Separate Intervals Research Articles

Data discretization impact on deep learning for missing value imputation of continuous data

In various fields of information examination, for example, AI, profoundly getting the hang of missing information is a typical issue. Missing qualities should be tended to since they can adversely affect the exactness and adequacy of prescient models. This research investigates how data discretization affects deep learning methods for filling the missing values in datasets with continuous features. They provide a unique method for imputing missing values using deep neural networks (DNNs) called extravagant expectation maximization-deep neural network (EEM-DNN). This approach discretizes continuous features into separate intervals initially. This is justified by treating the issue of missing value imputation as a classification work, with the missing values being considered a distinct class. A DNN, designed explicitly for imputation, is then trained using the discretized data. The expectation maximization concepts are incorporated into the network architecture, and as a result, the network iteratively improves its imputation predictions. They run comprehensive experiments on several datasets from different fields to gauge the efficacy of the suggested strategy. The effectiveness of EEM-DNN is compared to that of other imputation approaches, such as traditional imputation techniques and deep learning methods without data discretization. Our findings show that data discretization significantly enhances imputation accuracy. In terms of imputation accuracy and prediction performance on downstream tasks, the EEM-DNN method regularly performs better than alternative methods. It also examines if various discretization techniques affect the overall imputation process. They find that the trade-off between bias and variance in imputed data depends on the discretization method selected. This highlights the significance of choosing a suitable discretization approach depending on the unique properties of the dataset.

A-082 Establishment of Infant Free T4 Reference Interval Through Indirect Methods

Abstract Background Children require reference intervals distinct from adults and, based on their unique developing physiology, several intervals are often required to accurately reflect the distribution of expected results in a healthy pediatric population. The establishment of pediatric reference intervals has proven challenging. While consenting adults volunteer to contribute their biological material towards the development of a reference interval, well children usually do not have the occasion to get blood drawn and the smaller the child, the more significant the impact of phlebotomy. For these reasons, scientists have sought out other methods for determining pediatric reference intervals. As an alternative, indirect statistical methods may be applied to large data sets of laboratory test results to ascertain a reference interval. The Multi-Modal Decomposition (MMD) is an iterative indirect method that decomposes a mixture of multiple normal distributions into separate components using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm The objective of the current study, was to apply MMD to ascertain reference intervals for free T4 in infants. Methods The study population included infants ranging in age from 1 day to 60 days who had specimens submitted for free T4 testing involving equilibrium dialysis followed by LC-MS/MS in a commercial reference laboratory (Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, San Juan Capistrano, CA). MMD was performed on 25,271 de-identified free T4 results to establish the reference intervals that were validated by comparison against free T4 values obtained on 238 de-identified specimens submitted for acylcarnitine testing, the specimen were analyzed for TSH and only the in-range specimens were include for Free T4 reference interval analysis. Results MMD analysis demonstrated distinct reference intervals for the following ages: 0 to 6 days (1.8 - 6.1 ng/dL), 7 days to <2 weeks (1 - 4.4 ng/dL), 2 to <3 weeks (0.8 - 3.5 ng/dL), 3 to <4 weeks (0.8 - 3 ng/dL), and 4 to <8 weeks (0.7 - 2.8 ng/dL). The data did not support the use of separate intervals for male and female children. Conclusions MMD analysis demonstrated distinct reference intervals for the following ages: 0 to 6 days (1.8 - 6.1 ng/dL), 7 days to <2 weeks (1 - 4.4 ng/dL), 2 to <3 weeks (0.8 - 3.5 ng/dL), 3 to <4 weeks (0.8 - 3 ng/dL), and 4 to <8 weeks (0.7 - 2.8 ng/dL). The data did not support the use of separate intervals for male and female children.

Glomerular filtration rate determined by measuring serum clearance of iohexol in unanesthetized cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) with comparison to serum symmetric dimethylarginine.

