bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an online preoperative assessment tool
Authors: O'Shea John , Coleman Margaret , Mahdy Saad , Corbett Mel , Curley Ger
Published: June 2020

Triaging patients into and away from preoperative assessment clinics remains a challenge. Anaesthesia Preoperative Assessment Tool (APAT) is a web application that delivers an online 22 question survey to patients at home, and uses an artificially intelligent algorithm to stratify patient risk and identify the need for non routine preoperative investigation and intervention. We assess APATs accuracy and patient acceptability in this prospective observational study. Patients were recruited at preoperative assessment clinic, where they were assessed by a consultant anaesthetist. Anaesthetist (ASA) grade, need for nonstandard investigation and intervention were recorded (gold standard). Patients were invited to complete an APAT assessment on their PC or smartphone at home, and the results of both assessments compared. 22 patients completed conventional clinical assessment by consultant anaesthetist and online assessment by APAT. APAT score correlates with clinicians ASA grade (rτ=0.6075, p=0.0008). APAT predicts patient risk group (misclassification rate of 0%, Area Under the Curve (AUC)=0.9825). APAT predicts the need for additional investigation (AUC=0.8077) and preoperative intervention (AUC=0.7193). Online assessment was acceptable to 92% of patients. Our findings support the hypothesis that APAT accurately predicts patients perioperative risk and predicts the need for investigation and intervention. Further studies are needed to confirm that APAT may be used to identify ASA 1 and 2 patients who could safely bypass preoperative assessment clinic.
Concurrent validity of the alcohol purchase task in relation to alcohol involvement: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: González-Roz Alba , Martínez-Loredo Víctor , Secades-Villa Roberto , Amlung Michael , MacKillop James
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Alcohol demand, as measured by an alcohol purchase task (APT), provides a multidimensional assessment of the relative reinforcing efficacy of alcohol. The objective of this meta-analysis is to critically appraise the existing literature on the concurrent validity of the APT by meta-analysing the cross-sectional relationships between indices of the APT (ie, breakpoint, Omax, Pmax, elasticity and intensity) and alcohol-related measures. It also aims to examine methodological procedures used to obtain APT indices and individual variables as potential moderators on the assessed estimations.

Methods and analysis

A comprehensive literature search conducted from inception to April 2020 will be conducted in the PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Two authors will independently screen and extract data from articles using a predefined protocol search and extraction forms. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion with two additional reviewers. All results will be tabulated, and a random-effect meta-analysis will be conducted. Participants’ sex, number of prices and APT methodological procedures will be examined as potential moderators on the observed effect sizes.

Ethics and dissemination

Results of this meta-analysis will characterise the concurrent validity of the APT in the existing literature. Further, the results are anticipated to provide evidence on which index (or indices) is most robustly associated with alcohol use and severity. Ethics approval was not required for this study and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019137512
Investigating the relationship between changes in social security benefits and mental health: a protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Simpson Julija , Brown Heather , Bell Zoe , Albani Viviana , Bambra Clare
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Poor mental health is one of the greatest causes of disability in the world. Evidence increasingly shows that population mental health may be influenced by national social security policies. This systematic review aims to establish the relationship between social security and mental health in order to help inform recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and future research.

Methods and analysis

A systematic review of quantitative observational studies investigating mental health outcomes related to changes in social security policies will be conducted. Six major databases, including Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Applied Social Sciences Index Abstracts and Scopus, as well as Research Papers in Economics will be searched from January 1979 to April 2020. The electronic database searches will be supplemented by reference and citation searches as well as hand-searching of key journals. The outcomes of interest are objective or subjective mental health outcomes, including stress, anxiety, depression, self-reported mental health scores, subjective well-being and suicide. Study selection will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and the quality of the studies will be assessed by the validity assessment framework designed for appraising econometric studies. A narrative synthesis will be conducted for all included studies. If data permit, study findings will be synthesised by conducting a meta-analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

As it will be a systematic review, without primary data collection, there will be no requirement for ethical approval. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and in various media, for example, conferences or symposia.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019154733.
Economic evaluation alongside the Probiotics to Prevent Severe Pneumonia and Endotracheal Colonization Trial (E-PROSPECT): study protocol
Authors: Lau Vincent Issac , Cook Deborah J , Fowler Robert , Rochwerg Bram , Johnstone Jennie , Lauzier François , Marshall John C , Basmaji John , Heels-Ansdell Diane , Thabane Lehana , Xie Feng
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common healthcare-associated infection in the intensive care unit (ICU). Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that may confer health benefits when ingested. Prior randomised trials suggest that probiotics may prevent infections such as VAP andClostridioides difficile–associated diarrhoea (CDAD). PROSPECT (Probiotics to Prevent Severe Pneumonia and Endotracheal Colonization Trial) is a multicentre, double-blinded, randomised controlled trial comparing the efficacy of the probioticLactobacillus rhamnosusGG with usual care versus usual care without probiotics in preventing VAP and other clinically important outcomes in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU.

Methods and analysis

The objective of E-PROSPECT is to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ofL. rhamnosusGG plus usual care versus usual care without probiotics in critically ill patients. E-PROSPECT will be performed from the public healthcare payer’s perspective over a time horizon from ICU admission to hospital discharge.

We will determine probabilities of in-ICU and in-hospital events from all patients alongside PROSPECT. We will retrieve unit costs for each resource use item using jurisdiction-specific public databases, supplemented by individual site unit costs if such databases are unavailable. Direct costs will include medications, personnel costs, radiology/laboratory testing, operative/non-operative procedures and per-day hospital ‘hoteling’ costs not otherwise encompassed. The primary outcome is the incremental cost per VAP prevented between the two treatment groups. Other clinical events such as CDAD, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and in-hospital mortality will be included as secondary outcomes. We will perform pre-specified subgroup analyses (medical/surgical/trauma; age; frailty status; antibiotic use; prevalent vs no prevalent pneumonia) and probabilistic sensitivity analyses for VAP, then generate confidence intervals using the non-parametric bootstrapping approach.

Ethics and dissemination

Study approval for E-PROSPECT was granted by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board of McMaster University on 29 July 2019. Informed consent was obtained from the patient or substitute decision-maker in PROSPECT. The findings of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT01782755; Pre-results.
Appreciative inquiry in evaluating integrated primary oral health services in Quebec Cree communities: a qualitative multiple case study
Authors: Shrivastava Richa , Couturier Yves , Girard Felix , Bedos Christophe , Macdonald Mary Ellen , Torrie Jill , Emami Elham
Published: June 2020

Objective

The Strategic Regional Plan of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB), serving the Quebec Cree communities, mandates the objective of integrating oral health within primary healthcare. Emerging evidence suggests that the integration of oral health into primary healthcare can decrease oral health disparities. This research study aimed to answer the following research question: how and to what extent does the integration of oral health into primary healthcare address the oral health needs of the Cree communities?

Design

We used a multiple-case study design within a qualitative approach and developmental evaluation methodology. The Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny model of appreciative inquiry was selected as a study framework among existing frameworks of the developmental evaluation.

Setting

Four purposefully selected Cree communities.

Participants

Healthcare providers, administrators and patients at the community wellness centres and hospital.

Outcome measures

Integration of oral health into primary healthcare.

Results

A total of 36 interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted. We identified ten themes in discovery and dream phases. The Discovery phase identified the strengths of the organisation in facilitating enablers of integration including strategic planning, organisational structure, cultural integration, coordinated networks and colocation. In the Dream phase, participants’ oral healthcare stories expressed various dimensions of integration and their wish for strengthening integration via extending public oral healthcare programmes, increasing resources and improving organisational management. In the Design phase, recommendations were formulated for a future action plan within the CBHSSJB.

Conclusion

This study results suggested that the CBHSSJB has been successful in implementing oral health integration into primary care following its strategic planning. At present, the organisation could extend the level of integration into full integration by following study recommendations derived from the perspective of local stakeholders.
A human factor event-based learning assessment tool for assessment of errors and diagnostic accuracy in histopathology and cytopathology
Authors: Poller David Nigel , Bongiovanni Massimo , Cochand-Priollet Beatrix , Johnson Sarah J , Perez-Machado Miguel
Published: June 2020

This review article summarises systems for categorisation of diagnostic errors in pathology and cytology with regard to diagnostic accuracy and the published information on human factors (HFs) in pathology to date. A 12-point event-based checklist for errors of diagnostic accuracy in histopathology and cytopathology is proposed derived from Dupont’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ HF checklist, as used in the aerospace industry for aircraft maintenance. This HF checklist comprises 12 HFs; (1) Failure of communication. (2) Complacency. (3) Lack of knowledge. (4) Distractions. (5) Lack of teamwork. (6) Fatigue. (7) Lack of resources. (8) Pressure. (9) Lack of assertiveness. (10) Stress. (11) Norms. (12) Lack of awareness. The accompanying article explains practical examples of how each of these 12 HFs may cause errors in diagnostic accuracy in pathology. This checklist could be used as a template for analysis of accuracy and risk of diagnostic error in pathology either retrospectively ‘after the event’ or prospectively at the time of diagnosis. There is a need for further evaluation and validation of this proposed 12-point HF checklist and similar systems for categorisation of diagnostic errors and diagnostic accuracy in pathology based on HF principles.
A concerning display of medical indifference: reply to ‘Chronic fatigue syndrome and an illness-focused approach to care: controversy, morality and paradox’
Authors: O'Leary Diane
Published: June 2020

