Statistical Basics of a Reliable World Wide Web Peer to Peer Storage System

Peer-to-peer networks are highly distributed and unreliable networks. Peers log in and off the network at their own needs without any overall plan. In the real peer-to-peer case there are no central nodes planning the resources of the network or having an overview about the state of the network. The paper on hand describes and mathematically analyzes a storage algorithm allowing information to be stored within the network without the originator of the information needs to stay online. Information is optimally “blurred” within the network meaning that the information is reconstructable with a high probability and a long time interval, but stored as least redundant as possible. The main focus is to analyze the mathematical and statistical properties of the presented peer-to-peer storage algorithm. Technical procedures are described at a high level and need further improvement. Thus, the paper on hand is primarily purely statistically peer-to-peer theory at this stage of research

An optimised assay for quantitative, high-throughput analysis of polysialyltransferase activity

YesThe polysialyltransferases are biologically important glycosyltransferase enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of polysialic acid, a carbohydrate polymer that plays a critical role in the progression of several diseases, notably cancer. Having improved the chemical synthesis and purification of the fluorescently-labelled DMB-DP3 acceptor, we report optimisation and validation of a highly sensitive cell-free high-throughput HPLC-based assay for assessment of human polysialyltransferase activity

A peer-to-peer network to support scholarly communication

The number of scientific journals and thereby the number of published articles grew with an enormous rate in the last century (e.g. Price 1986; Henderson 2002). In the second half of the 20th century the system seemed to abut against its boundaries, because in relation to research budgets, library budgets did not grow fast enough to cover all the scientific output produced. Price increases well above the inflation rate set by commercial publishers that bundle disproportionately high market power – especially for journals in the Science-Technical- Medicine-Sector in the last thirty years – intensified the situation even further. This situation is known as the serial crisis. New Information and Communication Technology (ICT) driven publication models are established and seem to be a promising way out of the crisis because they reduce distribution costs significantly. Especially the open access (OA) movement that advocates free electronic access to scientific output is subject to a fierce public debate. In this paper we will detail problems associated with OA and suggest a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) system that supports electronic scholarly communication as a tool to address the economic problems mentioned above

Influence of Simulated Pre-Hospital Transport, Time to Analysis, and Storage Temperature on S100 Calcium-Binding Protein B Values

According to in-hospital guidelines, the biomarker, S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), is used to rule out intracranial lesions in mild-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is currently investigated whether S100B is applicable in a pre-hospital setting. The aim was to compare S100B values and hemolysis index in blood samples drawn and stored under simulated pre-hospital conditions to standardized blood samples. Thirty patients undergoing craniotomy at Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital (Aarhus, Denmark) each had six blood samples drawn. Two samples, drawn in in-hospital standardized Beckton Dickinson tubes and pre-hospital Monovette tubes, respectively, were stored as references at 21°C for 30 min. Two samples were stored at 15°C and 29°C, respectively, one sample was stored at prolonged time (60 min), and one sample was transported for 30 min before centrifugation. S100B values were compared by equivalence test with a pre-defined equivalence margin of ±8.5%. There was no clinically relevant difference between samples stored in different tubes, at various temperatures, or time to analysis compared to reference samples. Transported samples had an 11.5% (90% confidence interval [CI], 6.55; 16.61) higher median S100B value and a 430% (95% CI, 279.6; 661.4) higher median hemolysis index compared to reference samples. Three of 30 (10%) patients had an S100B value above guideline cutoff in the transported sample, which was not found in reference samples (false positive). There were no false negatives. In conclusion, S100B values were not influenced by different tubes, temperatures, and time to analysis. Transported samples had higher median S100B values and hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia index compared to reference samples. </p

Hvem skriver om dem der skriver nyhederne? Dansk historieforskning i de traditionelle nyhedsmedier efter 1945

