tt-Covering Arrays Generated by a Tiling Probability Model

A t-\a covering array is an $m\times n$ matrix, with entries from an alphabet of size $\alpha$, such that for any choice of $t$ rows, and any ordered string of $t$ letters of the alphabet, there exists a column such that the "values" of the rows in that column match those of the string of letters. We use the Lov\'asz Local Lemma in conjunction with a new tiling-based probability model to improve the upper bound on the smallest number of columns $N=N(m,t,\alpha)$ of a t-\a covering array.Comment: 7 page

Corrigendum to “Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change at Lake Ohrid (south-eastern Europe) during the past 500 ka” published in Biogeosciences, 13, 1423–1437, 2016

In this corrigendum we report an updated pollen record from the Lake Ohrid DEEP site spanning the past 500 ka whereby we have reprocessed and re-analyzed 104 samples affected by chemical procedure problems that occurred in one palynological laboratory. Firstly, these samples were affected by the use of wrong containers, causing in- adequate settling of particles at the set centrifuging speed. Secondly, HCl and HF treatments were combined without the prescribed intermediate centrifuging and decanting steps. The inaccuracy in the protocol resulted in the loss of smaller pollen grains and in the overrepresentation of bisaccate ones in most of the re-analyzed samples. We therefore provide an updated set of figures with the new data and have revised the description of the results, discussion and conclusions re- ported in Sadori et al. (2016) where necessary. We stress that the majority of the original results and conclusions remain valid, while the records’ reliability and resolution have improved as 12 samples that had been omitted in the original study because of low count sums are now included in the revised dataset (Sadori et al., 2018)

Assessment of nutritional status in haemodialysis patients using PG-SGA and handgrip strength

In this cross-sectional study, we primarily aimed to assess prevalence of malnutrition by the Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA), and muscle strength in haemodialysis patients. Second, we explored to which extent these patients are able to complete the patient component of the PG-SGA, aka PG-SGA Short Form (SF) (weight, intake, symptoms, activities/functioning) independently

Analysis of and workarounds for element reversal for a finite element-based algorithm for warping triangular and tetrahedral meshes

We consider an algorithm called FEMWARP for warping triangular and tetrahedral finite element meshes that computes the warping using the finite element method itself. The algorithm takes as input a two- or three-dimensional domain defined by a boundary mesh (segments in one dimension or triangles in two dimensions) that has a volume mesh (triangles in two dimensions or tetrahedra in three dimensions) in its interior. It also takes as input a prescribed movement of the boundary mesh. It computes as output updated positions of the vertices of the volume mesh. The first step of the algorithm is to determine from the initial mesh a set of local weights for each interior vertex that describes each interior vertex in terms of the positions of its neighbors. These weights are computed using a finite element stiffness matrix. After a boundary transformation is applied, a linear system of equations based upon the weights is solved to determine the final positions of the interior vertices. The FEMWARP algorithm has been considered in the previous literature (e.g., in a 2001 paper by Baker). FEMWARP has been succesful in computing deformed meshes for certain applications. However, sometimes FEMWARP reverses elements; this is our main concern in this paper. We analyze the causes for this undesirable behavior and propose several techniques to make the method more robust against reversals. The most successful of the proposed methods includes combining FEMWARP with an optimization-based untangler.Comment: Revision of earlier version of paper. Submitted for publication in BIT Numerical Mathematics on 27 April 2010. Accepted for publication on 7 September 2010. Published online on 9 October 2010. The final publication is available at http://www.springerlink.co

The Right to Science in Practice:A Proposed Test in Four Stages

The Right to Science (RtS) adds an important legal and ethical dimension to fundamental issues in science. The authors propose a four-step framework, derived from Articles 2, 4 and 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which may be used as a practical means of testing policy choices and implications against the obligations derived from the right to science. The first step consists in identifying whether a given policy, product or aspect of science constitutes a “benefit of scientific progress” or “its applications.” Where this is the case, Article 15(1)(b) establishes a prima facie right to the aspect of science in question. However, the RtS is not absolute, and the second step of the framework involves testing the prima facie right against competing rights claims and the Article 2 and 4 limitation criteria. These establish that limitations to the right must be (1) determined by law; (2) compatible with the nature of the ICESCR rights; (3) invoked solely for the purpose of promoting the general welfare in a democratic society; (4) and consistent with fundamental human rights principles of inclusion, participation, non-discrimination and dignity

Recalibration of the delirium prediction model for ICU patients (PRE-DELIRIC): a multinational observational study