One of the more common diseases affecting zoo-managed cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) is chronic renal disease, which can impact their welfare and ultimately shortens their lifespan. Early diagnosis, for which estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is one such tool, is imperative to help mitigate the negative impacts of this insidious disease. GFR was determined by measuring the serum clearance of iohexol in nine clinically normal, cheetahs managed under human care that presented for voluntary blood collection. A 2-sample iohexol clearance method was performed, along with serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) determination. SDMA has shown promise in humans, dogs, and cats, as an early biomarker of renal disease. Additionally, the relationship between GFR and SDMA, along with serum creatinine and BUN were analyzed. The mean values for the uncorrected GFR and corrected GFR were 2.08 ± 0.215 mL/min/kg body weight and 1.87 ± 0.173 mL/min/kg body weight, respectively. No significant correlations were observed between GFR, SDMA, serum creatinine, or BUN. Both the uncorrected and corrected iohexol-based GFR values were similar to an inulin-based GFR reference interval determined in zoo managed cheetahs and a reported domestic cat iohexol-based GFR reference interval. Serum SDMA values support previous research suggesting cheetahs have a separate reference interval from domestic cats (0-14 μg/dL). Measuring GFR by the serum clearance of iohexol shows promise as a readily available, cheap, and easily administered clearance marker that can be used in cheetahs trained for voluntary blood collection, thereby avoiding the need for anesthesia.

Impact of blood volume, air exposure duration, transport duration, and testing delay on plasma total carbon dioxide in simulated open collections using microtainers

BackgroundExposing blood specimens to air reduces plasma total carbon dioxide (TCO2). We evaluated the degree of TCO2 reduction attributed to open collection of neonatal blood in BD microtainers® (microtainers), microtainer transport duration and delayed testing of open plasma aliquots. MethodsVenous blood was aliquoted into open microtainers in a 3x4 factorial design to simulate combined effects of blood volume (0.2–0.6 mL) and air exposure duration (0–5 min), with blood drawn in vacutainers as a control. Separate effects of in-hospital transport duration (0–120 min; whole blood), off-site transport duration (0–24 h; centrifuged whole blood), and the duration plasma aliquots remained open (0–120 min) were evaluated by repeated testing. Findings were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Student’s T-tests. ResultsIn the factorial experiment, mean plasma TCO2 in microtainers was on average 3.5 mmol/L lower than in vacutainers. Smaller blood volume but not greater air exposure duration significantly (p < 0.05) reduced TCO2. Mean TCO2 in filled (0.6 mL; 1–5 min air exposure) microtainers was on average 2.9 mmol/L lower than in vacutainers. Simulated off-site transport of microtainers containing centrifuged whole blood significantly reduced TCO2 (4 h; mean change = -1.5 mmol/L), as did delayed testing of aliquoted plasma (15 min; mean change = -1.3 mmol/L). ConclusionsPlasma TCO2 decreased with reduced microtainer blood volume, extended off-site transport duration of centrifuged whole blood and testing delay of aliquoted plasma. To minimize TCO2 reduction, microtainers should be fully filled and tested rapidly. Laboratories should also consider whether an interpretive comment, correction factor or separate reference intervals are appropriate for these tests.

FEATURES OF THE LITHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RESERVOIR ROCKS AND HYDROCARBON RESERVOIRS IN THE MIDDLE DEVONIAN SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TUZLIV DEPRESSION (DOBRUDJA FOREDEEP)

The aim of the work was to clarify the features of the lithological structure of the Middle Devonian sediments of the Zhovtoyarska-Tuzlivska and Biloliska-Zarichnenska prospective areas of the Dobrudja Foredeep and to determine its influence on the formation of reservoir rocks, traps and hydrocarbon reservoirs. The research was based on the results of geophysical research of wells (radioactive methods) in combination with fragmentary geological (lithological) data. As a result, 9 lithocycles of regressive nature were identified in the section for the first time (e-1 – e-5; g-1 – g-4). Each lithocycle is characterized by a two-membered structure and represents a separate productive horizon (PH). The lower parts of the latter are composed of porous and fractured reservoir rocks (limestones, dolomites, siltstones, sandstones), and the upper parts are composed of fluid-resistant packs (marls, anhydrites). It has been shown that cyclites are grouped into larger units (mesocyclites) of re- or progressive nature, which in different wells (in separate intervals) exhibit a certain similarity or difference in structure. Such spatial and age variability is caused, on the one hand, by the placement of wells in different facies zones of the sulfate-carbonate shelf, and on the other, by the processes of interaction of synsedimentary tectonic movements and paleoceanographic (sea level changes, etc.) factors. The consequence of this is the lateral lithological heterogeneity, which in the petrogeological aspect is manifested in the morphological features of the reservoirs and the character of the development of various types of reservoirs and ultimately determines, taking into account secondary rock changes, the prospects of specific productive horizons. Thus, for the Zhovtoyarska-Tuzlivska area, the vaulted trap is localized near borehole Zhovtoyarska-1 (e-1, e-2 productive horizons), according to other horizons it is fixed near borehole Zhovtoyarska-2. The development of lithological traps is predicted in e-1, e-3 and e-4 productive horizons, which is associated with the wedging of pore reservoirs in the direction from borehole Tuzlivska-2 to borehole Zhovtoyarska -2 and -1. For most productive horizons, the quality of reservoir rocks is expected to deteriorate in the same direction, which suggests the possibility of catagenetic screening of fluids. For the Biloliska-Zarichnenska area, along all productive horizons, trap vaults are localized near borehole Zarichnenska-1 or further south. The most capacious are the traps of horizons e-1, e-4 and e-5, composed mainly of pore-type collectors, the quality of which is low due to anhydritization. The best reservoir rocks are predicted in the Givetian sediments (g-2 – g-4 productive horizons) of borehole Zarichnenska -1.

Comparison of Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Reliability of Raters with Different Levels of Experience When Using Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) in Field-Based Screening of Professional Football Players.

It is essential for physical sports therapists to use reliable field-based tests to identify potential injury risk factors in athletes. The purpose of this study was to compare the inter- and intra-rater reliability of experienced and novice raters during use of the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) in a field-based examination of professional football athletes. Thirty-seven male football athletes underwent pre-season LESS assessment. Two raters independently evaluated the recorded landing techniques at two separate intervals, two months apart, following the LESS standard protocol. Inter-and intra-rater values were calculated for the LESS total scores and individual scoring items. The overall LESS scores had excellent intra-rater reliability values for both the experienced (interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.89-0.97; p < 0.001) and novice rater (ICC = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.90-0.97; p < 0.001), and very good to excellent inter-rater values for the first (ICC = 0.90, 95% CI, 0.77-0.95; p < 0.001) and second (ICC = 0.86, 95% CI, 0.71-0.93; p < 0.001) evaluation. Most of the individual scoring items ranged from moderate to perfect agreement. In conclusion, sports physical therapists, regardless of experience, can reliably use the LESS's total score, through video analysis of the regime. Individual scoring items can inform clinicians about impairments in the landing mechanism but data should be interpreted cautiously.

Anaesthetic Efficacy of Adjunct Therapy with Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomised Controlled Study

Abstract Objective: The aim of this prospective, randomised controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of pulpal anaesthesia in the management of pain in mandibular first molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) in relation to alternative adjunct therapies with a conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) versus the conventional IANB technique. Methods: In accordance with the CONSORT statement, a prospective, randomised controlled parallel-design clinical trial was created. Group 1: Conventional IANB (Control group); Group 2: IANB plus local infiltration; Group 3: IANB plus long buccal nerve block; Group 4: IANB plus premedication with paracetamol; and Group 5: IANB plus cryotherapy was the five groups comprised 50 participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. People were asked to use the Heft-Parker Visual Analogue Scale (HP-VAS) to score their level of discomfort at three separate intervals during the treatment process: before treatment, during access opening, and during pulp extirpation. Results: During access opening, Tukey’s post hoc multiple comparison tests showed statistically highly significant differences (P &lt; 0.001) between Group 1 and Group 4 and a statistically significant difference (P &lt; 0.05) between Group 1 and Group 3. During pulp extirpation statistically significant difference (P &lt; 0.05) between Group 1 and Group 4 were reported. While the other group shows a statistically insignificant difference. Conclusion: IANB alone does not provide painless endodontic treatment in SIP patients. Hence, adjunct therapy of premedication with paracetamol or a supplementarily anaesthetising long buccal nerve block can significantly increase anaesthetic efficacy of IANB.

The ammonia absorption spectrum between 3900 and 6350 cm-1: 15NH3 contribution and a recommended list for natural ammonia

Following previous contributions dedicated to the main isotopologue, 14NH3, in the present work, we examine the 15NH3 absorption spectrum between 3950 and 6350 cm-1 in order to elaborate an absorption line list for ammonia in natural isotopic abundance. For this purpose, several room temperature Fourier Transform absorption spectra of ammonia highly enriched in 15NH3 measured in the 90′s and available from the Kitt Peak data centre have been analysed. In addition, a more recent high-resolution spectrum recorded in Brussels between 4150 and 4600 cm-1 is also considered. The spectra were divided in three separate intervals (3900–4706, 4706–5650 and 5650–6350 cm-1) for which experimental lists including 3506, 3788, and 2317 lines, respectively, were retrieved and treated independently. By comparison with an ab initio line list (the BYTe list) and systematically validating the assignments by using lower state combination difference relations (LSCD), 2013, 1771 and 570 transitions could be assigned in the three regions, respectively. They belong to 16, 22, and 10 bands and correspond to 98.5, 92.6 and 78.6 % of the experimental intensities in the region, respectively. For comparison, only four 15NH3 bands were previously assigned in the literature in the entire studied region.The obtained 15NH3 assigned line lists were gathered with the previously elaborated line list of the main isotopologue to produce a recommended line list for natural ammonia between 3900 and 6350 cm-1.

Modeling the plasma composition of 67P/C-G at different heliocentric distances

The Rosetta spacecraft accompanied the comet 67P/C-G for nearly 2 years, collecting valuable data on the neutral and ion composition of the coma. The Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC) provided continuous measurements of the in situ plasma density while ROSINA-COPS monitored the neutral composition. In this work, we aim to estimate the composition of the cometary ionosphere at different heliocentric distances of the comet. Läuter et al. (2020) derived the temporal evolution of the volatile sublimation rates for 50 separated time intervals on the orbit of 67P/C-G using the COPS and DFMS data. We use these sublimation rates as inputs in a multifluid chemical-hydrodynamical model for 36 of the time intervals for heliocentric distances <3 au. We compare the total ion densities obtained from our models with the local plasma density measured by the RPC instruments. We find that at the location of the spacecraft, our modeled ion densities match with the in situ measured plasma density within factors of 1−3 for many of the time intervals. We obtain the cometocentric distance variation of the ions H2O+ and H3O+ and the ion groups created respectively by the ionization and protonation of neutral species. We see that H3O+ is dominant at the spacecraft location for nearly all the time intervals while ions created due to protonation are dominant at low cometocentric distances for the intervals near perihelion. We also discuss our ion densities in the context of their detection by DFMS.

Value of foetal umbilical vein standardised blood flow volume in predicting weight gain in the third trimester: a prospective case-cohort study.

This study aims to establish a prediction model of foetal umbilical vein standardised blood flow volume (sQuv) on estimated foetal weight (EFW) in the third trimester. A case-cohort study involving 200 eligible normal foetuses was conducted at the Ultrasound Department of Longquanyi District of Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital between June 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. Ultrasound measurements were taken at two separate intervals to assess EFW and the rate of EFW (rEFW) [first: between 28 w and 33 w6d of gestational age (GA); second: after 4-6 weeks]. Umbilical vein blood flow volume (Quv) and sQuv (normalised with EFW) were calculated only during the initial measurement. Using general linear regression, a prediction model for EFW based on GA and sQuv was developed, with the gestational week employed as a calibration scalar and validated using linear regression cross-validation. In the third trimester, EFW exhibited significant correlations with GA, abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC) and Quv (all ρ > 0.6, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the rEFW showed significant correlations with Quv and sQuv (all ρ > 0.6, P < 0.001). A linear regression equation was established using a general linear regression model: rEFW = 0.32689 × sQuv. Additionally, a foetal weight prediction model (EFW = -2,554.6770 + 0.9655 × sQuv + 129.6916 × GA) was established using sQuv. The above two formulas were cross-validated by intra-group linear regression and proved to be of good efficacy. In the third trimester, EFW displayed significant correlations with GA, AC, HC and Quv. Additionally, the rEFW exhibited significant correlations with Quv and sQuv. The sQuv during the third trimester has predictive value for foetal weight, serving as an early warning indicator.

Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation versus Autologous Matrix-induced Chondrogenesis for talus osteochondral lesions; a retrospective comparison

Aim: This retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the comparative efficacy of osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) versus autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis (AMIC) in the management of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 55 individuals (24 males, 31 females) with an average age of 40.7 ± 12.6 years (range 18-66 years) were included. The study assessed 59 ankles in total due to 4 patients undergoing bilateral procedures at separate intervals. Of these, 22 were treated using AMIC and 37 received OAT. Functional outcomes were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale preoperatively and at the latest follow-up. The Lysholm Knee Score was utilized for evaluating knee function in patients subjected to OAT. Serial radiographic examinations of the ankle were conducted to assess osteotomy union, reduction loss, graft subsidence, and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system for post-treatment OA evaluation. Results: Comparative analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between AMIC and OAT in terms of improvement in AOFAS scores (p=0.467), progression of OA (p=0.141), or complication rates (p=0.373). Conclusion: Both AMIC and OAT present as effective therapeutic options for OLT, with comparable success rates and outcomes.

