Symptom analysis of multidimensional categorical data with applications

The linear combinations of dichotomous variables over the field F_2, which are called symptoms, form the projective space from which it is possible select the more informative subspaces for reducing the dimensionality of binary data. In this article, the symptom space expands to the super-symptom space. The super-symptom means a linear combination of various multiplications of k dichotomous variables over a field of characteristic 2 without repeating. In algebra, such functions are called Zhegalkin polynomials or algebraic normal forms. It is known that each logical function can be represented in the form of a Zhegalkin polynomial in a unique way, therefore using them to iterate one can find a logical function to best describe a risk group. The search algorithm of a more informative super-symptom for classification is based on the superposition of impulse sequences with different types of operations: first multiplication and then addition over the F_2 field. Also the super-symptom analysis is a convenient method for a study of the correlation between two sets of categorical variables. This method was applied to identify the most severe forms of the disease by combining hormonal, immunological and genetic tests in patients with breast cancer (data from Cancer Oncology Hospital in Medicine City in Baghdad) and to identify genetic risk factors by patients with alcohol dependence syndrome, receiving alcohol dependence therapy (St.Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Psychoneurological Research Institute)

Twenty Years of Galactic Observations in Searching for Bursts of Collapse Neutrinos with the Baksan Underground Scintillation Telescope

The results of twenty-year-long Galactic observations in neutrino radiation are summarized. Except for the recording of a neutrino signal from the supernova SN 1987A, no Galactic bursts of collapse neutrinos have been detected. An upper bound on the mean frequency of gravitational collapses in our Galaxy was obtained, $f_{collapse} (90$.Comment: latex, 7 pages, 2 eps figure

Oxygen reduction reaction features in neutral media on glassy carbon electrode functionalized by chemically prepared gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared by chemical route using 4 different protocols by varying reducer, stabilizing agent and solvent mixture. The obtained AuNPs were characterized by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), UV-Visible and zeta potential measurements. From these latter surface charge densities were calculated to evidence the effect of the solvent mixture on AuNPs stability. The AuNPs were then deposited onto glassy carbon (GC) electrodes by drop-casting and the resulting deposits were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in H2SO4 and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM). The electrochemical kinetic parameters of the 4 different modified electrodes towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in neutral NaCl-NaHCO3 media (0.15 M / 0.028 M, pH 7.4) were evaluated by rotating disk electrode voltammetry and subsequent Koutecky-Levich treatment. Contrary to what we previously obtained with electrodeposited AuNPs [Gotti et al., Electrochim. Acta 2014], the highest cathodic transfer coefficients were not obtained on the smallest particles, highlighting the influence of the stabilizing ligand together with the deposits morphology on the ORR kinetics

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASPECTS THE INCIDENCE OF CANCER OF THE KIDNEY AND BLADDER IN PRIMORSKY KRAI

Urinary system cancer is a malignancy caused by environmental exposures, the prevalence of which directly depends on the impact of environmental and anthropogenic factors. The aim of the study was to assess the kidney and bladder cancer incidence in different ecological and bioclimatic zones of Primorsky Krai. Material and methods. The incidence of kidney and bladder cancers in Primorsky Krai for the period between 1994 and 2014 was analyzed. In assessing the risk of kedney and bladder cancers in bioclimatic zones (marine climate, marine to continental transition and continental climate), environmental problems of the territories of Primorsky Krai were classified using the following ranks: critical, stress-like, satisfactory, and relatively favorable. The risk assessment was conducted using the guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment for Environmental Impact Assessment. To calculate the environmental impact on risk of urinary system cancer, the information entropy analysis was used. Results. The territories with low, medium and high incidence of bladder and kidney cancers were identified. The high incidences of kidney and bladder cancers were registered in the territories with environmental problems ranked as critical and stress-like, affected by coal, mining and chemical industries, and in the territories with intensive use of chemical pesticides. The incidence of bladder cancer in men tended to rise from the continental bioclimatic zone to the coast in all ecological zones mainly due to differences in the structure of the bioclimate between the coast and continental areas of Primorsky Krai. The increased risk of urinary system cancer was shown to be associated with parameters, such as the quality of drinking water, total pollution of the environment, chemical composition of groundwater, and the sanitary condition of the soil. Conclusion. The environmental risk assessment and ranking of territories by risk allow the cancer prevention and control programs to be developed and the need for increased cancer screening in certain areas to be identified

MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INFLAMMATORY REACTION IN PATIENTS WITH INFILTRATIVE PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Host-pathogen relations were analyzed on basis of the results of examinations of 42 patients with newly diagnosed, previously untreated infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis (IPT) with regard for the biological characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) and the biomarkers of the inflammatory reaction — the acute phase proteins (APPs). The genotypes of MBT (Beijing and the others) and the efficacy of threeonth antituberculosis therapy were used as the grouping factors. Genotype Beijing MBT patients were significantly often characterised by multiple drug resistant, had widespread pulmonary damage and association of MBT cytoxicity with the effect of therapy. The patients with the best postreatment effect had initial (pretreatment) APPs levels in the range of the referent ones. These conclusions were confirmed by analysis of the correlation pleads of the characteristics of the “host-pathogen” system and their discriminant analysis with regard for MBT genotypes and results of antituberculosis three-month therapy. It was shown that the constellation of four host’s APP characteristics (haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, elastase and adenoaminase activities) has above 90% prognostic efficacy of treatment in spite of MBT genotype. It is suggested that in IPT patients the first component of the “host-pathogen” system reflecting the reaction of the patient’s organism to the MBT induced inflammatory process is more prognostically important

Relationship of psychoalgological status and results of neurosurgical treatment of patients with discogenic radiculopathy

The OBJECTIVE was to improve the results of surgical treatment of patients with discogenic radiculopathy by preoperative neuropsychological examination of patients with an increased risk of unsatisfactory outcome of the operation.METHODS AND MATERIALS. Neuropsychological status of 77 patients with discogenic radiculopathy in the preoperative period was studied. For this purpose, we assessed the intensity of pain, levels of personal and situational anxiety and the presence and severity of depression. The obtained data were compared with postoperative results of quality of life assessment for the main parameters, which include the level of pain and adaptation to daily activities.RESULTS. Data from neuropsychological tests were revealed, the presence of which in patients with discogenic pain syndrome suggests the risk of an unsatisfactory assessment of the operation performed by the patient. According to the long-term results of neurosurgical treatment, patients were divided into three groups: 1 – with a good result; 2 – patients with a number of preserved complaints, who rated the result of the operation as satisfactory; 3 – unsatisfactory outcome. In patients with unsatisfactory results of surgical treatment of discogenic radiculopathies with pain syndrome, patterns of psychological indices were found that were significantly associated with the outcome of treatment.CONCLUSION. Conducting a neuropsychological examination prior to surgery with the identification of predictors of chronic discogenic pain and patient dissatisfaction with the results of treatment can influence the surgical tactics and optimize the process of further treatment