pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Use of Value of Information in Healthcare Decision Making: Exploring Multiple Perspectives

Background: Value of information (VOI) is a tool that can be used to inform decisions concerning additional research in healthcare. VOI estimates the value of obtaining additional information and indicates the optimal design for additional research. Although it is recognized as good practice in handling uncertainty, it is still hardly used in decision making in the Netherlands. Objective: This paper aims to examine the potential value of VOI, barriers and facilitators and the way forward with the use of VOI in the decision-making process for reimbursement of pharmaceuticals in the Netherlands. Methods: Three focus group interviews were conducted with researchers, policy makers, and representatives of pharmaceutical companies. Results: The results revealed that although all stakeholders recognize the relevance of VOI, it is hardly used and many barriers to the performance and use of VOI were identified. One of these barriers is that not all uncertainties are easily incorporated in VOI, and the results may be biased if structural uncertainties are ignored. Furthermore, not all research designs indicated by VOI may be feasible in practice. Conclusions: To fully embed VOI into current decision-making processes, a threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and guidelines that clarify when and how VOI should be performed are needed. In addition, it should be clear to all stakeholders how the results of VOI are used in decision making
Friction of Self-Lubricating W-S-C Sputtered Coatings Sliding Under Increasing Load

W-S-C films were deposited by non-reactive magnetron sputtering from a carbon target with several pellets of WS2 incrusted in the zone of the preferential erosion. The number of the pellets was changed to modify the carbon content in the films, which varied from 26 up to 70 at.-%. Alloying W-S films with carbon led to a substantial increase in the hardness in the range of 4-10 GPa; the maximum hardness was obtained for the coatings with carbon contents close to 40 at.-%. XRD diffraction patterns showed that there was a loss of crystallinity with the increase of the carbon content in the film. C-contents in the range (37-66 at.-%) were selected for sliding tests (pin-on-disk, 100Cr6 steel ball as a counterpart) carried out in humid air under increasing contact load. The friction coefficient was observed to decrease continuously with increasing load. The wear tracks and wear debris were also analyzed by Raman spectroscopy to understand the structural transformations induced by the increasing load. The friction results were compared with existing models for pure transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), and it could be concluded that the friction mechanisms of W-S-C coatings fundamentally differ from those of pure TMD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppap.20073140
Gear dynamics monitoring using discrete wavelet transformation and multi-layer perceptron neural networks

This paper presents a multi-stage algorithm for the dynamic condition monitoring of a gear. The algorithm provides information referred to the gear status (fault or normal condition) and estimates the mesh stiffness per shaft revolution in case that any abnormality is detected. In the first stage, the analysis of coefficients generated through discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) is proposed as a fault detection and localization tool. The second stage consists in establishing the mesh stiffness reduction associated with local failures by applying a supervised learning mode and coupled with analytical models. To do this, a multi-layer perceptron neural network has been configured using as input features statistical parameters sensitive to torsional stiffness decrease and derived from wavelet transforms of the response signal. The proposed method is applied to the gear condition monitoring and results show that it can update the mesh dynamic properties of the gear on line
Charge asymmetries of top quarks: a window to new physics at hadron
  colliders

With the next start of LHC, a huge production of top quarks is expected.
There are several models that predict the existence of heavy colored resonances
decaying to top quarks in the TeV energy range. A peak in the differential
cross section could reveal the existence of such a resonance, but this is
experimentally challenging, because it requires selecting data samples where
top and antitop quarks are highly boosted. Nonetheless, the production of such
resonances might generate a sizable charge asymmetry of top versus antitop
quarks. We consider a toy model with general flavour independent couplings of
the resonance to quarks, of both vector and axial-vector kind. The charge
asymmetry turns out to be a more powerful observable to detect new physics than
the differential cross section, because its highest statistical significance is
achieved with data samples of top-antitop quark pairs of low invariant masses
Dynamics of digging in wet soil

