A Monte Carlo method for calculation of the characteristic limits decision threshold and detection limit in low-level radioactivity measurements.

In this study, calculation of decision threshold and detection limit expressed in counts for low-level radioactivity measurements were evaluated and compared to a Monte Carlo method for the case of paired Poisson-distributed observations, i.e. for discrete variables. The calculated characteristic limits obtained from Monte Carlo calculations were compared with analytical expressions given in literature. The results in this study show that the equations given by Currie are in good agreement with the results from the Monte Carlo calculations simulating nuclear counting applications with a low number of observed counts. An exception is observed for a background corresponding to zero counts. This study also shows that at a low number of counts, the specific boundary conditions of the interval that represents counts corresponding to the presence of the analyte (>or ≥), have an impact on the false positives and negatives rates as defined by the parameters α and ß.

Calculation of decision threshold and detection limit in radiometric measurements using a Monte Carlo Method.

Calculation of the decision threshold and detection limit of a measurement, or measurement method, are crucial in order to decide if an analyte is present or not and with what confidence it can be quantified. That decision is important in view of possible actions if something would be detected. In this work, a method for calculating these limits using a Monte Carlo method is presented. In the Monte Carlo method any a priori distribution (e.g. normal distribution, rectangular distribution, triangular distribution) of an input quantity can be selected. Differences between the Monte Carlo calculated characteristic limits and the ones calculated according to ISO 11929:2010 is presented. Moreover, suggestions how to calculate the detection limit when it can not be calculated according to the ISO 11929:2010 are given.

Predicting poverty. Data mining approaches to the health and demographic surveillance system in Cuatro Santos, Nicaragua.

BACKGROUND: In order to further identify the needed interventions for continued poverty reduction in our study area Cuatro Santos, northern Nicaragua, we aimed to elucidate what predicts poverty, measured by the Unsatisfied Basic Need index. This analysis was done by using decision tree methodology applied to the Cuatro Santos health and demographic surveillance databases. METHODS: Using variables derived from the health and demographic surveillance update 2014, transferring individual data to the household level we used the decision tree framework Conditional Inference trees to predict the outcome "poverty" defined as two to four unsatisfied basic needs using the Unsatisfied Basic Need Index. We further validated the trees by applying Conditional random forest analyses in order to assess and rank the importance of predictors about their ability to explain the variation of the outcome "poverty." The majority of the Cuatro Santos households provided information and the included variables measured housing conditions, assets, and demographic experiences since the last update (5 yrs), earlier participation in interventions and food security during the last 4 weeks. RESULTS: Poverty was rare in households that have some assets and someone in the household that has a higher education than primary school. For these households participating in the intervention that installed piped water with water meter was most important, but also when excluding this variable, the resulting tree showed the same results. When assets were not taken into consideration, the importance of education was pronounced as a predictor for welfare. The results were further strengthened by the validation using Conditional random forest modeling showing the same variables being important as predicting the outcome in the CI tree analysis. As assets can be a result, rather than a predictor of more affluence our results in summary point specifically to the importance of education and participation in the water installation intervention as predictors for more affluence. CONCLUSION: Predictors of poverty are useful for directing interventions and in the Cuatro Santos area education seems most important to prioritize. Hopefully, the lessons learned can continue to develop the Cuatro Santos communities as well as development in similar poor rural settings around the world.

Manipulation of the energetic state of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar juveniles and the effect on migration speed.

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts were produced with similar energetic states as wild S. salar and the effect of low energetic state on smolt migration was tested. The total energetic state of the fish (body lipids and proteins) in the spring was correlated with Fulton's condition factor (K). Fish at a low energetic state swam slower but migrated further than fish at a higher energetic state when tested in two experimental streams. During a period of starvation throughout the winter and spring, fish conserved their body-lipid reserves at 1·5% by using more protein as an energy source and the metabolic shift occurred between 3·5 and 1·5% body lipids. An energetic state of approximately 3·5 kJ g-1 (K ≈ 0·65) appeared to be the critical limit for survival.

Daily Assessment of Stressful events and Coping in early post-operative recovery after colorectal cancer surgery.

