Pattern avoidance in forests of binary shrubs

We investigate pattern avoidance in permutations satisfying some additional restrictions. These are naturally considered in terms of avoiding patterns in linear extensions of certain forest-like partially ordered sets, which we call binary shrub forests. In this context, we enumerate forests avoiding patterns of length three. In four of the five non-equivalent cases, we present explicit enumerations by exhibiting bijections with certain lattice paths bounded above by the line y = lx, for some l in Q+, one of these being the celebrated Duchon’s club paths with l = 2/3. In the remaining case, we use the machinery of analytic combinatorics to determine the minimal polynomial of its generating function, and deduce its growth rate

Rapid assessment response (RAR) study: drug use and health risk - Pretoria, South Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Within a ten year period South Africa has developed a substantial illicit drug market. Data on HIV risk among drug using populations clearly indicate high levels of HIV risk behaviour due to the sharing of injecting equipment and/or drug-related unprotected sex. While there is international evidence on and experience with adequate responses, limited responses addressing drug use and drug-use-related HIV and other health risks are witnessed in South Africa. This study aimed to explore the emerging problem of drug-related HIV transmission and to stimulate the development of adequate health services for the drug users, by linking international expertise and local research.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Rapid Assessment and Response (RAR) methodology was adopted for the study. For individual and focus group interviews a semi-structured questionnaire was utilised that addressed key issues. Interviews were conducted with a total of 84 key informant (KI) participants, 63 drug user KI participants (49 males, 14 females) and 21 KI service providers (8 male, 13 female).</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>Adverse living conditions and poor education levels were cited as making access to treatment harder, especially for those living in disadvantaged areas. Heroin was found to be the substance most available and used in a problematic way within the Pretoria area. Participants were not fully aware of the concrete health risks involved in drug use, and the vague ideas held appear not to allow for concrete measures to protect themselves. Knowledge with regards to substance related HIV/AIDS transmission is not yet widespread, with some information sources disseminating incorrect or unspecific information.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The implementation of pragmatic harm-reduction and other evidence-based public health care policies that are designed to reduce the harmful consequences associated with substance use and HIV/AIDS should be considered. HIV testing and treatment services also need to be made available in places accessed by drug users.</p

Understanding the complex structural features and phase changes in Na2Mg2(SO4)3:a combined single crystal and variable temperature powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy study

Sodium mixed metal sulphates have attracted considerable attention, both in terms of mineralogy and more recently due to interest in Na ion containing materials for battery applications. The phase, Na 2 Mg 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , has been previously reported to undergo a phase change to langbeinite at high temperatures, which is interesting given that usually the langbeinite structure is only adopted when large alkali metal ions, e.g. K, Cs, are present. Nevertheless the room temperature structure of this phase has remained elusive, and so in this work, we report a detailed structural study of this system. We show that room temperature Na 2 Mg 2 (SO 4 ) 3 can only be prepared by quenching from high temperature, with slow cooling leading to phase separation to give the previously unreported systems, Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 and Na 2 Mg 3 (SO 4 ) 4 . We report the structures of quenched Na 2 Mg 2 (SO 4 ) 3 (monoclinic, P2 1 ), as well as Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 (triclinic, P1¯) and Na 2 Mg 3 (SO 4 ) 4 (orthorhombic, Pbca), detailing their complex structural features. Furthermore, we report a study of the thermal evolution of quenched Na 2 Mg 2 (SO 4 ) 3 with temperature through variable temperature XRD and Raman studies, which shows a complex series of phase transitions, highlighting why this phase has proven so elusive to characterise previously, and illustrating the need for detailed characterisation of such sulphate systems

Polymorphic microsatellite markers for genetic studies of African antelope species

Many wild animal species lack informative genetic markers for analysing genetic variation and structure, which is essential for effective long term conservation and management. We present heterologous microsatellite markers in six Tanzanian antelope species including: grant’s gazelle, hartebeest, eland, roan, impala and topi. Thirty eight primer pairs from cattle, sheep, goat and wildebeest were tested. Thirty three revealed polymorphisms in one or more of the six antelope species. Six were polymorphic across all tested species, providing evidence for high genetic variability across species. These sets of microsatellites are of particular usage in population genetic analyses of antelope species.Key words: Antelopes, genetic study, microsatellites, Tanzania

Treatment of femoral neck fractures in elderly patients over 60 years of age - which is the ideal modality of primary joint replacement?

BACKGROUND: Femoral neck fractures in the elderly are frequent, represent a great health care problem, and have a significant impact on health insurance costs. Reconstruction options using hip arthroplasty include unipolar or bipolar hemiarthroplasty (HA), and total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this review is to discuss the indications, limitations, and pitfalls of each of these techniques. METHODS: The Pubmed database was searched for all articles on femoral neck fracture and for the reconstruction options presented in this review using the search terms "femoral neck fracture", "unipolar hemiarthroplasty", "bipolar hemiarthroplasty", and "total hip arthroplasty". In addition, cross-referencing was used to cover articles eventually undetected by the respective search strategies. The resulting articles were then reviewed with regard to the different techniques, outcome and complications of the distinct reconstruction options. RESULTS: THA yields the best functional results in patients with displaced femoral neck fractures with complication rates comparable to HA. THA is beneficially implanted using an anterior approach exploiting the internervous plane between the tensor fasciae latae and the sartorius muscles allowing for immediate full weight-bearing. Based on our findings, bipolar hemiarthroplasty, similar to unipolar hemiarthroplasty, cannot restorate neither anatomical nor biomechanical features of the hip joint. Therefore, it can only be recommended as a second line of defense-procedure for patients with low functional demands and limited live expectancy. CONCLUSIONS: THA is the treatment of choice for femoral neck fractures in patients older than 60 years. HA should only be implanted in patients with limited life expectanc

Yet another breakdown point notion: EFSBP - illustrated at scale-shape models

The breakdown point in its different variants is one of the central notions to quantify the global robustness of a procedure. We propose a simple supplementary variant which is useful in situations where we have no obvious or only partial equivariance: Extending the Donoho and Huber(1983) Finite Sample Breakdown Point, we propose the Expected Finite Sample Breakdown Point to produce less configuration-dependent values while still preserving the finite sample aspect of the former definition. We apply this notion for joint estimation of scale and shape (with only scale-equivariance available), exemplified for generalized Pareto, generalized extreme value, Weibull, and Gamma distributions. In these settings, we are interested in highly-robust, easy-to-compute initial estimators; to this end we study Pickands-type and Location-Dispersion-type estimators and compute their respective breakdown points.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

Using technology to deliver cancer follow-up : a systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD