Bayesian consensus clustering for multivariate longitudinal data

In clinical and epidemiological studies, there is a growing interest in studying the heterogeneity among patients based on longitudinal characteristics to identify subtypes of the study population. Compared to clustering a single longitudinal marker, simultaneously clustering multiple longitudinal markers allow additional information to be incorporated into the clustering process, which reveals co-existing longitudinal patterns and generates deeper biological insight. In the current study, we propose a Bayesian consensus clustering (BCC) model for multivariate longitudinal data. Instead of arriving at a single overall clustering, the proposed model allows each marker to follow marker-specific local clustering and these local clusterings are aggregated to find a global (consensus) clustering. To estimate the posterior distribution of model parameters, a Gibbs sampling algorithm is proposed. We apply our proposed model to the primary biliary cirrhosis study to identify patient subtypes that may be associated with their prognosis. We also perform simulation studies to compare the clustering performance between the proposed model and existing models under several scenarios. The results demonstrate that the proposed BCC model serves as a useful tool for clustering multivariate longitudinal data.     

Acute toxicity of chlorpyrifos to the non-target organism Cnesterodon decemmaculatus

Chlorpyrifos is the most used insecticide in Argentina. Cnesterodon decemmaculatus is a widely distributed, endemic fish from Neotropical America. It attains high densities in the shallow water assemblages of Argentina and Brazil. The aim of this study was to assess the acute toxicity of chlorpyrifos to C. decemmaculatus. The mean 96-h LC₅₀ of three independent determinations was 105.3 (±?3.1) μg/L. Sublethal effects were observed. Swimming behavioral changes at each chlorpyrifos exposure concentration were reported. C. decemmaculatus represents a good model for ecotoxicological risk assessment.     

Multivariate modelling of responses to conditional items: New possibilities for latent class analysis

Questionnaire data may contain missing values because certain questions do not apply to all respondents. For instance, questions addressing particular attributes of a symptom, such as frequency, triggers or seasonality, are only applicable to those who have experienced the symptom, while for those who have not, responses to these items will be missing. This missing information does not fall into the category ‘missing by design’, rather the features of interest do not exist and cannot be measured regardless of survey design. Analysis of responses to such conditional items is therefore typically restricted to the subpopulation in which they apply. This article is concerned with joint multivariate modelling of responses to both unconditional and conditional items without restricting the analysis to this subpopulation. Such an approach is of interest when the distributions of both types of responses are thought to be determined by common parameters affecting the whole population. By integrating the conditional item structure into the model, inference can be based both on unconditional data from the entire population and on conditional data from subjects for whom they exist. This approach opens new possibilities for multivariate analysis of such data. We apply this approach to latent class modelling and provide an example using data on respiratory symptoms (wheeze and cough) in children. Conditional data structures such as that considered here are common in medical research settings and, although our focus is on latent class models, the approach can be applied to other multivariate models. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal variation in the content of a febrifugine and isofebrifugine alkaloid mixture in aerial parts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hydrangea macrophylla</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Otaksa</Emphasis>, with special reference to its antimalarial activity

Febrifugine and isofebrifugine alkaloid mixtures extracted from the leaves and buds of Hydrangea macrophylla var. Otaksa, collected during different months, in Japan, were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Leaves collected during the flowering season, namely from June to August, contained 0.16–0.31 mg/g of the alkaloid mixture, whereas those collected from September to December had less than 0.03 mg/g of the mixture. However, extracts of buds harvested from October to February contained a consistently larger amount (more than 0.49 mg/g) of the alkaloids. Hot-water extracts from the leaves and buds collected during different seasons were evaluated for antimalarial activity against Plasmodium yoelii 17XL in mice. The extract of leaves collected in August demonstrated high antimalarial activity, and all mice that received the extract survived the infection. In contrast, the extract of leaves collected in December showed little activity. The extract of buds collected in December cleared parasites, but with subsequent mortality to mouse. The present results show that the amount of antimalarial agent—febrifugine and isofebrifugine mixture—in H. macrophylla var. Otaksa is both part- and season-dependent, suggesting that the choice of plant parts and their harvesting season are important factors worth considering in the pharmacological use of medicinal plants.     