This study describes the most stressful events and coping strategies used by patients with colorectal cancer 4-6 weeks after surgery and whether the coping strategies were considered helpful or not. For the investigation of situational coping, an exploratory design was used. One hundred and five patients from three Swedish hospitals were included to fill in the Daily Coping Assessment. Most stressful event, number and types of pre-defined coping strategies used, and if the coping strategy used was considered helpful or not, were measured for 5 days. Of 523 diary entries, 180 reported no stressful events. The most stressful event, also with worst level of control and expectation, was "Pain," followed by "Nausea/vomiting." The areas causing most stressful events were "Bowel-related" and "Surgery and treatment-related problems." Acceptance and Direct action were the most frequently used coping strategies. There was a wide range of perceived helpfulness if coping strategies were placed in relation to specific areas of events. The conclusion was that patients revealed several strategies for coping with stressful events but needed a higher level of preparedness for what might come and therefore need to be given appropriate support to cope during the early recovery phase. Such support is suggested to be person-centred and oriented towards individually adapting standardised regimens, given the variety of situations to which the stressful events reported in the study were related.

RADIATION PROTECTION MEASUREMENTS WITH THE VARIANCE-COVARIANCE METHOD IN THE STRAY RADIATION FIELDS FROM PHOTON AND PROTON THERAPY FACILITIES.

The microdosimetric variance-covariance method was used to study the stray radiation fields from the photon therapy facility at the Technical University of Denmark and the scanned proton therapy beam at the Skandion Clinic in Uppsala, Sweden. Two TEPCs were used to determine the absorbed dose, the dose-average lineal energy, the dose-average quality factor and the dose equivalent. The neutron component measured by the detectors at the proton beam was studied through Monte Carlo simulations using the code MCNP6. In the photon beam the stray absorbed dose ranged between 0.3 and 2.4 µGy per monitor unit, and the dose equivalent between 0.4 and 9 µSv per monitor unit, depending on beam energy and measurement position. In the proton beam the stray absorbed dose ranged between 3 and 135 µGy per prescribed Gy, depending on detector position and primary proton energy.

Some inequalities for Cesàro means of double Vilenkin-Fourier series.

In this paper, we state and prove some new inequalities related to the rate of L p approximation by Cesàro means of the quadratic partial sums of double Vilenkin-Fourier series of functions from L p .

Patient-reported stressful events and coping strategies in post-menopausal women with breast cancer.

The objective of this paper was to explore what stressful events post-menopausal women with primary or recurrent breast cancer experience, how bothersome these events were and which coping strategies these women used. Data were collected from 131 patients diagnosed with primary or recurrent breast cancer. The Daily Coping Assessment was used. Thematic analysis was applied to form themes of stressful events. Six types of stressful events were extracted. The most frequently experienced events for women with primary cancer and those with recurrent cancer were 'distressing bodily symptoms'. The most bothersome event among primary cancer was 'everyday concerns' and in the recurrent group, 'distressing psychological reactions'. The most commonly used strategies were 'acceptance', 'distraction' and 'relaxation'. This study shows that women in different parts of the cancer trajectory differ in what they perceive to be stressful events when reporting them in their own words in a diary. The differences have an impact on the subsequent coping strategies they used.

Effect of a food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation trial for severely malnourished children on the level of maternal depressive symptoms in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Maternal depression is associated with poor child development and growth in low-income countries. This paper evaluates the effect of a community-based trial providing psychosocial stimulation and food supplements to severely malnourished children on maternal depressive symptoms in Bangladesh. METHODS: Severely underweight (weight-for-age Z-score < -3) hospitalized children aged 6-24 months (n = 507), were randomly assigned to: psychosocial stimulation (PS), food supplementation (FS), PS+FS, clinic control (CC) and hospital control (CH) at discharge. PS included play sessions with children and parental counselling to mothers during fortnightly follow-up visit at community clinics, conducted by trained play leaders for 6 months. FS involved cereal-based supplements (150-300 kcal/day) for 3 months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplements and growth monitoring. We used Bayley scales, Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (HOME) inventory and a parenting questionnaire to assess child development, home stimulation and mothers' child-rearing practices, respectively. We assessed mothers' depressive symptoms using a modified version of Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at baseline and at 6 months post intervention. RESULTS: Maternal depressive symptoms were significantly lower in the CH group at baseline (P = 0.014). After 6 months of intervention there was no significant effect of intervention after adjusting for baseline scores and all possible confounders. Maternal depressive symptoms were higher among poorer (P = 0.06), older (P = 0.057) and less educated (P = 0.019) mothers, who were housewives (P = 0.053), and whose husbands had more unstable jobs (P = 0.058). At 6 months post intervention, children's cognitive (P = 0.045) and motor (P = 0.075) development, HOME (P = 0.012) and mother's parenting score (P = 0.057) were higher among mothers with lower depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The study did not show a significant effect of the intervention on the level of maternal depressive symptoms. Interventions with higher intensity and/or of longer duration focusing directly on maternal psychosocial functioning are probably needed to reduce maternal depressive symptoms.

