Lund University

About: Lund University is a education organization based out in Lund, Sweden. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 42345 authors who have published 124676 publications receiving 5016438 citations. The organization is also known as: Lunds Universitet & University of Lund.

Model reduction via balanced state space representations

Abstract: A model reduction procedure, based on balanced state space representations, is studied in this paper. The reduced order model is examined from the point of view of stability, controllability, and observability. Both continuous time and discrete time systems are considered.

Time-varying periodic convolutional codes with low-density parity-check matrix

Abstract: We present a class of convolutional codes defined by a low-density parity-check matrix and an iterative algorithm for decoding these codes The performance of this decoding is close to the performance of turbo decoding Our simulation shows that for the rate R=1/2 binary codes, the performance is substantially better than for ordinary convolutional codes with the same decoding complexity per information bit As an example, we constructed convolutional codes with memory M=1025, 2049, and 4097 showing that we are about 1 dB from the capacity limit at a bit-error rate (BER) of 10/sup -5/ and a decoding complexity of the same magnitude as a Viterbi decoder for codes having memory M=10

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist reduces mortality from endotoxin shock.

Abstract: About five out of 1,000 patients admitted to hospital develop bacterial sepsis leading to shock, the mortality rate for which is high despite antibiotic therapy. The infection results in hypotension and poor tissue perfusion, and eventually leads to the failure of several organ systems. Bacterial endotoxin is thought to be the direct cause of shock in Gram-negative sepsis, because it can cause shock in animals, and antibodies against endotoxin prevent Gram-negative shock in animals and in humans. But, the symptoms of septic shock are the result of the actions of host cytokines induced by the endotoxin. The cytokine interleukin-1 has been implicated as an important mediator of septic shock because it can induce tachycardia and hypotension and act synergistically with tumour necrosis factor to cause tissue damage and death. We now report that a specific interleukin-1 receptor antagonist reduces the lethality of endotoxin-induced shock in rabbits, indicating that interleukin-1 does indeed play an important part in endotoxin shock.

New relativistic ANO basis sets for transition metal atoms.

Abstract: New basis sets of the atomic natural orbital (ANO) type have been developed for the first, second, and third row transition metal atoms. The ANOs have been obtained from the average density matrix of the ground and lowest excited states of the atom, the positive and negative ions, and the atom in an electric field. Scalar relativistic effects are included through the use of a Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian. Multiconfigurational wave functions have been used with dynamic correlation included using second order perturbation theory (CASSCF/CASPT2). The basis sets are applied in calculations of ionization energies, electron affinities, and excitation energies for all atoms and polarizabilities for spherically symmetric atoms. These calculations include spin-orbit coupling using a variation-perturbation approach. Computed ionization energies have an accuracy better than 0.2 eV in most cases. The accuracy of computed electron affinities is the same except in cases where the experimental values are smaller than 0.5 eV. Accurate results are obtained for the polarizabilities of atoms with spherical symmetry. Multiplet levels are presented for some of the third row transition metals.

EULAR Recommendations for the management of primary small and medium vessel vasculitis

Abstract: Objectives: To develop European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of small and medium vessel vasculitis. Methods: An expert group (consisting of 10 rheumatologists, 3 nephrologists, 2 immunologists, 2 internists representing 8 European countries and the USA, a clinical epidemiologist and a representative from a drug regulatory agency) identified 10 topics for a systematic literature search using a modified Delphi technique. In accordance with standardised EULAR operating procedures, recommendations were derived for the management of small and medium vessel vasculitis. In the absence of evidence, recommendations were formulated on the basis of a consensus opinion. Results: In all, 15 recommendations were made for the management of small and medium vessel vasculitis. The strength of recommendations was restricted by low quality of evidence and by EULAR standardised operating procedures. Conclusions: On the basis of evidence and expert consensus, recommendations have been made for the evaluation, investigation, treatment and monitoring of patients with small and medium vessel vasculitis for use in everyday clinical practice.