Statistical analysis of proficiency testing results under elliptical distributions

The use of inter-laboratory test comparisons to determine the performance of individual laboratories for specific tests (or for calibration) [ISO/IEC Guide 43-1, 1997. Proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparisons - Part 1: Development and operation of proficiency testing schemes] is called Proficiency Testing (PT). In this paper we propose the use of the generalized likelihood ratio test to compare the performance of the group of laboratories for specific tests relative to the assigned value and illustrate the procedure considering an actual data from the PT program in the area of volume. The proposed test extends the test criteria in use allowing to test for the consistency of the group of laboratories. Moreover, the class of elliptical distributions are considered for the obtained measurements. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twofold adaptive partition of unity implicits

Partition of Unity Implicits (PUI) has been recently introduced for surface reconstruction from point clouds. In this work, we propose a PUI method that employs a set of well-observed solutions in order to produce geometrically pleasant results without requiring time consuming or mathematically overloaded computations. One feature of our technique is the use of multivariate orthogonal polynomials in the least-squares approximation, which allows the recursive refinement of the local fittings in terms of the degree of the polynomial. However, since the use of high-order approximations based only on the number of available points is not reliable, we introduce the concept of coverage domain. In addition, the method relies on the use of an algebraically defined triangulation to handle two important tasks in PUI: the spatial decomposition and an adaptive polygonization. As the spatial subdivision is based on tetrahedra, the generated mesh may present poorly-shaped triangles that are improved in this work by means a specific vertex displacement technique. Furthermore, we also address sharp features and raw data treatment. A further contribution is based on the PUI locality property that leads to an intuitive scheme for improving or repairing the surface by means of editing local functions.

Multilevel Training of Binary Morphological Operators

The design of binary morphological operators that are translation-invariant and locally defined by a finite neighborhood window corresponds to the problem of designing Boolean functions. As in any supervised classification problem, morphological operators designed from a training sample also suffer from overfitting. Large neighborhood tends to lead to performance degradation of the designed operator. This work proposes a multilevel design approach to deal with the issue of designing large neighborhood-based operators. The main idea is inspired by stacked generalization (a multilevel classifier design approach) and consists of, at each training level, combining the outcomes of the previous level operators. The final operator is a multilevel operator that ultimately depends on a larger neighborhood than of the individual operators that have been combined. Experimental results show that two-level operators obtained by combining operators designed on subwindows of a large window consistently outperform the single-level operators designed on the full window. They also show that iterating two-level operators is an effective multilevel approach to obtain better results.

Spaces of compact operators on C(2(m) circle plus [0, alpha]) spaces

We classify up to isomorphism the spaces of compact operators K(E, F), where E and F are Banach spaces of all continuous functions defined on the compact spaces 2(m) circle plus [0, alpha], the topological sum of Cantor cubes 2(m) and the intervals of ordinal numbers [0, alpha]. More precisely, we prove that if 2(m) and aleph(gamma) are not real-valued measurable cardinals and n >= aleph(0) is not sequential cardinal, then for every ordinals xi, eta, lambda and mu with xi >= omega(1), eta >= omega(1), lambda = mu < omega or lambda, mu is an element of [omega(gamma), omega(gamma+1)[, the following statements are equivalent: (a) K(C(2(m) circle plus [0, lambda]), C(2(n) circle plus [0, xi])) and K(C(2(m) circle plus [0, mu]), C(2(n) circle plus [0, eta]) are isomorphic. (b) Either C([0, xi]) is isomorphic to C([0, eta] or C([0, xi]) is isomorphic to C([0, alpha p]) and C([0, eta]) is isomorphic to C([0,alpha q]) for some regular cardinal alpha and finite ordinals p not equal q. Thus, it is relatively consistent with ZFC that this result furnishes a complete isomorphic classification of these spaces of compact operators. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A theoretical and mass spectrometry study of the fragmentation of mycosporine-like amino acids

In the present study, the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were isolated from the marine red alga Gracilaria tenuistipitata and analysed by high-resolution accurate-mass sequential mass spectrometry (MSn). In addition to the proposed fragmentation mechanism based on the MSn analysis, it is clearly demonstrated that the elimination of mass 15 is a radical processes taking place at the methoxyl substituent of the double bond. This characteristic loss of a methyl radical was studied by theoretical calculations and the homolytic cleavage of the O-C bond is suggested to be dependent on the bond weakening. The protonation site of the MAAs was indicated by analysis of the Fukui functions and the relative Gibbs energies of the several possible protonated forms. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Terapêutica interdisciplinar para fratura cominutiva de côndilo por projétil de arma de fogo: enfoque miofuncional

TEMA: ferimentos causados por projéteis de arma de fogo apresentam alta incidência na região da cabeça e face. A articulação temporomandibular pode estar envolvida, além de estruturas anatômicas importantes como o nervo facial, necessitando de equipe multidisciplinar para efetuar tratamento adequado. PROCEDIMENTOS: apresentação de caso clínico de fratura condilar cominutiva causada por projétil de arma de fogo tratado de forma não-cirúrgica associado à terapia miofuncional orofacial. Paciente encaminhado para avaliação e procedimentos fonoaudiológicos após conduta da equipe de cirurgia bucomaxilofacial, sem remoção do projétil, alojado superficialmente, próximo da origem do músculo esternocleidomastóideo à direita, com fratura condilar cominutiva e lesão do nervo facial. Foram aspectos observados em avaliação: mordida aberta anterior, importante redução da amplitude dos movimentos mandibulares com desvios para o lado acometido, ausência de lateralidade contralateral, dor muscular, paralisia e parestesia em terço médio e superior da hemiface direita. Realizadas sessões de terapia miofuncional seguindo protocolo específico para traumas de face constando de: drenagem de edema; manipulações na musculatura levantadora da mandíbula ipsilateral; ampliação e correção dos movimentos mandibulares; procedimentos específicos referentes à paralisia facial e reorganização funcional direcionada. RESULTADOS: após oito semanas de terapia os resultados obtidos mostram restabelecimento de amplitude e da simetria dos movimentos mandibulares, reorganização da mastigação, adequação da deglutição e fala, remissão da sintomatologia dolorosa e remissão da paralisia do terço médio. CONCLUSÃO: o tratamento conservador da fratura por meio da terapia miofuncional orofacial resultou na reabilitação funcional da mandíbula e face dirigindo os movimentos e estimulando a adequação das funções estomatognáticas.

