Linear-time list recovery of high-rate expander codes

We show that expander codes, when properly instantiated, are high-rate list recoverable codes with linear-time list recovery algorithms. List recoverable codes have been useful recently in constructing efficiently list-decodable codes, as well as explicit constructions of matrices for compressive sensing and group testing. Previous list recoverable codes with linear-time decoding algorithms have all had rate at most 1/2; in contrast, our codes can have rate $1 - \epsilon$ for any $\epsilon > 0$. We can plug our high-rate codes into a construction of Meir (2014) to obtain linear-time list recoverable codes of arbitrary rates, which approach the optimal trade-off between the number of non-trivial lists provided and the rate of the code. While list-recovery is interesting on its own, our primary motivation is applications to list-decoding. A slight strengthening of our result would implies linear-time and optimally list-decodable codes for all rates, and our work is a step in the direction of solving this important problem

African-American and White Women’s Appraisal of their Breast Cancer

African-American women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than are White women but are more likely to be adversely affected. Although differences in incidence and mortality have been explored in some depth, little attention has been paid to how these women cope with the disease or whether their appraisal of their breast cancer differs from that of White women. Using a comparative design, this study analyzed the differences in appraisal between African-American and White women with breast cancer. The findings suggest that no differences exist between African-American and White women’s appraisal of their breast cancer. The type of primary appraisal used most by both groups was harm to their health, safety, and physical well-being. The secondary appraisal used most was that breast cancer was an experience they had to accept. Possible links between appraisal and cognitive representations of illness and suggestions for further research on the appraisal are discussed

Understanding older adults’ perceptions of and attitudes towards exergames

Purpose Maintaining physical activity is a key component of successful aging and has benefits for both physical and cognitive functioning in the older adult population. One promising method for engaging in physical activity is through exergames, which are video games designed to promote exercise. Exergames have the potential to be used by a wide range of people, including older adults, in a variety of settings, such as at home, in community living environments, or senior centers. However, exergames have not been designed for older adults (e.g., with respect to their attitudes, needs). Thus, older adults may not adopt these systems if they perceive them as not useful or relevant to them. Method Twenty older adults (aged 60-79) interacted with two exergames, and were then interviewed about their perceptions of the system’s ease of use and usefulness, as well as their general attitudes towards the system. Results Participants identified the potential for exergames’ usefulness for various goals, such as to increase their physical activity. However, they also reported negative attitudes concerning the system, including perceiving barriers to system use. Overall, participants said they would use the system in the future and recommend it to other people at their age for improving health, despite these use challenges. Conclusion The older adults were open to adopting exergames, which could provide opportunities to increase physical activity. Given the participants’ overall positive perceptions of the usefulness of exergames, designers must address the perceived challenges of using these systems. Understanding barriers and facilitators for older adults’ use of exergames can guide design, training, and adoption of these systems

Understanding Mechanical Response of Elastomeric Graphene Networks

Ultra-light porous networks based on nano-carbon materials (such as graphene or carbon nanotubes) have attracted increasing interest owing to their applications in wide fields from bioengineering to electrochemical devices. However, it is often difficult to translate the properties of nanomaterials to bulk three-dimensional networks with a control of their mechanical properties. In this work, we constructed elastomeric graphene porous networks with well-defined structures by freeze casting and thermal reduction, and investigated systematically the effect of key microstructural features. The porous networks made of large reduced graphene oxide flakes (>20 μm) are superelastic and exhibit high energy absorption, showing much enhanced mechanical properties than those with small flakes (<2 μm). A better restoration of the graphitic nature also has a considerable effect. In comparison, microstructural differences, such as the foam architecture or the cell size have smaller or negligible effect on the mechanical response. The recoverability and energy adsorption depend on density with the latter exhibiting a minimum due to the interplay between wall fracture and friction during deformation. These findings suggest that an improvement in the mechanical properties of porous graphene networks significantly depend on the engineering of the graphene flake that controls the property of the cell walls