Numerous animals live in, and locomote through, subsea soils. To move in a
medium dominated by frictional interactions, many of these animals have adopted
unique burrowing strategies. This paper presents a burrowing model inspired by
the Atlantic razor clam ({\it Ensis directus}), which uses deformations of its
body to cyclically loosen and re-pack the surrounding soil in order to locally
manipulate burrowing drag. The model reveals how an anisotropic body --
composed of a cylinder and sphere varying sinusoidally in size and relative
displacement -- achieves unidirectional motion through a medium with variable
frictional properties. This net displacement is attained even though the body
kinematics are reciprocal and inertia of both the model organism and the
surrounding medium are negligible. Our results indicate that body aspect ratio
has a strong effect on burrowing velocity and efficiency, with a well-defined
maximum for given kinematics and soil material properties
Constraints on Large Extra Dimensions from Neutrino Oscillation
  Experiments

The existence of bulk sterile neutrinos in theories with large extra
dimensions can naturally explain small 4-dimensional Dirac masses for the
active neutrinos. We study a model with 3 bulk neutrinos and derive various
constraints on the size of the extra dimensions from neutrino oscillation
experiments. Our analysis includes recent solar and atmospheric data from SNO
and Super-Kamiokande, respectively, as well as various reactor and accelerator
experiments. In addition, we comment on possible extensions of the model that
could accommodate the LSND results, using natural parameters only. Our most
conservative bound, obtained from the atmospheric data in the hierarchical mass
scheme, constrains the largest extra dimension to have a radius R < 0.82
microns. Thus, in the context of the model studied here, future gravitational
experiments are unlikely to observe the effects of extra dimensions.Comment: 26 page
Exact Solution of selfconsistent Vlasov equation

An analytical solution of the selfconsistent Vlasov equation is presented.
The time evolution is entirely determined by the initial distribution function.
The largest Lyapunov exponent is calculated analytically. For special
parameters of the model potential positive Lyapunov exponent is possible. This
model may serve as a check for numerical codes solving selfconsistent Vlasov
equations. The here presented method is also applicable for any system with
analytical solution of the Hamilton equation for the formfactor of the
potential
Transport Conductivity of Graphene at RF and Microwave Frequencies

We measure graphene coplanar waveguides from direct current (DC) to 13.5GHz
and show that the apparent resistance (in the presence of parasitic impedances)
has an quadratic frequency dependence, but the intrinsic conductivity (without
the influence of parasitic impedances) is frequency-independent. Consequently,
in our devices the real part of the complex alternating current conductivity is
the same as the DC value and the imaginary part~0. The graphene channel is
modelled as a parallel resistive-capacitive network with a frequency dependence
identical to that of the Drude conductivity with momentum relaxation
time~2.1ps, highlighting the influence of alternating current (AC) electron
transport on the electromagnetic properties of graphene. This can lead to
optimized design of high-speed analogue field-effect transistors, mixers,
frequency doublers, low-noise amplifiers and radiation detectors
The role of leading twist operators in the Regge and Lorentzian OPE limits

We study two kinematical limits, the Regge limit and the Lorentzian OPE limit, of the four-point function of the stress-tensor multiplet in Super Yang-Mills at weak coupling. We explain how both kinematical limits are controlled by the leading twist operators. We use the known expression of the four-point function up to three loops, to extract the pomeron residue at next-to-leading order. Using this data and the known form of pomeron spin up to next-to-leading order, we predict the behaviour of the four-point function in the Regge limit at higher loops. Specifically, we determine the leading log behaviour at any loop order and the next-to-leading log at four loops. Finally, we check the consistency of our results with conformal Regge theory. This leads us to predict the behaviour around J = 1 of the OPE coefficient of the spin J leading twist operator in the OPE of two chiral primary operators
Inactive matriptase-2 mutants found in IRIDA patients still repress hepcidin in a transfection assay despite having lost their serine protease activity.

