Further Comparison between ATNoSFERES and XCSM

International audienceIn this paper we present ATNoSFERES, a new framework based on an indirect encoding Genetic Algorithm which builds finite-state automata controllers able to deal with perceptual aliazing. In the context of our ongoing line of research, we compare it with XCSM, a memory-based extension of the most studied Learning Classifier System, XCS, through two benchmark experiments. We focus in particular on internal state generalization, and add special purpose features to ATNoSFERES to fulfill that comparison. We then discuss the role played by internal state generalization in the experiments studied

Health utility after emergency medical admission: a cross-sectional survey

Objectives: Health utility combines health related quality of life and mortality to produce a generic outcome measure reflecting both morbidity and mortality. It has not been widely used as an outcome measure in evaluations of emergency care and little is known about the feasibility of measurement, typical values obtained or baseline factors that predict health utility. We aimed to measure health utility after emergency medical admission, to compare health utility to age, gender and regional population norms, and identify independent predictors of health utility. Methods: We selected 5760 patients across three hospitals who were admitted to hospital by ambulance as a medical emergency. The EQ-5D questionnaire was mailed to all who were still alive 30 days after admission. Health utility was estimated by applying tariff values to the EQ-5D responses or imputing a value of zero for those who had died. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors of health utility at 30 days. Results: Responses were received from 2488 (47.7%) patients, while 541 (9.4%) had died. Most respondents reported some or severe problems with each aspect of health. Mean health utility was 0.49 (standard deviation 0.35) in survivors and 0.45 (0.36) including non-survivors. Some 75% had health utility below their expected value (mean loss 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.31 to 0.33) and 11% had health utility below zero (worse than death). On multivariable modelling, reduced health utility was associated with increased age and lower GCS, varied according to ICD10 code and was lower among females, patients with recent hospital admission, steroid therapy, or history of chronic respiratory disease, malignancy, diabetes or epilepsy. Conclusions: Health utility can be measured after emergency medical admission, although responder bias may be significant. Health utility after emergency medical admission is poor compared to population norms. We have identified independent predictors or health utility that need to be measured and taken into account in nonrandomized evaluations of emergency care

Investigating hookworm genomes by comparative analysis of two Ancylostoma species

Background Hookworms, infecting over one billion people, are the mostly closely related major human parasites to the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Applying genomics techniques to these species, we analyzed 3,840 and 3,149 genes from Ancylostoma caninum and A. ceylanicum. Results Transcripts originated from libraries representing infective L3 larva, stimulated L3, arrested L3, and adults. Most genes are represented in single stages including abundant transcripts like hsp-20 in infective L3 and vit-3 in adults. Over 80% of the genes have homologs in C. elegans, and nearly 30% of these were with observable RNA interference phenotypes. Homologies were identified to nematode-specific and clade V specific gene families. To study the evolution of hookworm genes, 574 A. caninum / A. ceylanicum orthologs were identified, all of which were found to be under purifying selection with distribution ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous amino acid substitutions similar to that reported for C. elegans / C. briggsae orthologs. The phylogenetic distance between A. caninum and A. ceylanicum is almost identical to that for C. elegans / C. briggsae. Conclusion The genes discovered should substantially accelerate research toward better understanding of the parasites' basic biology as well as new therapies including vaccines and novel anthelmintics

Crossover between ionic/covalent and pure ionic bonding in magnesium oxyde clusters

An empirical potential with fluctuating charges is proposed for modelling (MgO)_n clusters in both the molecular (small n) and bulk (n->infty) regimes. Vectorial polarization forces are explicitely taken into account in the self-consistent determination of the charges. Our model predicts cuboid cluster structures, in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical results. The effective charge transferred between magnesium and oxygen smoothly increases from 1 to 2, with an estimated crossover size above 300 MgO molecules

Impact of tumor size and tracer uptake heterogeneity in (18)F-FDG PET and CT non-small cell lung cancer tumor delineation.: 18F-FDG PET and CT tumor delineation in NSCLC