Avaliação de modelos geoidais gravimétricos determinados com funções covariâncias planas e esféricas (Estudo de Caso: Estado de São Paulo e adjacências)

The least squares collocation is a mathematical technique which is used in Geodesy for representation of the Earth's anomalous gravity field from heterogeneous data in type and precision. The use of this technique in the representation of the gravity field requires the statistical characteristics of data through covariance function. The covariances reflect the behavior of the gravity field, in magnitude and roughness. From the statistical point of view, the covariance function represents the statistical dependence among quantities of the gravity field at distinct points or, in other words, shows the tendency to have the same magnitude and the same sign. The determination of the covariance functions is necessary either to describe the behavior of the gravity field or to evaluate its functionals. This paper aims at presenting the results of a study on the plane and spherical covariance functions in determining gravimetric geoid models.

Delocalized water and fluoride contributions to Dyson orbitals for electron detachment from the hydrated fluoride anion

The experimental vertical electron detachment energy (VEDE) of aqueous fluoride, [F(-)(H(2)O)], is approximately 9.8 eV, but spectral assignment is complicated by interference between F(-) 2p and H(2)O 1b(1) orbitals. The electronic structure of [F(-)(H(2)O)] is analyzed with Monte Carlo and ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations. Electron-propagator calculations in the partial third-order approximation yield a VEDE of 9.4 eV. None of the Dyson orbitals corresponding to valence VEDEs consists primarily of F 2p functions. These results and ground-state atomic charges indicate that the final, neutral state is more appropriately described as [F(-)(H(2)O)(+)] than as [F(H(2)O)]. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3431081]

Inducible nitric oxide synthase in pityriasis lichenoides lesions

Pityriasis lichenoides (PL) is an inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as an important mediator of many physiological functions. The importance of NO-mediated signaling in skin diseases has been reported by several studies. A review of clinical records and histopathological slides of 34 patients diagnosed with PL was performed. Three different groups of skin biopsies including PL chronica (24 patients), PL et varioliformis acuta (10 patients) and 15 normal skin samples were subjected to the immunohistochemistry technique for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) detection. Normal skin group exhibited a few number of iNOS-positive cells in the dermis and rare positive cells in the upper epidermis, unlike abundant epidermal and dermal iNOS expression observed in both PL groups. According to our results, we hypothesize that NO produced by iNOS could participate in PL pathogenesis. Abnormal and persistent responses to unknown antigens, probably a pathogen, associated with NO immunoregulatory functions could contribute to the relapsing course observed in PL. NO anti-apoptotic effect on T-cell lymphocytes could play a role on maintenance of reactive T cells, leading to a T-cell lymphoid dyscrasia. Di Giunta G, Goncalves da Silva AM, Sotto MN. Inducible nitric oxide synthase in pityriasis lichenoides lesions.J Cutan Pathol 2009; 36: 325-330. (C) Blackwell Munksgaard 2008.

MicroRNAs Differentially Expressed in ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Tumors

Context: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs, functioning as antisense regulators of gene expression by targeting mRNA and contributing to cancer development and progression. More than 50% of miRNA genes are located in cancer-associated genomic regions or in fragile sites of the genome. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the differential expression of let-7a, miR-15a, miR-16, miR-21, miR-141, miR-143, miR-145, and miR-150 in corticotropinomas and normal pituitary tissue and verify whether their profile of expression correlates with tumor size or remission after treatment. Material and Methods: ACTH-secreting pituitary tumor samples were obtained during transphenoidal surgery from patients with Cushing disease and normal pituitary tissues from autopsies. The relative expression of miRNAs was measured by real-time PCR using RNU44 and RNU49 as endogenous controls. Relative quantification of miRNA expression was calculated using the 2(-Delta Delta Ct) method. Results: We found underexpression of miR-145 (2.0-fold; P = 0.04), miR-21 (2.4-fold; P = 0.004), miR-141 (2.6-fold; P = 0.02), let-7a (3.3-fold; P = 0.003), miR-150 (3.8-fold; P = 0.04), miR-15a (4.5-fold; P = 0.03), miR-16 (5.0-fold; P = 0.004), and miR-143 (6.4-fold; P = 0.004) in ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors when compared to normal pituitary tissues. There were no differences between miRNA expression and tumor size as well as miRNA expression and ratio of remission after surgery, except in patients presenting lower miR-141 expression who showed a better chance of remission. Conclusion: Our results support the possibility that altered miRNA expression profile might be involved in corticotrophic tumorigenesis. However, the lack of knowledge about miRNA target genes postpones full understanding of the biological functions of down-regulated or up-regulated miRNAs in corticotropinomas. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 94: 320-323, 2009)

Exploring a literary gender: the chivalry novels

Exploring a literary gender: the chivalry novels This article deals with a series of aspects related to the thematic universe of the chivalry novels, focusing on the production of the literary work from a historical perspective. The text analyzes the advent and evolution of the genre chivalry novels, presents some central elements of its internal structure, concluding with some of the social functions of this kind of literature.