Smooth bootstrapping of copula functionals

The smooth bootstrap for estimating copula functionals in small samples is investigated. It can be used both to gauge the distribution of the estimator in question and to augment the data. Issues arising from kernel density and distribution estimation in the copula domain are addressed, such as how to avoid the bounded domain, which bandwidth matrix to choose, and how the smoothing can be carried out. Furthermore, we investigate how the smooth bootstrap impacts the underlying dependence structure or the functionals in question and under which conditions it does not. We provide specific examples and simulations that highlight advantages and caveats of the approach

Supramolecular Complexes from CdSe Nanocrystals and Organic Fluorophors

Heterosupramolecular structures from CdSe or CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals and a specially designed organic fluorophore (diazaperylene) have been prepared to investigate the electronic interactions at nanoscopic semiconductor surfaces. To determine the average number of dye molecules per nanocrystal, we monitored the size-dependent molar extinction coefficient of CdSe particles. The NC/dye ratio is depending on the particle size and varies between 3 and 20 dye molecules per nanocrystal. We demonstrate that the fluorescence of the nanocrystals is completely quenched upon the formation of the supramolecular NC/dye complex even if the surface of the CdSe particles is covered with a few monolayers of the high band gap semiconductor ZnS

Blood pressure variability after intravenous thrombolysis in acute stroke does not predict intracerebral hemorrhage but poor outcome

Background: The relevance of blood pressure variability (BPV) in the development of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute stroke still remains uncertain. Methods: 427 consecutive patients treated with IVT in the years 2007-2009 were studied. Blood pressure (BP) values were analyzed from admission to follow-up imaging scan and described as mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation (SD), difference between maximum and minimum, successive variation (SV) and maximum SV. ICH was categorized based on radiologic criteria and symptomatic ICH (sICH) was defined as ICH plus worsening of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale by 6 4 points or leading to death. Three-month outcome was described by means of the modified Rankin Scale. Results: We observed any ICH in 51 (11.9%) and sICH in 10 (2.3%) patients. Systolic and diastolic BP profiles, including mean, maximum, minimum, SD, difference between maximum and minimum, SV and maximum SV, did not differ between ICH-negative, ICH-positive and sICH patients

Ion range measurements using fluorescent nuclear track detectors

Fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTDs) show excellent detection properties for heavy charged particles and have, therefore, been investigated in this study in terms of their potential for in-vivo range measurements. We irradiated FNTDs with protons as well as with C, Mg, S, Fe and Xe ion beams (3 – 9 MeV/u) over a broad range of fluences (4.5e5 – 1.0e11 per cm²) with the detectors’ optical c-axis positioned perpendicular to the beam direction. All measured ion ranges (for single track as well as track bulk intensity irradiations) deviate less than 3% from tabulated SRIM data, independent of particle type, energy, fluence and linear energy transfer. Proton irradiation of detectors placed inside a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center showed promising results for future in-vivo FNTD applications

Interleukin-22 predicts severity and death in advanced liver cirrhosis: a prospective cohort study

Background: Interleukin-22 (IL-22), recently identified as a crucial parameter of pathology in experimental liver damage, may determine survival in clinical end-stage liver disease. Systematic analysis of serum IL-22 in relation to morbidity and mortality of patients with advanced liver cirrhosis has not been performed so far. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including 120 liver cirrhosis patients and 40 healthy donors to analyze systemic levels of IL-22 in relation to survival and hepatic complications. Results: A total of 71% of patients displayed liver cirrhosis-related complications at study inclusion. A total of 23% of the patients died during a mean follow-up of 196 +/- 165 days. Systemic IL-22 was detectable in 74% of patients but only in 10% of healthy donors (P 18 pg/ml, n = 57) showed significantly reduced survival compared to patients with regular ([less than or equal to]18 pg/ml) levels of IL-22 (321 days versus 526 days, P = 0.003). Other factors associated with overall survival were high CRP ([greater than or equal to]2.9 mg/dl, P = 0.005, hazard ratio (HR) 0.314, confidence interval (CI) (0.141 to 0.702)), elevated serum creatinine (P = 0.05, HR 0.453, CI (0.203 to 1.012)), presence of liver-related complications (P = 0.028, HR 0.258 CI (0.077 to 0.862)), model of end stage liver disease (MELD) score [greater than or equal to]20 (P = 0.017, HR 0.364, CI (0.159 to 0.835)) and age (P = 0.011, HR 1.047, CI (1.011 to 1.085)). Adjusted multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis identified elevated systemic IL-22 levels as independent predictors of reduced survival (P = 0.007, HR 0.218, CI (0.072 to 0.662)). Conclusions: In patients with liver cirrhosis, elevated systemic IL-22 levels are predictive for reduced survival independently from age, liver-related complications, CRP, creatinine and the MELD score. Thus, processes that lead to a rise in systemic interleukin-22 may be relevant for prognosis of advanced liver cirrhosis

Viral Dynamic Model of Antiretroviral Therapy Including the Integrase Inhibitor Raltegravir in Patients with HIV-1

Antiviral combination therapies consisting of reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors and an integrase inhibitor, have been developed to suppress HIV below the limit of detection. We introduce a mathematical model for the effect of different combination treatment regimens on the dynamics of HIV RNA and CD4 T-cell counts. We will especially focus on modelling the treatment effect of the integrase inhibitor-Raltegravir. The model consists of a system of ordinary differential equations and the parameters were chosen or estimated in order to agree with clinical data of a recent clinical trial. All the numerical simulations were calculated with Matlab

Экономические перспективы повышения уровня использования попутного нефтяного газа

A novel method employing filter arrays of a cDNA expression library for the identification of substrates for protein kinases was developed. With this technique, we identified a new member of the cyclin family, cyclin L2, as a substrate of the nuclear protein kinase DYRK1A. Cyclin L2 contains an N-terminal cyclin domain and a C-terminal arginine/serine-rich domain (RS domain), which is a hallmark of many proteins involved in pre-mRNA processing. The gene for cyclin L2 encodes the full-length cyclin L2, which is predominantly expressed in testis, as well as a truncated splicing variant (cyclin L2S) that lacks the RS domain and is ubiquitously expressed in human tissues. Full-length cyclin L2, but not cyclin L2S, was associated with the cyclin-dependent kinase PITSLRE. Cyclin L2 interacted with splicing factor 2 in vitro and was co-localized with the splicing factor SC35 in the nuclear speckle compartment. Photobleaching experiments showed that a fusion protein of green fluorescent protein and cyclin L2 in nuclear speckles rapidly exchanged with unbleached molecules in the nucleus, similar to other RS domain-containing proteins. In striking contrast, the closely related green fluorescent protein-cyclin L1 was immobile in the speckle compartment. DYRK1A interacted with cyclin L2 in pull-down assays, and overexpression of DYRK1A stimulated phosphorylation of cyclin L2 in COS-7 cells. These data characterize cyclin L2 as a highly mobile component of nuclear speckles and suggest that DYRK1A may regulate splicing by phosphorylation of cyclin L2