In ‘Chronic fatigue syndrome and an illness-focused approach to care: controversy, morality and paradox’, authors Michael Sharpe and Monica Greco begin by characterising myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) as illness-without-disease. On that basis they ask why patients reject treatments for illness-without-disease, and they answer with a philosophical idea. Whitehead’s ‘bifurcation of nature’, they suggest, still dominates public and professional thinking, and that conceptual confusion leads patients to reject the treatment they need. A great deal has occurred, however, since Whitehead characterised his culture’s confusions 100 years ago. In our time, I suggest, experience is no longer construed as an invalid second cousin of bodily states in philosophy, in medicine or in the culture at large. More importantly, we must evaluate medical explanations before we reach for philosophical alternatives. The National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Medicine have concluded that ME/CFS is, in fact, a biomedical disease, and all US governmental health organisations now agree. Although it would be productive for Sharpe and Greco to state and support their disagreement with the other side of the disease debate, it is no longer tenable, or safe, to ignore the possibility of disease in patients with ME/CFS, or to recommend that clinicians should do so. When we find ourselves in a framework that suggests the possibility of medical need is somehow beside the point for medical providers, it is time to reconsider our conceptual foundations.
Clinical, angiographic, and treatment characteristics of cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas with pial arterial supply
Authors: Brinjikji Waleed , Cloft Harry J , Lanzino Giuseppe
Published: June 2020

Background

The prevalence of pial arterial supply to cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVF) and its implication in the management of these fistulas is not well characterized. We performed a retrospective study to characterize pial arterial supply to dural arteriovenous fistulas and the implications for treatment.

Methods

Consecutive patients evaluated over a 12-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Angiograms were reviewed to characterize dAVF angioarchitecture and the presence of pial artery supply. Pial artery supply was categorized as dilated pre-existing dural branches and pure pial supply. We then studied the association between pial artery supply and clinical, angiographic, and treatment features.

Results

A total of 201 patients were included of which 27 (13.4%) had pial artery supply. Of these, 11 had supply from dilated pre-existing dural branches, nine had pure pial supply,and seven had both. There was a higher rate of dAVF rupture in the pial supply group (30.8% vs 9.8%, P=0.003) and these fistulas had a higher rate of Borden 2 and 3 (88.9% vs 38.4%, P<0.0001). Fistulas with pial artery supply had similar rates of endovascular and gamma knife treatment, but were more likely to undergo surgery than those without pial supply (25.9% vs 10.4%, P=0.03). Major complication rates were similar between groups (0% vs 1.1%, P=0.55).

Conclusions

More than 10% of dAVFs also have pial supply but this is not a contraindication to embolization. In our study pure pial supply was associated with a more aggressive fistula and was most common in tentorial dAVFs.
Chinese Stroke Association guidelines for clinical management of cerebrovascular disorders: executive summary and 2019 update of clinical management of stroke rehabilitation
Authors: Zhang Tong , Zhao Jun , Li Xueping , Bai Yulong , Wang Baojun , Qu Yun , Li Bingjie , Zhao Shengjie
Published: June 2020

Stroke is the third leading cause of long-term disability. Effective stroke rehabilitation should be provided to patients with a moderate or severe stroke so as to achieve functional recovery. Also, stroke rehabilitation is moving towards more intense therapy models that incorporate technologies such as robotics and computer games. Evidence-based guidelines are useful for promoting the best possible clinical practices. This guideline summarises the modes of stroke rehabilitation in China—three-stage rehabilitation network, rehabilitation of stroke dysfunction, training for activities of daily living, stroke complications and rehabilitation care. The aim of this guideline was to provide a synopsis of best clinical practices in the stroke rehabilitation of adult patients in China.
Dentigerous cyst in a South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus)
Authors: Almansa Ruiz José Carlos , Knox Carol , Boy Sonja , Steenkamp Gerhard
Published: June 2020

The dental pathology of pinnipeds has been well studied with periodontal disease the most common dental pathology accounting for 19.4–91.8 per cent of all dental pathologies. An eight‐month‐old stranded South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) was rescued from the south coast of South Africa; during his rehabilitation process his handlers noticed the absence of his left maxillary canine tooth (204). Eleven years later, during a health examination, the veterinarian upon closed examination could visualise approximately 5 mm of a tooth crown in the area where tooth 204 should have been. A presumed diagnosis of a dentigerous cyst was made based on the radiological findings. Surgery was performed to surgically extract 204 and enucleate the cyst lining. The histological analysis of the enucleated cyst lining confirmed the first reported case of a dentigerous cyst in a marine mammal.
Age and sex-related decline of muscle strength across the adult lifespan: a scoping review of aggregated data
Authors: Haynes E.M.K. , Neubauer N.A. , Cornett K.M.D. , O’Connor B.P. , Jones G.R. , Jakobi J.M.
Published: June 2020

Muscle strength is sex-related and declines with advancing age; yet, a comprehensive comparative evaluation of age-related strength loss in human females and males has not been undertaken. To do so, segmented piecewise regression analysis was performed on aggregated data from studies published from 1990 to 2018 and are available in CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases. The search identified 5613 articles that were reviewed for physical assessment results stratified by sex and age. Maximal isometric and isokinetic 60°·s−1knee extension (KE) and knee flexion (KF) contractions from 57 studies and 15 283 subjects (N = 7918 females) had sufficient data reported on females and males for meaningful statistical evaluation to be undertaken. The analysis revealed that isometric KE and KF strength undergo similar rapid declines in both sexes late in the sixth decade of life. Yet, there is an abrupt age-related decline in KE 60°·s−1peak torque earlier in females (aged 41.8 years) than males (aged 66.7 years). In the assessment of KF peak torque, an age-related acceleration in strength loss was only identified in males (aged 49.3 years). The results suggest that age-related isometric strength loss is similar between sexes while the characteristics of KE and KF peak torque decline are sex-related, which likely explains the differential rate of age-related functional decline.

Novelty Inclusion of muscle strength and torque of KE and KF data from >15 000 subjects. Isometric KE and KF strength loss are similar between sexes. Isokinetic 60°·s−1KE torque decline accelerates 25 years earlier in females and female age-related KF peak torque decline does not accelerate with age.
Spatial and competition models increase the progeny testing efficiency of Japanese larch
Authors: Dong Leiming , Xie Yunhui , Wu Harry X. , Sun Xiaomei
Published: June 2020

The main purpose of this study was to examine spatial and competition effects on estimates of genetic parameters, as well as on selection options for growth traits, including height (H), diameter at breast height (DBH), and volume (V), in a progeny test of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lam.) Carrière) at age 20 years. We compared performances among the individual-tree additive genetic base model (B) with design factors only, the spatial effect model (AR1), the competition model (C), and the combined competition and spatial model (CS). We found that spatial heterogeneity had significant effects on growth traits and that plot variance decreased by more than 80% in the AR1 model relative to the B model. Competition had significant effects on DBH and V but a smaller effect on H. In the C model, direct additive genetic variances ([Formula: see text]) for DBH and V increased by 205% and 93%, respectively, whereas residual variances ([Formula: see text]) decreased by 8% and 6%, respectively. In the CS model, the correlations between direct and competitive genetic effects were 0.83, −0.97, and −0.98 for H, DBH, and V, respectively. Competition significantly affected the forward selection. The proportions of selected elite trees were only 39% and 25% common between the B and CS models for DBH and V, respectively, when selection intensity was 5%. For breeding selection, depending on thinning regimes planned, trees of high additive breeding values but low competitive breeding values are preferable for plantation.
Theory for muon-electron scattering @ 10 ppm
Authors: Banerjee P. , Carloni Calame C. M. , Chiesa M. , Di Vita S. , Engel T. , Fael M. , Laporta S. , Mastrolia P. , Montagna G. , Nicrosini O. , Ossola G. , Passera M. , Piccinini F. , Primo A. , Ronca J. , Signer A. , Torres Bobadilla W. J. , Trentadue L. , Ulrich Y. , Venanzoni G.
Published: June 2020

We review the current status of the theory predictions for elastic$$\mu $$μ-escattering, describing the recent activities and future plans of the theory initiative related to the proposed MUonE experiment.
Bootstrapped Newtonian quantum gravity
Authors: Casadio Roberto , Kuntz Iberê
Published: June 2020

We compute quantum corrections for the gravitational potential obtained by including a derivative self-coupling in its classical dynamics as a toy model for analysing quantum gravity in the strong field regime. In particular, we focus on quantum corrections to the classical solutions in the vacuum outside localised matter sources.
Dynamics and exact Bianchi I spacetimes in Einstein–æther scalar field theory
Authors: Paliathanasis Andronikos , Leon Genly
Published: June 2020

We determine exact and analytic solutions of the gravitational field equations in Einstein–aether scalar model field with a Bianchi I background space. In particular, we consider nonlinear interactions of the scalar field with the aether field. For the model under consideration we can write the field equations by using the minisuperspace description. The point-like Lagrangian of the field equations depends on three unknown functions. We derive conservation laws for the field equations for specific forms of the unknown functions such that the field equations are Liouville integrable. Furthermore, we study the evolution of the field equations and the evolution of the anisotropies by determining the equilibrium points and analyzing their stability.
QED and QCD helicity amplitudes in parton-shower gauge
Authors: Hagiwara Kaoru , Kanzaki Junichi , Mawatari Kentarou
Published: June 2020

We introduce photon and gluon propagators in which the scalar polarization component is subtracted systematically by making use of the BRST invariance of the off-shell vector boson created from physical on-shell states. The propagator has the light-cone gauge form, where the spacial component of the gauge vector points along the negative of the off-shell vector boson momentum. We call the gauge as parton-shower gauge, since in collinear configurations the absolute value squared of each Feynman amplitude reproduces all the singular behaviors of the corresponding parton shower in this gauge. We introduce new codes that can be used to calculate the tree-level helicity amplitudes of arbitrary QED and QCD processes by using . The absence of subtle gauge cancellation among Feynman amplitudes allows numerical codes to evaluate singular behaviors accurately, and helps us gaining physical insights on interference patterns.
Simplified Bounds on FHSs Set and Its Strictly Optimal Construction
Authors: Xu Shanding , Cao Xiwang , Mi Jiafu , Tang Chunming
Published: June 2020

