bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Monte Carlo estimators for elliptic PDEs with Lévy-type diffusion coefficient
Authors: Merkle Robin , Barth Andrea 
Published: March 2022

AbstractGeneral elliptic equations with spatially discontinuous diffusion coefficients may be used as a simplified model for subsurface flow in heterogeneous or fractured porous media. In such a model, data sparsity and measurement errors are often taken into account by a randomization of the diffusion coefficient of the elliptic equation which reveals the necessity of the construction of flexible, spatially discontinuous random fields. Subordinated Gaussian random fields are random functions on higher dimensional parameter domains with discontinuous sample paths and great distributional flexibility. In the present work, we consider a random elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) where the discontinuous subordinated Gaussian random fields occur in the diffusion coefficient. Problem specific multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) Finite Element methods are constructed to approximate the mean of the solution to the random elliptic PDE. We prove a-priori convergence of a standard MLMC estimator and a modified MLMC—control variate estimator and validate our results in various numerical examples.
Radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy is associated with higher other-cause mortality
Authors: Würnschimmel Christoph , Wenzel Mike , Chierigo Francesco , Flammia Rocco Simone , Horlemann Benedikt , Tian Zhe , Saad Fred , Briganti Alberto , Shariat Sharokh F. , Gallucci Michele , Suardi Nazareno , Chun Felix K. H. , Tilki Derya , Graefen Markus , Karakiewicz Pierre I. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Purpose
To test the association between external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) after radical prostatectomy (RP) vs RP only on rates of other-cause mortality (OCM) in men with prostate cancer (PCa).

Patients and methods
Within the 2004–2016 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 181,849 localized PCa patients, of whom 168,041 received RP only vs 13,808 who received RP + EBRT. Cumulative incidence plots displayed OCM between RP vs RP + EBRT after propensity score matching for age, PSA, clinical T- and N-stages, and biopsy Gleason scores. Multivariable competing risks regression models addressed OCM, accounting prostate cancer-specific mortality (CSM) as a competing event. Stratifications were made according to low- vs intermediate- vs high-risk groups and additionally according to age groups of ≤ 60, 61–70, and ≥ 71 years, within each risk group.

Results
In low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients, RP + EBRT rates were 2.7, 5.4 and 17.0%, respectively. After matching, 10-year OCM rates between RP and RP + EBRT were 7.7 vs 16.2% in low-, 9.4 vs 13.6% in intermediate-, and 11.4 vs 13.5% in high-risk patients (all p < 0.001), which, respectively, resulted in multivariable HR of 2.1, 1.3, and 1.2 (all p < 0.001). In subgroup analyses, excess OCM was recorded in low-risk RP + EBRT patients of all age groups (all p ≤ 0.03), but only in the older age group in intermediate-risk patients (61–70 years, p = 0.03) and finally, only in the oldest age group in high-risk patients (≥ 71 years, p = 0.02).

