Almost periodic Schrödinger operators along interval exchange transformations

AbstractIt is shown that Schrödinger operators, with potentials along the shift embedding of irreducible interval exchange transformations in a dense set, have pure singular continuous spectrum for Lebesgue almost all points of the interval. Such potentials are natural generalizations of the Sturmian case

A New Spin on Galactic Dust

We present a new puzzle involving Galactic microwave emission and attempt to resolve it. On one hand, a cross-correlation analysis of the WHAM H-alpha map with the Tenerife 10 and 15 GHz maps shows that the well-known DIRBE correlated microwave emission cannot be dominated by free-free emission. On the other hand, recent high resolution observations in the 8-10 GHz range with the Green Bank 140 ft telescope by Finkbeiner et al. failed to find the corresponding 8 sigma signal that would be expected in the simplest spinning dust models. So what physical mechanism is causing this ubiquitous dust-correlated emission? We argue for a model predicting that spinning dust is the culprit after all, but that the corresponding small grains are well correlated with the larger grains seen at 100 micron only on large angular scales. In support of this grain segregation model, we find the best spinning dust template to involve higher frequency maps in the range 12-60 micron, where emission from transiently heated small grains is important. Upcoming CMB experiments such as ground-based interferometers, MAP and Planck LFI with high resolution at low frequencies should allow a definitive test of this model.Comment: Minor revisions to match accepted ApJ version. 6 pages, 4 figs. Color figures and more foreground information at http://www.hep.upenn.edu/~angelica/foreground.html#spin or from [email protected]

Modelling the balance of care:Impact of an evidence-informed policy on a mental health ecosystem

Major efforts worldwide have been made to provide balanced Mental Health (MH) care. Any integrated MH ecosystem includes hospital and community-based care, highlighting the role of outpatient care in reducing relapses and readmissions. This study aimed (i) to identify potential expert-based causal relationships between inpatient and outpatient care variables, (ii) to assess them by using statistical procedures, and finally (iii) to assess the potential impact of a specific policy enhancing the MH care balance on real ecosystem performance. Causal relationships (Bayesian network) between inpatient and outpatient care variables were defined by expert knowledge and confirmed by using multivariate linear regression (generalized least squares). Based on the Bayesian network and regression results, a decision support system that combines data envelopment analysis, Monte Carlo simulation and fuzzy inference was used to assess the potential impact of the designed policy. As expected, there were strong statistical relationships between outpatient and inpatient care variables, which preliminarily confirmed their potential and a priori causal nature. The global impact of the proposed policy on the ecosystem was positive in terms of efficiency assessment, stability and entropy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that formalized expert-based causal relationships between inpatient and outpatient care variables. These relationships, structured by a Bayesian network, can be used for designing evidence-informed policies trying to balance MH care provision. By integrating causal models and statistical analysis, decision support systems are useful tools to support evidence-informed planning and decision making, as they allow us to predict the potential impact of specific policies on the ecosystem prior to its real application, reducing the risk and considering the population’s needs and scientific findings

Modelling mental healthcare improvement in highly integrated care systems: the case of the Basque Country (Spain)

Currently there is growing interest in providing integrated mental health care between hospital (acute residential care) and community-based services (… and other health systems). Mental health systems are complex due to the high disorder prevalence, socio-economic burden, stigma associated, and high gap of unmet population needs. Mental health can be considered an ecosystem related to, at least, physical health and social services ones. Decision support systems are robust tools for guiding and improving planning and management of health ecosystems by integrating methods like Bayesian networks. These models identify critical variables, domains and constructs and their corresponding causal relationships. The objective of this research is to design an integrated and integral theoretical Bayesian network for guiding mental health planning and management, and in consequence, improving mental health care delivery

Racial/ethnic differences in hepatic steatosis in a population‐based cohort of post‐menopausal women: the Michigan Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

Aims The prevalence of hepatic steatosis may differ between post‐menopausal African‐American women and non‐Hispanic white women and by sex hormone binding globulin level. We examined prevalence of hepatic steatosis by race/ethnicity and associations with sex hormone binding globulin. Methods Participants included post‐menopausal women who underwent hepatic ultrasound ( n  = 345) at the Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a population‐based study. We examined hepatic steatosis prevalence by race/ethnicity and used logistic regression models to calculate the odds of hepatic steatosis with race/ethnicity and sex hormone binding globulin, after adjustment for age, alcohol use, waist circumference, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure and use of medications reported to lower intrahepatic fat. Results Fewer African‐American women than non‐Hispanic white women had hepatic steatosis (23 vs. 36%, P  = 0.01). African‐American women had lower triglyceride and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but higher blood pressure and follicle‐stimulating hormone levels ( P  < 0.05). In the optimal‐fitting multivariable models, women in the highest tertile of sex hormone binding globulin (60.2–220.3 nmol/l) had a lower odds of hepatic steatosis (odds ratio 0.43, 95% CI 0.20–0.93) compared with women in the lowest tertile of sex hormone binding globulin (10.5–40.3 nmol/l). There was an interaction between race/ethnicity and medication use whereby non‐Hispanic white women using medications had three times higher odds of hepatic steatosis compared with African‐American women not using medications (odds ratio 3.36, 95%  CI 1.07–10.58). Interactions between race/ethnicity and other variables, including sex hormone levels, were not significant. Conclusions Hepatic steatosis on ultrasound may be more common in post‐menopausal non‐Hispanic white women than African‐American women and was associated with lower levels of sex hormone binding globulin. What's new? Although hepatic steatosis is common in post‐menopausal women, previous studies have not examined risk factors in this population, particularly sex steroids and sex hormone binding globulin. We report that increased sex hormone binding globulin, the primary binding protein of sex hormones and a risk factor for diabetes, was strongly associated with decreased odds of hepatic steatosis in both race/ethnicities.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101792/1/dme12225.pd

Follicular dynamics, corpus luteum growth and regression in multiparous buffalo cows and buffalo heifers

ABSTRACT Objective. Characterize the follicular dynamics and luteal growth and regression pattern of multiparous (MB) and heifer (BH) Murrah buffaloes in Colombian tropical conditions. Material and methods. Ten MB and ten BH were synchronized with a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device. No artificial insemination was performed during the estrous and daily ultrasound examinations were performed 15 days later to determine the number and diameter of the structures present in both ovaries in the subsequent natural estrous cycle. The Student’s T test was used to evaluate differences between MB and BH. All data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Results. The length of the estrous cycle was 22.00±4.50 days for MB and 22.00±2.70 days for BH. Follicular growth occurs in one (n=1; 5.89%), two (n=14; 82.35%) or three waves (n=2; 11.76%). The first wave initiated the day after ovulation with the recruitment of 8.33±2.06 and 10.00±2.72 follicles in MB and BH, while the second wave started on day 11.00±2.00 and 10.50±2.82, presenting 8.37±2.26 and 8.00±1.51 follicles. The third wave began on day 16.21±3.10 showing 6.50±1.70 follicles, only BM had three waves. The maximum luteal diameter was 19.58±4.16 mm and 17.74±3.32 mm respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups for these variables. Conclusions. These results show that the follicular development in buffaloes occurs in waves, where two waves is the most common pattern, as previously reported by other authors

Effects of IGSS\u27 job aids-assisted Balanced Counseling Algorithms on quality of care and client outcomes

This study identified a need to improve the quality of care at the main maternity hospital of the Social Security Institute (IGSS) in Guatemala. Problems included very short counseling sessions, counseling not focused on clients’ needs, redundancy in the role of physicians and social workers as providers, skewed method mix, and low client return rate for method resupply. The intervention, using Balanced Counseling Algorithms, changed the counseling behavior of physicians and social workers and enhanced the quality of family planning care. The report includes recommendations for continuing these improvements: monitoring provider implementation of the job aids–assisted Balanced Counseling Algorithms, monitoring provider output, adjusting institutional policy and goals to the reality of client preferences, testing reformulated post-choice strategy, and paying particular attention to clients who choose oral contraceptives or condoms

Experimental Assessment of a Forward-Collision Warning System Fusing Deep Learning and Decentralized Radio Sensing

This paper presents the idea of an automatic forward-collision warning system based on a decentralized radio sensing (RS) approach. In this framework, a vehicle in receiving mode employs a continuous waveform (CW) transmitted by a second vehicle as a probe signal to detect oncoming vehicles and warn the driver of a potential forward collision. Such a CW can easily be incorporated as a pilot signal within the data frame of current multicarrier vehicular communication systems. Detection of oncoming vehicles is performed by a deep learning (DL) module that analyzes the features of the Doppler signature imprinted on the CW probe signal by a rapidly approaching vehicle. This decentralized CW RS approach was assessed experimentally using data collected by a series of field trials conducted in a two-lanes high-speed highway. Detection performance was evaluated for two different DL models: a long short-term memory network and a convolutional neural network. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of the envisioned forward-collision warning system based on the fusion of DL and decentralized CW RS

Asociación Infrecuente de Síndrome de Gitelman de Reciente Diagnóstico con Proteinuria Glomerular

Síndrome de Gitelman es una tubulopatía de herencia autosómica recesiva cuya alteración se halla a nivel del cotransportador Na/Cl en el túbulo distal, caracterizada por alcalosis metabólica, normotensión,hipopotasemia, hipomagnesemia e hipocalciuria. La proteinuria e hiperfiltración glomerular (sobre todo al inicio de la presentación clínica) no son manifestaciones características de esta enfermedad. MÉTODOS:Reporte de Caso.RESULTADOS: Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 25 años con diagnóstico reciente de Síndrome de Gitelman que presentó hiperfiltración y proteinuria glomerular por lo que se realizó biopsia renal evidenciando hipertrofiadel aparato yuxtaglomerular y proliferación mesangial y en microscopia electrónica: desprendimiento focalde podocitos compatible con glomeruloesclerosis focal y segmentaria secundaria. CONCLUSIÓN:Este caso de asociación de la tubulopatía con glomerulopatía secundaria de presentación precoz, pone de manifiesto el camino final que recorre esta tubulopatía al generar isquemia renal sostenida por aumento dela actividad del sistema renina angiotensina aldosterona. Resultó de utilidad la biopsia renal y la microscopíaelectrónica para definir pronóstico y tratamiento en esta paciente.Fil: Gutierrez, R.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Fortunato, R. M.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Vigliano, Carlos. Fundación Favaloro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Toniolo, M.. Centro de Diagnostico Patologico; ArgentinaFil: Nava, A.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Espinoza, A.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Raffaele P.M.. Fundación Favaloro; Argentin