Electron density separations in nonideal plasmas: structure of Thomas-Fermi-like bound states and the Mott transition

Starting from a general free energy functional, the chemical picture for nonideal plasmas arises from a certain separation of the electron density. Defining a bound state and its electrostatically screening plasma environment as a subsystem, a simple theory for plasma-correspondent bound state structure can be formulated. This provides the possibility to derive adjustable parameters for the interactions in the chemical picture. The Mott transition corresponds to the violation of the normalization condition due to plasma influences.

A physician-based architecture for the construction and use of statistical models.

Physicians need specially tailored computer tools to take advantage of published research results. We present a knowledge-based computer framework--the physician-based (PB) architecture--for constructing such tools, and we use the problem of physicians' interpretation of two-arm parallel randomized clinical trials (TAPRCT) as a working example. Statistical models are represented by influence diagrams. The interpretation of influence-diagram elements are mapped into users' language in a domain-specific, physician-based user interface, called a patient-flow diagram. Statistical-model transformations that maintain the semantic relationships of the model and that embody clinical-epidemiological knowledge are encoded in a mediating structure called the cohort-state diagram. The algorithm that coordinates the interactions among the knowledge representations uses modular actions called construction steps. This architecture has been implemented in a Bayesian system, called THOMAS, that supports physician decision making in light of TAPRCT data. This support entails assessing clinical significance, prior beliefs, and methodological concerns. We suggest that the PB architecture applies to a wide range of statistical tools and users.

Reinfestation analysis to estimate ectoparasite population size, emergence, and mortality.

The key components of ectoparasite vectorial capacity are poorly known, and no estimates of absolute population size for nest ectoparasites nor average longevity under natural conditions are available. A simple method to estimate these and other population parameters is suggested here, using body infestation data obtained by a specific host sampling design and the reproductive status of female ectoparasites. In contrast to mark-release-recapture techniques, this method requires minimal effort. Data on fleas, Synosternus cleopatrae (Rothschild), infesting gerbils, Gerbilus anderosoni allenbyi Thomas, were used as a preliminary test of this method. Thus, the average absolute density of female S. cleopatrae per host varied from seven in June to 24 in September; average female longevity varied from 17 to 5 d in that period. The quality of the parameter estimates was assessed by computer simulations to evaluate their variance and by comparison with the data available on fleas. The simulation indicated that estimates of absolute population size and proportion of the corporeal subpopulation were robust, but estimates of emergence rate, mortality rate, and average longevity were considerably less. The method's efficiency depends on the infestation rate and was considered suitable for medium to high counts of ectoparasites infesting solitary hosts.

Reproductive activity of Synosternus cleopatrae (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in relation to host factors.

Reproductive activity of Synosternus cleopatrae (Rothschild) infesting Gerbillus andersoni allenbyi Thomas was studied in a natural setting in Israel. Rodents were trapped and measured (weight and length), their sex was identified, and their reproductive status estimated. Their ectoparasites were removed, and fleas were dissected and their oocytes measured. Two indices of flea reproductive activity were analyzed: "reproductive status," which distinguished between gravid and nongravid females, and "reproductive intensity," which was estimated as the sum over the two largest oocytes of the products of oocyte length multiplied by oocyte width. Both indices showed that no reproduction took place between November and January, but reproduction was relatively stable during the rest of the year. Although flea reproductive activity differed significantly among individual hosts, only a small fraction of gerbils (10-15%) carried a significantly different proportion of reproductive fleas than their monthly sample proportion (based on all fleas regardless of hosts). All these hosts carried a lower proportion of reproductive fleas than their monthly sample proportion. The host's sex, but not reproductive status or age, had a significant effect on flea reproduction, expressed as a higher reproductive activity on male gerbils. Infestation burden expressed as ectoparasite counts was included in the statistical analysis. Only lice, Polyplax gerbilli Ferris, but not S. cleopatrae, Stenoponia tripectinata (Tiraboschi), and a total of five mesostigmatid Acari had a significantly negative association with S. cleopatrae reproductive activity. These relationships between S. cleopatrae reproductive activity and the host infestation burden do not support the hypothesis of modulation of S. cleopatrae reproduction by the infestation burden. However, differences in the reproductive activity of ectoparasites between their hosts may play a major role to generate the parasite clumped distribution. Thus, gerbil males probably carry more fleas than gerbil females because of the higher reproductive activity of S. cleopatrae on gerbil males.

