation that combines the bond fluctuation model with a local algorithm for computing the electrostatic interactions.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - Soft Matter latest articles)
Source: RSC - Soft Matter latest articles - May 21, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Issei Nakamura Source Type: research

Do the psychosocial risks associated with television viewing increase mortality? Evidence from the 2008 General Social Survey–National Death Index dataset
We examined the relationship between self-reported hours of television viewing and mortality risk over 30 years in a representative sample of the American adult population using the 2008 General Social Survey–National Death Index dataset. We also explored the intervening variable effect of various emotional states (e.g., happiness) and beliefs (e.g., trust in government) of the relationship between television viewing and mortality.Results: We find that, for each additional hour of viewing, mortality risks increased 4%. Given the mean duration of television viewing in our sample, this amounted to about 1.2 years of life...
Source: Annals of Epidemiology - May 21, 2013 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Peter Muennig, Zohn Rosen, Gretchen Johnson Source Type: research

Recognition of Portuguese sentences lists test in silence and noise versus benefits for children and teenagers using hearing aids
CONCLUSION: although statistically significant correlation has not been verified between the results obtained using two assessment instruments, through the Portuguese Sentences Lists Test, the individuals had improvement in the performance of speech recognition, using the hearing aids, both in quiet and in noise, and in response to the questionnaire, the subjects reported benefit with the use of sound amplification. (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Temporal aspects of hearing in adolescents from the 6th year of elementary education
CONCLUSION: data analysis revealed a correlation between school performance and temporal aspects of hearing. It should be noted that the tests that evaluate the temporal ordering tasks (Frequency Pattern Sequence and Duration Pattern Sequence) are influenced by the Academic Achievement Test performance. However this does not occur with the test that evaluates the temporal resolution (Gap-in-Noise). (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Audiometric evolution in multichannel cochlear implant users
CONCLUSION: a significant hearing change may be observed beginning from three months after IC, but this result is not found in all implanted subjects. (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Phonological changes obtained in the treatment based on the multiple opposition approach
CONCLUSION: the Multiple Oppositions Approach was effective for the treatment of Brazilian Portuguese speakers because the model provided changes in the PCC-R, number of acquired phonemes and some generalizations (to lexical items non used during treatment, to another position of the word, inside a sound class and to other sound class). (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Favorable environments for producing /z/, /∫/ and /ℑ/: Analysis and comparison of changes occurred in the phonological system
OBJETIVO: verificar os efeitos da terapia fonológica, utilizando o modelo de Ciclos Modificado, e comparar a evolução de dois grupos de crianças com desvio fonológico, um em cujo tratamento foram utilizadas palavras-alvo com contextos fonológicos favoráveis e outro em que foram utilizados os contextos pouco favoráveis e neutros, na aquisição das fricativas /z/, /∫/ e /ℑ/. MÉTODO: os sujeitos foram seis crianças com desvio fonológico e idades entre 4:7 e 7:8, devidamente autorizados a participarem da pesquisa. Os mesmos foram avaliados por meio de exames fonoaudiológicos e complementares para diagnosticar ...
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Mastication, deglutition and its adaptations in facial peripheral paralysis
CONCLUSION: sample subjects chew with difficulty in the paralyzed side, showing slow and inconsistent mastication cycles. There is an increased tongue movements for cleaning the residues kept in oral vestibule in the paralyzed side. This is the most annoying symptom according to the patients. They develop adaptation strategies to compensate their functional difficulties. (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Nipobrazilians orofacial measurements after pubertal growth
CONCLUSION: in the studied sample it was possible to verify that the averages of the measurements were always higher in men, there were significant associations among some orofacial measurements and there was statistically significant difference among the structures of white, black and nipobrazilians women. (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Relationship between time and type of breastfeeding and stomatognathic system functions
CONCLUSION: it was possible to conclude that, generally, there was no significant relation between time and type of feeding and the investigated functions, except for the significance between type of feeding and chewing. Probably, the lack of significance is due to the fact that the development of all the stomatognathic system has multifactorial sources. The statistical significance found as for the chewing function, since it showed an unexpected pattern, may have occurred because of the restricted number of subjects in each subgroup. (Source: Revista CEFAC)
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Quality of life in voice: a study in Parkinson's disease and in adductor spasmodic dysphonia
OBJETIVO: avaliar o impacto causado pela alteração vocal na qualidade de vida (QV) dos pacientes com doença de Parkinson (DP) idiopática e com disfonia espasmódica adutora (DEA). MÉTODO: o estudo foi realizado com 56 indivíduos do sexo feminino, dos quais 28 compunham o grupo controle; 14, o grupo de DEA, no período anterior ao tratamento com toxina botulínica; e 14, o grupo de DP idiopática. Os participantes preencheram o questionário de Qualidade de Vida em Voz (QVV) validado para o português brasileiro. Para verificar a diferença entre as médias dos grupos foi utilizado o método de análise de variância ...
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Acoustic characteristics of glottal stop associated to Pierre Robin Sequence: case study
A fissura de palato, em associação à Sequência de Pierre Robin, pode favorecer o desenvolvimento de produções atípicas (compensatórias), na fala da criança, como é o caso da oclusiva glotal (golpe de glote) comumente observada em substituição aos sons oclusivos (vozeados ou não). No presente estudo, foi realizada a análise dos parâmetros fonético-acústicos da oclusiva glotal produzidas em /k/ e /g/ por uma criança do gênero feminino, com 5 anos, que apresentava fissura de palato reparada, associada à Sequência de Pierre Robin. Para isso, foram selecionadas seis palavras em que a oclusiva velar encontra...
Source: Revista CEFAC - May 21, 2013 Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research

