An analysis of variance type method to describe and compare steady states in clinical data

Identifying and comparing different steady states is an important task for clinical decision making. Data from unequal sources, comprising diverse patient status information, have to be interpreted. In order to compare results an expressive representation is the key. In this contribution we suggest a criterion to calculate a context-sensitive value based on variance analysis and discuss its advantages and limitations referring to a clinical data example obtained during anesthesia. Different drug plasma target levels of the anesthetic propofol were preset to reach and maintain clinically desirable steady state conditions with target controlled infusion (TCI). At the same time systolic blood pressure was monitored, depth of anesthesia was recorded using the bispectral index (BIS) and propofol plasma concentrations were determined in venous blood samples. The presented analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to quantify how accurately steady states can be monitored and compared using the three methods of measurement.

Psychothérapie de la dépression chronique : l’apport du modèle CBASP selon McCullough

Les dépressions chroniques sont fréquentes et souvent traitées par des approches traditionnelles. Cet article vise à présenter la nature spécifique de la psychopathologie et un traitement spécifiquement adapté à ces patients avec dépression chronique. Nous décrirons d’abord les spécificités psychopathologiques de cette population, en nous référant aux travaux de J. Piaget et de D. Kiesler. À partir de ces théories, nous mettrons en avant le modèle Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), selon McCullough. Cet auteur propose deux volets d’interventions spécifiquement adaptées aux patients avec dépression chronique : l’analyse situationnelle et les techniques interpersonnelles basées sur la notion de transfert et de contre-transfert. Nous soulignerons la pertinence de cette approche par le résumé de plusieurs études empiriques ayant établi l’efficacité de ce modèle, sous certaines conditions cliniques. Nous terminerons par une réflexion de l’application de ce modèle au-delà du tableau clinique de la dépression chronique en ajoutant ainsi des arguments supplémentaires en faveur de l’apport du modèle CBASP au champ actuel de la psychothérapie des troubles mentaux.

Valeurs permanentes du judai͏̈sme

par Israel Abrahams

Nouvelle grammaire hébraique : raisonée et comparée

par S. Klein

Improving Automaticity with Basic Addition Facts: Do Taped Problems Work Faster Than Cover, Copy, Compare?

This small pilot study compared the effectiveness of two interventions to improve automaticity with basic addition facts: Taped Problems (TP) and Cover, Copy, Compare (CCC), in students aged 6-10. Automaticity was measured using Mathematics Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) at pretest, after 10 days, and after 20 days of intervention. Our hypothesis was that the TP group will gain higher levels of automaticity more quickly than the CCC and control groups. However, when gain scores were compared, no significant differences were found between groups. Limitations to the study include low treatment integrity and a short duration of intervention.

Christianity and Judaism compare notes

by Harris Franklin Rall and Samuel S. Cohon

Le Règne animal : distribué d'après son organisation pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée

par le Baron [Georges] Cuvier. Avec fig. dessinés d'apres nature

Outcome-based adaptive randomization for binary data in clinical trials---Compare and contrast

Monte Carlo simulation has been conducted to investigate parameter estimation and hypothesis testing in some well known adaptive randomization procedures. The four urn models studied are Randomized Play-the-Winner (RPW), Randomized Pôlya Urn (RPU), Birth and Death Urn with Immigration (BDUI), and Drop-the-Loses Urn (DL). Two sequential estimation methods, the sequential maximum likelihood estimation (SMLE) and the doubly adaptive biased coin design (DABC), are simulated at three optimal allocation targets that minimize the expected number of failures under the assumption of constant variance of simple difference (RSIHR), relative risk (ORR), and odds ratio (OOR) respectively. Log likelihood ratio test and three Wald-type tests (simple difference, log of relative risk, log of odds ratio) are compared in different adaptive procedures. ^ Simulation results indicates that although RPW is slightly better in assigning more patients to the superior treatment, the DL method is considerably less variable and the test statistics have better normality. When compared with SMLE, DABC has slightly higher overall response rate with lower variance, but has larger bias and variance in parameter estimation. Additionally, the test statistics in SMLE have better normality and lower type I error rate, and the power of hypothesis testing is more comparable with the equal randomization. Usually, RSIHR has the highest power among the 3 optimal allocation ratios. However, the ORR allocation has better power and lower type I error rate when the log of relative risk is the test statistics. The number of expected failures in ORR is smaller than RSIHR. It is also shown that the simple difference of response rates has the worst normality among all 4 test statistics. The power of hypothesis test is always inflated when simple difference is used. On the other hand, the normality of the log likelihood ratio test statistics is robust against the change of adaptive randomization procedures. ^

A systematic review of literature to compare the fertility desires among HIV positive women and cancer survivors

Background. Decision-making on reproductive issues is influenced by an interplay of individual, familial, medical, religious and socio-cultural factors. Women with chronic medical illnesses such an HIV infection and cancers are often fraught with decisional conflicts about child-bearing. With increase in the incidence of these illnesses as well as improvement in survival rates, there is a need to pay due attention to the issue of reproductive decision-making. Examining the prevalence and determinants of fertility desires in the two groups in a comparative manner would help bring to light perception of the medical community and the society in general on the two illnesses and the issue of motherhood. ^ Methods. Systematic literature search was undertaken using databases such as MEDLINE (PubMED), MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycInfo and Web of Science. Articles published in English and English language abstracts for foreign articles were included. Studies that explore ‘fertility desires’ as the outcome variable were included. Quantitative studies which have assessed the prevalence of fertility desires as well as qualitative studies which have provided a descriptive understanding of factors governing reproductive desires were included in the review. ^ Results. A total of 34 articles (29 studies examining HIV and 5 studies examining cancer in relation to fertility desires). Variables such as age, stage of illness, support of spouse and family, perception of the medical community and one’s own view of motherhood were key determinants among both groups. ^ Conclusion. There is a need for uniform, systematic research in this field. It is important that health care workers acknowledge these decisional conflicts, include them as part of the medical care of these patients and provide guidance with the right balance of information, practicality and compassion.^

Grammaire comparée des dialectes basques / par W. J. van Eys.

Eys, Willem J. van. Le tutoiement basque : chapitre supplémentaire a la Grammaire comparée des dialectes basques. Paris : Maisonneuve, 1883. 30 p.

A methodology to compare dimensionality reduction algorithms in terms of loss of quality

Dimensionality Reduction (DR) is attracting more attention these days as a result of the increasing need to handle huge amounts of data effectively. DR methods allow the number of initial features to be reduced considerably until a set of them is found that allows the original properties of the data to be kept. However, their use entails an inherent loss of quality that is likely to affect the understanding of the data, in terms of data analysis. This loss of quality could be determinant when selecting a DR method, because of the nature of each method. In this paper, we propose a methodology that allows different DR methods to be analyzed and compared as regards the loss of quality produced by them. This methodology makes use of the concept of preservation of geometry (quality assessment criteria) to assess the loss of quality. Experiments have been carried out by using the most well-known DR algorithms and quality assessment criteria, based on the literature. These experiments have been applied on 12 real-world datasets. Results obtained so far show that it is possible to establish a method to select the most appropriate DR method, in terms of minimum loss of quality. Experiments have also highlighted some interesting relationships between the quality assessment criteria. Finally, the methodology allows the appropriate choice of dimensionality for reducing data to be established, whilst giving rise to a minimum loss of quality.