The blocks of the Brauer algebra in characteristic zero

We determine the blocks of the Brauer algebra in characteristic zero. We also give information on the submodule structure of standard modules for this algebra

The blocks of the periplectic Brauer algebra in positive characteristic

We determine the blocks of the periplectic Brauer algebra over any field of odd characteristic

Improvements on coronal hole detection in SDO/AIA images using supervised classification

We demonstrate the use of machine learning algorithms in combination with segmentation techniques in order to distinguish coronal holes and filaments in SDO/AIA EUV images of the Sun. Based on two coronal hole detection techniques (intensity-based thresholding, SPoCA), we prepared data sets of manually labeled coronal hole and filament channel regions present on the Sun during the time range 2011 - 2013. By mapping the extracted regions from EUV observations onto HMI line-of-sight magnetograms we also include their magnetic characteristics. We computed shape measures from the segmented binary maps as well as first order and second order texture statistics from the segmented regions in the EUV images and magnetograms. These attributes were used for data mining investigations to identify the most performant rule to differentiate between coronal holes and filament channels. We applied several classifiers, namely Support Vector Machine, Linear Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, and Random Forest and found that all classification rules achieve good results in general, with linear SVM providing the best performances (with a true skill statistic of ~0.90). Additional information from magnetic field data systematically improves the performance across all four classifiers for the SPoCA detection. Since the calculation is inexpensive in computing time, this approach is well suited for applications on real-time data. This study demonstrates how a machine learning approach may help improve upon an unsupervised feature extraction method.Comment: in press for SWS

Local host response following an intramammary challenge with Staphylococcus fleurettii and different strains of Staphylococcus chromogenes in dairy heifers

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are a common cause of subclinical mastitis in dairy cattle. The CNS inhabit various ecological habitats, ranging between the environment and the host. In order to obtain a better insight into the host response, an experimental infection was carried out in eight healthy heifers in mid-lactation with three different CNS strains: a Staphylococcus fleurettii strain originating from sawdust bedding, an intramammary Staphylococcus chromogenes strain originating from a persistent intramammary infection (S. chromogenes IM) and a S. chromogenes strain isolated from a heifer's teat apex (S. chromogenes TA). Each heifer was inoculated in the mammary gland with 1.0 x 10(6) colony forming units of each bacterial strain (one strain per udder quarter), whereas the remaining quarter was infused with phosphate-buffered saline. Overall, the CNS evoked a mild local host response. The somatic cell count increased in all S. fleurettii-inoculated quarters, although the strain was eliminated within 12 h. The two S. chromogenes strains were shed in larger numbers for a longer period. Bacterial and somatic cell counts, as well as neutrophil responses, were higher after inoculation with S. chromogenes IM than with S. chromogenes TA. In conclusion, these results suggest that S. chromogenes might be better adapted to the mammary gland than S. fleurettii. Furthermore, not all S. chromogenes strains induce the same local host response

The effect of physical therapy treatment in patients with subjective tinnitus:A systematic review

Background: Tinnitus is a very common symptom that often causes distress and decreases the patient's quality of life. Apart from the well-known causes, tinnitus can in some cases be elicited by dysfunctions of the cervical spine or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). To date however, it is unclear whether alleviation of these dysfunctions, by physical therapy treatment, also decreases the tinnitus complaints. Such physical therapy could be an interesting treatment option for patients that are now often left without treatment. Objectives: The aim of this review was to investigate the current evidence regarding physical therapy treatment in patients with tinnitus. Data sources: The online databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase were searched up to March 2016. Two independent reviewers conducted the data extraction and methodological quality assessment. Study eligibility criteria: Only randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental trials were included in the review. Studies had to be written in English, French, Dutch, or German. Participants and interventions: The included studies investigated the effect of physical therapy treatment modalities on tinnitus severity in patients suffering from subjective tinnitus. Results: Six studies were included in this review, four investigating cervical spine treatment and two investigating TMJ treatment. These studies show positive effects of cervical spine treatment (manipulations, exercises, triggerpoint treatment) on tinnitus severity. Additionally, decrease in tinnitus severity and intensity was demonstrated after TMJ treatment, following splints, occlusal adjustments as well as jaw exercises. Limitations: The risk of bias in the included studies was high, mainly due to lack of randomization, lack of blinding of subjects, therapists, and/or investigators. Additionally, risk of bias is present due to incomplete presentation of the data and selective reporting. A major issue of the reviewed papers is the heterogeneity of the included study populations, treatments and outcome measures, which inhibit data pooling and meta-analysis. Conclusions: Despite the methodological issues in the included studies and the consequent low quality evidence, it is noteworthy that all included studies show positive treatment effects. Before recommendations can be made, these results need to be confirmed in larger, high quality studies, using unambiguous inclusion criteria, state-of-the-art treatment, and high quality outcome measures

Cervical spine signs and symptoms: perpetuating rather than predisposing factors for temporomandibular disorders in women

AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess in a sample of female community cases the relationship between the increase of percentage of cervical signs and symptoms and the severity of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and vice-versa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred women (aged 18-26 years) clinically diagnosed with TMD signs and symptoms and cervical spine disorders were randomly selected from a sample of college students. RESULTS: 43% of the volunteers demonstrated the same severity for TMD and cervical spine disorders (CSD). The increase in TMD signs and symptoms was accompanied by increase in CSD severity, except for pain during palpation of posterior temporal muscle, more frequently observed in the severe CSD group. However, increase in pain during cervical extension, sounds during cervical lateral flexion, and tenderness to palpation of upper fibers of trapezius and suboccipital muscles were observed in association with the progression of TMD severity. CONCLUSION: The increase in cervical symptomatology seems to accompany TMD severity; nonetheless, the inverse was not verified. Such results suggest that cervical spine signs and symptoms could be better recognized as perpetuating rather than predisposing factors for TMD

Interobserver and intraobserver variability in the radiological assessment of sialolithiasis using cone beam computed tomography

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the inter- and intraobserver variability in the radiological assessment of sialolithiasis using cone beam computed tomography are missing in the current literature. This study assessed the inter- and intraobserver variability in the radiological assessment of sialolithiasis using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 107 patients, 130 salivary glands (65 parotid and 65 submandibular) with clinical signs of obstruction were assessed by four independent observers; 2 residents OMFS and 2 experienced OMFS. The observers analyzed the CBCT images and determined the absence or presence of one or more salivary stones in the affected gland. This procedure was repeated after three months. RESULTS: Interobserver agreements showed kappa values of 0.84 for the parotid gland, and 0.93 for the submandibular gland. Intraobserver agreements for the whole group reported kappa values between 0.83 - 0.95. There was no significant difference between residents and experienced OMFS. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the good inter- and intraobserver agreement, CBCT appears to be a reproducible imaging modality for detecting salivary stones in patients with signs and symptoms of obstructed parotid and submandibular glands. Key words:Salivary gland calculi, cone-beam computed tomography, observer variation

De kwaliteit van warme maaltijden in (zorg)instellingen

Dit onderzoek heeft tot doel een goed beeld te vormen van de voedingsstoffensamenstelling van gekoppeld en ontkoppeld bereide maaltijden zoals deze in Nederland in (zorg)instellingen worden bereid. De volgende vraag is onderzocht in deze studie: is er in (zorg)instellingen in Nederland een verschil in nutriëntenretentie tussen warme maaltijden die bereid zijn volgens het gekoppelde en volgens het ontkoppelde bereidingsproces