Sard Property for the endpoint map on some Carnot groups

In Carnot-Caratheodory or sub-Riemannian geometry, one of the major open problems is whether the conclusions of Sard's theorem holds for the endpoint map, a canonical map from an infinite-dimensional path space to the underlying finite-dimensional manifold. The set of critical values for the endpoint map is also known as abnormal set, being the set of endpoints of abnormal extremals leaving the base point. We prove that a strong version of Sard's property holds for all step-2 Carnot groups and several other classes of Lie groups endowed with left-invariant distributions. Namely, we prove that the abnormal set lies in a proper analytic subvariety. In doing so we examine several characterizations of the abnormal set in the case of Lie groups.Comment: 39 page

Extremal curves in nilpotent Lie groups

We classify extremal curves in free nilpotent Lie groups. The classification is obtained via an explicit integration of the adjoint equation in Pontryagin Maximum Principle. It turns out that abnormal extremals are precisely the horizontal curves contained in algebraic varieties of a specific type. We also extend the results to the nonfree case.Comment: 30 pages, final versio

Non-minimality of corners in subriemannian geometry

We give a short solution to one of the main open problems in subriemannian geometry. Namely, we prove that length minimizers do not have corner-type singularities. With this result we solve Problem II of Agrachev's list, and provide the first general result toward the 30-year-old open problem of regularity of subriemannian geodesics.Comment: 11 pages, final versio

Optimal process adjustment by integrating production data and design of experiments

This paper proposes a method to improve the process model estimation based on limited experimental data by making use of abundant production data and to achieve the optimal process adjustment based on the improved process model. The proposed method is called an Estimation-adjustment (EA) method. Furthermore, this paper proves three properties associated with the EA, which guarantee the feasibility and effectiveness of using EA for integrating production and experimental data for optimal process adjustment. Also, the paper develops a sequential hypothesis testing procedure for implementing the EA. The properties and implementation of the EA are demonstrated in a cotton spinning process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83455/1/1123_ftp.pd

An algorithm for diagnosing IgE-mediated food allergy in study participants who do not undergo food challenge.

BACKGROUND: Food allergy diagnosis in clinical studies can be challenging. Oral food challenges (OFC) are time-consuming, carry some risk and may, therefore, not be acceptable to all study participants. OBJECTIVE: To design and evaluate an algorithm for detecting IgE-mediated food allergy in clinical study participants who do not undergo OFC. METHODS: An algorithm for trial participants in the Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention (BEEP) study who were unwilling or unable to attend OFC was developed. BEEP is a pragmatic, multi-centre, randomized-controlled trial of daily emollient for the first year of life for primary prevention of eczema and food allergy in high-risk infants (ISRCTN21528841). We built on the European iFAAM consensus guidance to develop a novel food allergy diagnosis algorithm using available information on previous allergenic food ingestion, food reaction(s) and sensitization status. This was implemented by a panel of food allergy experts blind to treatment allocation and OFC outcome. We then evaluated the algorithm's performance in both BEEP and Enquiring About Tolerance (EAT) study participants who did undergo OFC. RESULTS: In 31/69 (45%) BEEP and 44/55 (80%) EAT study control group participants who had an OFC the panel felt confident enough to categorize children as "probable food allergy" or "probable no food allergy". Algorithm-derived panel decisions showed high sensitivity 94% (95%CI 68, 100) BEEP; 90% (95%CI 72, 97) EAT and moderate specificity 67% (95%CI 39, 87) BEEP; 67% (95%CI 39, 87) EAT. Sensitivity and specificity were similar when all BEEP and EAT participants with OFC outcome were included. CONCLUSION: We describe a new algorithm with high sensitivity for IgE-mediated food allergy in clinical study participants who do not undergo OFC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This may be a useful tool for excluding food allergy in future clinical studies where OFC is not conducted

Investigating the impact of nicotine on executive functions using a novel virtual reality assessment

