On statistical exhaustiveness Caserta, A.; Kočinac, Lj.D.R.
Applied mathematics letters,
October 2012, 2012-10-00, 20121001, Letnik:
25, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
We study statistical versions of several types of convergence of sequences of functions between two metric spaces. Special attention is devoted to statistical versions of recently introduced notions ...of exhaustiveness (Gregoriades and Papanastassiou (2008) 4) and strong uniform convergence on a bornology (Beer and Levi (2009) 3). We obtain a few results about the continuity of the statistical pointwise limit of a sequence of functions.
We here analyze a new model of transients of pore pressure
p
and solute density
ρ
in geologic porous media. This model is rooted in the nonlinear wave theory, its focus is on advection and effect of ...large pressure jumps on strain. It takes into account nonlinear and also time-dependent versions of the Hooke law about stress, rate and strain. The model solutions strictly relate
p
and
ρ
evolving under the effect of a strong external stress. As a result, the presence of quick and sharp transients in low permeability rocks is unveiled, i.e., the nonlinear “Burgers solitons”. We, therefore, show that the actual transport process in porous rocks for large signals is not only the linear diffusion, but also a solitons presence could control the process. A test of a presence of solitons is applied to Pierre shale, Bearpaw shale, Boom clay and Oznam-Mugu silt and clay. An application about the presence of solitons for nuclear waste disposal and salt water intrusions is also discussed. Finally, in a kind of “theoretical experiment” we show that solitons could also be present in higher permeability rocks (Jordan and St. Peter sandstones), thus supporting the idea of a possible occurrence of osmosis also in sandstones.
BackgroundSarcopenia is a muscle disorder causing a progressive reduction of muscle mass and strength, but the mechanism of its manifestation is still partially unknown. The three main parameters to ...assess are: muscle strength, muscle volume or quality and low physical performance. There is not a definitive approach to assess the musculoskeletal condition of frail population and often the available tests to be performed in those clinical bedridden patients is reduced because of physical impairments. In this paper, we propose a novel instrumental multi-domain and non-invasive approach during a well-defined protocol of measurements for overcoming these limitations. A group of 28 bedridden elder people, subjected to surgery after hip fracture, was asked to perform voluntary isometric contractions at the 80% of their maximum voluntary contraction with the non-injured leg. The sensor employed before and/or during the exercise were: ultrasound to determine the muscle architecture (vastus lateralis); force acquisition with a load cell placed on the chair, giving an indication of the muscle strength; surface electromyography (EMG) for monitoring muscular electrical activity; time-domain (TD) near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for evaluating muscle oxidative metabolism.ResultsA personalized “report card” for each subject was created. It includes: the force diagram (both instantaneous and cumulative, expected and measured); the EMG–force diagram for a comparison between EMG derived median frequency and measured force; two graphs related to the hemodynamic parameters for muscle oxidative metabolism evaluation, i.e., oxy-, deoxy-, total-hemoglobin and tissue oxygen saturation for the whole exercise period. A table with the absolute values of the previous hemodynamic parameters during the rest and the ultrasound related parameters are also included.ConclusionsIn this work, we present the union of protocols, multi-domain sensors and parameters for the evaluation of the musculoskeletal condition. The novelties are the use of sensors of different nature, i.e., force, electrical and optical, together with a new way to visualize and combine the results, by means of a concise, exhaustive and personalized medical report card for each patient. This assessment, totally non-invasive, is focused on a bedridden population, but can be extended to the monitoring of rehabilitation progresses or of the training of athletes.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Metformin is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and has shown therapeutic effects in preclinical models of other pathologies, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. The antitumor ...activity of metformin is due, in part, to immunostimulatory effects. In the context of other pathologies, such as autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, metformin has immunosuppressive effects. There is evidence that the immunostimulatory effects of metformin are indirect. The immunosuppressive effects of metformin in other pathologies appear to be a direct consequence of its action on immune cells. Based on these observations we opine that the pharmacology of metformin is dependent on the pathological context which, to our knowledge, is a novel concept in pharmacology.