Frequency-hopping sequences (FHSs) with favorite partial Hamming correlation properties are intensively needed in many synchronization and multiple-access systems. Strictly optimal FHS sets are a kind of FHS sets which has optimal Hamming correlation for any correlation window. In this paper, firstly we present simplified representations of the generalized Lempel–Greenberger bound on the partial Hamming autocorrelation of an FHS and the generalized Peng-Fan bound on the partial Hamming correlation of an FHS set, respectively. Secondly, we propose a direct construction of strictly optimal FHS sets, which interprets the previous construction proposed by Cai, Zhou, Yang and Tang. By choosing appropriate parameters and bijections, we present more flexible constructions of strictly optimal FHS sets.
B − L extension of the Standard Model based on Σ(18) symmetry for fermion mass and mixing
Authors: Vien V. V.
Published: June 2020

In this work, we suggest a renormalizable [Formula: see text] extension of the Standard Model with [Formula: see text] symmetry in which the observed fermion mass and mixing pattern is consistent with the experimental values given in Ref. 1 at the tree-level. The neutrino mass ordering and the tiny neutrino masses are induced by the type-I seesaw mechanism. The effective neutrino mass parameters are predicted to be [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] for NO and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] for IO which are well consistent with the recent experimental data. The quark masses are in good agreement while the quark mixing matrix has a little difference with the experimental data taken from Ref. 1 and the Cabibbo angle [Formula: see text] is related to the model parameter [Formula: see text] by the formula [Formula: see text].
The existence and stability of spike solutions for a chemotax is system modeling crime pattern formation
Authors: Mei Linfeng , Wei Juncheng
Published: June 2020

Urban crime such as residential burglary is a social problem in every major urban area. As such, many mathematical models have been proposed to study the collective behavior of these crimes. In [V. B. Pasour, G. E. Tita, P. J. Brantingham, A. L. Bertozzi, M. B. Short, M. R. D’Orsogna and L. B. Chayes, A statistical model of crime behavior, Math. Methods Appl. Sci 107 (2008) 1249–1267; M. B. Short, A. L. Bertozzi and P. J. Brantingham, Nonlinear patterns in urban crime: Hotspots, bifurcations, and suppression, SIAM J. Appl. Dyn. Syst. 9 (2010) 462–483], Short et al. proposed an agent-based statistical model of residential burglary to model the crime hotspot phenomena. From the point of view of reaction–diffusion systems, the model is a chemotactic system with cross diffusion that exhibit hotspot phenomena. In this paper, we first construct a radial hotspot solution of this system, then study the linear stability of this hotspot solution by studying a nonlocal eigenvalue problem. It turns out that the stability of the hotspot is completely different depending on which spatial dimension the system is on. The main mathematical difficulty of the system involves treating the steep change of diffusion near the core of the hotspot, because of the quasilinearity induced by the cross diffusion. We believe that the techniques used in this paper can be developed to treat many other chemotactic systems.
Testing the weak cosmic censorship conjecture in torus-like black hole under charged scalar field
Authors: Hong Wei , Mu Benrong , Tao Jun
Published: June 2020

We investigate weak cosmic censorship conjecture in charged torus-like black hole by the complex scalar field scattering. Using the relation between the conserved quantities of a black hole and the scalar field, we can calculate the change of the energy and charge within the infinitesimal time. The change of the enthalpy is connected to the change of energy, then we use those results to test whether the first law, the second law as well as the weak cosmic censorship conjecture are valid. In the normal phase–space, the first law of thermodynamics and the weak cosmic censorship conjecture are valid, and the second law of thermodynamics is not violated. For the specific black hole under scalar field scattering we consider, in the extended phase–space, the first law of thermodynamics and the weak cosmic censorship conjecture are valid. However, the second law of thermodynamics is violated when the black hole’s initial charge reaches a certain value.
Calculation of Q-value and half-life of alpha decay in super heavy elements using S-matrix theory
Authors: Rahul R. , Nandana B. , Mahadevan S.
Published: June 2020

The half-life and the [Formula: see text]-value of alpha decay in several super heavy elements are calculated. The nuclear potential is computed using the double-folding method. Using the S-matrix theory, the alpha decay is treated as a scattering problem between alpha particle and the daughter nucleus. Nuclear potential was approximated by the parameterized Woods–Saxon potential. This idea has also been extended to predict the half-life and the [Formula: see text]-value of the heaviest elements of few other alpha chains.
Tsallis holographic dark energy with hybrid expansion law
Authors: Srivastava Vandna , Sharma Umesh Kumar
Published: June 2020