Perceived Risk of Ischemic and Bleeding Events in Acute Coronary Syndromes [Original Articles]
Conclusions— Objective risk assessment provides superior risk discrimination when compared with physician-estimated risk. Whether systematic use of objective risk stratification improves clinical outcomes should be studied in appropriately designed clinical trials. (Source: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes)
Source: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes - May 21, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Chew, D. P., Junbo, G., Parsonage, W., Kerkar, P., Sulimov, V. A., Horsfall, M., Mattchoss, S., for the Perceived Risk of Ischemic and Bleeding Events in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients (PREDICT) Study Investigators Tags: Coronary circulation Original Articles Source Type: research

Insulin Resistance and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: Cardiovascular Health Study [Original Articles]
Conclusions— Fasting insulin was positively associated with adverse echocardiographic features and risk of subsequent HF in Cardiovascular Health Study participants, including those without an antecedent myocardial infarction. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00005133. (Source: Circulation: Heart Failure)
Source: Circulation: Heart Failure - May 21, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Banerjee, D., Biggs, M. L., Mercer, L., Mukamal, K., Kaplan, R., Barzilay, J., Kuller, L., Kizer, J. R., Djousse, L., Tracy, R., Zieman, S., Lloyd-Jones, D., Siscovick, D., Carnethon, M. Tags: Congestive, Glucose intolerance, Epidemiology Original Articles Source Type: research

Prognostic Significance of Biomarkers in Predicting Outcome in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Results of the Biomarker Substudy of the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure Trials [Original Articles]
Conclusions— Elevated levels of sTNFR-1 and BNP are strongly associated with outcomes, independent of therapy, in 2 large and independent studies, thus providing important cross-validation for the prognostic importance of these 2 biomarkers. (Source: Circulation: Heart Failure)
Source: Circulation: Heart Failure - May 21, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Feldman, A. M., Mann, D. L., She, L., Bristow, M. R., Maisel, A. S., McNamara, D. M., Walsh, R., Lee, D. L., Wos, S., Lang, I., Wells, G., Drazner, M. H., Schmedtje, J. F., Pauly, D. F., Sueta, C. A., Di Maio, M., Kron, I. L., Velazquez, E. J., Lee, K. L. Tags: CV surgery: coronary artery disease Original Articles Source Type: research

Respiratory risk score for the prediction of 3‐month mortality and prolonged ventilation after liver transplantation
Conclusions: This study provides the first prognostic model for the prediction of 3‐month mortality and prolonged ventilation after liver transplantation with high sensitivity, specificity, and good model accuracy. Application of the RRS on an external cohort would be desirable for its further validation and introduction as a clinical tool for intensive care resource planning and prognostic decision making. Liver Transpl, 2013. © 2013 AASLD. (Source: Liver Transplantation)
Source: Liver Transplantation - May 21, 2013 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: M. Kleine, F. W. R. Vondran, K. Johanning, K. Timrott, H. Bektas, F. Lehner, J. Klempnauer, H. Schrem Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Prevalence, associated risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Campylobacter species among under five diarrheic children at Gondar University Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Conclusion: Isolation rate of Campylobacter species were frequent among under five children. The frequency was higher in those children who were malnourished, drinking of unprotected water and direct contact with infected animals (especially cats, dogs, pigeons, hens and their products). The antimicrobial resistance patterns for some of the commonly prescribed antibiotics were high. Therefore, awareness of hand washing and proper boiling of drinking water are probably important in preventing infection with Campylobacter species and childhood diarrhea should not be underestimated and effectiveness of the drugs should be con...
Source: BMC Pediatrics - Latest articles - May 21, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Ayalew LengerhFeleke MogesChandrashekhar UnakalBelay Anagaw Source Type: research