Thomas: building Bayesian statistical expert systems to aid in clinical decision making.

Knowledge-based system for classical statistical analysis must separate the task of analyzing data from that of using the results of the analysis. In contrast, a Bayesian framework for building biostatistical expert system allows for the integration of the data-analytic and decision-making tasks. The architecture of such a framework entails enabling the system (1) to make its recommendations on decision-analytic grounds; (2) to construct statistical models dynamically; (3) to update a statistical model based on the user's prior beliefs and on data from, the methodological concerns evinced by, the study. This architecture permits the knowledge engineer to represent a variety of types of statistical and domain knowledge. Construction of such systems requires that the knowledge engineer reinterpret traditional statistical concerns, such as by replacing the notion of statistical significance with that of a pragmatic clinical threshold. The clinical user of such a system can interact with the system at a semantic level appropriate to her fund of methodological knowledge, rather than at the level of statistical details. We demonstrate these issues with a prototype system called THOMAS which helps a physician decision maker interpret the results of a published randomized clinical trial.

Dynamics of superhelical DNA studied by photon correlation spectroscopy.

We have conducted photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) studies on the plasmid pUC8 (2717 bp) in order to elucidate the internal dynamics of this superhelical DNA. We confirm that the first-order autocorrelation function of the scattered light from pUC8 solutions can be separated into two distinct exponential decay components, as first shown by Lewis et al. (R. Lewis, J.H. Huang and P. Pecora, Macromolecules 18 (1985) 944). A thorough analysis of the dependence on scattering vector K of the rates and amplitudes of the two components enables us to assign the slowly relaxing part to the center-of-mass diffusion of the DNA, while the faster component corresponds to rotational, bending and twisting motions of the superhelix. For larger K values the internal motions can be formally expressed in terms of an 'internal diffusion coefficient' Di, whose value of 2.0-2.5 X 10(-11) m2 s-1 is approximately equal to the translational diffusion coefficient predicted for a stiff DNA piece of the persistence length, 65 nm. Comparison of our measured Di values to those predicted from a recent theory of circular worm-like coils (K. Soda, Macromolecules 17 (1984) 2365) shows that the internal motions are faster than the theoretical values. One of the reasons for this discrepancy could be that the theory does not take into account torsional motions, which contribute significantly to the internal dynamics (J.C. Thomas, S.A. Allison, C.J. Appelof and J.M. Schurr, Biophys. Chem. 12 (1980) 177). At low K values, the fast relaxation of superhelical pUC8 is no longer proportional to K2, but reaches a constant value as K approaches zero. This behavior, not seen for the linearized DNA, can be interpreted in terms of rotational diffusion of a flexible rod-like molecule (T. Maeda and S. Fujime, Macromolecules 17 (1984) 2381) and supports an interwound rod-like structure for pUC8 DNA with an average end-to-end distance of 220 nm.

[A modified Thomas canula to create a chronic pancreatic fistula in minipigs (author's transl)]. / Eine modifizierte Thomas-Kanüle zur chronischen intestinalen Fistelung beim Minaturschwein.

The design of a modified Thomas canula is described. It's possible applications for investigation of exocrine pancreatic function and gastric secretion as well as gastric emptying in minipigs are discussed. The advantages of this modified canula are that it can be simply manufactured, that it is well tolerated by the tissue and that there is no risk for the animal and no need for the construction of a pouch.