In this work, we explore the Tsallis holographic dark energy (THDE) model with IR cutoff as Granda–Oliveros horizon describing the Universe experiencing an accelerating expansion phase in the framework of flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) Universe. The Universe evolution from earlier decelerated to the current accelerated phase is exhibited by the deceleration parameter acquired in the THDE model. By the value of the Tsallis parameter [Formula: see text], the equation of state (EoS) parameter for the THDE model represents the rich behavior of the Cosmos as, the quintessence era ([Formula: see text]), crossing the phantom divide line and phantom era ([Formula: see text]). The squared sound speed [Formula: see text] also suggests that the THDE model is classically stable at present. Also, the correspondence with the quintessence and phantom scalar field for the THDE model is analyzed to describe the accelerated expansion of the Universe.
On spectra and spectral radius of Signless Laplacian of power graphs of some finite groups
Authors: Banerjee Subarsha , Adhikari Avishek
Published: June 2020

Let [Formula: see text] denote the power graph of a finite group [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] denote the Signless Laplacian spectral radius of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we give lower and upper bounds on [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text] and find those graphs for which the extremal values are attained. We give a comparison between the bounds obtained and exact value of [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text]. We then find the eigenvalues of [Formula: see text] and give lower and upper bounds on the spectral radius of [Formula: see text]. When [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] are primes and [Formula: see text] is a positive integer, we obtain sharper bounds on [Formula: see text]. Finally, we make a conjecture on [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text].
Learning Models over Relational Data Using Sparse Tensors and Functional Dependencies
Authors: Khamis Mahmoud Abo , Ngo Hung Q. , Nguyen Xuanlong , Olteanu Dan , Schleich Maximilian
Published: June 2020

Integrated solutions for analytics over relational databases are of great practical importance as they avoid the costly repeated loop data scientists have to deal with on a daily basis: select features from data residing in relational databases using feature extraction queries involving joins, projections, and aggregations; export the training dataset defined by such queries; convert this dataset into the format of an external learning tool; and train the desired model using this tool. These integrated solutions are also a fertile ground of theoretically fundamental and challenging problems at the intersection of relational and statistical data models.

This article introduces a unified framework for training and evaluating a class of statistical learning models over relational databases. This class includes ridge linear regression, polynomial regression, factorization machines, and principal component analysis. We show that, by synergizing key tools from database theory such as schema information, query structure, functional dependencies, recent advances in query evaluation algorithms, and from linear algebra such as tensor and matrix operations, one can formulate relational analytics problems and design efficient (query and data) structure-aware algorithms to solve them.

This theoretical development informed the design and implementation of the AC/DC system for structure-aware learning. We benchmark the performance of AC/DC against R, MADlib, libFM, and TensorFlow. For typical retail forecasting and advertisement planning applications, AC/DC can learn polynomial regression models and factorization machines with at least the same accuracy as its competitors and up to three orders of magnitude faster than its competitors whenever they do not run out of memory, exceed 24-hour timeout, or encounter internal design limitations.
A Recursive Algebraic Coloring Technique for Hardware-efficient Symmetric Sparse Matrix-vector Multiplication
Authors: Alappat Christie , Basermann Achim , Bishop Alan R. , Fehske Holger , Hager Georg , Schenk Olaf , Thies Jonas , Wellein Gerhard
Published: June 2020

The symmetric sparse matrix-vector multiplication (SymmSpMV) is an important building block for many numerical linear algebra kernel operations or graph traversal applications. Parallelizing SymmSpMV on today’s multicore platforms with up to 100 cores is difficult due to the need to manage conflicting updates on the result vector. Coloring approaches can be used to solve this problem without data duplication, but existing coloring algorithms do not take load balancing and deep memory hierarchies into account, hampering scalability and full-chip performance. In this work, we propose the recursive algebraic coloring engine (RACE), a novel coloring algorithm and open-source library implementation that eliminates the shortcomings of previous coloring methods in terms of hardware efficiency and parallelization overhead. We describe the level construction, distance-
k
coloring, and load balancing steps in RACE, use it to parallelize SymmSpMV, and compare its performance on 31 sparse matrices with other state-of-the-art coloring techniques and Intel MKL on two modern multicore processors. RACE outperforms all other approaches substantially. By means of a parameterized roofline model, we analyze the SymmSpMV performance in detail and discuss outliers. While we focus on SymmSpMV in this article, our algorithm and software are applicable to any sparse matrix operation with data dependencies that can be resolved by distance-k coloring.
How to Make the Physical Parameters Small
Authors: Rubin Sergey G.
Published: June 2020

We study the evolution of the physical parameter values defined at the sub-planckian energies to values at low energies. The Wilson action is the basis of the research. The presence of the compact extra dimensions has two consequences. The positive point is that the integration over extra dimensions is a promising way to substantially reduce the parameters to be comparable with the observational values. On the other hand, the discreteness of the energy levels of compact extra dimensions complicates the analysis. This difficulty can be overcome with the truncated Green functions.
An Anonymous Authentication Scheme in VANETs of Smart City Based on Certificateless Group Signature
Authors: Zheng Yuanpan , Chen Guangyu , Guo Liguan
Published: June 2020