Reply
We thank Drs. Shelton and Cleland for their interest in our study (1) and for their thoughtful comments. We agree with their general statements regarding limitations of antiarrhythmic agents and the need to develop and rigorously test more effective rhythm control strategies. However, a few subtle inaccuracies merit clarification. First, recurrence of atrial fibrillation in patients randomized to rhythm control is not synonymous with crossover, as implied. Recurrences (and adverse effects) are intrinsic to any rhythm control strategy, including approaches centered on catheter ablation. Rather, in randomized trials, crossov...
Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions - May 20, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Propafenone Versus Vernakalant for Conversion of Recent‐Onset Atrial Fibrillation
ConclusionTime to conversion of AF to sinus rhythm was significantly shorter in the vernakalant group compared with the propafenone group, and was associated with shorter hospital stay.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Cardiovascular Therapeutics)
Source: Cardiovascular Therapeutics - May 20, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Diego Conde, Costabel Juan Pablo, Aragon Martin, Lambardi Florencia, Klein Andrés, Corrales Barboza Andrea, Trivi Marcelo, Giniger Alberto Tags: Original Research Article Source Type: research

DSM-5: Caught between Mental Illness Stigma and Anti-Psychiatry Prejudice
Like many psychiatrists, I have been amazed by the debates surrounding the DSM-5 , the first major revision of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in nearly twenty years, which was just released. Never before has a thick medical text of diagnostic nomenclature been the subject of so much attention.Although I was heartened to see more and more people discussing the real-world issues and challenges--for patients, families, clinicians and caregivers-within mental health care, for which the book offers an up-to-the-minute diagnostic GPS, I was also alarmed at the harsh c...
Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed - May 20, 2013 Category: Science Tags: Health,More Science,Mind & Brain Source Type: research

Association between non-alcoholic fatty pancreatic disease (nafpd) and the metabolic syndrome: case--control retrospective study
Conclusion: The presence of fatty pancreas represents a meaningful manifestation of metabolic syndrome together with obesity. (Source: Cardiovascular Diabetology)
Source: Cardiovascular Diabetology - May 20, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Wan-Chen WuChih-Yuan Wang Source Type: research

The role of family background on adolescent khat chewing behavior in Jazan Region
Background: Khat is a well-known natural stimulant from the Catha edulis plant and is widely used in certain Red Sea countries, including Yemen and the province of Jazan in Saudi Arabia. Jazan is located in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia adjacent to Yemen, where the practice of khat chewing is deeply rooted throughout the entire population. The main objective of this paper was to assess the association between family background, i.e., parent and sibling khat use, and adolescents' khat chewing behavior in Jazan. Other variables were also tested for association, including parents' education levels, fami...
Source: Annals of General Psychiatry - May 20, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Mohamed MahfouzRashad AlsanosyAbdelrahim Gaffar Source Type: research

Dimensionality of the Knee Numeric‐Entity Evaluation Score (KNEES‐ACL): A condition‐specific questionnaire
The benefit of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been questioned based on patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs). Valid interpretation of such results requires confirmation of the psychometric properties of the PROM. Rasch analysis is the gold standard for validation of PROMs, yet PROMs used for ACL reconstruction have not been validated using Rasch analysis. We used Rasch analysis to investigate the psychometric properties of the Knee Numeric‐Entity Evaluation Score (KNEES‐ACL), a newly developed PROM for patients treated for ACL deficiency. Two‐hundred forty‐two patients pre‐ and post‐A...
Source: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports - May 20, 2013 Category: Sports Medicine Authors: J. D. Comins, M. R. Krogsgaard, S. Kreiner, J. Brodersen Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Disease-modifying factors in hereditary angioedema: an RNA expression-based screening
Conclusion: We found no evidence for a common altered PBMC expression pattern linked to HAE symptoms in the three families analyzed. All the data considered, differential gene expression in PBMCs do not seem to play a significant role in the predisposition or protection against HAE in the basal -between crises- conditions analyzed. Although the RNA expression pattern associated to the response to viral infections observed in the DR family supports the idea of infectious diseases as a modifying factor for HAE severity, large-scale studies would be needed to statistically associate such expression pattern to the development ...
Source: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases - May 20, 2013 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Alberto López-LeraFátima Sánchez CaboSofía GarridoAna DopazoMargarita López-Trascasa Source Type: research

