The influence of the Ratio Bias phenomenon on the elicitation of Standard Gamble utilities

This paper tests whether logically equivalent risk formats can lead to different health state utilities elicited by means of the standard gamble (SG) method. We compare SG utilities elicited when probabilities are framed in terms of frequencies with respect to 100 people in the population (i.e., X out of 100) with SG utilities elicited for frequencies with respect to 1,000 people in the population (i.e., Y out of 1,000). We found that utilities were significant higher when success and failure probabilities were framed as frequencies type “Y out of 1,000” rather than as frequencies type “X out of 100”. This framing effect, known as Ratio Bias, may have important consequences in resource allocation decisions.Framing effect, risk format, standard gamble, health state, dual-process theories.

Trees of Irreducible Numerical Semigroups

A 2011 paper by Blanco and Rosales describes an algorithm for constructing a directed tree graph of irreducible numerical semigroups of fixed Frobenius numbers. This paper will provide an overview of irreducible numerical semigroups and the directed tree graphs. We will also present new findings and conjectures concerning the structure of these trees

Control of fluorescence in quantum emitter and metallic nanoshell hybrids for medical applications

We study the light emission from quantum emitter and double metallic nanoshell hybrid systems. Quantum emitters act as local sources which transmit their light efficiently due to a double nanoshell near field. The double nanoshell consists a dielectric core and two outer nanoshells

Field host range of Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Argentina, a potential biocontrol agent of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America

Field exploration in Argentina for cactophagous lepidopteran hosts parasitized by the recently described braconid parasitoid Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) revealed a host range restricted to Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and C. doddi. Field collections of cactophagous larvae parasitized by the congeneric and sympatric parasitoid A. alexanderi included the host species C. bucyrus, Sigelgaita nr. chilensis, Tucumania sp., Tucumania tapiacola and Salambona sp. If a narrow host range for A.opuntiarum is confirmed in quarantine with North American cactus-feeding species, then this parasitoid could be released as a biological control agent for C. cactorum with little or no risk to non-target species.Las exploraciones de campo en Argentina de larvas hospedadoras cactófagas parasitadas por Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), un bracónido recientemente descripto, revelaron un espectro de hospedadores restringido a Cactoblastis cac­torum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) y C. doddi. Las colecciones de campo de larvas cactófagas parasitadas por la especie congenérica y simpátrica A. alexanderi identificaron a C. bucyrus, Sigelgaita nr. chi­lensis, Tucumania sp., Tucumania tapiacola y Salambona sp. como es­pecies hospedadoras. Si se confirma en cuarentena el estrecho rango de hospedadores de A. opuntiarum sobre especies norteamericanas que se alimentan de cactus, podría ser liberado como agente de con­trol biológico de C. cactorum, con bajo riesgo o ninguno a especies no blanco.Fil: Varone, Laura. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; ArgentinaFil: Logarzo, Guillermo Alejandro. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Juan Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; ArgentinaFil: Navarro, Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Carpenter, James E.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Hight, Stephen D.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados Unido

Physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging and the arthroscopy of the shoulder: a correlation of diagnostic tests

Background: Shoulder pathology is the third cause of consultation for musculoskeletal disorders; it is a cause of disability and economic losses. The gold standard for its diagnosis and treatment is arthroscopy. However, arthroscopy is an invasive diagnostic technique. Therefore, clinical and imaging methods may be useful as diagnostic techniques before considering arthroscopy. Nevertheless, these non-surgical diagnostic methods may present a poor correlation in diagnostic accuracy when compared to the arthroscopic diagnostic method in the context of shoulder pathology. Methods: A retrospective study including 123 patients who presented shoulder complains, underwent physical examination and a shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study prior to a shoulder arthroscopy. A clinical correlation was made using the kappa index, sensitivity and specificity of the clinical and imaging tests were also calculated. Results: The correlation between arthroscopy and the clinical assessment showed a kappa index of 0.25 for rotator cuff injuries, 0.41 biceps pathology, 0.51 sub acromial impingement, 0.51 acromioclavicular arthrosis, 0.28 for SLAP injury. MRI diagnostic method showed a kappa correlation of 0.24 for rotator cuff injuries, 0.59 biceps pathology, 0.39 sub acromial impingement, 0.46 acromioclavicular arthrosis and 0.34 for superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) injury. Conclusions: After comparing arthroscopy with clinical assessment and the MRI diagnostic method we found that clinical assessment is useful to diagnose biceps pathologies, subacromial impingement, and acromioclavicular arthrosis. On the other hand, MRI studies and diagnosis made by a radiologist showed to be a valuable tool for the diagnosis of biceps pathology and acromioclavicular arthrosis