Aims Nicotine is known to enhance aspects of cognitive functioning in abstinent smokers but the effects on specific areas of executive functions, and in non-smokers are inconclusive. This may be due in part to the poor sensitivity of tests used to assess executive functions. This study used a new virtual reality assessment of executive functions known as JEF (the Jansari assessment of Executive Functions) to address this issue. Design 2x2 design manipulating group (smokers and never-smokers) and drug (nicotine [4mg for smokers; 2mg for never smokers] vs placebo gum). Setting School of Psychology; University of East LondonParticipants 72 participants (aged 18 to 54). 36 minimally-deprived (2 hr) smokers and 36 never-smokers.Measurements Components of executive function were measured using the virtual reality paradigm JEF, which assesses eight cognitive constructs simultaneously as well as providing an overall performance measure. Results Univariate ANOVAs revealed that nicotine improved overall JEF performance, time-based prospective memory and event-based prospective memory in smokers (p < 0.01) but not in never-smokers. Action-based prospective memory was enhanced in both groups (p < 0.01) and never-smokers out-performed smokers on selective thinking and adaptive thinking (p < 0.01). Conclusions. Overall executive functioning and prospective memory can be enhanced by nicotine gum in abstinent smokers. That smokers were only minimally deprived suggests that JEFis a sensitive measure of executive functioning and that prospective memory is particularly susceptible to disruption by abstinence

The ‘responsibility’ factor in imagining the future of education in China

Design and creativity have been a considerable force for improving life conditions. A lot of effort has been invested in explaining the design process and creativity mainly through the design thinking methodology, but design accountability and responsible actions in the design process are, yet, to be fully explored. The concept of design ethics is now increasingly scrutinized on both the level of business organization and of the individual designer. A 4-day design workshop that involved creativity techniques provided the base to explore responsibility in the fuzzy front end of the design process. The future of education in 2030 was defined as the workshop's theme and fifty-six students from China were asked to create detailed alternative scenarios. A number of imagination exercises, implementation of technological innovations and macro-environment evolutions employed in the workshop are discussed. The aim was to incite moral and responsible actions among students less familiar with creative educational contexts of student-led discovery and collaborative learning. This paper reflects on the use of creativity methods to stimulate anticipation in (non)design students

Comparison of insulin detemir and insulin glargine in a Basal-Bolus regimen, with insulin aspart as the mealtime insulin, in patients with type 1 diabetes: A 52-week, multinational, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, treat-to-target noninferiority trial

Objective: The primary study objective was to determine whether insulin detemir (detemir) was noninferior to insulin glargine (glargine) as the basal insulin in a basal-bolus regimen, with insulin aspart as the mealtime insulin, in terms of glycemic control at the end of 52 weeks in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Methods: This multinational, open-label, parallel-group, treat-to-target, noninferiority trial enrolled patients aged >= 18 years who had had T1DM for at least 12 months, had been taking a basal-bolus insulin regimen for at least 3 months, and had a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) value <= 11.0% at screening. Patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either detemir or glargine for 52 weeks. The basal insulin was initially administered once daily (in the evening) in both groups; if patients in the detemir group were achieving the plasma glucose (PG) target before breakfast but not before dinner, they were switched to twice-daily administration. Glargine was administered once daily throughout the trial, according to its approved labeling. Each patient attended 13 study visits and received 16 scheduled telephone calls from the trial site. The primary efficacy end point was glycemic control (HbA(1c)) after 52 weeks of treatment. Secondary end points included the number of patients achieving an HbAlc value <= 7.0%, with or without a major hypoglycemic episode in the last month of treatment; fasting PG (FPG); within-patient variation in self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) before breakfast and dinner; and 10-point SMPG profiles. The noninferiority margin was 0.4%, consistent with US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Results: Four hundred forty-three patients (mean [SD] age, 42 [12] years; body mass index, 26.5 [4.0] kg/m(2); duration of diabetes, 17.2 [11.4] years; HbA(1c), 8.1% [1.1%]) received study treatment. After 52 weeks, the estimated mean HbA(1c) did not differ significantly between the detemir and glargine groups (7.57% and 7.56%, respectively; mean difference, 0.01%; 95% CI -0.13 to 0.16), consistent with the noninferiority of detemir to glargine. The corresponding estimated changes in HbA(1c) were -0.53% and -0.54%. In the 90 patients who completed the trial on once-dally detemir and the 173 patients who completed the trial on twice-daily detemir, the estimated changes in HbA(1c) were-0.49% and -0.58%, respectively. After 52 weeks, there were no significant differences in the proportions of those receiving detemir and glargine who achieved an HbA(1c) value <= 7.0% without major hypo-glycemia (31.9% and 28.9%, respectively). In addition, there were no significant differences in estimated mean FPG (8.58 and 8.81 rnmol/L; mean difference, -0.23 mmol/L; 95% CI, -1.04 to 0.58) or in basal insulin doses. The basal insulin dose was numerically higher in patients receiving detemir twice rather than once daily (0.47 vs 0.33 U/kg, respectively). The relative risks for total and nocturnal hypoglycemia with detemir versus glargine were 0.94 and 1.12, respectively (both, P = NS). Six patients (2.0%) randomized to the detemir group and 4 (2.7%) randomized to the glargine group withdrew due to adverse events. Conclusions: During 52 weeks of basal-bolus therapy in patients with T1DM, detemir was noninferior to glargine in terms of overall glycemic control (HbA(1c)). When used according to the approved labeling, detemir and glargine did not differ in tolerability or in terms of the occurrence of hypoglycemia. (Clin Ther. 2009; 31:2086-2097) (C) 2009 Excerpta Medica Inc