Metformin has been approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and related syndromes.Preclinical studies have demonstrated that metformin has therapeutic activities against other pathologies, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and wound healing.Metformin has immunostimulatory effects when used for treatment of cancer in animal models, while having immunosuppressive effects in other pathologies.The immunostimulatory effects of metformin treatment in cancer are indirect and mediated by tumor cells through different mechanisms.The immunosuppressive effects of metformin in other pathologies are the direct consequence of its action on immune cells.These results suggest that the effects of metformin on the immune system are dependent on the pathological context, yielding opposite effects depending on whether they occur in the context of cancer or other pathologies.
The beneficial effect of physical activity on a large spectrum of diseases is well known, with particular importance for elderly people. Among the different types of activity, adapted physical ...activity (APA) has been applied in a number of disease-related physical deficit.
The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome of a six months APA program in elder patients with osteoarthritis concerning physical and functional health and as second endpoint to determine the potential effect of AFA on reducing the risk of institutionalization.
The clinical indexes used to assess the outcome included the Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS), the Psychological General Well Being Index (PGWBI), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the visual analogue scale (VAS).
A significant difference (p = 0.047) between the pre-APA and the post-APA value was found for BRASS, and highly significant differences (p <0.0001) were found for SPBB and VAS.
These findings show that a six months APA program in elder patients with osteoarthritis improves physical function, reduces pain intensity and decreases the risk of institutionalization. Moreover the positive outcome of APA we found in elder patients with osteoarthritis suggests a more frequent use of such rehabilitation approach, also evaluating its economic impact on this disease.
Several population-based studies and clinical data suggest the presence of strict relationships between epilepsy and depression. The incidence of depressive symptoms in patients with epilepsy is ...significantly higher than in the general population or in patients with other neurological disorders or chronic diseases, as shown by the majority, albeit not all, findings. Even the rate of suicide is higher in epileptic patients than in the general population. Such observations suggest the existence of common neurobiological substrates involving hyperactivity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as disturbances of different neurotransmitter systems, particularly serotonin and norepinephrine. The aim of this paper is to review the current literature on the prevalence, clinical manifestations and etiology of depression in epilepsy, with a particular focus on the possible pathophysiological mechanisms shared by the two conditions. In spite of the large amount of data, several questions remain open and further studies are necessary to explore more thoroughly the complex and bidirectional relationships between epilepsy and depression.
The paper presents the results of a case study conducted on the Holocene alluvial deposits of the Tiber River valley, in the city of Rome. The main test site selected for the study, Valco S. Paolo, ...is located about 2 km South of Rome's historical centre. The alluvial deposits were dynamically characterized in a comprehensive way via site investigations and geotechnical laboratory tests. Normalized shear modulus decay and damping curves (G/G0 and D/D0 vs γ) were obtained for the dominantly fine‐grained levels. The curves demonstrate that these levels have a more marked shear stiffness decay if compared with the underlying Pliocene bedrock. Decay curves from laboratory tests for the Tiber alluvia correlated well with the trend of the function proposed by Hardin and Drnevich, making it possible to derive their specific interpolation function coefficients. Use was made of the extrapolation of the findings from the Valco S. Paolo test site to a large part of Rome's historical centre by means of two other test sites, supported by an engineering‐geology model of the complex spatial distribution of the Tiber alluvia. The experimental Valco S. Paolo Vs profile was extrapolated to the other test sites on the basis of a stratigraphic criterion; the analysis of seismic noise measurements, obtained for the three test sites, validated the engineering‐geology based extrapolation and showed that the main rigidity contrast occurs inside the alluvial body (at the contact with the underlying basal gravel‐level G) and not between the alluvia and the Plio‐Pleistocene bedrock, composed of highly consistent clay (Marne Vaticane). The 1D modeling of local seismic response to the maximum expected earthquakes in the city of Rome confirms that the deposits have one principal mode of vibration at about 1 Hz. However, the simulation also evidenced that the silty‐clay deposits (level C), making up the most part of the Tiber alluvial body, play a key role in characterizing the soil column deformation profile since it can be affected by non linear effects induced by the maximum expected earthquake when some stratigraphic conditions are satisfied.
Recent use of smartphone technology to measure knee and spinal movement prompted this study to test the reliability of the free TiltMeter App on an iPhone and compare this to the digital ...inclinometer. Discussion: With the majority of health care providers owning a smart phones and with the low cost...
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