Slot Machine Structural Characteristics: Creating Near Misses Using High Award Symbol Ratios

A near miss is a failure that was close to a win. In this paper we analyze the primary documents associated with a case that was brought before the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1988. This case resulted in the 1989 ruling that the proprietary computer algorithms used by one slot machine manufacturer to create a high number of near misses on the payline are “unacceptable,” whereas the use of virtual reel mapping to create near misses above and below the payline is acceptable. We show how, before and after 1989, slot machine manufacturers use virtual reels and a technique called “award symbol ratio” to create a high number of near misses above and below the payline and how this acceptable practice has the unintended effect of also creating near misses on the payline which can be explained by a software concept called feature interaction. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of near misses for problem gambling.     

足月儿和近足月儿的临床近期预后对比研究

目的 对比分析足月儿与近足月儿(34周≤胎龄<7周)近期预后情况. 方法 2005年8月-2008年7月我院出生足月儿25 212例和近足月儿1 075例,从中随机抽取足月儿180例和近足月儿130例,收集包括母亲的孕期并发症、分娩方式、羊水情况、新生儿出生体质量和阿普伽新生儿(Apgar)评分等临床资料,比较近足月儿和足月儿的临床近期预后(呼吸困难、体温不稳定、低血糖、黄疸、呼吸暂停及住院天数)有无差异. 结果 足月儿与近足月儿呼吸困难发生率(分别为13.9%与47.7%)、体温不稳定发生率(分别为5.6%与29.2%)、低血糖发生率(分别为5.0%与16.2%)、高胆红素血症发生率(分别为35.6%与58.5%)、呼吸暂停发生率(分别为1.1%与22.3%)比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).足月儿与近足月儿平均住院时间(分别为4与9 d)比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05). 结论 与足月儿相比,近足月儿临床近期并发症的发生率更高,住院时间长,近期预后较差,因此临床上需要对近足月儿的护理及治疗加以重视.     

Metabolic impact of a family history of Type 2 diabetes. Results from a European multicentre study (EGIR).

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance was found in some but not in all previous studies of non-diabetic first degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients. Small study groups, ethnic differences and/or non-optimal techniques may explain the conflicting results. AIM: To study the impact of a family history of Type 2 diabetes on insulin action in a large group of non-diabetic Europeans using the 'gold standard' euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique. METHODS: Non-diabetic subjects (n = 235) with a positive family history of Type 2 diabetes (FH+) and 564 subjects with no family history of diabetes (FH-) were recruited from The European Group of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) database. This database includes measurements of insulin action using the insulin clamp technique (1 mU/kg per min) in normal glucose-tolerant individuals from 20 different European centres. In a subset of subjects the measurements were performed in combination with indirect calorimetry (n = 80 vs. 213 with and without family history of Type 2 diabetes). RESULTS: The body mass index (BMI) was slightly higher in FH+ compared with FH- (26.7 +/- 4.6 vs. 25.1 +/- 4.7 kg/m(2); P < 0.02). After correction for covariates according to differences between investigators and subject characteristics including BMI (multiple regression analysis), insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was lower in FH+ compared with FH- (P < 0.00001). Insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation was slightly increased in FH+ compared with FH-, and insulin-stimulated non-oxidative glucose metabolism was consequently markedly reduced in FH+ compared with FH- (P < 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance is present in European non-diabetic relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients. The insulin resistance is independent of degree of obesity and is restricted solely to the pathway of non-oxidative glucose metabolism. Diabet. Med. 18, 533-540 (2001)     

Defining near misses: Towards a sharpened definition based on empirical data about error handling processes

Medical errors in health care still occur frequently. Unfortunately, errors cannot be completely prevented and 100% safety can never be achieved. Therefore, in addition to error reduction strategies, health care organisations could also implement strategies that promote timely error detection and correction. Reporting and analysis of so-called near misses – usually defined as incidents without adverse consequences for patients – are necessary to gather information about successful error recovery mechanisms. This study establishes the need for a clearer and more consistent definition of near misses to enable large-scale reporting and analysis in order to obtain such information. Qualitative incident reports and interviews were collected on four units of two Dutch general hospitals. Analysis of the 143 accompanying error handling processes demonstrated that different incident types each provide unique information about error handling. Specifically, error handling processes underlying incidents that did not reach the patient differed significantly from those of incidents that reached the patient, irrespective of harm, because of successful countermeasures that had been taken after error detection. We put forward two possible definitions of near misses and argue that, from a practical point of view, the optimal definition may be contingent on organisational context. Both proposed definitions could yield large-scale reporting of near misses. Subsequent analysis could enable health care organisations to improve the safety and quality of care proactively by (1) eliminating failure factors before real accidents occur, (2) enhancing their ability to intercept errors in time, and (3) improving their safety culture.     