Effects of post-curing duration on the mechanical properties of complex 3D printed geometrical parts

This study aims to assess the efficacy of post-curing guidance supplied by 3D printing resin manufacturers. Current guidance applies generically to all geometries with the caveat that post-curing should be extended for ‘large’ or ‘complex’ geometries but specific guidance is not provided.Two vat-polymerisation 3D printers (Form3B, Figure 4 Standalone) were used to print test models in 6 biocompatible resins (Pro Black, Med White, Med Amber, Biomed Black, Biomed White, Biomed Amber). The test model is of a complex geometry whilst also housing ISO 527 test specimens in concentric layers. Two separate intervals of curing were applied (100%, 500% stated guidance) creating different curing treatments of the specimens throughout the model. Post processed test models were disassembled and pull testing performed on each of the specimens to assess the mechanical properties.The analysis showed that extending the curing duration had significant effects on the mechanical properties of some materials but not all. The layers of the model had a significant effect except for elongation at break for the Med Amber material.This research demonstrates that generic post-curing guidance regarding UV exposures is not sufficient to achieve homogenous material strength properties for complex geometries. Large variations in mechanical properties throughout the models suggest some material was not fully-cured. This raises a query if such materials as originally marketed as biocompatible are fully cured and therefore safe to use for medical applications involving complex geometries.

Elimination of Random Mixed Noise in ECG using Convolutional Denoising Autoencoder with Transformer Encoder.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals frequently encounter diverse types of noise, such as baseline wander (BW), electrode motion (EM) artifacts, muscle artifact (MA), and others. These noises often occur in combination during the actual data acquisition process, resulting in erroneous or perplexing interpretations for cardiologists. To suppress random mixed noise (RMN) in ECG with less distortion, we propose a Transformer-based Convolutional Denoising AutoEncoder model (TCDAE) in this study. The encoder of TCDAE is composed of three stacked gated convolutional layers and a Transformer encoder block with a point-wise multi-head self-attention module. To obtain minimal distortion in both time and frequency domains, we also propose a frequency weighted Huber loss function in training phase to better approximate the original signals. The TCDAE model is trained and tested on the QT Database (QTDB) and MIT-BIH Noise Stress Test Database (NSTDB), with the training data and testing data coming from different records. All the metrics perform the most robust in overall noise and separate noise intervals for RMN removal compared with the baseline methods. We also conduct generalization tests on the Icentia11k database where the TCDAE outperforms the state-of-the-art models, with a 55% reduction of the false positives in R peak detection after denoising. The TCDAE model approximates the short-term and long-term characteristics of ECG signals and has higher stability even under extreme RMN corruption. The memory consumption and inference speed of TCDAE are also feasible for its deployment in clinical applications.

Analysis of the efficiency of block frame transmission in IEEE 802.11 computer networks

In infrastructure schemes of WLANs wireless computer networks, which are based on the use of the DSF (distributed coordination function) function and the CSMA/CA mechanism, the station STA (STAtion) sends a frame if the transmission channel is released after waiting for the end of the DIFS (distributed interframe space) interval and operation of the slot selec-tion mechanism for transmission (backoff mechanism). In case of collisions or damage to the frame by interference, the AP cannot decode the frame and does not send it back to the ACS station. The sending station STA waits for the re-ceipt of a potential ASK before the expiration of the corresponding timeout, and in case of receipt, starts the backoff procedure before transmission. The duration of the slot used in the backoff process depends on the speed of the physical layer technology. To reduce overhead, a transmission mechanism using frame blocks was proposed. This mechanism assumes that a block of frames intended for one recipient can be sent without con-firming the fact of correct reception by the AP access point of each frame separately. In this case, the sender (STA) competes for access to the channel for the first frame of the block. If it wins the access competition, the transmission of the first frame begins, and after receiving the ACK acknowledgment for it and a short SIFS separation interval, the STA transmits a whole block of frames, which is accompanied by a BAR service frame. The mechanism of frames block transmission in wireless computer networks IEEE 802.11 DCF with infrastructure topology has been analyzed. In protected mode, the depend-encies of network throughput on data transmission rate and the number of frames in a block are determined. It is shown that the mechanism of block transmission significantly increases the network throughput, especially in the range of higher transmission rates. With a marked increase in the intensity of interference the transmission of blocks becomes more complicated. Already with BER=10^-6 and the frames number of the order of 10 and more, in some cases there is a need to retransmit distorted in a block frames, and at BER=10^-5 there are many re-transmissions, so the resulting network throughput becomes small.