Preservatives in cosmetics in the Israeli market conform well to the EU legislation.

BACKGROUND: Preservatives are important and frequent skin sensitizers, found in a wide range of products for personal and occupational use. According to the European legislation, some cosmetic ingredients are restricted in terms of quantity and a detailed list of ingredients must be present on the product or packaging. OBJECTIVES: To examine the use of preservatives in common cosmetics on the Israeli market. MATERIALS/METHODS: Sixty different Israeli brand cosmetics, including shampoos, liquid soaps, body creams and hand creams were randomly selected. Ingredient labels were examined. The products were investigated by the chromotropic acid method for release of formaldehyde and by high performance liquid chromatography for the presence of formaldehyde, DMDM hydantoin and methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) and MI content. RESULTS: All products but one contained a detailed list of ingredients printed on the package. According to labelling, the most prevalent preservatives in Israeli shampoos and liquid soaps were DMDM hydantoin and MCI/MI. Hand creams and body creams contained mainly parabens but also iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, phenoxyethanol and DMDM hydantoin. Formaldehyde in doses from 4 to 429 ppm, and DMDM hydantoin were detected in 38 and 16 (63% and 27%) of the products, respectively. MCI/MI was detected in 11 (18%) of the products, with highest prevalence in rinse- off products (55%). Excluding one hand cream which measured 106 ppm MI, the amount of formaldehyde, DMDM hydantoin, MCI/MI and MI was within the allowed concentrations by the European directive in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: In Israel, adaptation of the European directive prevails, as shown by the measurements we performed on randomly selected products.

The effect of shelter on welfare of juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar reared under a feed restriction regimen.

This study investigated whether shelter (presence or absence) affected the frequency of fin damage in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar exposed to feed restrictions (0·73 or 0·33% of body mass day(-1) ). The presence of shelter had a positive effect on the pectoral fins at both feed ration levels and on the dorsal fin at the higher ration level but it had a negative effect on survival. The reduced feed rations resulted in fish of the same size and nutritional status as wild fish. The provision of shelter has potential to mitigate the negative effects of feed restrictions on fin quality, but the optimal shelter design requires some additional investigation.

Computerized venous strain-gauge plethysmography is a reliable method for measuring venous function.

OBJECTIVES: To achieve reference values for computerized strain-gauge plethysmography (SGP), to assess reproducibility, and to evaluate the influence of different factors such as age, gender, body mass index, and symptomatic post-thrombotic disease on commonly used variables. METHODS: Sixty-three healthy controls and 56 patients with previous deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were included. All participants underwent computerized SGP with evaluation of outflow capacity, as well as evaluation of venous reflux and muscle pump function. RESULTS: All variables were significantly reduced in DVT limbs, both compared with contralateral limbs and with healthy controls. Only two patients had all values within normal ranges (=mean ± 2 SD in controls). Measures of outflow capacity had a coefficient of variation (CV) of 5-6% and exercise-induced volume changes a CV of 10-15%. In symptomatic post-thrombotic limbs half-refilling time was significantly related to presence of edema (R = -0.28, p < .05) and to chronic skin changes (R = -0.58, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that our values in healthy controls can be used as new reference values for computerized venous strain-gauge plethysmography. The computerized design ensures high reproducibility and the results indicate that this is a very useful and sensitive test for functional quantitative assessment of patients with venous disease.

