bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
cvc5: A Versatile and Industrial-Strength SMT Solver
Authors: Barbosa Haniel , Barrett Clark , Brain Martin , Kremer Gereon , Lachnitt Hanna , Mann Makai , Mohamed Abdalrhman , Mohamed Mudathir , Niemetz Aina , Nötzli Andres , Ozdemir Alex , Preiner Mathias , Reynolds Andrew , Sheng Ying , Tinelli Cesare , Zohar Yoni
Published: March 2022

cvc5 is the latest SMT solver in the cooperating validity checker series and builds on the successful code base of CVC4. This paper serves as a comprehensive system description of cvc5 ’s architectural design and highlights the major features and components introduced since CVC4  1.8. We evaluate cvc5 ’s performance on all benchmarks in SMT-LIB and provide a comparison against CVC4 and Z3.
Transition Power Abstractions for Deep Counterexample Detection
Authors: Blicha Martin , Fedyukovich Grigory , Hyvärinen Antti E. J. , Sharygina Natasha
Published: March 2022

While model checking safety of infinite-state systems by inferring state invariants has steadily improved recently, most verification tools still rely on a technique based on bounded model checking to detect safety violations. In particular, the current techniques typically analyze executions by unfolding transitions one step at a time, and the slow growth of execution length prevents detection of deep counterexamples before the tool reaches its limits on computations. We propose a novel model-checking algorithm that is capable of both proving unbounded safety and finding long counterexamples. The idea is to use Craig interpolation to guide the creation of symbolic abstractions ofexponentially longer sequences of transitions. Our experimental analysis shows that on unsafe benchmarks with deep counterexamples our implementation can detect faulty executions that are at least an order of magnitude longer than those detectable by the state-of-the-art tools.
ZDD Boolean Synthesis
Authors: Lin Yi , Tabajara Lucas M. , Vardi Moshe Y.
Published: March 2022

Motivated by applications in boolean-circuit design, boolean synthesis is the process of synthesizing a boolean function with multiple outputs, given a relation between its inputs and outputs. Previous work has attempted to solve boolean functional synthesis by converting a specification formula into a Binary Decision Diagram (BDD) and quantifying existentially the output variables. We make use of the fact that the specification is usually given in the form of a Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF) formula, and we can perform resolution on a symbolic representation of a CNF formula in the form of a Zero-suppressed Binary Decision Diagram (ZDD). We adapt the realizability test to the context of CNF and ZDD, and show that theCrossoperation defined in earlier work can be used for witness construction. Experiments show that our approach is complementary to BDD-based Boolean synthesis.
Formal Verification of the Ethereum 2.0 Beacon Chain
Authors: Cassez Franck , Fuller Joanne , Asgaonkar Aditya
Published: March 2022

We report our experience in the formal verification of the reference implementation of the Beacon Chain. The Beacon Chain is the backbone component of the new Proof-of-Stake Ethereum 2.0 network: it is in charge of tracking information about the validators, their stakes, their attestations (votes) and if some validators are found to be dishonest, to slash them (they lose some of their stakes). The Beacon Chain is mission-critical and any bug in it could compromise the whole network. The Beacon Chain reference implementation developed by the Ethereum Foundation is written in Python, and provides a detailed operational description of the state machine each Beacon Chain’s network participant (node) must implement. We have formally specified and verified the absence of runtime errors in (a large and critical part of) the Beacon Chain reference implementation using the verification-friendly language Dafny. During the course of this work, we have uncovered several issues, proposed verified fixes. We have also synthesised functional correctness specifications that enable us to provide guarantees beyond runtime errors. Our software artefact with the code and proofs in Dafny is available at https://github.com/ConsenSys/eth2.0-dafny.
Maximizing Branch Coverage with Constrained Horn Clauses
Authors: Zlatkin Ilia , Fedyukovich Grigory
Published: March 2022

State-of-the-art solvers for constrained Horn clauses (CHC) are successfully used to generate reachability facts from symbolic encodings of programs. In this paper, we present a new application to test-case generation: if a block of code is provably unreachable, no test case can be generated allowing to explore other blocks of code. Our new approach uses CHC to incrementally construct different program unrollings and extract test cases from models of satisfiable formulas. At the same time, a CHC solver keeps track of CHCs that represent unreachable blocks of code which makes the unrolling process more efficient. In practice, this lets our approach to terminate early while guaranteeing maximal coverage. Our implementation called Horntinuum exhibits promising performance: it generates high coverage in the majority of cases and spends less time on average than state-of-the-art.
Alpinist: An Annotation-Aware GPU Program Optimizer
Authors: Şakar Ömer , Safari Mohsen , Huisman Marieke , Wijs Anton
Published: March 2022

GPU programs are widely used in industry. To obtain the best performance, a typical development process involves the manual or semi-automatic application of optimizations prior to compiling the code. To avoid the introduction of errors, we can augment GPU programs with (pre- and postcondition-style) annotations to capture functional properties. However, keeping these annotations correct when optimizing GPU programs is labor-intensive and error-prone.

This paper introduces Alpinist, an annotation-aware GPU program optimizer. It applies frequently-used GPU optimizations, but besides transforming code, it also transforms the annotations. We evaluate Alpinist, in combination with the VerCors program verifier, to automatically optimize a collection of verified programs and reverify them.
Under-Approximating Expected Total Rewards in POMDPs
Authors: Bork Alexander , Katoen Joost-Pieter , Quatmann Tim
Published: March 2022

We consider the problem: is the optimal expected total reward to reach a goal state in a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) below a given threshold? We tackle this—generally undecidable—problem by computing under-approximations on these total expected rewards. This is done by abstracting finite unfoldings of the infinite belief MDP of the POMDP. The key issue is to find a suitable under-approximation of the value function. We provide two techniques: a simple (cut-off) technique that uses a good policy on the POMDP, and a more advanced technique (belief clipping) that uses minimal shifts of probabilities between beliefs. We use mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) to find such minimal probability shifts and experimentally show that our techniques scale quite well while providing tight lower bounds on the expected total reward.
AProVE: Non-Termination Witnesses for C Programs
Authors: Hensel Jera , Mensendiek Constantin , Giesl Jürgen
Published: March 2022

To (dis)prove termination of programs, uses symbolic execution to transform the program’s code into an integer transition system, which is then analyzed by several backends. The transformation steps in and the tools in the backend only produce sub-proofs in their domains. Hence, we now developed new techniques to automatically combine the essence of these proofs. If non-termination is proved, then they yield an overall witness, which identifies a non-terminating path in the original program.
GDart: An Ensemble of Tools for Dynamic Symbolic Execution on the Java Virtual Machine (Competition Contribution)
Authors: Mues Malte , Howar Falk
Published: March 2022

GDart is an ensemble of tools allowing dynamic symbolic execution of JVM programs. The dynamic symbolic execution engine is decomposed into three different components: a symbolic decision engine (DSE), a concolic executor (SPouT), and a SMT solver backend allowing meta-strategy solving of SMT problems (JConstraints). The symbolic decision component is loosely coupled with the executor by a newly introduced communication protocol. At SV-COMP 2022, GDart solved 471 of 586 tasks finding more correct false results (302) than correct true results (169). It scored fourth place.
Correct Probabilistic Model Checking with Floating-Point Arithmetic
Authors: Hartmanns Arnd
Published: March 2022

Probabilistic model checking computes probabilities and expected values related to designated behaviours of interest in Markov models. As a formal verification approach, it is applied to critical systems; thus we trust that probabilistic model checkers deliver correct results. To achieve scalability and performance, however, these tools use finite-precision floating-point numbers to represent and calculate probabilities and other values. As a consequence, their results are affected by rounding errors that may accumulate and interact in hard-to-predict ways. In this paper, we show how to implement fast and correct probabilistic model checking by exploiting the ability of current hardware to control the direction of rounding in floating-point calculations. We outline the complications in achieving correct rounding from higher-level programming languages, describe our implementation as part of the Modest Toolset’s model checker, and exemplify the tradeoffs between performance and correctness in an extensive experimental evaluation across different operating systems and CPU architectures.
Symbiotic-Witch: A Klee-Based Violation Witness Checker
Authors: Ayaziová Paulína , Chalupa Marek , Strejček Jan
Published: March 2022

Symbiotic-Witch is a new tool for checking violation witnesses in the GraphML-based format used at SV-COMP since 2015. Roughly speaking, Symbiotic-Witch symbolically executes a given program with Klee and simultaneously tracks the set of nodes the witness automaton can be in. Moreover, it reads the return values of nondeterministic functions specified in the witness and uses them to prune the symbolic execution. The violation witness is confirmed if the symbolic execution reaches an error and the current set of witness nodes contains a matching violation node. Symbiotic-Witch currently supports violation witnesses of reachability safety, memory safety, memory cleanup, and overflow properties.
Correlated Equilibria and Fairness in Concurrent Stochastic Games
Authors: Kwiatkowska Marta , Norman Gethin , Parker David , Santos Gabriel
Published: March 2022

Game-theoretic techniques and equilibria analysis facilitate the design and verification of competitive systems. While algorithmic complexity of equilibria computation has been extensively studied, practical implementation and application of game-theoretic methods is more recent. Tools such as PRISM-games support automated verification and synthesis of zero-sum and ($$\varepsilon $$
ε
-optimal subgame-perfect) social welfare Nash equilibria properties for concurrent stochastic games. However, these methods become inefficient as the number of agents grows and may also generate equilibria that yield significant variations in the outcomes for individual agents. We extend the functionality of PRISM-games to support correlated equilibria, in which players can coordinate through public signals, and introduce a novel optimality criterion of social fairness, which can be applied to both Nash and correlated equilibria. We show that correlated equilibria are easier to compute, are more equitable, and can also improve joint outcomes. We implement algorithms for both normal form games and the more complex case of multi-player concurrent stochastic games with temporal logic specifications. On a range of case studies, we demonstrate the benefits of our methods.
On-The-Fly Solving for Symbolic Parity Games
Authors: Laveaux Maurice , Wesselink Wieger , Willemse Tim A. C.
Published: March 2022

Parity games can be used to represent many different kinds of decision problems. In practice, tools that use parity games often rely on a specification in a higher-order logic from which the actual game can be obtained by means of an exploration. For many of these decision problems we are only interested in the solution for a designated vertex in the game. We formalise how to use on-the-fly solving techniques during the exploration process, and show that this can help to decide the winner of such a designated vertex in an incomplete game. Furthermore, we define partial solving techniques for incomplete parity games and show how these can be made resilient to work directly on the incomplete game, rather than on a set of safe vertices. We implement our techniques for symbolic parity games and study their effectiveness in practice, showing that speed-ups of several orders of magnitude are feasible and overhead (if unavoidable) is typically low.
On Nieh-Yan transport
Authors: Valle Manuel , Vázquez-Mozo Miguel Á.
Published: March 2022

Abstract

We study nondissipative transport induced by the Nieh-Yan anomaly. After computing the torsional terms in the equilibrium partition function using transgression, we find the constitutive relations for the covariant axial-vector, heat, stress, and spin currents. A number of new transport effects are found, driven by background torsion and the spin chemical potential. Torsional constitutive relations in two-dimensional systems are also analyzed.
Selective cleavage of ncRNA and antiviral activity by RNase2/EDN in THP1-induced macrophages
Authors: Lu Lu , Li Jiarui , Wei Ranlei , Guidi Irene , Cozzuto Luca , Ponomarenko Julia , Prats-Ejarque Guillem , Boix Ester
Published: March 2022

RNase2 is the member of the RNaseA family most abundant in macrophages. Here, we knocked out RNase2 in THP-1 cells and analysed the response to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV induced RNase2 expression, which significantly enhanced cell survival. Next, by cP-RNAseq sequencing, which amplifies the cyclic-phosphate endonuclease products, we analysed the ncRNA population. Among the ncRNAs accumulated in WT vs KO cells, we found mostly tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) and second miRNAs. Differential sequence coverage identified tRFs from only few parental tRNAs, revealing a predominant cleavage at anticodon and d-loops at U/C (B1) and A (B2) sites. Selective tRNA cleavage was confirmed in vitro using the recombinant protein. Likewise, only few miRNAs were significantly more abundant in WT vs RNase2-KO cells. Complementarily, by screening of a tRF & tiRNA array, we identified an enriched population associated to RNase2 expression and RSV exposure. The results confirm the protein antiviral action and provide the first evidence of its cleavage selectivity on ncRNAs.

Graphical abstract
Akutes Kompartmentsyndrom der Extremitäten
Authors: Kalbas Y. , Kumabe Y. , Sellei R. M. , Pape H. C.
Published: March 2022

Das akute Kompartmentsyndrom der Extremitäten ist ein chirurgischer Notfall, dessen schnelle Diagnose und sofortige operative Therapie essenziell für das Outcome sind. Ursächlich ist ein Anstieg des Gewebedruckes innerhalb einer durch Faszien eingeschlossenen Muskelloge und eine daraus resultierende Mikroperfusionsstörung. Diese kann potenziell desaströse Folgen, wie den Verlust der Extremität durch großflächige Nekrosen oder eine vitale Bedrohung durch infektiöse Komplikationen, haben. Obwohl meist traumatisch bedingt, kann auch eine Vielzahl anderer Ursachen zur Entstehung eines Kompartmentsyndroms führen, sodass eine Grundkenntnis dieses Zustandsbildes nicht nur für Unfallchirurgen von großer Wichtigkeit ist. Dies gilt vor allem, weil eine zeitige Therapie eine schnelle Diagnose- und Indikationsstellung erfordert. Im folgenden Artikel wird ein Überblick über die zugrunde liegende Pathophysiologie, die Ursachen, die Symptome sowie die Therapie des akuten Kompartmentsyndroms dargestellt.
Die Rolle des Internets als medizinische Informationsquelle für orthopädische Patienten
Authors: Hertling Stefan , Matziolis Georg , Graul Isabel
Published: March 2022

Einführung

Der Vormarsch der digitalen Revolution im Medizin- und Gesundheitsbereich wird als „e-health“ bezeichnet. Das Internet dient als digitale Gesundheitsinformationsplattform, da eine medizinische Informationsquelle unverzichtbar ist. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, orthopädische Patienten auf ihr Informationsverhalten über ihre Erkrankungen zu untersuchen. Dabei werden die Rolle und Bedeutung des Internets als informative Gesundheitsanwendung für diese Patienten beleuchtet.

Materialen und Methoden

Grundlage dieser prospektiven Querschnittsstudie war eine Patientenbefragung in Deutschland bei orthopädischen Patienten von Juli 2019 bis Juli 2020. Es wurden deskriptive Statistiken berechnet und Regressionsanalysen durchgeführt, um Zusammenhänge aufzuzeigen.

Ergebnisse

Wir analysierten die Antworten von 1262 orthopädischen Patienten. Die meisten von ihnen nutzen das Internet als digitale Gesundheitsinformationsplattform. Ihre Internetkenntnisse bewerteten die Patienten unabhängig von Alter oder Bildungsstand als gut bis sehr gut. Die meisten Befragten gaben an, dass sie derzeit mindestens einmal pro Woche das Internet nutzen, um sich über ihre orthopädische Erkrankung zu informieren. Patienten berichteten, dass sich ihre Einstellung zum Internet als digitale medizinische Informationsquelle positiv verändert und dessen Nutzung in den letzten 12 Monaten zugenommen hat.

Schlussfolgerung

Das Internet als informative digitale Gesundheitsanwendung in der Orthopädie wird intensiv genutzt und von den Patienten weitgehend akzeptiert. Während das Misstrauen gegenüber orthopädischen Gesundheitsinformationen aus dem Internet abgenommen hat, stieg aus Patientensicht das Vertrauen in digitale Gesundheitsinformationsplattformen. Das Internet wurde neben der ärztlichen Beratung als hilfreiche Gesundheitsinformationsplattform gesehen.
Solving continuous set covering problems by means of semi-infinite optimization
Authors: Krieg Helene , Seidel Tobias , Schwientek Jan , Küfer Karl-Heinz
Published: March 2022

This article introduces the new class of continuous set covering problems. These optimization problems result, among others, from product portfolio design tasks with products depending continuously on design parameters and the requirement that the product portfolio satisfies customer specifications that are provided as a compact set. We show that the problem can be formulated as semi-infinite optimization problem (SIP). Yet, the inherent non-smoothness of the semi-infinite constraint function hinders the straightforward application of standard methods from semi-infinite programming. We suggest an algorithm combining adaptive discretization of the infinite index set and replacement of the non-smooth constraint function by a two-parametric smoothing function. Under few requirements, the algorithm converges and the distance of a current iterate can be bounded in terms of the discretization and smoothing error. By means of a numerical example from product portfolio optimization, we demonstrate that the proposed algorithm only needs relatively few discretization points and thus keeps the problem dimensions small.
Spatial shifts in swiping actions, the impact of “left” and “right” verbalizations
Authors: Olthuis Raimey , van der Kamp John , Lemmink Koen , Caljouw Simone
Published: March 2022

Movements are often modulated by the meaning of cue words. We explore the interaction between verbal and visual constraints during a movement by investigating if spoken words during movement execution bias late movement control of swiping actions on a tablet when vision of the target is removed during the movement. Verbalization trials required participants to vocalize the spatial directions ‘LEFT’, ‘MIDDLE’, or ‘RIGHT’ of the active target, relative to the other presented targets. A late influence of semantics emerged on movement execution in verbalized trials with action endpoints landing more in the direction of the spoken word than without verbalization. The emergence of the semantic effect as the movement progresses reflects the temporal unfolding of the visual and verbal constraints during the swiping action. Comparing our current results with a similar task using a variant verbalization, we also conclude that, larger semantic content effects are found with spatial direction than numerical magnitude verbalization.
Pulmonary cement embolism is frequently observed but not a contributing factor for death in patients with cemented total hip and knee arthroplasty: a postmortem study
Authors: Ritter Jacob , Hubert Jan , Kniep Inga , Beil Frank Timo , Rolvien Tim , Püschel Klaus
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Bone cement is frequently used for implant fixation in orthopaedic surgery. The occurrence of pulmonary cement embolism (PCE) in hip and knee arthroplasty has been described previously, but the exact extent and frequency have not been adequately studied. A postmortem cohort provides a unique opportunity for a more detailed analysis of this phenomenon.

Methods

Through retrospective analysis of whole-body computed tomography (CT) scans and autopsy protocols, we identified 67 cases with previous cemented total hip or knee arthroplasties. A grading system originally developed for PCE after cemented spine procedures was used. Findings were compared with two control groups: 35 individuals with previous cementless total joint arthroplasty as well as 25 individuals without evidence of prostheses.

Results

PCE was detected in 46.3% of the cases: grade 1 (31.3%), grade 2 (10.5%), and grade 3 (4.5%). No statistically significant difference was found between hip and knee arthroplasties in terms of PCE frequency. Importantly, none of the autopsy reports listed PCE as a cause of death or a contributing factor for the patients’ death. In the two control groups, only one case per group was classified as grade 1 PCE, while the remaining cases did not show any evidence of PCE.

Conclusion

The presented data reveal a high frequency of PCE in hip and knee arthroplasties, which is almost identical to previous findings in patients with cement-augmented interventions in the spine. This way, our results underline the relevance of PCE after arthroplasty, suggesting an adaptation of surgical methods to minimize this complication.
A Pragmatic Approach for Developing Landbase Cumulative Effects Assessments with Aggregated Impacts Crossing Multiple Ecological Values
Authors: Sutherland Glenn D. , Smith Jason , Louise Waterhouse F. , Saunders Sari C. , Paige Kathy
Published: March 2022

In strategic cumulative effects assessments, significant methodological challenges exist for classifying and aggregating impacts when using multiple indicators to determine relative risks upon ecological values from anthropogenic developments. We present a strategic spatial modeling case study CEA (2012–2112) in a 909,000 ha forested landscape of Southwestern British Columbia. We explore decisions needed to calculate and aggregate modeled indicators of cumulative anthropogenic footprints on landscape conditions by examining the choice of quantitative methods. We compare how aggregated impact conclusions may differ for seven indicators grouped in two ways to represent three ecological values (Forest Ecosystems, Riparian Ecosystems and Species at Risk): four expert-defined policy-driven valued components (VCs) or three analytically derived environmental resource factors (ERFs). By explicitly demonstrating methodological choices at each step of impact estimation and aggregation, we outline a practical systematic approach to customize strategic CEAs of this type and retain transparency for interpreting impacts among values. Aggregated impacts for VCs appeared dominated by those estimated from “condition” indicators describing the degree of expected deviations in indicator states from desired conditions; aggregated impacts of ERFs were dominated by “pressure” indicators linked to underlying causal processes assumed important for describing changes in future ecological conditions. High spatial congruence occurred between impact statements for some VCs compared to ERFs representing the same ecological value; poor congruence between others likely occurred because they represented different ecological processes. Aggregated impact classifications may usefully signal impact severity and risk but are dependent on indicator grouping, hence choices for aggregation are integral to the assessment process.
Effects of grid spacing on high-frequency precipitation variance in coupled high-resolution global ocean–atmosphere models
Authors: Light Charles X. , Arbic Brian K. , Martin Paige E. , Brodeau Laurent , Farrar J. Thomas , Griffies Stephen M. , Kirtman Ben P. , Laurindo Lucas C. , Menemenlis Dimitris , Molod Andrea , Nelson Arin D. , Nyadjro Ebenezer , O’Rourke Amanda K. , Shriver Jay F. , Siqueira Leo , Small R. Justin , Strobach Ehud
Published: March 2022

High-frequency precipitation variance is calculated in 12 different free-running (non-data-assimilative) coupled high resolution atmosphere–ocean model simulations, an assimilative coupled atmosphere–ocean weather forecast model, and an assimilative reanalysis. The results are compared with results from satellite estimates of precipitation and rain gauge observations. An analysis of irregular sub-daily fluctuations, which was applied by Covey et al. (Geophys Res Lett 45:12514–12522, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL078926) to satellite products and low-resolution climate models, is applied here to rain gauges and higher-resolution models. In contrast to lower-resolution climate simulations, which Covey et al. (2018) found to be lacking with respect to variance in irregular sub-daily fluctuations, the highest-resolution simulations examined here display an irregular sub-daily fluctuation variance that lies closer to that found in satellite products. Most of the simulations used here cannot be analyzed via the Covey et al. (2018) technique, because they do not output precipitation at sub-daily intervals. Thus the remainder of the paper focuses on frequency power spectral density of precipitation and on cumulative distribution functions over time scales (2–100 days) that are still relatively “high-frequency” in the context of climate modeling. Refined atmospheric or oceanic model grid spacing is generally found to increase high-frequency precipitation variance in simulations, approaching the values derived from observations. Mesoscale-eddy-rich ocean simulations significantly increase precipitation variance only when the atmosphere grid spacing is sufficiently fine (< 0.5°). Despite the improvements noted above, all of the simulations examined here suffer from the “drizzle effect”, in which precipitation is not temporally intermittent to the extent found in observations.
Diagnostic value of open incisional biopsies in suspected, difficult-to-diagnose periprosthetic hip joint infection prior to revision surgery
Authors: Simon M. J. K. , Beyersdorff J. , Strahl A. , Rolvien T. , Rüther W. , Niemeier Andreas
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Prior to revision of total hip arthroplasty (THA), low-grade chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is often difficult to diagnose. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of open incisional tissue biopsy for the prediction of PJI prior to THA revision in cases with culture-negative or dry tap joint aspirates.

Materials and methods

This retrospective single-center study includes 32 consecutive THA revision cases with high clinical suspicion of low-grade chronic PJI of the hip with culture-negative or dry tap joint aspirates and without systemic signs of infection. Open incisional biopsy (OIB) was performed prior to revision surgery. Periprosthetic tissue samples were analyzed by microbiology and histopathology for PJI. During definitive revision arthroplasty, identical diagnostics were repeated. Results from both procedures were compared and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of OIB for the final diagnosis were calculated.

Results

Average age at revision was 69.3 ± 13.5 years. The sensitivity of the OIB procedure was 80% (microbiology), 69% (histology) and 82% for combined analyses (microbiology and histology). Specificity of OIB was 80% (microbiology), 94% (histology) and 60% for combined analyses.

Conclusions

Open tissue biopsy performed in cases with culture-negative or inconclusive synovial fluid aspirates prior to revision of THA has limited diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of PJI. The procedure does not reliably close the diagnostic gap in a substantial number of cases. In this difficult patient population, risk of an open procedure may outweigh benefits and alternative less invasive methods should be considered for the preoperative diagnosis of PJI.
Identifying Patients with Group 3 Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with COPD or ILD Using an Administrative Claims Database
Authors: Heresi Gustavo A. , Dean Bonnie B. , Castillo Howard , Lee Henry F. , Classi Peter , Stafkey-Mailey Dana , Kantorovich Alexander , Morland Kellie , Sketch Margaret R. , Wu Benjamin S. , King Christopher S.
Published: March 2022

Background

Group 3 pulmonary hypertension (PH) describes a subpopulation of patients with PH due to chronic lung disease and/or hypoxia, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) being two large subgroups. Claims database studies provide insights into the real-world treatment patterns and outcomes among these patients. However, claims data do not provide sufficient detail to assign the clinical subtype of PH required for identifying these patients.

Methods

A panel of PH clinical experts and researchers was convened to discuss methodologies to identify patients with Group 3 PH associated with COPD or ILD in retrospective claims databases. To inform the discussion, a literature review was conducted to identify claims-based studies of Group 3 PH associated with COPD or ILD published from 2010 through June 2020.

Results

Targeted title and abstract review identified 11 claims-based studies and two conference abstracts (eight based in the United States [US] and five conducted outside the US) that met search criteria. Based on insights from the panel and literature review, the following components were detailed across studies in the identification of Group 3 PH associated with COPD and ILD: (a) COPD or ILD identification, (b) PH identification, (c) defining the sequence between COPD/ILD and PH, and (d) other PH Group and Group 3 PH exclusions.

Conclusion

This article provides recommended approaches and considerations for identifying and studying patients with Group 3 PH associated with COPD or ILD using administrative claims data that provide the foundation for future validation studies.
Novel hybrid informational model for predicting the creep and shrinkage deflection of reinforced concrete beams containing GGBFS
Authors: Faridmehr Iman , Shariq Mohd , Plevris Vagelis , Aalimahmoody Nasrin
Published: March 2022

This study investigates a Novel Hybrid Informational model for the prediction of creep and shrinkage deflection of reinforced concrete (RC) beams containing different percentages of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) at different ages, varying from 1 to 150 days. The percentage of cement replacement by GGBFS varies from 20 to 60%. In order to examine the effects of the applied load and tensile reinforcement on creep behavior, the magnitude of two-point loading was varied from 200 kg to a maximum of 350 kg while the percentage of tensile reinforcement (ρ) was selected as either 0.77% or 1.2%. The current situation about short-term and long-term deflections due to creep and shrinkage available in the international standards, including ACI, BS and Eurocode 2, is discussed. The results indicate that RC beams containing GGBFS have larger deflections than the ones with conventional concrete (i.e., ordinary Portland cement concrete). After 150 days, the average creep deflection of RC beams containing 20, 40, and 60% GGBFS was 30, 70, and 100% higher than the ones for conventional concrete beams, respectively. A hybrid artificial neural network coupled with a metaheuristic Whale optimization algorithm has been developed to estimate the overall deflection of concrete beams due to creep and shrinkage. Several statistical metrics, including the root mean square error and the coefficient of variation, revealed that the generalized model achieved the most reliable and accurate prediction of the concrete beam’s deflection in comparison with international standards and other models. This novel informational model can simplify the design processes in computational intelligence structural design platforms in future.
The contralateral progression in a cohort of Chinese adult patients with unilateral moyamoya disease after revascularization: a single-center long-term retrospective study
Authors: Tian Xiao , Hu Miao , Zhang Jianjian
Published: March 2022

Background

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic progressive cerebrovascular disease mainly existing in the Asian population, which can be divided into unilateral and bilateral types. Contralateral progression has been reported in pediatric patients with unilateral MMD, while large series about contralateral progression in Chinese adult patients were rare. The goal of this study is to elucidate the clinical features and incidence of contralateral progression in Chinese MMD adult patients.

Methods

One hundred one Chinese adult patients with unilateral MMD who received surgery treatments between January 2015 and January 2017 in our hospital were enrolled in this study. This study contained 89 patients. Digital subtraction angiography was performed in all patients for initial diagnosis, and magnetic resonance angiography was repeated 6 months from the initial operation and then annually. Clinical characteristics, contralateral progression, and risk factors were studied. Previous related studies were also reviewed and meta-analyzed.

Results

Of these 89 patients, contralateral progression was identified in 8 patients (9.0%) within a median follow-up period of 63 months, which was lower than that in previous studies (25.9%). Single-factor analysis and multivariate analysis did not reveal significant risk factors related to the contralateral progression.

Conclusion

The progress rate in this cohort of Chinese adult patients with unilateral MMD after revascularization was 9.0%, which indicates that some of the unilateral MMD were an early form of bilateral MMD rather than a separate condition.

Trial registration.