L'article final de l'éditeur contient 9 pages. Le manuscrit accepté contient 32 pages.International audienceMutations of the TMPRSS6 gene, which encodes Matriptase-2, are responsible for iron-refractory iron-deficiency anemia. Matriptase-2 is a transmembrane protease that downregulates hepcidin expression. We report one frameshift (p.Ala605ProfsX8) and four novel missense mutations (p.Glu114Lys, p.Leu235Pro, p.Tyr418Cys, p.Pro765Ala) found in IRIDA patients. These mutations lead to changes in both the catalytic and noncatalytic domains of Matriptase-2. Analyses of the mutant proteins revealed a reduction of autoactivating cleavage and the loss of N-Boc-Gln-Ala-Arg-p-nitroanilide hydrolysis. This resulted either from a direct modification of the active site or from the lack of the autocatalytic cleavage that transforms the zymogen into an active protease. In a previously described transfection assay measuring the ability of Matriptase-2 to repress the hepcidin gene (HAMP) promoter, all mutants retained some, if not all, of their transcriptional repression activity. This suggests that caution is called for in interpreting the repression assay in assessing the functional relevance of Matriptase-2 substitutions. We propose that Matriptase-2 activity should be measured directly in the cell medium of transfected cells using the chromogenic substrate. This simple test can be used to determine whether a sequence variation leading to an amino acid substitution is functionally relevant or not
New Approach to the Study of City Planning and Domestic Dwellings in the Ancient Near East

International audienceThis paper presents the results of a magnetic survey on the Hellenistic and Roman site of Doura-Europos in Syria. The interpretation of the magnetic data is based on an original approach by considering the use of space in a domestic unit.This type of study has been developed for sociological research but is adapted to the information carriedwithin geophysical data. After a brief presentation of the role of geophysicalmethods for the study of city planning, the most important components of the ‘space syntax' will be presented and applied to two blocks of Doura-Europos, one that has been excavated in the twentieth century by theYale University and another surveyed using the magnetic method
Spatial analysis of intracerebral electroencephalographic signals in the time and frequency domain: identification of epileptogenic networks in partial epilepsy.

International audienceElectroencephalography (EEG) occupies an important place for studying human brain activity in general, and epileptic processes in particular, with appropriate time resolution. Scalp EEG or intracerebral EEG signals recorded in patients with drug-resistant partial epilepsy convey important information about epileptogenic networks that must be localized and understood prior to subsequent therapeutic procedures. However, this information, often subtle, is 'hidden' in the signals. It is precisely the role of signal processing to extract this information and to put it into a 'coherent and interpretable picture' that can participate in the therapeutic strategy. Nowadays, the panel of available methods is very wide depending on the objectives such as, for instance, the detection of transient epileptiform events, the detection and/or prediction of seizures, the recognition and/or the classification of EEG patterns, the localization of epileptic neuronal sources, the characterization of neural synchrony, the determination of functional connectivity, among others. The intent of this paper is to focus on a specific category of methods providing relevant information about epileptogenic networks from the analysis of spatial properties of EEG signals in the time and frequency domain. These methods apply to either interictal or ictal recordings and share the common objective of localizing the subsets of brain structures involved in both types of paroxysmal activity. Most of these methods were developed by our group and are routinely used during pre-surgical evaluation. Examples are detailed. Results, as well as limitations of the methods, are also discussed
The S shape of a granular pile in a rotating drum

The shape of a granular pile in a rotating drum is investigated. Using Discrete Elements Method (DEM) simulations we show that the ``S shape" obtained for high rotation speed can be accounted for by the friction on the end plates. A theoretical model which accounts for the effect of the end plates is presented and the equation of the shape of the free surface is derived. The model reveals a dimensionless number which quantifies the influence of the end plates on the shape of the pile. Finally, the scaling laws of the system are discussed and numerical results support our conclusions
Structural Analysis of dsRNA Binding to Anti-viral Pattern Recognition Receptors LGP2 and MDA5