Antibiotic prophylaxis prior to colonoscopy with biopsy does not decrease risk of prosthetic joint infection in total knee arthroplasty recipients

IntroductionProsthetic joint infection (PJI) risk continues to receive much attention given its associated morbidity and costs to patients and healthcare systems. It has been hypothesized that invasive colonoscopies may increase the risk of PJI. However, the decision to administer antibiotic prophylaxis lacks clinical guidance. In this study we aimed to compare PJI rates in patients undergoing colonoscopies with and without antibiotic prophylaxis against a control group, analyzing PJI occurrences at 90 days, 6 months, 9 months, and 1-year post-procedure and (2) assess the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis on PJI rates to inform clinical guidelines. MethodsWe queried a national, all-payer database to identify all primary total knee arthroplasty procedures without prior history of PJI between January 2010 and October 2020 (n = 1.9 million). All patients who had a diagnosis of PJI within one year of index procedure were excluded. There were three cohorts identified: colonoscopy with biopsy without antibiotic prophylaxis; colonoscopy with biopsy with antibiotic prophylaxis; and a control of no prior colonoscopy. Both colonoscopy cohorts were slightly younger and had higher comorbidities than the controls. The PJI diagnoses were identified at four separate time intervals within one-year after colonoscopy: 90-days; 6-months; 9-months; and 1-year. Chi-square analyses with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were conducted for PJI rates between groups at all time-points. ResultsAmong all cohorts, no significant differences in PJI rates were found at 90-days (P = 0.459), 6-months (P = 0.608), 9-months (P = 0.598), and 1-year (P = 0.330). Similarly, direct comparison of both colonoscopy groups, with and without antibiotic prophylaxis, demonstrated no PJI rate differences at 90-day (P = 0.540), 6-months (P = 0.812), 9-months (P = 0.958), and 1-year (P = 0.207). Ranges of ORs between the colonoscopy cohorts were 1.07–1.43. ConclusionInvasive colonoscopy does not increase the risk of PJI in patients who have pre-existing knee implants. Furthermore, antibiotic prophylaxis may not be warranted in patients undergoing colonoscopy who have a planned biopsy.

On a New Two-Point Taylor Expansion With Applications

A new two-point Taylor series expansion is proposed. The expansion is slightly different than the classical definition. The coefficients are calculated as recursive relations in a general form. The two-point Taylor expansion is applied to several functions which are odd, even, neither odd nor even. Functions having finite interval of convergence or infinite interval of convergence are investigated. The conditions for convergence are derived and the results are compared with the results of single-point Taylor expansions as well as two-point Taylor expansions reported in the literature. It is found that for a finite radius of convergence, two-point Taylor expansions can have a single convergence interval as well as two separate convergence intervals. Generally speaking, two-point Taylor expansions better represent the real function when the series is truncated. The new two-point expansion and the classical two-point expansion produced identical results for all the problems treated. Based on the results of this analysis, the asymmetric two-point Taylor expansion presented here does not have an advantage compared to the classical symmetric expansion. An application of the series to solution of a variable coefficient differential equation is also treated.

Patella height measurements in patients with patellofemoral instability: the power to predict patella height indices.

Numerous indices for patella height measurement are described in the literature; however, there is not a universally accepted 'gold standard'. Choice of indices varies depending on personal preference and previous experience, making it difficult to compare results between studies. The aims of this study were to assess the correlation between different patella height indices and generate statistically derived formulae that can be used to predict the value of one patella height ratio when another is known. Patients with patellofemoral instability were radiologically evaluated using both X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the knee. Two observers measured six validated patella height indices at two separate time intervals. All measurements were aggregated together and a mean average for each patella height ratio was calculated. These results were then statistically analysed using Pearson product-moment correlation and linear regression tests. Forty-four patients were included in the study. A statistically significant correlation was found between the majority of patella height ratios. On X-ray, the strongest correlation (r = 0.92, p < 0.001) and regression (R2 = 0.85, p < 0.001) coefficients were between the Blackburne-Peel and Caton-Dechamps ratios, with the formula; CD = 0.20 + (0.95xBP). On MRI, the strongest correlation (r = - 0.84, p < 0.001) and regression (R2 = 0.71, p < 0.001) coefficients were between the Patellophyseal index and Patellotrochlear index, with the formula; PP = 1.02-(1.10xPT). The formulae produced in this study can predict the value of one patella height ratio when the results of another are known. This could facilitate systematic reviews and meta-analyses by allowing the pooling together of data from many studies.