This work was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University (approval number: Kelun-2017005).
Karst aquifers and water resource contamination in Haiti
Authors: Wampler Peter J.
Published: March 2022

Shallow alluvial and karst aquifers and widespread inadequate sanitation practices combine to impact water resources in Haiti. The vulnerability of aquifers is complicated by complex cultural, ecological, geological, hydrological, and hydrogeological considerations. Roughly 84% of the rocks exposed in Haiti consist of calcareous rocks and alluvium. These lithologies serve as an efficient reservoir and transport mechanism for water-borne pathogens, which negatively impact the health of many Haitians. Data from 9,837 water points indicate that 75% of the water sources in the Centre, 55% in the Nord (North), and 12% in the Ouest (West) departments are considered unsafe or high risk based on World Health Organization standards. Inadequate sanitation and, in some cases, improper siting and installation of pit latrines contribute to poor water quality. Numerous safe-water intervention technologies exist and are effective at removing pathogens that contaminate water sources; however, many Haitians lack the means to obtain these solutions. Future regional precipitation and climate trends will have important implications for selecting appropriate water sources and safe-water interventions. Additional efforts to collect and compile regional water quality data are needed to better understand country-wide contamination trends and patterns.
Risk-neutral PDE-constrained generalized Nash equilibrium problems
Authors: Gahururu Deborah B. , Hintermüller Michael , Surowiec Thomas M.
Published: March 2022

A class of risk-neutral generalized Nash equilibrium problems is introduced in which the feasible strategy set of each player is subject to a common linear elliptic partial differential equation with random inputs. In addition, each player’s actions are taken from a bounded, closed, and convex set on the individual strategies and a bound constraint on the common state variable. Existence of Nash equilibria and first-order optimality conditions are derived by exploiting higher integrability and regularity of the random field state variables and a specially tailored constraint qualification for GNEPs with the assumed structure. A relaxation scheme based on the Moreau-Yosida approximation of the bound constraint is proposed, which ultimately leads to numerical algorithms for the individual player problems as well as the GNEP as a whole. The relaxation scheme is related to probability constraints and the viability of the proposed numerical algorithms are demonstrated via several examples.
Joint-preservation surgery for bone sarcoma in adolescents and young adults
Authors: Yamamoto Norio , Araki Yoshihiro , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: March 2022

Bone sarcoma often occurs in childhood, as well as in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). AYAs differ from pediatric patients in that their bone is skeletally mature and the physis has almost disappeared with the completion of growth. Although AYAs spend less time outside, they often participate in sports activities, as well as driving, working, and raising a family, which are natural activities in daily living. Multidisciplinary approaches involving imaging, multi-agent chemotherapy, surgical procedures, and careful postoperative care has facilitated an increase in limb-sparing surgery for bone sarcoma. In addition, recent advances in imaging modalities and surgical techniques enables joint-preservation surgery, preserving the adjacent epiphysis, for selected patients following the careful assessment of the tumor margins and precise tumor excision. An advantage of this type of surgery is that it retains the native function of the adjacent joint, which differs from joint-prosthesis replacement, and provides excellent limb function. Various reconstruction procedures are available for joint-preserving surgery, including allograft, vascularized fibula graft, distraction osteogenesis, and tumor-devitalized autografts. However, procedure-related complications may occur, including non-union, infection, fracture, and implant failure, and surgeons should fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of these procedures. The longevity of the normal limb function for natural activities and the curative treatment without debilitation from late toxicities should be considered as a treatment goal for AYA patients. This review discusses the concept of joint-preservation surgery, types of reconstruction procedures associated with joint-preservation surgery, and current treatment outcomes.
The goal of risk equalization in regulated competitive health insurance markets
Authors: van de Ven Wynand , Hamstra Gerrit , van Kleef Richard , Reuser Mieke , Stam Piet
Published: March 2022

Different opinions exist about the goal of risk equalization in regulated competitive health insurance markets. There seems to be consensus that an element of the goal of risk equalization is ‘to remove the predictable over- and undercompensations of subgroups of insured’ or, equivalently, ‘to achieve a level playing field for each risk composition of an insurer’s portfolio’ or, equivalently, ‘to remove the incentives for risk selection’. However, the role of efficiency appears to be a major issue: should efficiency also be an element of the goal of risk equalization, or should it be a restriction to the goal, or should efficiency not be an element of the goal or a restriction to the goal? If efficiency plays a role, a comprehensive analysis of the total effect of risk equalization on efficiency needs to be done. An improvement of the performance of a risk equalization scheme has both negative and positive effects on efficiency. Negative effects include the reduction in efficiency via cost- or utilization-based risk adjusters. Positive effects result from leveling the playing field and reducing the incentives for risk selection, which increase efficiency as the outcome of a competitive market. In practice many regulators and policy makers take efficiency into consideration by looking at the negative effects, but hardly at the positive effects. The definition of the goal of risk equalization has consequences for the design and evaluation of risk equalization schemes and for the equalization payments. We describe relevant potential goals, tradeoffs and possible solutions.
Retinal imaging with optical coherence tomography in multiple sclerosis: novel aspects
Authors: Olbert Elisabeth , Struhal Walter
Published: March 2022

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is of increasing interest in the clinical assessment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients beyond the scope of clinical studies. In this narrative review, we discuss novel changes of OCT parameters during acute optic neuritis and the disease course of MS patients. OCT images document the changes of retinal layers during an episode of acute optic neuritis and can therefore provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology. Moreover, MS patients show progredient thinning of retinal layers throughout the disease. The thinning is accelerated through relapses as well as disease progression without relapse. The OCT parameters are also associated with clinical outcome parameters, including disability, cognitive function, and brain atrophy. The impact of disease-modifying therapies on OCT parameters is the subject of ongoing research and depends on the agent used. Additional data are still necessary before OCT parameters can be implemented in the clinical standard of care of MS patients.
Questions, Presuppositions and Fallacies
Authors: Moldovan Andrei
Published: March 2022