Purpose Recalibration and determining discriminative power, internationally, of the existing delirium prediction model (PRE-DELIRIC) for intensive care patients. Methods A prospective multicenter cohort study was performed in eight intensive care units (ICUs) in six countries. The ten predictors (age, APACHE-II, urgent and admission category, infection, coma, sedation, morphine use, urea level, metabolic acidosis) were collected within 24 h after ICU admission. The confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU) was used to identify ICU delirium. CAM-ICU screening compliance and inter-rater reliability measurements were used to secure the quality of the data. Results A total of 2,852 adult ICU patients were screened of which 1,824 (64 %) were eligible for the study. Main reasons for exclusion were length of stay <1 day (19.1 %) and sustained coma (4.1 %). CAM-ICU compliance was mean (SD) 82 ± 16 % and inter-rater reliability 0.87 ± 0.17. The median delirium incidence was 22.5 % (IQR 12.8–36.6 %). Although the incidence of all ten predictors differed significantly between centers, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of the eight participating centers remained good: 0.77 (95 % CI 0.74–0.79). The linear predictor and intercept of the prediction rule were adjusted and resulted in improved re-calibration of the PRE-DELIRIC model. Conclusions In this multinational study, we recalibrated the PRE-DELIRIC model. Despite differences in the incidence of predictors between the centers in the different countries, the performance of the PRE-DELIRIC-model remained good. Following validation of the PRE-DELIRIC model, it may facilitate implementation of strategies to prevent delirium and aid improvements in delirium management of ICU patients

The environmental and evolutionary history of Lake Ohrid (FYROM/Albania). Interim results from the SCOPSCO deep drilling project

This study reviews and synthesises existing information generated within the SCOPSCO (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid) deep drilling project. The four main aims of the project are to infer (i) the age and origin of Lake Ohrid (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Republic of Albania), (ii) its regional seismotectonic history, (iii) volcanic activity and climate change in the central northern Mediterranean region, and (iv) the influence of major geological events on the evolution of its endemic species. The Ohrid basin formed by transtension during the Miocene, opened during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and the lake established de novo in the still relatively narrow valley between 1.9 and 1.3 Ma. The lake history is recorded in a 584 m long sediment sequence, which was recovered within the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) from the central part (DEEP site) of the lake in spring 2013. To date, 54 tephra and cryptotephra horizons have been found in the upper 460 m of this sequence. Tephrochronology and tuning biogeochemical proxy data to orbital parameters revealed that the upper 247.8 m represent the last 637 kyr. The multi-proxy data set covering these 637 kyr indicates long- term variability. Some proxies show a change from generally cooler and wetter to drier and warmer glacial and interglacial periods around 300 ka. Short-term environmental change caused, for example, by tephra deposition or the climatic impact of millennial-scale Dansgaard–Oeschger and Heinrich events are superimposed on the long-term trends. Evolutionary studies on the extant fauna indicate that Lake Ohrid was not a refugial area for regional freshwater animals. This differs from the surrounding catchment, where the mountainous setting with relatively high water availability provided a refuge for temperate and montane trees during the relatively cold and dry glacial periods. Although Lake Ohrid experienced significant environmental change over the last 637 kyr, preliminary molecular data from extant microgastropod species do not indicate significant changes in diversification rate during this period. The reasons for this constant rate remain largely unknown, but a possible lack of environ- mentally induced extinction events in Lake Ohrid and/or the high resilience of the ecosystems may have played a role

Identifying metabolite markers for preterm birth in cervicovaginal fluid by magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Introduction Preterm birth (PTB) may be preceded by changes in the vaginal microflora and metabolite profiles. Objectives We sought to characterise the metabolite profile of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) of pregnant women by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and assess their predictive value for PTB. Methods A pair of high-vaginal swabs was obtained from pregnant women with no evidence of clinical infection and grouped as follows: asymptomatic low risk (ALR) women with no previous history of PTB, assessed at 20–22 gestational weeks, g.w., n = 83; asymptomatic high risk (AHR) women with a previous history of PTB, assessed at both 20–22 g.w., n = 71, and 26–28 g.w., n = 58; and women presenting with symptoms of preterm labor (PTL) (SYM), assessed at 24–36 g.w., n = 65. Vaginal secretions were dissolved in phosphate buffered saline and scanned with a 9.4 T NMR spectrometer. Results Six metabolites (lactate, alanine, acetate, glutamine/glutamate, succinate and glucose) were analysed. In all study cohorts vaginal pH correlated with lactate integral (r = -0.62, p\0.0001). Lactate integrals were higher in the term ALR compared to the AHR (20–22 g.w.) women (p = 0.003). Acetate integrals were higher in the preterm versus term women for the AHR (20–22 g.w.) (p = 0.048) and SYM (p = 0.003) groups; and was predictive of PTB\37 g.w. (AUC 0.78; 95 % CI 0.61–0.95), and delivery within 2 weeks of the index assessment (AUC 0.84; 95 % CI 0.64–1) in the SYM women, whilst other metabolites were not. Conclusion High CVF acetate integral of women with symptoms of PTL appears predictive of preterm delivery, as well as delivery within 2 weeks of presentation