Transmission tree of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) epidemic in Israel, 2015

The transmission tree of the Israeli 2015 epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was modelled by combining the spatio-temporal distribution of the outbreaks and the genetic distance between virus isolates. The most likely successions of transmission events were determined and transmission parameters were estimated. It was found that the median infectious pressure exerted at 1 km was 1.59 times (95% CI 1.04, 6.01) and 3.54 times (95% CI 1.09, 131.75) higher than that exerted at 2 and 5 km, respectively, and that three farms were responsible for all seven transmission events. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-016-0393-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Learning control of hearing aid parameter settings

The present invention relates to a method for automatic adjustment of signal processing parameters in a hearing aid. It is based on an interactive estimation process that incorporates user feedback. The method is capable of incorporating user perception of sound reproduction, such as sound quality over time. The user may fine-tune the hearing aid using a volume-control wheel or a push-button on the hearing aid housing, which is linked to an adaptive parameter that is a projection of a relevant parameter space. For example, this new parameter could control simple volume, the number of active microphones, or a complex trade-off between noise reduction and signal distortion. By turning the "personalization wheel" in accordance with user preferences and absorbing these preferences in the model resident in the hearing aid, it is possible to absorb user preferences while the user wears the hearing aid device in the field

Endo-prosthesis, a femoral head prosthesis and an acetabulum prosthesis

A prosthesis for insertion into a long bone includes a stem which has been shaped so as to evenly distribute low stress to the bone. A synthetic resinous sheath surrounds the stem which effects a contact surface between the stem and the bone. The prosthesis includes an extension which extends outwardly of the bone and has a ball and socket thereon.</p

The contrasting dynamics of the buoyancy-forced Lofoten and Greenland Basins

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2020. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Physical Oceanography 50(5),(2020): 1227-1244, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-19-0280.1.The Nordic seas are commonly described as a single basin to investigate their dynamics and sensitivity to environmental changes when using a theoretical framework. Here, we introduce a conceptual model for a two-basin marginal sea that better represents the Nordic seas geometry. In our conceptual model, the marginal sea is characterized by both a cyclonic boundary current and a front current as a result of different hydrographic properties east and west of the midocean ridge. The theory is compared to idealized model simulations and shows good agreement over a wide range of parameter settings, indicating that the physics in the two-basin marginal sea is well captured by the conceptual model. The balances between the atmospheric buoyancy forcing and the lateral eddy heat fluxes from the boundary current and the front current differ between the Lofoten and the Greenland Basins, since the Lofoten Basin is more strongly eddy dominated. Results show that this asymmetric sensitivity leads to opposing responses depending on the strength of the atmospheric buoyancy forcing. Additionally, the front current plays an essential role for the heat and volume budget of the two basins, by providing an additional pathway for heat toward the interior of both basins via lateral eddy heat fluxes. The variability of the temperature difference between east and west influences the strength of the different flow branches through the marginal sea and provides a dynamical explanation for the observed correlation between the front current and the slope current of the Norwegian Atlantic Current in the Nordic seas.We thank Ilker Fer and two anonymous reviewers whose comments improved this paper. S. L. Ypma and S. Georgiou were supported by NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) VIDI Grant 864.13.011 awarded to C. A. Katsman. M. A. Spall was supported by National Science Foundation Grants OCE-1558742 and OPP-1822334. E. Lambert is funded by the ERA4CS project INSeaPTION. The model data analyzed in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. This study has been conducted using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. The altimeter products were produced by Ssalto/Duacs and distributed by Aviso+, with support from CNES (https://www.aviso.altimetry.fr).2020-10-2

Method of shaping an endo-prosthesis, a femoral head prosthesis, an acetabulum prosthesis and a method of fixing a femoral head prosthesis in a bone

A prosthesis having stresses acting on the interface between prosthesis and bone is designed by a computerized method in which the shape of the prosthesis is iteratively changed. A femoral head prosthesis is positioned in a bone by means of positioning elements, after which acrylic cement is inserted into the bone

SIMULASI PENDISTRIBUSIAN AIR MINUM PADA SUMBER AIR GUA SEROPAN KABUPATEN GUNUNG KIDUL

Kabupaten Gunung Kidul adalah salah satu wilayah yang mempunyai potensi air berlimpah tapi penduduk kekurangan air. Karena sebagian besar kondisi alamnya merupakan pegunungan kapur, maka digunakan teknologi untuk memperoleh air. Tujuan dari penulisan ini adalah adalah membuat simulasi jam pendistribusian air yang efektif khusus untuk kecamatan Ngawen dengan bantuan program Epanet 2.0, sehingga diperoleh waktu pendistribusian sesuai dengan kebutuhan pelanggan dengan waktu distribusi dilihat dari kebiasaan masyarakat mengkonsumsi atau menggunakan air dalam aktifitas sehari-harinya. Metode yang digunakan pada penulisan ini yaitu deskripsi komperatif yaitu mejelaskan pengaturan pendistribusian air yang terdapat di Kecamatan Ngawen dibandingkan dengan pengaturan simulasi dengan bantuan program Epanet 2.0, sehingga diperoleh simulasi pendistribusian yang efektif. Berdasarkan hasil analisa jaringan air minum kecamatan Ngawen untuk waktu pelayanan kondisi eksisting 12 jam selalu terjadi kekurangan. Sedangkan hasil simulasi jam pendistribusian kecamatan Ngawen untuk waktu distribusi 24 jam masih terjadik kekurangan. Dari hal tersebut diatas perlu adanya penelitian lebih lanjut tentang masalah yang menyebabkan jaringan air minum di kecamatan Ngawen sering terjadi kekurangan

Fixed Versus Variable Dosing of Prothrombin Complex Concentrate for Bleeding Complications of Vitamin K Antagonists:The PROPER3 Randomized Clinical Trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if a fixed dose of 1000 IU of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) is as effective as traditional variable dosing based on body weight and international normalized ratio (INR) for reversal of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulation. METHODS: In this open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial, patients with nonintracranial bleeds requiring VKA reversal with 4F-PCC were allocated to either a 1,000-IU fixed dose of 4F-PCC or the variable dose. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with effective hemostasis according to the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis definition. The design was noninferiority with a lower 95% confidence interval of no more than -6%. When estimating sample size, we assumed that fixed dosing would be 4% superior. RESULTS: From October 2015 until January 2020, 199 of 310 intended patients were included before study termination due to decreasing enrollment rates. Of the 199 patients, 159 were allowed in the per-protocol analysis. Effective hemostasis was achieved in 87.3% (n=69 of 79) in fixed compared to 89.9% (n=71 of 79) in the variable dosing cohort (risk difference 2.5%, 95% confidence interval -13.3 to 7.9%, P=.27). Median door-to-needle times were 109 minutes (range 16 to 796) in fixed and 142 (17 to 1076) for the variable dose (P=.027). INR less than 2.0 at 60 minutes after 4F-PCC infusion was reached in 91.2% versus 91.7% (P=1.0). CONCLUSION: The large majority of patients had good clinical outcome after 4F-PCC use; however, noninferiority of the fixed dose could not be demonstrated because the design assumed the fixed dose would be 4% superior. Door-to-needle time was shortened with the fixed dose, and INR reduction was similar in both dosing regimens