Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2007

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2008

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2009

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2010

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2011

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2012

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Vital Statistics of Iowa in Brief, 2013

This publication is an historical recording of the most requested statistics on vital events and is a source of information that can be used in further analysis.

Statistical modeling of bowing control applied to violin sound synthesis

Excitation-continuous music instrument control patterns are often not explicitly represented in current sound synthesis techniques when applied to automatic performance. Both physical model-based and sample-based synthesis paradigmswould benefit from a flexible and accurate instrument control model, enabling the improvement of naturalness and realism. Wepresent a framework for modeling bowing control parameters inviolin performance. Nearly non-intrusive sensing techniques allow for accurate acquisition of relevant timbre-related bowing control parameter signals.We model the temporal contour of bow velocity, bow pressing force, and bow-bridge distance as sequences of short Bézier cubic curve segments. Considering different articulations, dynamics, and performance contexts, a number of note classes are defined. Contours of bowing parameters in a performance database are analyzed at note-level by following a predefined grammar that dictates characteristics of curve segment sequences for each of the classes in consideration. As a result, contour analysis of bowing parameters of each note yields an optimal representation vector that is sufficient for reconstructing original contours with significant fidelity. From the resulting representation vectors, we construct a statistical model based on Gaussian mixtures suitable for both the analysis and synthesis of bowing parameter contours. By using the estimated models, synthetic contours can be generated through a bow planning algorithm able to reproduce possible constraints caused by the finite length of the bow. Rendered contours are successfully used in two preliminary synthesis frameworks: digital waveguide-based bowed stringphysical modeling and sample-based spectral-domain synthesis.

Nuevas técnicas de estadística espacial para la detección de clusters residenciales de población inmigrante

La estadística aplicada a la geografía ha experimentado un avance espectacular en las últimas dos décadas introduciéndose el espacio como eje fundamental del análisis. Este avance se ha visto acompañado por un rápido desarrollo de aplicaciones estadísticas integradas en los sistemas de información geográfica, constituyéndose de esta forma en un conjunto de herramientas imprescindibles en la planificación territorial. Por otro lado, en España, el incremento de población inmigrada en un corto intervalo de tiempo ha hecho necesario analizar su distribución espacial en las áreas urbanas. Los índices de autocorrelación espacial, tanto global como local, y su representación cartográfica constituyen una técnica adecuada para la detección de clusters y patrones espaciales y abre la posibilidad de plantear diferentes modelos econométricos. A partir del caso de la ciudad de Barcelona se aplican las técnicas descritas y se observan los diferentes comportamientos según el grupo de población estudiado.

Blind channel deconvolution of real world signals using source separation techniques

In this paper we present a method for blind deconvolution of linear channels based on source separation techniques, for real word signals. This technique applied to blind deconvolution problems is based in exploiting not the spatial independence between signals but the temporal independence between samples of the signal. Our objective is to minimize the mutual information between samples of the output in order to retrieve the original signal. In order to make use of use this idea the input signal must be a non-Gaussian i.i.d. signal. Because most real world signals do not have this i.i.d. nature, we will need to preprocess the original signal before the transmission into the channel. Likewise we should assure that the transmitted signal has non-Gaussian statistics in order to achieve the correct function of the algorithm. The strategy used for this preprocessing will be presented in this paper. If the receiver has the inverse of the preprocess, the original signal can be reconstructed without the convolutive distortion.

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry applied to the identification of new metabolites and transformation products of quinolones in chicken muscle tissues

The aim of this work was the identification of new metabolites and transformation products (TPs) in chicken muscle from Enrofloxacin (ENR), Ciprofloxacin (CIP), Difloxacin (DIF) and Sarafloxacin (SAR), which are antibiotics that belong to the fluoroquinolones family. The stability of ENR, CIP, DIF and SAR standard solutions versus pH degradation process (from pH 1.5 to 8.0, simulating the pH since the drug is administered until its excretion) and freeze-thawing (F/T) cycles was tested. In addition, chicken muscle samples from medicated animals with ENR were analyzed in order to identify new metabolites and TPs. The identification of the different metabolites and TPs was accomplished by comparison of mass spectral data from samples and blanks, using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight (LC-QqToF) and Multiple Mass Defect Filter (MMDF) technique as a pre-filter to remove most of the background noise and endogenous components. Confirmation and structure elucidation was performed by liquid chromatography coupled to linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap (LC-LTQ-Orbitrap), due to its mass accuracy and MS/MS capacity for elemental composition determination. As a result, 21 TPs from ENR, 6 TPs from CIP, 14 TPs from DIF and 12 TPs from SAR were identified due to the pH shock and F/T cycles. On the other hand, 14 metabolites were identified from the medicated chicken muscle samples. Formation of CIP and SAR, from ENR and DIF, respectively, and the formation of desethylene-quinolone were the most remarkable identified compounds.

High-resolution mass spectrometry applied to the study of metabolome modifications in various chicken tissues after amoxicillin administration

The performance of high resolution accurate mass spectrometry (HRMS) operating in full scan MS mode was investigated for the quantitative determination of amoxicillin (AMX) as well as qualitative analysis of metabolomic profiles in tissues of medicated chickens. The metabolomic approach was exploited to compile analytical information on changes in the metabolome of muscle, kidney and liver from chickens subjected to a pharmacological program with AMX. Data consisting of m/z features taken throughout the entire chromatogram were extracted and filtered to be treated by Principal Component Analysis. As a result, it was found that medicated and non-treated animals were clearly clustered in distinct groups. Besides, the multivariate analysis revealed some relevant mass features contributing to this separation. In this context, recognizing those potential markers of each chicken class was a priority research for both metabolite identification and, obviously, evaluation of food quality and health effects associated to food consumption.

Plasmaferese : veilig bij een goede indicatiestelling en kennis van de complicaties [Plasmapheresis, a safe treatment when applied to the correct indication and with awareness of the complications]

Plasmapheresis is an extracorporeal technique used to remove pathogenic macromolecules from the circulation, particularly autoantibodies. This is illustrated in 2 female patients. The first patient, aged 61 years, was treated successfully with non-selective plasmapheresis for acute humoral rejection shortly after receiving a renal allograft. In the second patient, aged 82 years, plasmapheresis for refractory myasthenia gravis had to be stopped because of bradycardia and hypotension during the procedure. She was treated successfully with immunoglobulins. Plasmapheresis is used to treat neurological, renal, haematological and systemic disorders. In nonselective plasmapheresis, the plasma is replaced with saline and albumin or donor plasma. In selective plasmapheresis a highly selective filter is used to remove a specific, pathogenic macromolecule. Adverse effects of the treatment include disturbances of the acid-base equilibrium or the coagulation, and allergic reactions. Most of these complications, however, can nowadays be avoided.

Fourier transform convolution integrals applied to generalized Born molecular volume.

Generalized Born methods are currently among the solvation models most commonly used for biological applications. We reformulate the generalized Born molecular volume method initially described by (Lee et al, 2003, J Phys Chem, 116, 10606; Lee et al, 2003, J Comp Chem, 24, 1348) using fast Fourier transform convolution integrals. Changes in the initial method are discussed and analyzed. Finally, the method is extensively checked with snapshots from common molecular modeling applications: binding free energy computations and docking. Biologically relevant test systems are chosen, including 855-36091 atoms. It is clearly demonstrated that, precision-wise, the proposed method performs as good as the original, and could better benefit from hardware accelerated boards.