12种中草药的乙醇提取液对印鼠客蚤的毒效研究

目的:探讨中草药灭蚤的可行性。方法:用乙醇提出12种中草药的可溶成分,以瓶膜法测定其对印鼠客蚤的毒力。结果:在0.5g/ml(生药)的浓度下,10种中草药对印鼠客蚤有速效击倒作用,其中鸡血藤、巴豆仁、除虫菊花的10min击倒率大于50％;5种中草药的KD_(50)小于15min,比2％DDVP为优;巴豆仁接触30min恢复24h死亡率为70％。结论:除虫菊花、黎芦、鸡血藤、巴豆仁、贯众用于杀蚤有一定价值。     

济南市德国小蠊对常用化学杀虫剂的敏感性测定

目的 :了解济南市德国小蠊 (BlattellaGermanica)对常用化学杀虫剂的抗药性 ,指导科学、合理使用杀虫剂。方法 :药膜接触法。结果 :野外品系德国小蠊与敏感品系比较 ,对氯氰菊酯、溴氰菊酯、残杀威、DDVP的抗性系数分别为 10 .2 2、3 .2 1、1.18、1.19。结论 :济南市德国小蠊对 4种杀虫剂的敏感性不一 ,在害虫防制时须选择使用适当的杀虫剂     

地黄合剂降血糖作用的实验性研究

本文通过用四氧嘧啶复制小白鼠糖尿病模型,以血清中血糖及胰岛素水平为指标,研究了地黄合剂对高糖动物的降血糖作用。结果表明,注射四氧嘧啶前小白鼠血糖为173.47±5.23mg/100ml注射后血糖升高至419.78±22.70mg/100ml(P<0.01),差异有高度显著性。实验组服用地黄合剂后,血糖值从410.25±2739mg/100ml下降至313.51±29.39mg/100ml(P<0.05)差异有显著性。因而认为地黄合剂对于四氧嘧啶性糖尿病有显著的降血糖作用。     

致倦库蚊有机磷抗性相关扩增酯酶B基因的多样性

本实验从佛山和成都两地的致倦库蚊群体中筛选出３个酯酶类型不同的有机磷（ＯＰ）抗性品系，ＦＳ－１、ＦＳ－２和ＣＤ－１品系。各品系的酯酶基因Ｂ扩增水平、酯酶活性和ＯＰ抗性水平三者一致。各品系酯酶Ｂ基因限制性酶切片段比较分析表明，我国的ＯＰ抗生库蚊群体中不仅有世界性分布的酯酶Ｂ１和Ｂ２，而且在佛山和成都地区各有一个新的独立扩增的酯酶Ｂ，分别命名为Ｂ６和Ｂ７。     

温经化瘀合剂临床疗效观察与研究

目的:验证"温经化瘀舍剂"对妇女寒凝血瘀型痛经的治疗效果;方法:将符合中医诊断标准寒凝血瘀型痛经患者,随机分为2组,分别给予"温经化瘀合剂"和"痛经宁冲剂"进行治疗;结果:治疗组总有效率达95%,对照组总有效率80.5%,治疗组优于对照组,治疗组痊愈率48.3%,对照组痊愈率14.6%,治疗组明显优于对照组.实验动物无明显急性毒性反应,能减轻二甲苯引起的小鼠耳肿胀度,减少缩宫素所致大鼠扭体反应次数,和前列腺素E1所致小鼠扭体反应次数,对大鼠离体子宫有双向调节作用,证明"温经化瘀舍剂"具有镇痛、抗炎作用.     

复配杀虫母液灭蚊效果评价

目的 :评价复配杀虫母液灭蚊虫效果。方法 :设试验区和对照区 ,试验区用有效成分含量 2 0 %的复配杀虫母液按 5 m l/ m3超低容量喷雾 ;对照区用 2 0 % DDVP同浓度超低容量喷雾。结果 :复配杀虫母液超低容量喷雾 2 h后 ,蚊密度下降率为 93.3% ,RPI为 2 6 .7;4h后下降率为 98.3% ,RPI为 12 .4。结论 :复配杀虫母液用超低容量喷雾能迅速杀灭成蚊 ,是特殊情况下短时间内降低室内成蚊密度较为理想的杀虫药剂。