Importanţa imunocorectorului BioR în tratamentul ulcerului duodenal la pacienţii vârstnici

Conferinţa naţională în medicina internă din Republica Moldova cu participare internaţională, 19-20 mai 2011, Chişinău, Republica MoldovaSummary. The combination of immunocorrector BioR with standard antiulcer scheme helped for earlier disappearing of pain and dyspeptic syndromes, shrinking of the terms of scarring of ulcerous defect, in increasing the level T-helpers and T-suppressors, and production of Ig M, G and В lymphocytes.Actualitatea temei. În ulcerul duodenal (UD) la pacienţii vârstnici se implică multe niveluri ale homeostazei, inclusiv sistemul imun, se stabileşte un proces cronic imun, manifestat prin implicarea verigilor celulare şi umorale ale sistemului imun, fapt ce necesită studierea ulterioară şi sistematizarea pentru crearea metodelor eficiente şi ştiinţific justificate de tratament. BioR este un imunocorector şi un stabilizator de membrane celulare, care are o acţiune antioxidantă, este un produs al Spirulinei platensis. Scopul lucrării: studiul comparativ al eficacităţii clinice a imunocorectorului BioR în tratamentul complex al ulcerului duodenal la pacienţii vârstnici. Material şi metode. Au fost investigaţi 50 de pacienţi vârstnici. Lotul I (25 pacienţi) – cu tratament standard antiulceros, la care s-a asociat BioR 0,5%- 1,0 (5,0 mg) ml i/m pe zi, timp de 10 zile. Lotul II (25 pacienţi) – cu tratament standard. Rezultate. La pacienţii lotului I media termenelor de suprimare a sindromului algic a constituit 10,4±0,3 zile (р<0,001); gradul mediu de gravitate (GMG) a sindromului dolor până şi după tratament a constituit 1,99 şi 0,91, cicatrizarea defectului ulceros peste 14 zile s-a constatat în 96% cazuri, peste 21 zile – 100% cazuri, s-a evidenţiat creşterea nivelului СD3, СD8, СD4, Ig M, G, B-limfocitelor. În lotul II media termenelor de suprimare a sindromului algic a fost de 15,5±0,6 zile (р<0,001); GMG până şi după tratament a constituit 1,97 şi 1,21; cicatrizarea defectului ulceros peste 14 zile s-a constatat în 88%, peste 21 de zile cicatrizarea completă nu a fost atestată la 1 (4%) pacient; modificări statistic veridice ale indicilor imunităţii celulare şi celei umorale nu au fost observate, cu toate că a existat o tendinţă de ameliorare a acestora. Concluzii. Administrarea imunocorectorului BioR în asociere cu terapia standard pacienţilor vârstnici cu UD contribuie la ameliorarea în termene mai reduse a sindromului dolor, la cicatrizarea mai rapidă a defectului ulceros, la diminuarea intensităţii reacţiilor imunopatologice celulare şi umorale, ceea ce argumentează asocierea remediului dat la tratamentul de bază al pacienţilor vârstnici cu UD