Dansk historieforskning i traditionelle nyhedsmedier som trykpressen, tv og radio har stået tilbage i forhold til forskningen i vores skandinaviske nabolande. Selvom der skrives denne type mediehistorie i Danmark, er feltet domineret af tre typer værker, som ikke svarer på de spørgsmål, historikere i et stærkt medieforbrugende land bør stille: Hvordan har nyhedsmedieaktørers historiske forudsætninger og selvbillede udviklet sig over tid? Hvordan kan journalisten som figur historiseres, og hvor kommer ”pressens” institutionelt monolitiske selvbillede som demokratiets vogter fra? For det første er danske mediehuses historie udødeliggjort i biografiske og institutionelt afgrænsede ”historier”. For det andet er der skrevet om pressens såkaldte strukturudviklinger gennem historien. For det tredje har mediesociologien tegnet konturerne af pressen og journalistikkens professionelle udvikling. I artiklen udpeger ”nye” historikere inden for de traditionelle nyhedsmedier tre forskningsstier, som mediehistorikere opfordres til at lade sig inspirere af for at opbygge en kritisk, internationaliseret og nuanceret dansk mediehistorie med blik for betydningen af enkeltaktører på tværs af medier og uformelle netværk, og hvor nyhedsmediernes rammevilkår, selvforståelse og produkter forstås i deres historiske kontekst

Temporal Changes in Serum S100B Levels From Prehospital to Early In-Hospital Sampling in Patients Suffering Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: The biomarker S100B is used for the rule-out of intracranial lesions in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is suggested for prehospital use in Europe. Early kinetics of S100B are not exhaustively investigated in human TBI. This post hoc descriptive study of the data from the PreTBI studies aimed to characterize the early temporal changes of S100B using two-sample timepoints. Materials and Methods: Two consecutive blood samples were taken prehospital and in-hospital after injury and assayed for S100B. The endpoint adjudication of the outcome intracranial lesion was done by the evaluation of electronic medical patient journals. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, scatterplots, and temporal changes estimated by the locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) regression line. Results: A total of 592 adult patients with TBI were included; 566 with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 14-15, 20 with GCS 9-13, and 6 with GCS 3-8. Intracranial lesions were diagnosed in 44/566 (7.4%) of patients. In 90% of patients, S100B concentrations decreased from prehospital to in-hospital sampling. The mean decrease was−0.34 μg/L. S100B concentrations seem to decline already within 60 min. Patients sampled very close to trauma and patients suffering intracranial lesions may express a slight incline before this decline. Temporal changes of S100B did not differ in patients &gt;65 years of age, in antiplatelet/-coagulant treatment, alcohol intoxicated, or suffering extra-cranial injuries. Conclusion: S100B concentrations may peak earlier than expected from previous studies of temporal changes in human TBI. Patterns of S100B stand robust to parameters stated as limiting factors to the use for early rule-out of intracranial lesions in the current guidelines. Further studies are needed to investigate the ultra-early temporal profiles of other novel TBI biomarkers to assess prehospital applicability and optimal diagnostic performance in TBI.</p

Testing a Smartphone App (Young with Diabetes) to Improve Self-Management of Diabetes Over 12 Months:Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Young people often struggle to self-manage type 1 diabetes during the transition from childhood to adulthood. Mobile health (mHealth) apps may have the potential to support self-management, but evidence is limited and randomized controlled trials are needed. OBJECTIVE We assessed whether the mHealth app “Young with Diabetes” improved young people’s self-management measured by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and three self-reported psychometric scales. METHODS Young people (14-22 years) with inadequate glycemic control and their parents were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial and assigned either to Young with Diabetes and usual care (Young with Diabetes group) or to usual care alone (control). Young with Diabetes use was monitored; functions included a chat room, contact the health care provider, reminders, tips, information about the diabetes department and type 1 diabetes topics, carbohydrate counting, and a parents’ section. Outcomes included HbA1c and three self-reported psychometric scales: Perceived Competence in Diabetes Scale; Health Care Climate Questionnaire; and Problem Areas In Diabetes care survey. Data were collected at baseline and at 2, 7, and 12 months. RESULTS A total of 151 young people were randomized (Young with Diabetes group=76, control=75) and 49 parents agreed to participate. At 12 months, HbA1c was significantly higher (4.1 mmol/mol; 0.4 %) in the Young with Diabetes group, compared to the control group (P=.04); this finding did not occur when comparing app users (Young with Diabetes use ≥5 days) with nonusers. Young people used Young with Diabetes on a mean of 10.5 days. They spent the most time chatting about alcohol and searching for information about sex. Most young people and half of the parents reported that Young with Diabetes helped them. More than 80% would recommend Young with Diabetes to peers. CONCLUSIONS Young with Diabetes did not improve HbA1c, but it may be a useful complement to self-management. Qualitative evaluation is needed to explore benefits and shortcomings of Young with Diabetes. Health care providers should address young peoples’ knowledge about sensitive topics, provide them with peer support, and be aware of parents’ need for information about how to support CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02632383; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02632383 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zCK2u7xM) </sec