With the change of the network communication environment in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) of a smart city, vehicles may encounter security threats such as eavesdropping, positioning, and tracking, so appropriate anonymity protection is required. Based on the certificateless cryptosystem and group signature ideas, this paper proposes a certificateless group signature anonymous authentication scheme for the VANETs of a smart city. In this scheme, it can implement the process of adding, signing, verifying, and revoking group members only by simple multiplication of the elliptic curve and synchronization factor technology, which shortens the length of the signature and improves the efficiency of the signature. From the proofs of correctness and security, we know that it does not only has anonymity and traceability of the group signature scheme but also has unforgeability and forward security. According to the performance verification, this scheme has lower calculation overhead and higher authentication efficiency.
Facet Tropism and Orientation: Risk Factors for Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Abbas Janan , Peled Natan , Hershkovitz Israel , Hamoud Kamal
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study is to establish whether facet tropism (FT) and orientation (FO) are associated with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS). A retrospective computerized tomography (CT) study including 274 individuals was divided into two groups: control (82 males and 81 females) and stenosis (59 males and 52 females). All participants have undergone high‐resolution CT scan of the lumbar spine in the same position. FT and FO were measured at L1‐2 to L5‐S1. Significant sagittal FO was noted in the stenosis males (L2‐3 to L4‐5) and females (L2‐3 to L5‐S1) compared to the controls. The prevalence of FT was remarkably greater in the stenosis males (L4‐5, L5‐S1) and females (L3‐4, L5‐S1) compared to their counterparts in the control group. Our results also showed that FT (L3‐4 to L5‐S1) increases approximately 2.9 times the likelihood for DLSS development. This study indicates that FO and FT in the lower lumbar spine are significantly associated with DLSS.
Left Ventricular End-Systolic Volume Is a Reliable Predictor of New-Onset Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
Authors: Kato Marina , Kitada Shuichi , Kawada Yu , Nakasuka Kosuke , Kikuchi Shohei , Seo Yoshihiro , Ohte Nobuyuki
Published: June 2020

Background. Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and LV volumes were reported to have prognostic efficacy in cardiac diseases. In particular, the end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) has been featured as the most reliable prognostic indicator. However, such efficacy in patients with LVEF ≥ 50% has not been elucidated. Methods. We screened the patients who received cardiac catheterization to evaluate coronary artery disease concomitantly with both left ventriculography and LV pressure recording using a catheter-tipped micromanometer and finally enrolled 355 patients with LVEF ≥ 50% and no history of heart failure (HF) after exclusion of the patients with severe coronary artery stenosis requiring early revascularization. Cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF was defined as adverse events. The prognostic value of LVESVI was investigated using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results. A univariable analysis demonstrated that age, log BNP level, tau, peak − dP/dt, LVEF, LV end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), and LVESVI were associated with adverse events. A correlation analysis revealed that LVESVI was significantly associated with log BNP level (r = 0.356, p<0.001), +dP/dt (r = −0.324, p<0.001), −dP/dt (r = 0.391, p<0.001), and tau (r = 0.337, p<0.001). Multivariable analysis with a stepwise procedure using the variables with statistical significance in the univariable analysis revealed that aging, an increase in BNP level, and enlargement of LVESVI were significant prognostic indicators (age: HR: 1.071, 95% CI: 1.009–1.137, p=0.024; log BNP : HR : 1.533, 95% CI: 1.090–2.156, p=0.014; LVESVI : HR : 1.051, 95% CI: 1.011–1.093, p=0.013, respectively). According to the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis for adverse events, log BNP level of 3.23 pg/ml (BNP level: 25.3 pg/ml) and an LVESVI of 24.1 ml/m2 were optimal cutoff values (BNP : AUC : 0.753, p<0.001, LVESVI : AUC : 0.729, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion. In patients with LVEF ≥ 50%, an increased LVESVI is related to the adverse events. LV contractile performance even in the range of preserved LVEF should be considered as a role of a prognostic indicator.
Protective Effect of Coconut Oil Meal Phenolic Antioxidants against Macromolecular Damage: In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Karunasiri A. N. , Senanayake C. M. , Hapugaswatta H. , Jayathilaka N. , Seneviratne K. N.
Published: June 2020

Coconut oil meal, a cheap by-product of coconut oil production, is a rich source of phenolic antioxidants. Many age-related diseases are caused by reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) induced damage to macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. In the present study, the protective effect of the phenolic extract of coconut oil meal (CMPE) against macromolecular oxidative damage was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo models. Sunflower oil, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and plasmid DNA were used in the in vitro study, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl, and nicked DNA were evaluated as oxidation products. The inhibitory effect of CMPE against H2O2-induced macromolecular damage was evaluated using cultured HEp-2 cells. The results indicate that CMPE inhibits macromolecular damage both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, CMPE regulates redox status of HEp-2 cells under oxidative stress conditions by maintaining higher reduced glutathione levels. There was no significant difference in the expression of glutathione peroxidase in stressed and unstressed cells suggesting that CMPE regulates the cellular oxidative stress responses without affecting the expression of oxidative stress response genes. Oral feeding of Wistar rats with CMPE improves the serum and plasma antioxidant status without causing any toxic effects.
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Gypsum‐Like Rock Materials
Authors: Wei Sijiang , Wang Chongyang , Yang Yushun , Wang Meng
Published: June 2020