International audienceUNLABELLED: The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between CT- and (18)F-FDG PET-based tumor volumes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the impact of tumor size and uptake heterogeneity on various approaches to delineating uptake on PET images. METHODS: Twenty-five NSCLC cancer patients with (18)F-FDG PET/CT were considered. Seventeen underwent surgical resection of their tumor, and the maximum diameter was measured. Two observers manually delineated the tumors on the CT images and the tumor uptake on the corresponding PET images, using a fixed threshold at 50% of the maximum (T(50)), an adaptive threshold methodology, and the fuzzy locally adaptive Bayesian (FLAB) algorithm. Maximum diameters of the delineated volumes were compared with the histopathology reference when available. The volumes of the tumors were compared, and correlations between the anatomic volume and PET uptake heterogeneity and the differences between delineations were investigated. RESULTS: All maximum diameters measured on PET and CT images significantly correlated with the histopathology reference (r > 0.89, P < 0.0001). Significant differences were observed among the approaches: CT delineation resulted in large overestimation (+32% ± 37%), whereas all delineations on PET images resulted in underestimation (from -15% ± 17% for T(50) to -4% ± 8% for FLAB) except manual delineation (+8% ± 17%). Overall, CT volumes were significantly larger than PET volumes (55 ± 74 cm(3) for CT vs. from 18 ± 25 to 47 ± 76 cm(3) for PET). A significant correlation was found between anatomic tumor size and heterogeneity (larger lesions were more heterogeneous). Finally, the more heterogeneous the tumor uptake, the larger was the underestimation of PET volumes by threshold-based techniques. CONCLUSION: Volumes based on CT images were larger than those based on PET images. Tumor size and tracer uptake heterogeneity have an impact on threshold-based methods, which should not be used for the delineation of cases of large heterogeneous NSCLC, as these methods tend to largely underestimate the spatial extent of the functional tumor in such cases. For an accurate delineation of PET volumes in NSCLC, advanced image segmentation algorithms able to deal with tracer uptake heterogeneity should be preferred

Core-Collapse Supernovae at the Threshold

Recent progress in modeling core-collapse supernovae is summarized and set in perspective. Two-dimensional simulations with state-of-the-art treatment of neutrino transport still fail to produce powerful explosions, but evidence is presented that they are very close to success.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, high-quality available upon request; contribution to Procs. IAU Coll. 192, "Supernovae", Eds. J.M. Marcaide ad K.W. Weiler, Springe

The incorporation of matter into characteristic numerical relativity

A code that implements Einstein equations in the characteristic formulation in 3D has been developed and thoroughly tested for the vacuum case. Here, we describe how to incorporate matter, in the form of a perfect fluid, into the code. The extended code has been written and validated in a number of cases. It is stable and capable of contributing towards an understanding of a number of problems in black hole astrophysics.Comment: 15 pages + 4 (eps) figure

Physical profile of junior and senior amateur boxers

© JPES. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to profile the physiological characteristics of amateur boxers using a battery of tests designed to assess the physiological and physical demands required for performance. Fifteen junior amateur (age 14.9 ± 2.0 years; stature 164 ± 12 cm; body mass 50.9 ± 11.3 kg) and sixteen senior amateur boxers (n = 16; age 20.5 ± 4.0 years; stature 174 ± 9 cm; body mass 65.2 ± 10.7 kg) provided informed consent to participate in the study. Body composition, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), 5-and 10 m sprint (5SP/10SP), press up (PU), right and left medicine-ball single-arm throws (MBR, MBL), repeated sprint test (RST) and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YY) were performed. The likelihood (% chance) of between-group differences were assessed using a magnitude based approach, standardised-difference score (Cohen’s d) and 90% confidence intervals [CI]. Linear regression (r) was used to examine the association between variables. Results: Senior boxers outperformed (79 to 99% chance) junior counterparts in PU, YY, CMJ, SJ, 10SP, MBL and MBR tests (d ≥ 0.50 [-0.34 to 1.61]). There were very large (r 0.70) correlations between fat free mass, upper-and lower body lean mass and medicine ball throw distance. There were large correlations (r 0.50 to 0.69) between medicine ball throw distance and CMJ, SJ, PU, 5SP and 10SP. Conclusions: A simple and time-effective test battery was able to differentiate performance between junior and amateur boxers. These assessments could be useful when profiling junior and senior amateur boxers

Coarse-Graining and Renormalization Group in the Einstein Universe

The Kadanoff-Wilson renormalization group approach for a scalar self-interacting field theor generally coupled with gravity is presented. An average potential that monitors the fluctuations of the blocked field in different scaling regimes is constructed in a nonflat background and explicitly computed within the loop-expansion approximation for an Einstein universe. The curvature turns out to be dominant in setting the crossover scale from a double-peak and a symmetric distribution of the block variables. The evolution of all the coupling constants generated by the blocking procedure is examined: the renormalized trajectories agree with the standard perturbative results for the relevant vertices near the ultraviolet fixed point, but new effective interactions between gravity and matter are present. The flow of the conformal coupling constant is therefore analyzed in the improved scheme and the infrared fixed point is reached for arbitrary values of the renormalized parameters.Comment: 18 pages, REVTex, two uuencoded figures. (to appear in Phys. Rev. D15, July) Transmission errors have been correcte