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Purpose: The aim of the present study was to develop a simple and accurate way to measure vitamin D levels. Vitamin D nowadays is measured by a variety of methods which their common drawbacks are expensive equipment and the need for high trained technical staff. In this research we measured vitamin D levels by means of Fourier transform infra red method in conjugation with the evanescent wave spectroscopy technique, in order to develop a simpler vitamin D measurement method. Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients with vitamin D deficiency at five intervals before and up to 16 days after they took a dose of 200,000 IU vitamin D 3. Samples were measured by the conventional bio-chemical method and by the evanescent wave spectroscopy means. Results: Correlation was found between the vitamin D levels measured by the traditional method and by the evanescent wave spectroscopy technique. The absorption lines occurred prominently in the IR spectral regions of the Amide I (&1650 cm -1),Amide II (&1530 cm -1) and the (&3400 cm -1) absorption band which is attributed to the hydroxyl group indicated by the O-H stretch. In addition, the examination of the blood samples using the evanescent wave spectroscopy with clustering techniques facilitated the discrimination between vitamin D deficiency and normal vitamin D levels. Practical relevance: This study demonstrates the potential of using the Fourier transform infra red method in conjugation with the evanescent wave spectroscopy techniquecoupled with multivariate analysis as a non-expensive, rapid and accurate alternative to the routine methodologies.

Two methods are proposed for testing the error distribution in mixed effects models, where J measurements are taken on each of I individuals. The test statistics involve empirical characteristic functions resulting from estimation of the mixed effects. One method is designed for J large and is justified by asymptotic results when J→∞. The other is appropriate for moderately small J, and appears to be a simpler alternative method achieving the near n consistency of the procedure of Hall and Yao (2003). This method is based on a novel use of piecewise linear approximations to characteristic functions along a grid, and its computation may be simplified using complex arithmetic. Theoretical and computational issues are addressed while Monte Carlo results show that the new procedures compare favorably with classical methods. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

A transtibial amputation (ITA) prosthetic user has to deal with daily complications associated with his artificial limb. Though highly progressed, technologically and functionally, the TTA prosthesis is far from ideally replacing an intact limb, mainly due to unique inherent anatomy. After a long and complicated fitting process, the prosthetic limb is often a source of gait abnormalities, limb pain and soft tissue breakdown. While commercial prosthetic accessories and aids are plentiful, tools that analyze the mechanical conditions in the soft tissues of the residual limb during load-bearing are scarce. Therefore, clinicians are not well-equipped with tools that are able to quantify the effectiveness of socket rectification and the use of aids, e.g. liners and thigh corset. In this review we will discuss TTA aetiology and elaborate on the prostheses that are most commonly used today. We will also review gait characteristic and its associated complications. Mainly, we will discuss socket limb interaction and methods for quantifying the internal mechanical conditions in the residual limb for the purpose of preventing deep tissue injuries.

Dysphoric states were observed in a patient immediately after right unilateral and bilateral ECT, while euphoric states followed left unilateral ECT, suggesting that disruption of lateralized neural mechanisms may have been involved in the pathophysiology of the affective states.