Evaluation of factors that motivate participants to consent for non-therapeutic trials in India
Conclusions The most common motivating factor to participate in non-therapeutic studies appears to be different for healthy participants (financial reward) and patient participants (invitation to participate by the physician). Participants also felt that adequate information and care was given to them during the trial, and that they would participate in future clinical studies, and would also recommend such studies to their friends. (Source: Journal of Medical Ethics)
Source: Journal of Medical Ethics - May 19, 2013 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Doshi, M. S., Kulkarni, S. P., Ghia, C. J., Gogtay, N. J., Thatte, U. M. Tags: Clinical ethics Source Type: research

Rank‐based principal stratum sensitivity analyses
We describe rank‐based approaches to assess principal stratification treatment effects in studies where the outcome of interest is only well‐defined in a subgroup selected after randomization. Our methods are sensitivity analyses, in that estimands are identified by fixing a parameter and then we investigate the sensitivity of results by varying this parameter over a range of plausible values. We present three rank‐based test statistics and compare their performance through simulations, and provide recommendations. We also study three different bootstrap approaches for determining levels of significance. Finally, we ...
Source: Statistics in Medicine - May 19, 2013 Category: Statistics Authors: X. Lu, D.V. Mehrotra, B.E. Shepherd Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Effects of Robotic Knee Exoskeleton on Human Energy Expenditure
A number of studies discuss the design and control of various exoskeleton mechanisms, yet relatively few address the effect on the energy expenditure of the user. In this paper, we discuss the effect of a performance augmenting exoskeleton on the metabolic cost of an able-bodied user/pilot during periodic squatting. We investigated whether an exoskeleton device will significantly reduce the metabolic cost and what is the influence of the chosen device control strategy. By measuring oxygen consumption, minute ventilation, heart rate, blood oxygenation, and muscle EMG during 5-min squatting series, at one squat every 2 ...
Source: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering - May 18, 2013 Category: Biomedical Engineering Source Type: research

Denoising MRI Using Spectral Subtraction
Improving the signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using denoising techniques could enhance their value, provided that signal statistics and image resolution are not compromised. Here, a new denoising method based on spectral subtraction of the measured noise power from each signal acquisition is presented. Spectral subtraction denoising (SSD) assumes no prior knowledge of the acquired signal and does not increase acquisition time. Whereas conventional denoising/filtering methods are compromised in parallel imaging by spatially dependent noise statistics, SSD is performed on signals acquired from...
Source: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering - May 18, 2013 Category: Biomedical Engineering Source Type: research

Transfusions and morbidity after surgery of congenital heart disease: Pure statistics or time for a paradigm shift?
We read with great interest the article by Redlin and colleagues and appreciate the continuous efforts of this group to establish blood-saving strategies in surgery for congenital heart disease. We think, however, that the relationship between transfusion and clinical outcome might be more complex than that outlined by Redlin and colleagues. (Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery)
Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - May 18, 2013 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Andreas Koster, Armin Zittermann, Eugen Sandica Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research

Peri‐operative pain management in children with cerebral palsy: comparative efficacy of epidural vs systemic analgesia protocols
ConclusionEpidural analgesia resulted in substantial improvements in pain control and safety. The data supports the superiority of a multimodal analgesia approach centered on epidural analgesia. A similar protocol should be considered following simple laminectomies or procedures associated with lower‐extremity muscle spasm. (Source: Pediatric Anesthesia)
Source: Pediatric Anesthesia - May 18, 2013 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Robert P. Moore, Tracy Wester, Rani Sunder, Charles Schrock, Tae S. Park Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Evolution of aneuploidy up to Day 4 of human preimplantation development
Conclusions drawn on segmental abnormalities should be treated with caution. The division trees presented are hypothetical models projecting back in time that try to explain observations in single blastomeres of Day 4 embryos. The limited number of embryos analysed does not allow drawing firm conclusions, but nevertheless provides valuable data on the origin of aneuploidy in human embryos. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our data show extensive abnormalities in Day-4 embryos. We found no evidence of self-correction at this stage of development, suggesting that this process may start at a later stage of development. ST...
Source: Human Reproduction - May 18, 2013 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Mertzanidou, A., Spits, C., Nguyen, H. T., Van de Velde, H., Sermon, K. Tags: Reproductive genetics Source Type: research

Obstructive Sleep Apnea after Weight Loss: A Clinical Trial Comparing Gastric Bypass and Intensive Lifestyle Intervention
Conclusion:Our study demonstrates that RYGB was more effective than ILI at reducing the prevalence and severity of OSA. However, our analysis also suggests that weight loss, rather than the surgical procedure per se, explains the beneficial effects.Citation:Fredheim JM; Rollheim J; Sandbu R; Hofsø D; Omland T; Røislien J; Hjelmesaeth J. Obstructive sleep apnea after weight loss: a clinical trial comparing gastric bypass and intensive lifestyle intervention. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(5):427-432. (Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM)
Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM - May 17, 2013 Category: Sleep Medicine Source Type: research

Evaluation of Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy as a Patient Selection Tool for Implanted Upper Airway Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Conclusions:The absence of palatal CCC during DISE may predict therapeutic success with implanted UAS therapy. DISE can be recommended as a patient selection tool for implanted UAS to treat OSA.Citation:Vanderveken OM; Maurer JT; Hohenhorst W; Ha-mans E; Lin HS; Vroegop AV; Anders C; de Vries N; Van de Heyning PH. Evaluation of drug-induced sleep endoscopy as a patient selection tool for implanted upper airway stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(5):433-438. (Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM)
Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM - May 17, 2013 Category: Sleep Medicine Source Type: research

Survey on batch-to-batch variation in spray paints: A collaborative study
This study represents the most extensive analysis of batch-to-batch variations in spray paint samples to date. The survey was performed as a collaborative project of the ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) Paint and Glass Working Group (EPG) and involved 11 laboratories. Several studies have already shown that paint samples of similar color but from different manufacturers can usually be differentiated using an appropriate analytical sequence. The discrimination of paints from the same manufacturer and color (batch-to-batch variations) is of great interest and these data are seldom found in the literatu...
Source: Forensic Science International - May 17, 2013 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Cyril Muehlethaler, Geneviève Massonnet, Marie Deviterne, Maureen Bradley, Ana Herrero, Itxaso Diaz de Lezana, Sandrine Lauper, Damien Dubois, Jochen Geyer-Lippmann, Sonja Ketterer, Stéphane Milet, Magali Bertrand, Wolfgang Langer, Bernd Plage, Gabriele Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research

Serial slice image segmentation of digital human based on adaptive geometric active contour tracking
Abstract: Segmentation is one of the crucial problems for the digital human research, as currently digital human datasets are manually segmented by experts with anatomy knowledge. Due to the thin slice thickness of digital human data, the static slices can be regarded as a sequence of temporal deformation of the same slice. This gives light to the method of object contour tracking for the segmentation task for the digital human data. In this paper, we present an adaptive geometric active contour tracking method, based on a feature image of object contour, to segment tissues in digital human data. The feature image is const...
Source: Computers in Biology and Medicine - May 17, 2013 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Qiang Chen, Quan-sen Sun, De-shen Xia Source Type: research

ECG signal enhancement using S-Transform
Abstract: Electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a noninvasive technique, is used generally as a primary diagnostic tool for cardiovascular diseases. In real-time scenario, noises like channel noise, muscle artifacts, electrode motion and baseline wander are often embedded with ECG signals during acquisition and transmission. In this paper, an automatic ECG signal enhancement technique is proposed to remove noise components from time–frequency domain represented noisy ECG signal. Stockwell transform (S-Transform) is used in this work to represent the noisy ECG signal in time–frequency domain. Next, masking and filtering tec...
Source: Computers in Biology and Medicine - May 17, 2013 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Samit Ari, Manab Kumar Das, Anil Chacko Source Type: research

