A matched case-control design is a common approach used to assess diseaseexposure relationships, and is often a more efficient method than an unmatched design. However, for the valid analysis of such an approach, a modeling technique that incorporates the matched nature of the data is needed. This prohibits the use of a standard unconditional logistic regression analysis generally available in ...

PURPOSE To determine whether outcomes could be changed after poor response to non-specific exercise therapy when the prescription was changed to specific, directional-preference exercises (McKenzie method). METHODS Patients who participated in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) and the alternative care phase immediately following formed the cohort for this case series. In an earlier RCT, patie...

Efficiency, reliability and lifetime of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are significantly limited by inadequate water management. High-performance active control algorithms cannot be implemented due to the absence adequate online sensors that can measure internal liquid saturation. A promising technique applied in this context is state observer. However, cell models present str...

With the increasing applications based on location, the researches on spatiotemporal data, especially queries of spatiotemporal data have attracted a lot of attention. XML, as a standard language of information exchanging over the Web, should have the ability to query spatiotemporal data. In this paper, we propose an algorithm, TwigSPFast, for matching a spatiotemporal XML query twig pattern. W...

Single plane illumination microscopy based fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (SPIM-FCS) is a new method for imaging FCS in 3D samples, providing diffusion coefficients, flow velocities and concentrations in an imaging mode. Here we extend this technique to two-color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (SPIM-FCCS), which allows to measure molecular interactions in an imaging mode. We...

Since the introduction of microsurgical technique over 40 years ago, replantation of the upper extremity has been performed throughout the world with regularity. Instead of focusing solely on survival of the replanted parts, hand surgeons are more aware of the functional, health-related quality of life and economic issues associated with this complex procedure. Derived from several decades of e...

An e-Negotiation process comprises computerfacilitated tasks, each of which aims at resolving an issue or a collection of co-related issues under negotiation. It involves an iterative decision process in which two or more parties make individual decisions and interact with each other, aiming to arrive at a contract. In each iterative decision process, a party makes offers or counter offers that...

BACKGROUND Cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained by quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) versus trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) in Hong Kong elderly were estimated over 9 seasons. METHODS TIV-unmatched influenza B infection rates with QIV versus TIV were estimated by an epidemiology model. Model parameters included percentages of influenza B lineages in circulation, influenza ...

The present study aimed to investigate whether the visual system scales apparent depth from binocularly unmatched features by using absolute distance information. In Experiment 1 we examined the effect of convergence on perceived depth in phantom stereograms [Gillam, B., & Nakayama, K. (1999). Quantitative depth for a phantom surface can be based on cyclopean occlusion cues alone. Vision Resear...