Conditional sampling for barrier option pricing under the LT method

We develop a conditional sampling scheme for pricing knock-out barrier options under the Linear Transformations (LT) algorithm from Imai and Tan (2006). We compare our new method to an existing conditional Monte Carlo scheme from Glasserman and Staum (2001), and show that a substantial variance reduction is achieved. We extend the method to allow pricing knock-in barrier options and introduce a root-finding method to obtain a further variance reduction. The effectiveness of the new method is supported by numerical results

A lumbar body support (KBS 2000) alters lumbar muscle recruitment patterns in patients with acute-upon-chronic lower back pain

No Abstract

Yukawa Structure with Maximal Predictability

A simple Ansatz for the quark mass matrices is considered, based on the assumption of a power structure for the matrix elements and the requirement of maximal predictability. A good fit to the present experimental data is obtained and the position of the vertex of the unitarity triangle, i.e. (\bar{\rho},\bar{\eta}), is predicted.Comment: 13 pages, 2 EPS figures, some modifications and references added; version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Gastrointestinal tolerability with ibandronate after previous weekly bisphosphonate treatment

Data from two open-label trials (PRIOR and CURRENT) of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis or osteopenia were evaluated to assess whether monthly oral and quarterly intravenous (IV) ibandronate dosing improved self-reported gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability for patients who had previously experienced GI irritation with bisphosphonate (BP) use. In PRIOR, women who had discontinued daily or weekly BP treatment due to GI intolerance received monthly oral or quarterly IV ibandronate for 12 months. The CURRENT subanalysis included women receiving weekly BP treatment who switched to monthly oral ibandronate for six months. GI symptom severity and frequency were assessed using the Osteoporosis Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire™. In PRIOR, mean GI tolerability scores increased significantly at month 1 from screening for both treatment groups (oral: 79.3 versus 54.1; IV: 84.4 versus 51.0; p < 0.001 for both). Most patients reported improvement in GI symptom severity and frequency from baseline at all post-screening assessments (>90% at Month 10). In the CURRENT subanalysis >60% of patients reported improvements in heartburn or acid reflux and >70% indicated improvement in other stomach upset at month 6. Postmenopausal women with GI irritability with daily or weekly BPs experienced improvement in symptoms with extended dosing monthly or quarterly ibandronate compared with baseline

Speech recognition software and electronic psychiatric progress notes: physicians' ratings and preferences

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The context of the current study was mandatory adoption of electronic clinical documentation within a large mental health care organization. Psychiatric electronic documentation has unique needs by the nature of dense narrative content. Our goal was to determine if speech recognition (SR) would ease the creation of electronic progress note (ePN) documents by physicians at our institution.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects: Twelve physicians had access to SR software on their computers for a period of four weeks to create ePN. Measurements: We examined SR software in relation to its perceived usability, data entry time savings, impact on the quality of care and quality of documentation, and the impact on clinical and administrative workflow, as compared to existing methods for data entry. Data analysis: A series of Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare pre- and post-SR measures. A qualitative study design was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six of twelve participants completing the study favoured the use of SR (five with SR alone plus one with SR via hand-held digital recorder) for creating electronic progress notes over their existing mode of data entry. There was no clear perceived benefit from SR in terms of data entry time savings, quality of care, quality of documentation, or impact on clinical and administrative workflow.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although our findings are mixed, SR may be a technology with some promise for mental health documentation. Future investigations of this nature should use more participants, a broader range of document types, and compare front- and back-end SR methods.</p

Mineral Distribution In Relation To Fruit Development And Monocarpic Senescence In Anoka Soybeans

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141047/1/ajb206058.pd

Factors predicting walking intolerance in patients with peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication

Objective. To determine which physiological variables conduce to walking intolerance in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Design. The physiological response to a graded treadmill exercise test (GTT) in patients with PAD was characterised. Setting. Patients were recruited from the Department of Vascular Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town. Subjects. Thirty-one patients diagnosed with PAD were included in the study. Outcome measures. During a GTT, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), peak minute ventilation (VEpeak), peak heart rate and peak venous lactate concentrations were measured and compared with those from a comparison group. Anklebrachial index (ABI) was measured at rest and after exercise. During the GTT, maximum walking distance (MWD) and pain-free walking distance (PFWD) were measured to determine walking tolerance. Results. Peak venous lactate concentrations did not correlate significantly with either PFWD (r=–0.08; p=0.3) or MWD (r=–0.03; p=0.4). Resting ABI did not correlate with either MWD (r=0.09; p=0.64) or PFWD (r=–0.19; p=0.29). Subjects terminated exercise at significantly (p<0.05) lower levels of cardiorespiratory effort and venous lactate concentrations than did a sedentary but otherwise healthy comparison group: peak heart rate 156±11 v. 114±22 beats per minute (BPM); p=0.001; and peak venous lactate concentration 9.7±2.7 mmol/l v. 3.28±1.39 mmol/l; p=0.001. Conclusion. Perceived discomfort in these patients is not caused by elevated blood lactate concentrations, a low ABI or limiting cardiorespiratory effort but by other factors not measured in this study

New transit observations for HAT-P-30 b, HAT-P-37 b, TrES-5 b, WASP-28 b, WASP-36 b, and WASP-39 b

We present new transit light curves for planets in six extrasolar planetary systems. They were acquired with 0.4-2.2 m telescopes located in west Asia, Europe, and South America. When combined with literature data, they allowed us to redetermine system parameters in a homogeneous way. Our results for individual systems are in agreement with values reported in previous studies. We refined transit ephemerides and reduced uncertainties of orbital periods by a factor between 2 and 7. No sign of any variations in transit times was detected for the planets studied.Comment: Submitted to Acta Astronomic

Healthy lifestyle interventions in general practice: Part 15: Lifestyle and lower back pain

Lower back pain (LBP) is one of the most common medical problems in the adult population. LBP can be defined as pain, muscle tension or stiffness that is localised below the costal margin (inferior rib cage) and above the inferior gluteal folds and that can present either with or without leg pain (sciatica), and it can be classified as “specific” or “non-specific”. LBP has a high lifetime prevalence and is associated with a substantial direct and indirect cost to the individual and society. In this review, the focus is on the identification of lifestyle risk factors and interventions that are associated with mainly non-specific chronic LBP. In addition to pharmacotherapy, the best treatment approach is exercise therapy (including physical reconditioning), psychosocial and behavioural intervention and therapeutic education. Other lifestyle changes include nutritional intervention and smoking cessation