Measuring the Level of Agreement for Lactate Measurements in Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots (Amazona ventralis) Among 2 Point-of-Care Analyzers and a Benchtop Analyzer.

Lactate is an important biochemistry analyte used in human and veterinary medicine to assess tissue perfusion and can be used as a prognostic indicator for certain disease conditions. Whereas lactate is commonly measured using "patient-side" handheld meters, these meters have not been validated for companion avian species. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of agreement between 2 commercially available point-of-care lactate meters and a laboratory benchtop blood analyzer in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Blood samples were collected from 20 adult parrots at Louisiana State University by drawing 1.5 mL of blood from the right jugular vein. One drop of whole blood was used for the Lactate Plus analyzer and the remainder of the sample transferred into a lithium heparin microtainer. From the blood in the microtainer, 0.2 mL whole blood was analyzed using the epoc Blood Analysis System, and the remaining sample was centrifuged to obtain plasma that was immediately frozen at -80°C (-112°F) and submitted to the Texas A&M University Clinical Pathology Laboratory for analysis on the VITROS 4500 benchtop analyzer. Bland-Altman agreement plots and Passing-Bablok regression were used to measure the level of agreement between the methods. There was poor agreement between all 3 methods with mean percentage differences in lactate concentrations ≥22% (epoc and Lactate Plus: 33.6% [95% CI: 27-40]; epoc and VITROS 4500: 55% [95% CI:52-58]; VITROS 4500 and Lactate Plus: 22% [95% CI:16-28]). Based on these results, the point-of-care meters tested in this study are not interchangeable, and separate reference intervals were calculated for each method. Blood lactate concentrations may have more utility in tracing lactate trends over time in an individual rather than being able to utilize this information at 1 time point for disease diagnosis and prognosis.

Large deviations and phase transitions in spectral linear statistics of Gaussian random matrices

We evaluate, in the large-N limit, the complete probability distribution P(A,m) of the values A of the sum ∑i=1N|λi|m , where λ i ( i=1,2,…,N ) are the eigenvalues of a Gaussian random matrix, and m is a positive real number. Combining the Coulomb gas method with numerical simulations using a matrix variant of the Wang–Landau algorithm, we found that, in the limit of N→∞ , the rate function of P(A,m) exhibits phase transitions of different characters. The phase diagram of the system on the (A, m) plane is surprisingly rich, as it includes three regions: (i) a region with a single-interval support of the optimal spectrum of eigenvalues, (ii) a region emerging for m < 2 where the optimal spectrum splits into two separate intervals, and (iii) a region emerging for m > 2 where the maximum or minimum eigenvalue ‘evaporates’ from the rest of eigenvalues and dominates the statistics of A. The phase transition between regions (i) and (iii) is of second order. Analytical arguments and numerical simulations strongly suggest that the phase transition between regions (i) and (ii) is of (in general) fractional order p=1+1/|m−1| , where 0<m<2 . The transition becomes of infinite order in the special case of m = 1, where we provide a more complete analytical and numerical description. Remarkably, the transition between regions (i) and (ii) for m⩽1 and the transition between regions (i) and (iii) for m > 2 occur at the ground state of the Coulomb gas which corresponds to the Wigner’s semicircular distribution.

On a New Two Point Taylor Expansion With Applications

A new two point Taylor series expansion is proposed. The expansion is slightly different than the classical definition. The coefficients are calculated as recursive relations in a general form. The two point Taylor expansion is applied to expressing two different functions, one of which has a finite interval of convergence and the other infinite interval of convergence. The conditions for convergence are derived and the results are compared with the results of single point Taylor expansions as well as two point Taylor expansions reported in the literature. It is found that for a finite radius of convergence, two point Taylor expansions can have a single convergence interval as well as two separate convergence intervals. Results of the new expansion are compared with the single point Taylor expansions as well as the classical two point Taylor expansion. Generally speaking two point Taylor expansions better represent the real function when the series is truncated. The new two point expansion and the classical two point expansion produced identical results for the problems treated. An application of the series to solution of a variable coefficient differential equation is also treated.