Group actions on central simple algebras: a geometric approach

We study actions of linear algebraic groups on central simple algebras using algebro-geometric techniques. Suppose an algebraic group G acts on a central simple algebra A of degree n. We are interested in questions of the following type: (a) Do the G-fixed elements form a central simple subalgebra of A of degree n? (b) Does A have a G-invariant maximal subfield? (c) Does A have a splitting field with a G-action, extending the G-action on the center of A? Somewhat surprisingly, we find that under mild assumptions on A and the actions, one can answer these questions by using techniques from birational invariant theory (i.e., the study of group actions on algebraic varieties, up to equivariant birational isomorphisms). In fact, group actions on central simple algebras turn out to be related to some of the central problems in birational invariant theory, such as the existence of sections, stabilizers in general position, affine models, etc. In this paper we explain these connections and explore them to give partial answers to questions (a)-(c).Comment: 33 pages. Final version, to appear in Journal of Algebra. Includes a short new section on Brauer-Severi varietie

Daily emollient during infancy for prevention of eczema: the BEEP randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Skin barrier dysfunction precedes eczema development. We tested whether daily use of emollient in the first year could prevent eczema in high-risk children. METHODS: We did a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial in 12 hospitals and four primary care sites across the UK. Families were approached via antenatal or postnatal services for recruitment of term infants (at least 37 weeks' gestation) at high risk of developing eczema (ie, at least one first-degree relative with parent-reported eczema, allergic rhinitis, or asthma, diagnosed by a doctor). Term newborns with a family history of atopic disease were randomly assigned (1:1) to application of emollient daily (either Diprobase cream or DoubleBase gel) for the first year plus standard skin-care advice (emollient group) or standard skin-care advice only (control group). The randomisation schedule was created using computer-generated code (stratified by recruiting centre and number of first-degree relatives with atopic disease) and participants were assigned to groups using an internet-based randomisation system. The primary outcome was eczema at age 2 years (defined by UK working party criteria) with analysis as randomised regardless of adherence to allocation for participants with outcome data collected, and adjusting for stratification variables. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN21528841. Data collection for long-term follow-up is ongoing, but the trial is closed to recruitment. FINDINGS: 1394 newborns were randomly assigned to study groups between Nov 19, 2014, and Nov 18, 2016; 693 were assigned to the emollient group and 701 to the control group. Adherence in the emollient group was 88% (466 of 532) at 3 months, 82% (427 of 519) at 6 months, and 74% (375 of 506) at 12 months in those with complete questionnaire data. At age 2 years, eczema was present in 139 (23%) of 598 infants with outcome data collected in the emollient group and 150 (25%) of 612 infants in the control group (adjusted relative risk 0·95 [95% CI 0·78 to 1·16], p=0·61; adjusted risk difference -1·2% [-5·9 to 3·6]). Other eczema definitions supported the results of the primary analysis. Mean number of skin infections per child in year 1 was 0·23 (SD 0·68) in the emollient group versus 0·15 (0·46) in the control group; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1·55 (95% CI 1·15 to 2·09). INTERPRETATION: We found no evidence that daily emollient during the first year of life prevents eczema in high-risk children and some evidence to suggest an increased risk of skin infections. Our study shows that families with eczema, asthma, or allergic rhinitis should not use daily emollients to try and prevent eczema in their newborn. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment