ITERATIVE ALGORITHMS FOR THE LINEAR COMPLEMENTARITY PROBLEM

Direct complementary pivot algorithms for the linear complementarity problem with P-matrices are known to have exponential computational complexity. The analog of Gauss-Seidel and SOR iteration for linear complementarity problems with P-matrices has not been extensively developed. This paper extends some work of van Bokhoven to a class of nonsymmetric P-matrices, and develops and compares several new iterative algorithms for the linear complementarity problem. Numerical results for several hundred test problems are presented. Such indirect iterative algorithms may prove useful for large sparse complementarity problems

Crowdfunding: Geography, Social Networks, and the Timing of Investment Decisions

We examine a crowdfunding platform that connects artists with funders. Although the Internet reduces many distance-related frictions, local and distant funders exhibit different funding patterns. Local funders appear less responsive to information about the cumulative funds raised by an artist. However, this distance effect appears to proxy for a social effect: it is largely explained by funders who likely have an offline social relationship with the artist (“friends and family”). Yet, this social effect does not persist past the first investment, suggesting that it may be driven by an activity like search but not monitoring. Thus, although the platform seems to diminish many distance-sensitive costs, it does not eliminate all of them. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the abilities and limitations of online markets to facilitate transactions and convey information between buyers and sellers with varying degrees of social connectedness

FortiColos - A multicentre study using bovine colostrum as a fortifier to human milk in very preterm infants:Study protocol for a randomised controlled pilot trial

SPIRIT Checklist for FortiColos: Recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents. (DOCX 58 kb

Cross-Disciplinary Genomics Approaches to Studying Emerging Fungal Infections

Emerging fungal pathogens pose a serious, global and growing threat to food supply systems, wild ecosystems, and human health. However, historic chronic underinvestment in their research has resulted in a limited understanding of their epidemiology relative to bacterial and viral pathogens. Therefore, the untargeted nature of genomics and, more widely, -omics approaches is particularly attractive in addressing the threats posed by and illuminating the biology of these pathogens. Typically, research into plant, human and wildlife mycoses have been largely separated, with limited dialogue between disciplines. However, many serious mycoses facing the world today have common traits irrespective of host species, such as plastic genomes; wide host ranges; large population sizes and an ability to persist outside the host. These commonalities mean that -omics approaches that have been productively applied in one sphere and may also provide important insights in others, where these approaches may have historically been underutilised. In this review, we consider the advances made with genomics approaches in the fields of plant pathology, human medicine and wildlife health and the progress made in linking genomes to other -omics datatypes and sets; we identify the current barriers to linking -omics approaches and how these are being underutilised in each field; and we consider how and which -omics methodologies it is most crucial to build capacity for in the near future

Target specificity among canonical nuclear poly(A) polymerases in plants modulates organ growth and pathogen response

Polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs is critical for efficient nuclear export, stability, and translation of the mature mRNAs, and thus for gene expression. The bulk of pre-mRNAs are processed by canonical nuclear poly(A) polymerase (PAPS). Both vertebrate and higher-plant genomes encode more than one isoform of this enzyme, and these are coexpressed in different tissues. However, in neither case is it known whether the isoforms fulfill different functions or polyadenylate distinct subsets of pre-mRNAs. Here we show that the three canonical nuclear PAPS isoforms in Arabidopsis are functionally specialized owing to their evolutionarily divergent C-terminal domains. A strong loss-of-function mutation in PAPS1 causes a male gametophytic defect, whereas a weak allele leads to reduced leaf growth that results in part from a constitutive pathogen response. By contrast, plants lacking both PAPS2 and PAPS4 function are viable with wild-type leaf growth. Polyadenylation of SMALL AUXIN UP RNA (SAUR) mRNAs depends specifically on PAPS1 function. The resulting reduction in SAUR activity in paps1 mutants contributes to their reduced leaf growth, providing a causal link between polyadenylation of specific pre-mRNAs by a particular PAPS isoform and plant growth. This suggests the existence of an additional layer of regulation in plant and possibly vertebrate gene expression, whereby the relative activities of canonical nuclear PAPS isoforms control de novo synthesized poly(A) tail length and hence expression of specific subsets of mRNAs

Repeated 24-hour recalls versus dietary records for estimating nutrient intakes in a national food consumption survey

The methodology used in the first Belgian food consumption survey followed to a large extent the instructions of the European Food Consumption (EFCOSUM) reports, where repeated 24-hour recalls (24HR) using EPIC-SOFT were recommended.To evaluate the relative validity of two non-consecutive 24HR using EPIC-SOFT by comparison with 5-day estimated dietary records (EDR). To assess misreporting in energy for both methods by comparing energy intake with energy expenditure from accelerometery in a subsample.A total of 175 subjects (aged 15 and over) were recruited to participate in the study. Repeated 24HR were performed with an interval of 2–8 weeks. After completion of the second interview, subjects were instructed to keep an EDR. Dietary intakes were adjusted for within-person variability to reflect usual intakes. A Student's t-test was calculated to assess differences between both methods. Spearman and Kappa correlation coefficients were used to investigate agreement.In total, 127 subjects completed the required repeated 24HR, as well as the five record days. From 76 participants, accelerometer data were available. In both methods, about 35% of participants had ratios of Energy Intake/Total Energy Expenditure (EI/TEE) above or below 95% confidence intervals for EI/TEE, suggesting misreporting of energy. Significant differences between the two dietary intake methods were found for total energy, total fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, alcohol, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin and iron. In general, intakes from 24HR were higher compared to EDR. Correlation coefficients for all nutrients ranged from 0.16 for thiamine to 0.70 for water.The results from this study show that in the context of nutritional surveillance, duplicate 24HR can be used to asses intakes of protein, carbohydrates, starch, sugar, water, potassium and calcium

Final Report of the AFIT Quality Initiative External Discovery Committee

This report summarizes the findings of the Air Force Institute of Technology’s (AFIT’s) Quality Initiative - External Discovery Team. The overarching purpose of the Quality Initiative is to create a detailed, executable investment strategy for modernizing AFIT’s instructional capabilities across five thrust areas. These activities were completed over the course of one year, beginning in June of 2016 and concluding in June of 2017. The data gathered were evaluated and several recommendations for further review were decided upon by the External Discovery Team. The following report briefly covers those recommendations and provides sources from which the recommendations were gleaned. These recommendations are meant to serve as a baseline for ways in which AFIT could begin to program resources to help improve teaching and instruction across the institution as a whole. The data presented here are meant to serve as a compliment to the Internal Discovery Team’s report that focuses on data and feedback gathered from institutions internal to AFIT