Conclusion
Excess OCM was recorded in patients exposed to RT after RP. Its extent was most pronounced in low-risk patients, decreased in intermediate-risk patients, and was lowest in high-risk patients.
Soil moisture and expectations regarding future climate: evidence from panel data
Authors: Stahlmann-Brown P. , Walsh P. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe literature on belief regarding climate is extensive, with results showing that both personal characteristics and personal experience with the effects of climate change strongly influence future expectations. The vast majority of studies rely on cross-sectional data, making it difficult to ascertain the durability of expectations regarding future climate or the effect of additional environmental cues on beliefs. A few panel studies of which we are aware exploit extreme weather events to find evidence of “confirmation bias”, in which additional environmental signalling reinforces existing beliefs. In contrast, we evaluate how normal fluctuations in soil moisture causally impact expectations of future drought using a panel of New Zealand farmers. We find that environmental cues such as soil moisture scarcely affect expectations of respondents who already expected future drought to increase but that soil moisture strongly influences respondents who did not. In particular, drier soils are associated with higher expectations of future drought among these former sceptics, whether they previously believed that future drought would decrease or simply would not change. Thus, as New Zealand moves toward IPCC forecasts of more frequent and more severe drought, farmers, foresters, and growers will increasingly agree with the scientific consensus, raising the likelihood of both farm-level and public action.
Using Probabilistic Zone Model Simulations to Investigate the Deterministic Assumptions of UK Residential Corridor Smoke Control Design
Authors: Hopkin Charlie , Spearpoint Michael , Hopkin Danny , Wang Yong 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe modelling of common corridor smoke control systems in residential buildings is one of the most frequently undertaken performance-based assessments by fire engineers in the UK. However, there is limited understanding of how the deterministic assumptions provided in modelling guidance are derived, and to what extent these are representative of a range of possible outcomes. To place these assumptions into context, the Monte Carlo method is applied using the zone modelling software B-RISK for an exemplar residential arrangement. Distribution functions are adopted to inform inputs for fire parameters, sprinkler performance, and occupant behavioural characteristics. An output distribution for the corridor smoke clearance time is determined and compared to the clearance time of an equivalent set of deterministic simulations applying the assumptions of modelling guidance. The probabilistic study indicates that modelling guidance assumptions typically result in a scenario severity greater than the 99th percentile of possible outcomes. The work also considers the sensitivity of individual input parameters, ranking these based on their impact. These sensitivity analyses highlight the importance of occupant behavioural assumptions around the pre-evacuation time and door open time, and the significance of fire parameters including the elevation of the fuel bed, soot yield, and fire growth rate. Sprinkler parameters are shown to have a lesser impact on the corridor clearance time. The work therefore provides practitioners with an indication of which parameters are worth considering in greater detail when assessing scenario sensitivity.
Uncertainty quantification in fatigue crack-growth predictions
Authors: Giannella V. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe reliability of the damage tolerance approach to engineering design is affected by numerous sources of uncertainty that can lead to unsafe predictions, in turn jeopardizing the safety of structures. This work presents a robust stochastic framework for fatigue crack-growth predictions applied to a round bar under tension–compression loading conditions. Multi-source uncertainties were taken into account to derive the lifespan distribution for the bar in such a way to cover the uncertainties typically appearing in a structural integrity assessment. The sensitivity of each input variable was obtained and the influences of variables on the life predictions were derived and ranked accordingly.
Advancing combination treatment with glycyrrhizin and boswellic acids for hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 infection: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Gomaa Adel A. , Mohamed Hamdy S. , Abd-ellatief Rasha B. , Gomaa Mohamed A. , Hammam Doaa S. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractRecent evidence points to a potential therapeutic role for glycyrrhizin(GR) and boswellic acids (BA) in the treatment of COVID-19 but conclusive evidence is lacking. Our aim is to investigate the efficacy of GR + BA versus placebo for the treatment of hospitalized patients with moderate SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 variants infection. The current study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center trial. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 variants diagnosed by PCR test who were admitted to Sohag University hospital were eligible if they were at least 18 years of age and had moderate symptoms. Patients were randomly assigned to receive oral GR capsule (60 mg) and BA (200 mg) twice daily for 14 days or a matching placebo. All patients also received treatment with the institutional protocol for COVID-19. The primary outcome was mortality and time to recovery. Secondary outcome was clinical status score, 14 days after receiving study drugs. Adverse events from use of study drugs have been evaluated for up to 14 days. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT04487964). During the 6-month enrollment period (June-November, 2021) only 50 patients (54% women; median age 60 years, IQR 54–65) met eligibility and were randomly assigned. Evaluation of the primary outcome at 14 days showed that there were five deaths in the placebo group and no deaths in the GR + BA group. With regard to recovery time, it was significantly shorter (p = 0.0001) in the group receiving GR + BA capsule compared to the placebo group (median 7.0; IQR 6.0–8.0 days vs. median 12.5; IQR 12–20 days). Clinical status on the ordinal score scale as a secondary outcome showed a significant difference between the GR + BA group (median (IQR) score, 2 [2–3]) and placebo groups (mean (IQR) score, 3 [3–5.5]). There was a significant decrease in CRB (p = 0.000041) in GR + BA compared with the placebo group. In conclusion, this safe, inexpensive, antiviral, immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory combination may be considered for use in mild to moderate infections of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 variants. The study is limited by the small sample size; therefore, larger randomized trials are required.
The impact of human, social, and psychological capital on academic spin-off internationalization
Authors: Fernández-Alles Mariluz , Hernández-Roque Dara , Villanueva-Flores Mercedes , Díaz-Fernández Mirta 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAcademic spin-offs (ASOs) are companies with a strong international vocation for two main reasons: first, they market their products and services in global market niches to profit from their high investment in R&D, characteristic of the sectors in which ASOs operate; and second, as a consequence of the international training and experience and of the international networks that the founding academic entrepreneurs of these companies tend to enjoy, derived from their scientific activity. Despite this natural tendency to internationalize, ASOs and specifically the founding academic entrepreneurs of these companies present certain difficulties in accessing resources for internationalization and in achieving credibility in foreign markets due to their university origins. Based on the resource-based view (RBV), and network theory (NT), this work proposes that the human capital, the social capital, and the psychological capital of the academic entrepreneur could compensate for these obstacles, providing key resources for the internationalization of their companies. The results contribute to the RBV, NT, and academic entrepreneurship and internationalization literature since they show that human capital, in terms of the international experience and training of the academic entrepreneur, their networks of relationships with international academic agents, and their psychological capital, are all antecedents of the internationalization of ASOs. However, the networks of academic entrepreneur relationships with international market agents appear to be irrelevant in the process of international expansion of ASOs.
Improved Confidence in a Confirmatory Stage by Application of Item-Based Pharmacometrics Model: Illustration with a Phase III Active Comparator-Controlled Trial in COPD Patients
Authors: Llanos-Paez Carolina , Ambery Claire , Yang Shuying , Beerahee Misba , Plan Elodie L. , Karlsson Mats O. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Purpose
The current study aimed to illustrate how a non-linear mixed effect (NLME) model-based analysis may improve confidence in a Phase III trial through more precise estimates of the drug effect.