Aminooxy analog of histamine is an efficient inhibitor of mammalian L-histidine decarboxylase: combined in silico and experimental evidence.

Histamine plays highlighted roles in the development of many common, emergent and rare diseases. In mammals, histamine is formed by decarboxylation of L-histidine, which is catalyzed by pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent histidine decarboxylase (HDC, EC 4.1.1.22). The limited availability and stability of the protein have delayed the characterization of its structure-function relationships. Our previous knowledge on mammalian HDC, derived from both in silico and experimental approaches, indicates that an effective competitive inhibitor should be capable to form an "external aldimine-like structure" and have an imidazole group, or its proper mimetic, which provides additional affinity of PLP-inhibitor adduct to the HDC active center. This is confirmed using HEK-293 cells transfected to express human HDC and the aminooxy analog of histidine, 4(5)-aminooxymethylimidazole (O-IMHA, IC50 ≈ 2 × 10(-7) M) capable to form a PLP-inhibitor complex (oxime) in the enzyme active center. Taking advantage of the availability of the human HDC X-ray structure, we have also determined the potential interactions that could stabilize this oxime in the active site of mammalian HDC.

Relationship of sense of coherence to stressful events, coping strategies, health status, and quality of life in women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that Antonovsky's concept of sense of coherence (SOC) predicts stressful events, coping strategies, health status, and quality of life (QoL) in a cohort of postmenopausal women (n = 131) with newly diagnosed primary or recurrent breast cancer. METHODS: Regression analyses of longitudinal data at baseline through 6 months following breast cancer diagnosis examined the relationships between SOC (13-item version), daily assessment of coping with stressful events, health status, and QoL (EORTC QLQ-30). RESULTS: The findings support Antonovsky's concept of SOC. Women with strong SOC reported fewer stressful events and more days without stressful events. They used more coping strategies and more frequently used distraction, situation redefinition, direct action, and relaxation, but seldom religion, to cope with stressful events, and reported better health status and QoL. Women with weak SOC experienced more distress and used fewer coping strategies, and they more frequently used coping strategies such as catharsis and seeking social and spiritual support, but seldom acceptance of the situation. They reported worse health status and QoL, regardless of disease stage or treatment. The relationships between SOC and health status and QoL were linear. CONCLUSIONS: Sense of coherence significantly predicts distress, number and type of coping strategies such as direct action and relaxation, health status, and QoL in women with breast cancer. Our data suggest that the SOC scale may be a useful screening tool to identify individuals particularly vulnerable to distress and unable to cope adequately. Assessing SOC strength may assist health care providers to provide individualized patient interventions.

Root Rot of Pea and Faba Bean in Southern Sweden Caused by Phytophthora pisi sp. nov.

A root rot disease of pea and faba bean caused by a Phytophthora sp. was observed in fields and field soil samples in southern Sweden. Observations of the disease in pea root rot greenhouse assays were systematically recorded, and incidence and geographic distribution data were compared with the pea root rot caused by Aphanomyces euteiches. Following one successful isolation of the pathogen, isolation procedures and selective media were optimized to retrieve more isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates belong to a novel lineage, closely related to Phytophthora sojae, and proposed here as a new species, P. pisi sp. nov. In a collection of 13 isolates from separate fields, intraspecific variation was detected in both nuclear and mitochondrial loci. Pathogenicity tests on a range of crop plants and wild legumes suggest that the host range of the pathogen is restricted to a group of legumes closely related to pea which, in addition to pea, include the crop species faba bean, lentil, common vetch, and chickpea. Morphology, growth requirements, and pathogenicity traits indicate that the species may be identical to the organism previously described as P. erythroseptica var. pisi. The work characterizes a novel Phytophthora sp. causing root rot of legume crops.

Disproportionate early fetal growth predicts postnatal thymic size in humans.

