Using Artificial Intelligence for Model Selection

We apply the optimization algorithm Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA) to the problem of analyzing data on a large population and selecting the best model to predict that an individual with various traits will have a particular disease. We compare ASA with traditional forward and backward regression on computer simulated data. We find that the traditional methods of modeling are better for smaller data sets whereas a numerically stable ASA seems to perform better on larger and more complicated data sets.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, in Proceedings, Hawaii International Conference on Statistics and Related Fields, June 5-8, 200

Osteopathic manipulative treatment for pneumonia

The pneumonias due to infection continue to be a meaningful threat to the health and viability of persons, particularly those in high risk groups: children, the aged and the debilitated. Noll and colleagues provide us with the results of a well-designed and well-executed multi-institutional controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in the treatment of pneumonia. The data obtained indicate that by intention-to-treat analysis, the addition of OMT to conventional care did not improve the designated outcomes when compared to conventional care only. A disappointing but important finding. However, by per-protocol analysis, the addition of OMT or of light touch decreased length of hospital stay, the duration of intravenous antibiotics and the incidence of respiratory failure and death relative to conventional care only. Further study is called for to explain these surprising results

Influence of environmental factors during seed development and after full-ripeness on pre-harvest sprouting in wheat

Results on environmental and genotypic factors influencing preharvest sprouting of wheat are summarized. Other possible areas where additional research is needed is suggested

Dynamical Effects from Asteroid Belts for Planetary Systems

The orbital evolution and stability of planetary systems with interaction from the belts is studied using the standard phase-plane analysis. In addition to the fixed point which corresponds to the Keplerian orbit, there are other fixed points around the inner and outer edges of the belt. Our results show that for the planets, the probability to move stably around the inner edge is larger than the one to move around the outer edge. It is also interesting that there is a limit cycle of semi-attractor for a particular case. Applying our results to the Solar System, we find that our results could provide a natural mechanism to do the orbit rearrangement for the larger Kuiper Belt Objects and thus successfully explain the absence of these objects beyond 50 AU.Comment: accepted by International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos in Aug. 2003, AAS Latex, 27 pages with 6 color figure

Chinese Evaluations of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force

The U.S. Navy submarine force has set the standard in undersea warfare for at least half a century. America’s submarines made a vital contribution to victory in the Second World War, and they formed an elite force of truly innovative capabilities during the “cold war at sea” with the Soviet Navy. Since the end of the Cold War, the submarine force has been a leader among U.S. military warfighting communities in transforming itself to remain relevant against mili- tant Islamist extremism and other emerging threats

Chinese Mine Warfare: A PLA Navy \u27Assassin\u27s Mace\u27 Capability

After a lengthy hiatus-lasting nearly six centuries—China is reemerging as a maritime power, this time with an emphasis on undersea warfare. Between 1996 and 2006, the Chinese navy took delivery of more than thirty submarines. These vessels include two new classes of nuclear submarines-the advanced Song-class diesel submarines and the Yuan class of diesel boats which, according to some reports, was a surprise for U.S. intelligence. Above and beyond this ambitious naval construction program, the People\u27s Republic of China (PRC) received during 2005-06 an additional eight formidable Kilo-class submarines (and associated weaponry), which were purchased in 2002, to add to the four it already operated. A new nuclear submarine base on Hainan Island may well herald a new era of more extended Chinese submarine operations.https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-red-books/1002/thumbnail.jp

Phenotype standardization for drug-induced kidney disease.

Drug-induced kidney disease is a frequent cause of renal dysfunction; however, there are no standards to identify and characterize the spectrum of these disorders. We convened a panel of international, adult and pediatric, nephrologists and pharmacists to develop standardized phenotypes for drug-induced kidney disease as part of the phenotype standardization project initiated by the International Serious Adverse Events Consortium. We propose four phenotypes of drug-induced kidney disease based on clinical presentation: acute kidney injury, glomerular, tubular, and nephrolithiasis, along with the primary and secondary clinical criteria to support the phenotype definition, and a time course based on the KDIGO/AKIN definitions of acute kidney injury, acute kidney disease, and chronic kidney disease. Establishing causality in drug-induced kidney disease is challenging and requires knowledge of the biological plausibility for the specific drug, mechanism of injury, time course, and assessment of competing risk factors. These phenotypes provide a consistent framework for clinicians, investigators, industry, and regulatory agencies to evaluate drug nephrotoxicity across various settings. We believe that this is the first step to recognizing drug-induced kidney disease and developing strategies to prevent and manage this condition