Only Multiple Autoantibodies to Islet Cells (ICA), Insulin, GAD65, IA-2 and IA-2β Predict Immune-Mediated (Type 1) Diabetes in Relatives

We report here our prospective study of 15,224 non-diabetic, first-degree relatives of probands with immune-mediated (type 1) diabetes (IMD), of which 135 were found to eventually develop diabetes. We determined islet cell, insulin, GAD65, insulinoma-associated antigen-2 and 2βautoantibodies (ICA, IAA, GAD65A, IA-2A and IA-2βA), on the first available serum samples. The latter three autoantibodies were however assayed on subsets of the relatives with and without ICA, IAA and/or GAD65A, plus most of the relatives who developed diabetes. Of the relatives who progressed to diabetes, 94% had at least one of these autoantibodies on the first screening, while ICA proved to be the most sensitive single marker (sensitivity 74%). Risk of diabetes was however negligible when ICA was found in the absence of the others (5-year RISK=5.3%), but increased dramatically whenever two or more autoantibodies were present (5-year RISK=28.2% and 66.2%, respectively). The most predictive combination of markers was ICA plus IA-2A and/or IA-2β A. Loss of first phase insulin release to IVGTT also occurred only in those ICA-positive relatives who had one or more of the other autoantibodies. The data suggests that significant β-cell damage is seen only when the underlying autoimmunity has spread to multiple antigenic islet cell determinants. Combinations of the autoantibodies occurred most often in relatives with the highest risk HLA-DR/DQ phenotypes. These data document that only relatives positive for at least two or more of these five autoantibodies are at significant risk of diabetes themselves. Intervention trials for the prevention of type 1 diabetes could be designed based on testing for these autoantibodies alone, without the need for HLA typing and IVGTT testing.     

Duration mismatch negativity in biological relatives of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND: One of the most consistent findings in schizophrenia research over the past decade is a reduction in the amplitude of an auditory event-related brain potential known as mismatch negativity (MMN), which is generated whenever a deviant sound occurs in a background of repetitive auditory stimulation. The reduced amplitude of MMN in schizophrenia was first observed for deviant sounds that differ in duration relative to background standard sounds, and similar findings have been observed for sounds that are deviant in frequency. The aim of this study was to determine whether first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients show a similar reduction in MMN amplitude to duration deviants. METHODS: We measured MMN to duration increments (deviants 100 msec vs. standards 50 msec) in 22 medicated patients with a diagnosis in the schizophrenia spectrum, 17 individuals who were first-degree unaffected relatives of patients, and 21 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Mismatch negativity amplitude was reduced in patients and relatives compared with control subjects. There were no significant differences between patients and relatives. In contrast, the subsequent positive component, P3a, was larger in relatives compared with patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a reduced MMN amplitude may be an endophenotype marker of the predisposition to schizophrenia.     

控制性降压时不同通气策略对沙滩椅体位手术患者脑氧饱和度的影响

目的观察四种不同通气策略在控制性降压下对沙滩椅体位手术患者脑氧饱和度(cerebral regional oxygen saturation,rSO2)的影响。方法全麻下择期行肩关节手术患者58例,男17例,女41例,年龄45~64岁,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级,采用随机数字表法分为四组:A组:FiO20.4和P_(ET)CO_2 30~35mmHg;B组:FiO21.0和P_(ET)CO_2 30~35mmHg;C组:FiO20.4和P_(ET)CO_2 40~45mmHg;D组:FiO21.0和P_(ET)CO_2 40~45 mmHg。采用近红外光谱仪(near infrared spectrometer,NIRS)监测患者rSO2。当患者取沙滩椅体位后,调整RR使P_(ET)CO_2维持所需水平,采用血管活性药物控制性降压(MAP 60~70mmHg),记录麻醉诱导后(T1)、改为沙滩椅体位后5min(T2)、通气策略调控后5min(T3)、30min(T4)、60min(T5)及改平卧位后5min(T6)时的MAP和rSO2。结果与T1时比较,T2时四组MAP和rSO2明显降低(P0.05);与T5时比较,T6时四组MAP及rSO2明显升高(P0.05)。T3—T5时,B组、C组rSO2明显高于A组,D组rSO2明显高于B、C组(P0.05),B、C组rSO2差异无统计学意义。结论沙滩椅位患者术中采用低吸入氧浓度并维持较高的呼气末二氧化碳在血压调控下可维持患者有效脑氧供需良好的脑灌注,适用于肩关节镜手术。