Prediction of the start of next recession

The future value of the binary recession variable is modeled to be dependent on the present and past values of a set of m US economic variables selected from a pool of 14 variables via a conditional distribution which is derived from an -dimensional power-normal distribution. The mean together with the 2.5% and 97.5% points of the conditional distribution are used to predict the start of the next US recession. When and , some of the models can provide fairly good indicators for the start of the next US recession

Wearable technology for spine movement assessment: A systematic review

Continuous monitoring of spine movement function could enhance our understanding of low back pain development. Wearable technologies have gained popularity as promising alternative to laboratory systems in allowing ambulatory movement analysis. This paper aims to review the state of art of current use of wearable technology to assess spine kinematics and kinetics. Four electronic databases and reference lists of relevant articles were searched to find studies employing wearable technologies to assess the spine in adults performing dynamic movements. Two reviewers independently identified relevant papers. Customised data extraction and quality appraisal form were developed to extrapolate key details and identify risk of biases of each study. Twenty-two articles were retrieved that met the inclusion criteria: 12 were deemed of medium quality (score 33.4-66.7%), and 10 of high quality (score> 66.8%). The majority of articles (19/22) reported validation type studies. Only 6 reported data collection in real-life environments. Multiple sensors type were used: electrogoniometers (3/22), strain gauges based sensors (3/22), textile piezoresistive sensor (1/22) and accelerometers often used with gyroscopes and magnetometers (15/22). Two sensors units were mainly used and placing was commonly reported on the spine lumbar and sacral regions. The sensors were often wired to data transmitter/logger resulting in cumbersome systems. Outcomes were mostly reported relative to the lumbar segment and in the sagittal plane, including angles, range of motion, angular velocity, joint moments and forces. This review demonstrates the applicability of wearable technology to assess the spine, although this technique is still at an early stage of development

Repairable queue with non-exponential service time and variable breakdown rates

Consider a single server queue in which the service station may breakdown according to a Poisson process with rates γ in busy time and γ’ in idle time respectively. After a breakdown, the service station will be repaired immediately and the repair time is assumed to have an exponential distribution with rate δ. Suppose the arrival time has an exponential distribution with rate λ, and the probability density function g(t) and the cumulative distribution function G(t) of the service time are such that the rate g(t)/[1 – G(t)] tends to a constant as t tends to infinity. When the queue is in a stationary state, we derive a set of equations for the probabilities of the queue length and the states of the arrival and service processes. Solving the equations, we obtain approximate results for the stationary probabilities which can be used to obtain the stationary queue length distribution of the syste

New approach for finding basic performance measures of single server queue

Consider the single server queue in which the system capacity is infinite and the customers are served on a first come, first served basis. Suppose the probability density functio

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis development in a patient with type 2 diabetes receiving a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor and a carbohydrate-restricted diet

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have become increasingly prescribed because of their proven protective effects on the heart and kidneys, and carbohydrate-restricted diets are popular therapeutic approaches for patients with obesity and diabetes. A 28-year-old obese woman with recently diagnosed diabetes developed euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) while on dapagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, and following a carbohydrate-restricted diet. She presented with nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain. Hospital tests showed a blood glucose of 172 mg/dL, metabolic acidosis, and increased ketone levels, confirming euglycemic DKA. Treatment involved discontinuing dapagliflozin and administering fluids, glucose, and insulin. She recovered and was discharged on the fourth day. This is considered a case of euglycemic DKA induced by SGLT2 inhibitors and triggered by a carbohydrate-restricted diet. This case highlights the importance of physicians in confirming the symptoms and laboratory results of DKA, even in patients with normal blood glucose levels taking SGLT2 inhibitors and following carbohydrate-restricted diets. It is also crucial to advise patients to maintain an adequate carbohydrate intake