Methods
The FULFIL clinical trial was a Phase III study that compared 24 weeks of once daily inhaled triple therapy with twice daily inhaled dual therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patient reported outcome data, obtained by using The Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms in COPD (E-RS:COPD) questionnaire, from the FULFIL study were analyzed using an NLME item-based response theory model (IRT). The change from baseline (CFB) in E-RS:COPD total score over 4-week intervals for each treatment arm was obtained using the IRT and compared with published results obtained with a mixed model repeated measures (MMRM) analysis.

Results
The IRT included a graded response model characterizing item parameters and a Weibull function combined with an offset function to describe the COPD symptoms-time course in patients receiving either triple therapy (n = 907) or dual therapy (n = 894). The IRT improved precision of the estimated drug effect compared to MMRM, resulting in a sample size of at least 3.64 times larger for the MMRM analysis to achieve the IRT precision in the CFB estimate.

Conclusion
This study shows the advantage of IRT over MMRM with a direct comparison of the same primary endpoint for the two analyses using the same observed clinical trial data, resulting in an increased confidence in Phase III.
Robust passage phenomenology probably does not explain future-bias
Authors: Latham Andrew J. , Miller Kristie , Tarsney Christian , Tierney Hannah 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPeople are ‘biased toward the future’: all else being equal, we typically prefer to have positive experiences in the future, and negative experiences in the past. Several explanations have been suggested for this pattern of preferences. Adjudicating among these explanations can, among other things, shed light on the rationality of future-bias: For instance, if our preferences are explained by unjustified beliefs or an illusory phenomenology, we might conclude that they are irrational. This paper investigates one hypothesis, according to which future-bias is (at least partially) explained by our having a phenomenology that we describe, or conceive of, as being as of time robustly passing. We empirically tested this hypothesis and found no evidence in its favour. Our results present a puzzle, however, when compared with the results of an earlier study. We conclude that although robust passage phenomenology on its own probably does not explain future-bias, having this phenomenologyand taking it to be veridicalmay contribute to future-bias.
Missachtet und abgehängt
Authors: Maywald Jörg , Pergande Bianka 
Published: March 2022

ZusammenfassungObwohl Kinder in besonderer Weise von den Einschränkungen aufgrund der COVID-19-Pandemie betroffen sind, wurden ihre Rechte in der Krise nur mit großer Verzögerung und sehr unvollständig berücksichtigt. Um die Interessen von Kindern während zukünftiger Krisen nicht erneut zu missachten, ist die Verwirklichung eines Kinderrechtsansatzes auf allen Ebenen notwendig. Besonders wichtig ist dafür die Verankerung der Kinderrechte im Grundgesetz.
Efficient expansion of rare human circulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in steady-state blood using a polypeptide-forming 3D culture
Authors: Xu Yulin , Zeng Xiangjun , Zhang Mingming , Wang Binsheng , Guo Xin , Shan Wei , Cai Shuyang , Luo Qian , Li Honghu , Li Xia , Li Xue , Zhang Hao , Wang Limengmeng , Lin Yu , Liu Lizhen , Li Yanwei , Zhang Meng , Yu Xiaohong , Qian Pengxu , Huang He 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAlthough widely applied in treating hematopoietic malignancies, transplantation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is impeded by HSPC shortage. Whether circulating HSPCs (cHSPCs) in steady-state blood could be used as an alternative source remains largely elusive. Here we develop a three-dimensional culture system (3DCS) including arginine, glycine, aspartate, and a series of factors. Fourteen-day culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) in 3DCS led to 125- and 70-fold increase of the frequency and number of CD34+ cells. Further, 3DCS-expanded cHSPCs exhibited the similar reconstitution rate compared to CD34+ HSPCs in bone marrow. Mechanistically, 3DCS fabricated an immunomodulatory niche, secreting cytokines as TNF to support cHSPC survival and proliferation. Finally, 3DCS could also promote the expansion of cHSPCs in patients who failed in HSPC mobilization. Our 3DCS successfully expands rare cHSPCs, providing an alternative source for the HSPC therapy, particularly for the patients/donors who have failed in HSPC mobilization.
Tourism route optimization based on improved knowledge ant colony algorithm
Authors: Li Sidi , Luo Tianyu , Wang Ling , Xing Lining , Ren Teng 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWith the rapid development of tourism in the economy, popular demand for tourism also increases. Unreasonable distribution arises a series of problems such as reduction of tourist satisfaction and decrease of the income in tourist attractions. Based on consideration of tourism route planning, a mathematical model which takes the maximization of the overall satisfaction of all tourist groups as the objective function is established by taking the age and preferences of tourists, the upper limits of the tourist carrying capacity in various tourism routes, etc. as constraints. It aims to maximize income in tourist attractions while improving tourist satisfaction. Based on the tourist data of a travel agency, the statistical ideas of hierarchical clustering and random sampling are utilized to process the acquired data to obtain the simulation examples in the article. Aiming at this model, a knowledge-based hybrid ant colony algorithm is designed. On this basis, the mechanism of bacterial foraging algorithm is introduced. It improves the performance of the algorithm and avoids the generation of local optimal solution. At the same time, two knowledge models are in addition to improve the solution quality of the algorithm. Typical simulation indicates that the improved ant colony algorithm can find the optimal solution at a higher efficiency when solving the tourism route planning problem. The model can also satisfy the economic benefit of enterprises and achieves favorable path optimization effect under different optional routes, thus further verifying the effect liveness of the model.
Preventive drugs for Huntington’s disease: A choice-based conjoint survey of patient preferences
Authors: Parrish Marcus C. , Hanson-Kahn Andrea , Srinivasan V. , Grimes Kevin V. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Introduction:
This research examined the perspective of the Huntington’s disease (HD) community regarding the use of predictive biomarkers as endpoints for regulatory approval of therapeutics to prevent or delay the onset of clinical HD in asymptomatic mutation carriers.