In the process of tunnel construction, gypsum rock is often encountered, and the volume of gypsum rock expands when encountering water, which is easy to cause the occurrence of rock fall, collapse, and other disasters, bringing serious challenges to the safe construction of the tunnel. Therefore, in this paper, four groups of samples under different moisture content are tested by ultrasonography, uniaxial compression, conventional triaxial compression, Brazilian splitting, X‐ray diffraction, and SEM, and then the physical and mechanical properties of gypsum rock are studied, and the conclusion is as follows: the density of the water saturated sample, and the longitudinal wave velocity of the natural sample are the highest. Both the water saturation and dehydration conditions have a weakening effect on the remolded sample of high‐strength gypsum powder. The peak intensity of the sample gradually increases with the increase of confining pressure, and the relationship between the peak intensity and confining pressure of the sample conforms to the Coulomb strength criterion. After high‐temperature dehydration, the sample showed obvious plastic softening characteristics. The cohesion and internal friction angle of the sample are closely related to the water content. The cohesion is the largest in the 45°C dehydrated sample, the internal friction angle is the smallest in the saturated sample, whereas the cohesion is the smallest and internal friction is the largest in the high‐temperature dehydrated sample. The characteristics of failure for the natural and 45°C dehydrated samples are almost the same and most samples show shear or shear‐tensile failure. The shear plane begins at the edge of the end face of the sample and exhibits a typical diagonal shear failure. The high‐temperature dehydrated samples are completely broken under uniaxial and triaxial compression conditions. After high‐strength gypsum powder was used to make the remolded sample, the calcium sulfate disappeared, the water content increased, and the main mineral components of the natural and saturated samples were the same. After dehydration at 45°C, the sample began to release structural water and generate SiO2. After high‐temperature dehydration, the hemihydrate gypsum continued to dehydrate and become soluble anhydrous gypsum.
Sex Difference in Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain Response to Exercise: Role of Oxidative Stress
Authors: Rostami Zahra , Ghasemi Sahar , Farzadmanesh Hamed , Safari Manouchehr , Ghanbari Ali
Published: June 2020

Aim. Orofacial chronic neuropathic pain commonly occurs following trigeminal nerve injuries. We investigated whether swimming exercise can reduce trigeminal neuropathic pain through improving antioxidant capacity.Materials and Methods. Twenty-eight Wistar rats of either sex and 180–220 grams were divided into 4 groups as sham, neuropathy, neuropathy + single bout exercise, and neuropathy + 2 weeks of exercise. Trigeminal neuropathy was carried out through chronic constriction injury (CCI) of infraorbital nerve. Protocols of exercise were included a single bout session (45 minutes) and a 2-week (45 minutes/day/6 days a week) swimming exercise. Mechanical allodynia was detected using Von Frey filaments. The activity of the serum antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxides dismutase was assayed using ELISA kits.Results. We found that CCI significantly reduced facial pain threshold in both sexes (P<0.05). Both swimming exercise protocols significantly reduced mechanical allodynia in female rats compared to the sham group; however, only 2 weeks of exercise were significantly effective in male rats. The activity of antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase significantly (P<0.05) decreased following CCI in female rats against that in the sham group and 2-week exercise significantly (P<0.05) increased it toward the control level. The levels of glutathione peroxidase in male rats and superoxidase dismutase in both sexes were not significantly different compared to their sham groups.Conclusion. Swimming exercise alleviates trigeminal neuropathic pain in both sexes. Oxidative stress as a possible mechanism was involved in the effect of exercise on female rat trigeminal neuropathy.
The Dynamic Broker Dominant Supply-Demand Matching Decision Using Multiagent System
Authors: Zhang Xu , Yuan Xu-mei , Wei Fu-li
Published: June 2020

Supply-demand matching is critical for the increase of response speed, the improvement of resource utilization, and the building of long-term partnership. This study will contribute to the present supply-demand matching studies by (1) summarizing the dynamic broker dominant supply-demand matching problem (B-SDMP), (2) proposing the dynamic broker dominant supply-demand matching approach, inclusive of (a) the building of the distributed constraint satisfaction model based on the dynamic negotiation among agents and (b) the design of an asynchronous backtracking algorithm according to interaction among agents, and (3) the design and development of a multiagent dynamic supply-demand matching system. To verify the validity and usability of the method, the system test and case simulation are conducted. The matching solutions yielded from this B-SDMP analysis can help the buyers find the appropriate sellers on one commodity/service under dynamic environment and stimulate the building of long-term partnership among the sellers, buyers, and broker as a stable supply chain.