A search on the Nikiforov-Uvarov formalism

An alternative treatment is proposed for the calculations carried out within the frame of Nikiforov-Uvarov method, which removes a drawback in the original theory and by pass some difficulties in solving the Schrodinger equation. The present procedure is illustrated with the example of orthogonal polynomials. The relativistic extension of the formalism is discussed.Comment: 10 page

Association of the Asn306Ser variant of the SP4 transcription factor and an intronic variant in the β-subunit of transducin with digenic disease

Purpose SP4 is a transcription factor abundantly expressed in retina that binds to the GC promoter region of photoreceptor signal transduction genes. We have previously shown that SP4 may be involved in the transcriptional activation of these genes alone or together with other transcription factors such as SP1, neural retina leucine zipper protein (NRL), and cone-rod homeobox gene (CRX). Since mutations in NRL and CRX are involved in inherited retinal degenerations, SP4 was considered a good candidate for mutation screening in patients with this type of diseases. The purpose of this work, therefore, was to investigate possible mutations in SP4 in a cohort of patients affected with different forms of retinal degenerations. Methods 270 unrelated probands with various forms of retinal degeneration including autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP), autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), and Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA), were screened for mutations in the SP4 gene. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was performed on the six SP4 gene exons including flanking regions followed by direct sequencing of SSCP variants. Results Nine different sequence variants were found in 29 patients, four in introns and five in exons. Many of the probands were previously screened for mutations in the genes encoding the α-, β- and γ-subunits of rod-specific cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE6A, PDE6B, PDE6G), the β-subunit of rod-specific transducin (GNB1), and peripherin/rds (RDS). One group of seven probands of Hispanic background that included five with arRP, one with RP of unknown inheritance (isolate) and 1 with arCRD carried an Asn306Ser mutation in SP4. Of the seven, the isolate case was homozygous and the other 6 heterozygous for the variant. Two arRP and the arCRD probands carried an additional intronic GNB1 variant. DNA from the family members of the arCRD proband could not be obtained, but for the other two families, all affected members and none of the unaffected carried both the SP4 Asn306Ser allele and the GNB1 intronic variant. Conclusions If mutations in SP4 do cause retinal degenerative disease, their frequency would be low. While digenic disease with the SP4 Asn306Ser and the GNB1 intronic variant alleles has not been established, neither has it been ruled out. This leaves open the possibility of a cooperative involvement of SP4 and GNB1 in the normal function of the retina.PubMedWo

Two Electrons in a Quantum Dot: A Unified Approach

Low-lying energy levels of two interacting electrons confined in a two-dimensional parabolic quantum dot in the presence of an external magnetic field have been revised within the frame of a novel model. The present formalism, which gives closed algebraic solutions for the specific values of magnetic field and spatial confinement length, enables us to see explicitly individual effects of the electron correlation.Comment: 14 page

A note on the Woods-Saxon potential

The wave Schrodinger and, to clarify one interesting point encountered in the calculations, Klein-Gordon equations are solved exactly for a single neutron moving in a central Woods-Saxon plus an additional potential that provides a flexibility to construct the surface structure of the related nucleus. The physics behind the solutions and the reliability of the results obtained are discussed carefully with the consideration of other related works in the literature. In addition, the exhaustive analysis of the results reveals the fact that the usual Woods-Saxon potential cannot be solved analytically within the framework of non-relativistic physics, unlike its exactly solvable relativistic consideration

Nutritional status in Turkish cystic fibrosis patients

Digitalitzat per Artypla

Diagnostic value of combined serum biomarkers for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C infection: A multicenter, noninterventional, observational study

Background/Aims: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is important cause of chronic hepatitis. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard for assessment of fibrosis but this procedure is an invasive procedure. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of non-invasive serum biomarkers, separately and in combinations, on liver fibrosis in treatment-naive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and sixteen treatment-naive CHC patients were enrolled from 32 locations across Turkey in this open-labelled, non-interventional prospective observational study. FibroTest®, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index(APRI), aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4), Age-platelet(AP) index and Forns index were measured and compared with Metavir scores got from liver biopsies. Results: Data from 182 patients with baseline liver biopsy were suitable for analysis. One hundred and twenty patients (65.9%) had F0-F1 fibrosis and 62 patients (34.1%) had F2-F4 fibrosis. APRI 0.732 area under the curve(AUC) indicated advanced fibrosis with 69% sensitivity and 77% specificity. FIB-4 0.732 AUC and FibroTest 0.715 AUC indicated advanced fibrosis with 69% and 78.4% sensitivity, and 75% and 71.4% specificity, respectively. The combined use of tests also led to an increase in AUC and specificity. Combinations of FibroTest with APRI and/or FIB-4, and FIB-4 with APRI were optimal for the evaluation of liver fibrosis. Conclusion: Fibrotest, FIB-4, APRI, AP index and Forns index exhibit good diagnostic performance for determining liver fibrosis in CHC patients, and the use of at least two tests together will increase their diagnostic value still further. © Copyright 2018 by The Turkish Society of Gastroenterology

An interactive approach for the post-processing in a KDD process

Association rule mining is a technique widely used in the field of data mining, which consists in discovering relationships and/or correlations between the attributes of a database. However, the method brings known problems among which the fact that a large number of association rules may be extracted, not all of them being relevant or interesting for the domain expert. In that context, we propose a practical, interactive and helpful guided approach to visualize, evaluate and compare the extracted rules following a step by step methodology, taking into account the interaction between the industrial domain expert and the data mining expert

New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey

The cultural use of pigments in human societies is associated with ritual activities and the creation of social memory. Neolithic Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100–5950 cal BC) provides a unique case study for the exploration of links between pigments in burials, demographic data and colourants in contemporary architectural contexts. This study presents the first combined analysis of funerary and architectural evidence of pigment use in Neolithic Anatolia and discusses the possible social processes underlying the observed statistical patterns. Results reveal that pigments were either applied directly to the deceased or included in the grave as a burial association. The most commonly used pigment was red ochre. Cinnabar was mainly applied to males and blue/green pigment was associated with females. A correlation was found between the number of buried individuals and the number of painted layers in the buildings. Mortuary practices seem to have followed specific selection processes independent of sex and age-at-death of the deceased. This study offers new insights about the social factors involved in pigment use in this community, and contributes to the interpretation of funerary practices in Neolithic Anatolia. Specifically, it suggests that visual expression, ritual performance and symbolic associations were elements of shared long-term socio-cultural practices