Methods:
An online, choice-based conjoint survey was shared with HD community members including untested at-risk individuals, presymptomatic mutation carriers, and symptomatic individuals. Across 15 scenarios, participants chose among two proposed therapies with differing degrees of biomarker improvement and side effects or a third option of no treatment.

Results:
Two hundred and thirty-eight responses were received. Attributes reflecting biomarker efficacy (e.g., prevention of brain atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging, reduced mutant huntingtin, or reduced inflammation biomarkers) had 3- to 7-fold greater importance than attributes representing side effects (e.g., increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke over 20 years) and were more influential in directing choice of treatments. Reduction in mutant huntingtin protein was the most valued attribute overall. Multinomial logit model simulations based on survey responses demonstrated high interest among respondents (87–99% of the population) for drugs that might prevent or delay HD solely based upon biomarker evidence, even at the risk of serious side effects.

Conclusion:
These results indicate a strong desire among members of the HD community for preventive therapeutics and a willingness to accept significant side effects, even before the drug has been shown to definitively delay disease onset if the drug improves biomarker evidence of HD progression. Preferences of the HD community should inform regulatory policies for approving preventive therapies.
DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTS OF A FLOOR FUNCTION SET IN ARITHMETICAL PROGRESSIONS
Authors: YU YAHUI , WU JIE 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLet
$[t]$
be the integral part of the real number t. We study the distribution of the elements of the set
$\mathcal {S}(x) := \{[{x}/{n}] : 1\leqslant n\leqslant x\}$
in the arithmetical progression
$\{a+dq\}_{d\geqslant 0}$
. We give an asymptotic formula
$$ \begin{align*} S(x; q, a) := \sum_{\substack{m\in \mathcal{S}(x)\\ m\equiv a \pmod q}} 1 = \frac{2\sqrt{x}}{q} + O((x/q)^{1/3}\log x), \end{align*} $$
which holds uniformly for
$x\geqslant 3$
,
$1\leqslant q\leqslant x^{1/4}/(\log x)^{3/2}$
and
$1\leqslant a\leqslant q$
, where the implied constant is absolute. The special case
$S(x; q, q)$
confirms a recent numerical test of Heyman [‘Cardinality of a floor function set’, Integers19 (2019), Article no. A67].
A Pirashvili-type theorem for functors on non-empty finite sets
Authors: Powell Geoffrey , Vespa Christine 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPirashvili’s Dold–Kan type theorem for finite pointed sets follows from the identification in terms of surjections of the morphisms between the tensor powers of a functor playing the role of the augmentation ideal; these functors are projective. We give an unpointed analogue of this result: namely, we compute the morphisms between the tensor powers of the corresponding functor in the unpointed context. We also calculate the Ext groups between such objects, in particular showing that these functors are not projective; this is an important difference between the pointed and unpointed contexts. This work is motivated by our functorial analysis of the higher Hochschild homology of a wedge of circles.