Correcting for rater bias in scores on a continuous scale, with application to breast density
Existing literature on inter‐rater reliability focuses on quantifying the disagreement between raters. In this paper, we introduce a method to correct for inter‐rater disagreement (or observer bias), where raters are assigning scores on a continuous scale. To do this, we propose a two‐stage approach. In the first stage, we standardise the distributions of rater scores to account for each rater's subjective interpretation of the continuous scale. In the second stage, we correct for case‐mix differences between raters by exploiting pairwise information where two raters have read the same entity on a case. We illustra...
Source: Statistics in Medicine - May 17, 2013 Category: Statistics Authors: Matthew Sperrin, Lawrence Bardwell, Jamie C. Sergeant, Susan Astley, Iain Buchan Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Thermal nonlinear coherent states on a flat space and on a sphere
H. Bagheri and A. Mahdifar In this paper, we first define thermal nonlinear coherent states on a sphere and show that these states are essentially two-mode squeezed nonlinear coherent states of the sphere at zero temperature. Then we consider quantum statistical properties of the thermal sphere nonlinear coherent states. In p ... [J. Math. Phys. 54, 052104 (2013)] published Wed May 15, 2013. (Source: Journal of Mathematical Physics)
Source: Journal of Mathematical Physics - May 17, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: research

Assessment and Modeling of Routinely Used Biochemical Laboratory Data of Healthy Individuals and End‐Stage Renal Failure (ESRF) Patients by Three Different Chemometric Methods
ConclusionsThis study provides models for assessment and modeling of routinely used biochemical laboratory data, finding groups of similarity among clinical tests usually determined on HIs and ESRF patients, contributing in data mining and reducing costs. (Source: Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis)
Source: Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis - May 17, 2013 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Agelos Papaioannou, George Rigas, Panagiotis Plageras, George A. Karikas, George Karamanis Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of GSK2190915, a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein inhibitor, in adults and adolescents with persistent asthma: a randomised dose-ranging study
The objective of this study was to evaluate GSK2190915 efficacy, dose--response and safety in subjects with persistent asthma treated with short-acting beta2-agonists (SABAs) only. Methods: Eight-week multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, stratified (by age and smoking status), parallel-group, placebo-controlled study in subjects aged >=12 years with a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of 50--85% predicted. Subjects (n = 700) were randomised to receive once-daily (QD) oral GSK2190915 (10--300 mg), twice-daily inhaled fluticasone propionate 100 mug, oral montelukast 10 mg QD or placebo. The primary ...
Source: Respiratory Research - May 17, 2013 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Richard FollowsNeil SnowiseShu-Yen HoClaire AmberyKevin SmartBarbara McQuade Source Type: research

Fatal childhood injuries in Finland, 1971-2010
Conclusions This nationwide study confirms a decline in childhood injury deaths over the last four decades, with the greatest declines occurring in the number of fatal motor vehicle injuries, drownings and intentional injuries. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - May 17, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Parkkari, J., Mattila, V., Kivisto, J., Niemi, S., Palvanen, M., Kannus, P. Tags: Drowning, Poisoning/Injestion, Suicide/Self harm (injury), Suicide (public health) Original article Source Type: research

Associations between childhood obesity and upper and lower extremity injuries
Conclusions Greater body mass index is associated with increased odds of lower extremity injuries and pain issues. Because the benefits of physical activity may still outweigh the risk of injury, attention should be paid to injury prevention strategies for these children at greater risk for lower extremity injuries. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - May 17, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Adams, A. L., Kessler, J. I., Deramerian, K., Smith, N., Black, M. H., Porter, A. H., Jacobsen, S. J., Koebnick, C. Tags: Epidemiologic studies Original article Source Type: research

Global news highlights
Helmet legislation: effects on cycling I recently became aware of an impressive body of work that is less often cited than it should be when debating the effects of bicycle helmet legislation. As well as providing strong support for the effectiveness of helmets, it also helps counter the argument that ridership is reduced by legislation. Those opposed to helmet laws constantly refer to Robinson (some of whose work was published in this Journal). However, overlooked are a series of apparently flawless studies by Jake Olivier, a statistician, and his colleagues in New South Wales, Australia. I urge readers interested in this...
Source: Injury Prevention - May 17, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Pless, B. Tags: News and notes Source Type: research

A simple and reproducible breast cancer prognostic test
Conclusions: Our study provides a prototypic example for reproducible development of computational algorithms for learning prognostic biomarkers in the era of personalized medicine. (Source: BMC Genomics - Latest articles)
Source: BMC Genomics - Latest articles - May 17, 2013 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Luigi MarchionniBahman AfsariDonald GemanJeffrey Leek Source Type: research