Influenţa ozonoterapiei asupra fluxului sangvin portal

Conferinţa naţională în medicina internă din Republica Moldova cu participare internaţională, 19-20 mai 2011, Chişinău, Republica Moldovahepatitis C, of which 80 were men (70%) and 34 women (30%) aged from 34 to 54. In patients with chronic hepatitis C, mejor disturbances of venous and hepatic arterial blood flow are present. Inclusion of ozone therapy in tye complex treatment allows a major compensation of blood flow in the liver.Scopul studiului: evaluarea efectului ozonoterapiei asupra stării circulaţiei fluxului arterial şi a celui venos hepatic. Material şi metode. Au fost examinaţi 114 pacienţi cu hepatită cronică virală C (HCV C), dintre care 80 erau bărbaţi şi 34 femei, cu vârsta cuprinsă între 34 şi 54 de ani. Diagnosticul a fost stabilit conform datele clinice şi paraclinice. Rezultate. În funcţie de tratament, toţi pacienţii au fost divizaţi în două loturi. Primul lot a inclus 71 persoane care, concomitent cu terapia complexă, au folosit ozonoterapie. Al doilea lot a inclus 43 de pacienţi, trataţi fără ozonoterapie. Lotul de control l-au constituit 22 de voluntari sănătoşi. La pacienţii cu HCV C am determinat majorarea veridica semnificativa a diametrului venelor portă şi lienală, CI şi diminuarea parametrilor vitezei liniare a fluxului sangvin în vena portă. Indicatorii vitezei volumului sangvin în vena portă în ambele loturi nu se diferenţiau semnificativ veridic. Concomitent, volumul sangvin în vena lienală a fost semnificativ mai mare. Indicele sangvin portal-splenic a fost semnificativ mai diminuat. Pe parcursul tratamentului, la pacienţii lotului I indicii circulaţiei venoase au suferit modificări semnificative şi valorile lor au fost mai aproape celor din grupul de control. La pacienţii lotului II, de asemenea, am determinat modificări pozitive, dar care nu au fost statistic veridice. La bolnavii cu HCV C diametrul arterei hepatice, indicele de pulsaţie, indicele perfuziei arteriale, IAP au fost semnificativ mai mari decât în lotul de control. La finisarea curei de tratament, am constatat la pacienţii din lotul I o dinamică pozitivă a fluxului sangvin arterial hepatic statistic veridic. În lotul II modificările indicilor fluxului sangvin arterial hepatic au avut aceleaşi tendinţe, dar nu au fost statistic veridice. Concluzii. La pacienţii cu HCV C sunt prezente dereglari majore în fluxul sangvin hepatic venos şi arterial. Includerea ozonoterapiei în tratamentul complex duce la compensarea mai evidentă a dereglărilor fluxului sangvin hepatic

Progression of Diet-Induced Diabetes in C57BL6J Mice Involves Functional Dissociation of Ca2+ Channels From Secretory Vesicles

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to elucidate the cellular mechanism underlying the suppression of glucose-induced insulin secretion in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 15 weeks. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: C57BL6J mice were fed a HFD or a normal diet (ND) for 3 or 15 weeks. Plasma insulin and glucose levels in vivo were assessed by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Insulin secretion in vitro was studied using static incubations and a perfused pancreas preparation. Membrane currents, electrical activity, and exocytosis were examined by patch-clamp technique measurements. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) was measured by microfluorimetry. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) was used for optical imaging of exocytosis and submembrane depolarization-evoked [Ca(2+)](i). The functional data were complemented by analyses of histology and gene transcription. RESULTS: After 15 weeks, but not 3 weeks, mice on HFD exhibited hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. Pancreatic islet content and beta-cell area increased 2- and 1.5-fold, respectively. These changes correlated with a 20-50% reduction of glucose-induced insulin secretion (normalized to insulin content). The latter effect was not associated with impaired electrical activity or [Ca(2+)](i) signaling. Single-cell capacitance and TIRFM measurements of exocytosis revealed a selective suppression (&gt;70%) of exocytosis elicited by short (50 ms) depolarization, whereas the responses to longer depolarizations were (500 ms) less affected. The loss of rapid exocytosis correlated with dispersion of Ca(2+) entry in HFD beta-cells. No changes in gene transcription of key exocytotic protein were observed. CONCLUSIONS: HFD results in reduced insulin secretion by causing the functional dissociation of voltage-gated Ca(2+) entry from exocytosis. These observations suggest a novel explanation to the well-established link between obesity and diabetes

Simultaneous bilateral total ankle replacement using a 3-component prosthesis: Outcome in 26 patients followed for 2–10 years

Total ankle replacement is an established surgical procedure in patients with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis. We analyzed complications and medium-term results in patients with simultaneous bilateral total ankle replacement