The effects of logotherapy on meaning in life and quality of life of late adolescents with terminal cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a logotherapy program entitled 'Finding meaning in my life' for adolescents with terminal cancer. Methods: A nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized design was conducted with a convenience sample of 44 late adolescents with terminal cancer. The experimental group (n=22) participated in the 'Finding meaning in my life' program which consisted of five-day sessions for one week. The control group (n=22) received the usual nursing care. The effects were measured using adolescent meaning in life (AMIL), and quality of life (QOL) scales. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and t-test using SPSS/PC 17.0 program. Results: There were significant differences in AMIL (t=3.36, p<.05) and QOL (t=2.67, p<.05) between the experimental and control groups. Conclusion: Logotherapy is effective in improving the meaning in life and quality of life of late adolescents with terminal cancer, and can be used to prevent existential distress

BCG-Induced Dendritic Cell Responses and Suppression of Interleukin-5 Production from T Cells in Atopic Asthmatics

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induces potent Th1 responses with the help of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 released from dendritic cells (DCs), and suppresses Th2-associated allergic reactions. However, there are still some controversies on therapeutic effects of BCG in asthmatics. This study investigated whether BCG administration to DCs suppresses IL-5 production from T cells in atopic asthmatics. DCs derived from peripheral blood of subjects were cultured with or without BCG and Dermatophagoides farinae extract. Some DCs were co-cultured with T cells in the presence of BCG or the above culture supernatants. In the atopic asthmatics, BCG significantly increased IL-10 and IL-12 production from DCs. In the presence of D. farinae extract, BCG further increased IL-10 production. BCG-induced IL-10 production was significantly higher in the atopics (n=14) than in the non-atopics (n=9). Both BCG and the BCG-treated DCs culture supernatant significantly increased IFN-γ production from T cells. Both BCG and the supernatant from DCs+BCG+D. farinae co-cultures significantly decreased IL-5 production (all p<0.05), but the supernatant from DCs+BCG co-cultures did not. In conclusion, administration of BCG together with D. farinae extract effectively decreased IL-5 production from T cells, probably through the action of IL-10 and IL-12 released from DCs in D. farinae-sensitive asthmatics

A Case of Painful Hashimoto Thyroiditis that Mimicked Subacute Thyroiditis

Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune thyroid disorder that usually presents as a diffuse, nontender goiter, whereas subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is an uncommon disease that is characterized by tender thyroid enlargement, transient thyrotoxicosis, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Very rarely, patients with HT can present with painful, tender goiter or fever, a mimic of SAT. We report a case of painful HT in a 68-year-old woman who presented with pain and tenderness in a chronic goiter. Her ESR was definitely elevated and her thyroid laboratory tests suggested subclinical hypothyroidism of autoimmune origin. 99mTc pertechnetate uptake was markedly decreased. Fine needle aspiration biopsy revealed reactive and polymorphous lymphoid cells and occasional epithelial cells with Hürthle cell changes. Her clinical symptoms showed a dramatic response to glucocorticoid treatment. She became hypothyroid finally and is now on levothyroxine therapy

Genetic Analysis of Three Korean Patients with Clinical Features of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type IV

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue. EDS type IV (EDS IV), the vascular type of the disease, is characterized by easy bruising, thin skin with visible veins, and spontaneous rupture of the large arteries, uterus, or bowel. EDS IV is caused by mutations in the gene for type III procollagen (COL3A1). However, recent studies suggest that the causative mutation of EDS IV is not homogeneous. We report our experience with three patients presenting with clinical features of type IV EDS. A 48-yr-old woman presented with acute aortic dissection (patient 1) and 36-yr-old and 21-yr-old women presented with carotid-cavernous fistula (patients 2 and 3, respectively). All three patients bruised easily. Two patients (patients 1 and 3) had thin transparent skin with visible veins. Genetic analysis of COL3A1 revealed a Gly732Val (c.2195G>T) mutation in patient 1 and a duplication of 15 base pairs (c.3221_3235dup) which resulted in an interposition of five amino acids (p.Gly1074_Pro1078dup) in patient 2. However, no mutations were observed in COL3A1 or transforming growth factor β receptors 1 and 2 in patients 3, which might be either due to a deletion of single or multiple exons in the COL3A1 gene or due to a genetic heterogeneity. This is the first report of genetically confirmed cases of EDS IV in Korea