International audienceRIG-I and MDA5 sense virus-derived short 5'ppp blunt-ended or long dsRNA, respectively, causing interferon production. Non-signaling LGP2 appears to positively and negatively regulate MDA5 and RIG-I signaling, respectively. Co-crystal structures of chicken (ch) LGP2 with dsRNA display a fully or semi-closed conformation depending on the presence or absence of nucleotide. LGP2 caps blunt, 3' or 5' overhang dsRNA ends with 1 bp longer overall footprint than RIG-I. Structures of 1:1 and 2:1 complexes of chMDA5 with short dsRNA reveal head-to-head packing rather than the polar head-to-tail orientation described for long filaments. chLGP2 and chMDA5 make filaments with a similar axial repeat, although less co-operatively for chLGP2. Overall, LGP2 resembles a chimera combining a MDA5-like helicase domain and RIG-I like CTD supporting both stem and end binding. Functionally, RNA binding is required for LGP2-mediated enhancement of MDA5 activation. We propose that LGP2 end-binding may promote nucleation of MDA5 oligomerization on dsRNA
Transport Properties of a Chain of Anharmonic Oscillators with random flip of velocities
 : 
Oscillators chain with random flip of velocities

International audienceWe consider the stationary states of a chain of $n$ anharmonic coupled oscillators, whose deterministic hamiltonian dynamics is perturbed by random independent sign change of the velocities (a random mechanism that conserve energy). The extremities are coupled to thermostats at different temperature $T_\ell$ and $T_r$ and subject to constant forces $\tau_\ell$ and $\tau_r$. If the forces differ $\tau_\ell \neq \tau_r$ the center of mass of the system will move of a speed $V_s$ inducing a tension gradient inside the system. Our aim is to see the influence of the tension gradient on the thermal conductivity. We investigate the entropy production properties of the stationary states, and we prove the existence of the Onsager matrix defined by Green-kubo formulas (linear response). We also prove some explicit bounds on the thermal conductivity, depending on the temperature
How do subduction processes contribute to forearc Andean uplift? Insights from numerical models

International audienceWe present numerical models to study how changes in the process of subduction may explain the observed Quaternary uplift of the Andean forearc region. Indeed, most segments of the South American Pacific coasts between 16 and 32°S have been uplifting since the Lower Pleistocene, following a period of stability of the forearc region. Models confirm that local uplift is expected to occur above ridges, this phenomenon being predominant in central Peru where the Nazca Ridge is subducting. We investigate the effects of slab pull, interplate friction and convergence velocity on the vertical displacements of the overriding plate. We propose that the global tendency to coastal uplift is accompanying the deceleration of the Nazca-South America convergence that occurred in the Pleistocene. In contrast, forearc subsidence may accompany increasing convergence velocities, as suggested by the subsidence history of the South America active margin
Creep mechanism of highly purified V-4Cr-4Ti alloys during thermal creep in a vacuum

Pressurized thermal creep tubes of highly purified V-4Cr-4Ti, the
NIFS-Heat2 alloy have been examined following testing in the range 700 to
850°C. It was found that the creep stress exponent of the NIFS-Heat2 alloy is
about 5 and that the characteristic creep mechanism was the dislocation creep
usually observed in pure metals. The apparent activation energy of creep
deformation is about 210kJ/mol in the temperature range 700 to 850°C. Creep
deformation was considered to be controlled by climb-controlled dislocation glide
at 850°C, where sub-grain boundary structure predominates and consists of
dislocation dipole structures and pile-ups of dislocations
Polarization transfer measurement for 1H(d⃗,p⃗)2H elastic scattering at 135  MeV∕nucleon and three-nucleon force effects