Prenatal events can affect neonatal thymus size and adult immune function. The causal insults are unknown, although fetal nutrient restriction is suspected. We used ultrasound at three time points during pregnancy (14, 19 and 30 weeks) to measure the growth of six fetal dimensions in rural Bangladeshi women participating in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions, Matlab study. Postnatal ultrasound was used to calculate thymic index (TI) at birth, 2, 6 and 12 m. Of the 3267 women recruited, 2861 participated by providing data at least at one fetal biometry and one TI time point. Patterns of fetal growth were summarized using principal components calculated from fetal dimension z-scores. Random effects regression, controlling for infant size and season of measurement were used to relate these patterns to TI. We found that smaller leg length relative to head circumference, characteristic of head-sparing growth restriction, was predictive of lower TI. This association was significant at all time points but strongest in earlier pregnancy. Each standard deviation increase in leg-head proportion was associated with an increase in TI of ∼5%. We conclude that growth patterns typical of poor fetal nutrition are associated with poor thymic development. The greater strength of this association in the first trimester is consistent with a period of vulnerability during the early ontogeny of the thymus and suggests that preventative intervention would need to be given in early pregnancy.

Effects of a community-based approach of food and psychosocial stimulation on growth and development of severely malnourished children in Bangladesh: a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Psychosocial stimulation (PS) and food supplementation (FS) improve development of malnourished children. This study evaluates the effects of a community-based approach of PS and FS on growth and development of severely malnourished children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Severely underweight hospitalised children aged 6-24 months (n = 507) were randomly allocated on discharge to five groups: (i) PS, (ii) FS, (iii) PS+FS, (iv) clinic-control and (v) hospital-control. PS included play sessions and parental counselling on child development. This was done at each fortnightly follow-up visit, that is, every second week, for 6 months at community clinics. FS included distribution of cereal-based food packets (150-300 kcal/day) for 3 months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplementation, health-education and growth monitoring. Children's development was assessed using revised version of Bayley Scales of Infant Development at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of intervention. Anthropometry was measured using standard procedure. RESULTS: Comparing groups with any stimulation with those with no stimulation there was a significant effect of stimulation on children's mental development index (group*session interaction P = 0.037, effect size = 0.37 s.d.) and weight-for-age Z-score (group*session interaction P = 0.02, effect size=0.26 s.d.). Poor levels of development and nutritional status were sustained, however, due to their initial very severe malnutrition. There was no effect on motor development and linear growth. CONCLUSION: Children receiving any stimulation showed a significant benefit to mental development and growth in weight. More intensive intervention with longer duration is needed to correct their poor developmental levels and nutritional status.

A small skull from Flores dated to the 20th century.

A human skull with mandible from the Ngada District on the island of Flores, Indonesia, is described in order to contribute to the knowledge of variation in cranial architecture, which is important in interpretations of evolutionary cerebralisation. The skull was excavated in 1924 and sent to the National Museum in Copenhagen. The "Copenhagen Flores" (CF) male skull is radiocarbon-dated and of modern age. The cranium is small, but larger than e.g. Liang Bua skull (LB1) in every measurement. The (CT-scan based) cranial capacity of 1258 ml is normal for modern humans, but somewhat lower than values from the middle or upper Palaeolithics. The metric cranial data analysed in FORDISC, characterize the skull as a male Vietnamese rather than a Chinese or White individual. Tooth morphology shows the sundadont pattern and tooth size corresponds to that of teeth from Bali, Java and Malayan Orang Asli. Remarkable are the marked asymmetries in the dentition with rotation of an upper premolar and congenital absence of a third molar. In these respects the CF skull is similar to dentitions belonging to the pygmoid villagers of Rampasasa, a village not far from the Liang Bua cave, and to LB1.

Novel Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes with polyamine analogues: synthesis and vibrational analysis.

A vibrational spectroscopy study (infrared and Raman) is reported for the biogenic polyamine analogues norspermidine (NSpd), N(1),N(11)-bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSpm) and N(1)-cyclo-propylmethyl-N(11)-ethylnorspermine (CPENSpm), as well as for their newly synthesised Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes. Attending to the potential antineoplastic properties of this kind of systems, their full conformational characterization is essential for understanding the molecular basis of their cytotoxic activity and the mechanisms through which they are transported into the cell. The all-trans geometry was found to be favoured for all the alkylated polyamines, in their totally protonated state, while their polynuclear complexes presented a stable geometry very similar to that previously obtained for the analogous chelates with spermidine (M(3)Spd(2)) and spermine (M(2)Spm), comprising two or three cisplatin-like (MCl(2)NH(2)) moieties.