In this paper I focus on the fallacy known as Complex Question or Many Questions. After a brief introduction, in Sect. 2 I highlight its pragmatic dimension, and in Sect. 3 its dialectical dimension. In Sect. 4 I present two accounts of this fallacy developed in argumentation theory, Douglas Walton’s and the Pragma-Dialectics’, which have resources to capture both its pragmatic and its dialectical nature. However, these accounts are unsatisfactory for various reasons. In Sect. 5 I focus on the pragmatic dimension of the fallacy and I suggest amendments to the accounts mentioned drawing on the study of the phenomenon of presupposition in theoretical pragmatics. I argue that the central notion in the definition of the fallacy is that of an informative presupposition. In Sect. 6 I focus on the dialectical dimension of the fallacy. This dimension needs to be explicitly acknowledged in the definition of the fallacy in order to distinguish it from a different, non-dialectical, fallacious argumentative move involving presuppositions.
Mechanisms of religious trauma amongst queer people in Australia’s evangelical churches
Authors: Hollier Joel , Clifton Shane , Smith-Merry Jennifer
Published: March 2022

Christian communities teaching traditional theology and ethics, which treat diverse sexualities and gender expansive identities as sinful, can be places where faithful LGBTQIA + people are subject to spiritual abuse. This paper explores the complex dynamics and multilayered mechanisms of this abuse in Australian Evangelical Christianity. It is based on a qualitative research project using 24 semi-structured interviews with LGBTQIA + people who have spent two or more years in Evangelical church settings. The project found that participants were subject to mischaracterization and viewed as a moral threat, and consequently experienced erasure, social distancing, and suffered psychological trauma. The paper uses minority stress and micro-aggression theory to conceptualize these experiences and inform social work practice. It also shows the rich resilience and spiritual growth of participants who navigated trauma and sometimes emerged with a more nuanced and deeper faith. These findings will help queer people coming out in Evangelical churches to understand their experiences, and provide clinicians and others supporting people that have experienced spiritual trauma with conceptual tools and practical examples to aid in therapy and informal recovery settings.
A compact instrument for gamma-ray burst detection on a CubeSat platform II
Authors: Murphy David , Ulyanov Alexey , McBreen Sheila , Mangan Joseph , Dunwoody Rachel , Doyle Maeve , O’Toole Conor , Thompson Joseph , Reilly Jack , Walsh Sarah , Shortt Brian , Martin-Carrillo Antonio , Hanlon Lorraine
Published: March 2022

The Gamma-ray Module, GMOD, is a miniaturised novel gamma-ray detector which will be the primary scientific payload on the Educational Irish Research Satellite (EIRSAT-1) 2U CubeSat mission. GMOD comprises a compact (25 mm$$\times$$×25 mm$$\times$$×40 mm) cerium bromide scintillator coupled to a tiled array of 4$$\times$$×4 silicon photomultipliers, with front-end readout provided by the IDE3380 SIPHRA. This paper presents the detailed GMOD design and the accommodation of the instrument within the restrictive CubeSat form factor. The electronic and mechanical interfaces are compatible with many off-the-shelf CubeSat systems and structures. The energy response of the GMOD engineering qualification model has been determined using radioactive sources, and an energy resolution of 5.4% at 662 keV has been measured. EIRSAT-1 will perform on-board processing of GMOD data. Trigger results, including light-curves and spectra, will be incorporated into the spacecraft beacon and transmitted continuously. Inexpensive hardware can be used to decode the beacon signal, making the data accessible to a wide community. GMOD will have scientific capability for the detection of gamma-ray bursts, in addition to the educational and technology demonstration goals of the EIRSAT-1 mission. The detailed design and measurements to date demonstrate the capability of GMOD in low Earth orbit, the scalability of the design for larger CubeSats and as an element of future large gamma-ray missions.
Effects of the analysed variable set composition on the results of distance-based morphometric surveys
Authors: Bánó Bálint , Takács Péter
Published: March 2022

Distance-based morphometry is still widely used in ichthyology. Beside others, this methodology is often used to characterise species or to compare intraspecific group (i.e. population level) differences. However, scarce information is available about: (a) which are the most widely used variables for these purposes, (b) how certain variables are selected for the morphometric analyses, and (c) how variable set compositions and the number of variables affect the results. To answer these questions, a literature review was compiled and our own three datasets were analysed. The results showed that although a high number of variables can be used, previous authors have measured “common” ones most often, regardless of the taxonomic position of the studied group and the goal of the survey. Additionally, our review showed that authors rarely made a variable selection and often did not standardise their datasets; these are methodical problems that make the accuracy and usability of the results questionable. Analyses of our own three datasets showed that the number of variables and the variable set compositions in most cases strongly influenced stock subdivision and the percentage of correctly classified individuals. It was also shown that the most useable variable sets for morphometric purposes can differ considerably depending on the taxon and goal of the survey.