The deuteron-to-proton polarization-transfer coefficients for d-p elastic scattering were precisely measured with an incoming deuteron energy of 135  MeV∕nucleon at the RIKEN Accelerator Research Facility. The data are compared to theoretical predictions based on exact solutions of the three-nucleon Faddeev equations with high-precision nucleon-nucleon forces combined with the current, most popular three-nucleon force (3NF) models: the 2π -exchange Tucson-Melbourne model, a modification thereof based on chiral symmetry, TM′(99) , and the Urbana IX 3NF. Theory predicts large 3NF effects, especially in the angular range around the cross section minimum, predominantly for Kxxy′−Kyyy′  (Kxxy′,Kyyy′) , but the present data only partially concurs with the calculations. For the induced polarization, Py′ , the TM′(99) and Urbana IX 3NFs reproduce the data, but the Tucson-Melbourne 3NF fails to describe the data. For the polarization-transfer coefficients, Kyy′ and Kxzy′ , the predicted 3NF effects are in drastic disagreement with the data. These facts clearly reveal the defects of the 3NF models currently used
Robustness of discrete semifluxons in closed Bose-Hubbard chains

We present the properties of the ground state and low-energy excitations of Bose-Hubbard chains with a geometry that varies from open to closed and with a tunable twisted link. In the vicinity of the symmetric π-flux case the system behaves as an interacting gas of discrete semifluxons for finite chains and interactions in the Josephson regime. The energy spectrum of the system is studied by direct diagonalization and by solving the corresponding Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. The atom-atom interactions are found to enhance the presence of strongly correlated macroscopic superpositions of semifluxons
Supercritical fluid coating of API on excipient enhances drug release

A process to coat particles of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) onto microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) excipient shows promise as a new way to dosage forms showing enhanced drug release. The process consists of a fluidized bed operated at elevated pressure in which API particles are precipitated from a Supercritical Anti-Solvent process (SAS). MCC particles were used as an excipient in the fluidized bed and collect the SAS-generated API particles. Naringin was selected as the model API to coat onto MCC. A number of operational parameters of the process were investigated: fluidization velocity, coating pressure, temperature, concentration of drug solution, drug solution flow rate, drug mass, organic solvent, MCC mass and size and CO2-to-organic solution ratio. SEM and SPM analyses showed that the MCC particle surfaces were covered with near-spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of approximately 100– 200 nm, substantially smaller than the as-received API material. XRD showed that naringin changed from crystalline to amorphous during processing. The coated particles resulting from the SAS fluidized bed process have a higher loading of API, gave faster release rates and higher release ratios in comparison with those produced using a conventional fluidized bed coating process. The approach could be transferred to other industries where release is important such as agrochemical, cosmetic and food
Assessing quality of volunteer crowdsourcing contributions: lessons from the Cropland Capture game

Volunteered geographic information (VGI) is the assembly of spatial information based on public input. While VGI has proliferated in recent years, assessing the quality of volunteer-contributed data has proven challenging, leading some to question the efficiency of such programs. In this paper, we compare several quality metrics for individual volunteers' contributions. The data were the product of the Cropland Capture' game, in which several thousand volunteers assessed 165,000 images for the presence of cropland over the course of 6 months. We compared agreement between volunteer ratings and an image's majority classification with volunteer self-agreement on repeated images and expert evaluations. We also examined the impact of experience and learning on performance. Volunteer self-agreement was nearly always higher than agreement with majority classifications, and much greater than agreement with expert validations although these metrics were all positively correlated. Volunteer quality showed a broad trend toward improvement with experience, but the highest accuracies were achieved by a handful of moderately active contributors, not the most active volunteers. Our results emphasize the importance of a universal set of expert-validated tasks as a gold standard for evaluating VGI quality
Direct monitoring of the excited state population in biased SiGe valence band quantum wells by femtosecond resolved photocurrent experiments

<p>The authors report a <i>direct</i> measurement of the optical phonon intersubband hole relaxation time in a SiGe heterostructure and a quantitative determination of hole relaxation under electrically active conditions. The results were obtained by femtosecond resolved pump-pump photocurrent experiments using a free electron laser (wavelength 7.9  µm). Additionally, the intensity dependence of the nonlinear photocurrent response was measured. Both types of experiments were simulated using a density matrix description. With one parameter set, a consistent modeling was achieved confirming the significance of the extracted heavy hole relaxation times. For an intersublevel spacing of 160  meV, a value of 550  fs was obtained.</p