68 research outputs found
QCD Processes at the LHC
No full textThe study of QCD processes at the LHC will serve two main goals. First the predictions of QCD will be tested and precision measurements will be performed. Second QCD processes represent a major part of the background to other Standard Model processes and signals of new physics at the LHC and thus need to be understood precisely in the new kinematic region available here. Furthermore, the production cross-sections for almost all processes are controlled by QCD.The study of QCD processes at the LHC will serve two main goals. First the predictions of QCD will be tested and precision measurements will be performed. Second QCD processes represent a major part of the background to other Standard Model processes and signals of new physics at the LHC and thus need to be understood precisely in the new kinematic region available here. Furthermore, the production cross-sections for almost all processes are controlled by QCD
Budget impact analysis of ustekinumab in the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in Greece
No full textBACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to estimate the annual and per-patient budget impact of the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in Greece before and after the introduction of ustekinumab. METHODS: A budget impact model was constructed from a national health system perspective to depict the clinical and economic aspects of psoriasis treatment over 5 years. The model included drug acquisition, monitoring, and administration costs for both the induction and maintenance years for patients in a treatment mix with etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, with or without ustekinumab. It also considered the resource utilization for non-responders. Greek treatment patterns and resource utilization data were derived from 110 interviews with dermatologists conducted in February 2009 and evaluated by an expert panel of 18 key opinion leaders. Officially published sources were used to derive the unit costs. Costs of adverse events and indirect costs were excluded from the analysis. Treatment response was defined as the probability of achieving a PASI 50, PASI 75, or PASI 90 response, based on published clinical trial data. RESULTS: The inclusion of ustekinumab in the biological treatment mix for moderate to severe psoriasis is predicted to lead to total per-patient savings of €443 and €900 in years 1 and 5 of its introduction, respectively. The cost savings were attributed to reduced administration costs, reduced hospitalizations for non-responders, and improved efficacy. These results were mainly driven by the low number of administrations required with ustekinumab over a 5 year treatment period (22 for ustekinumab, compared with 272 for etanercept, 131 for adalimumab, and 36 for infliximab). CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of ustekinumab in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in Greece is anticipated to have short- and long-term health and economic benefits, both on an annual and per-patient basis.Georgia Avgerinou, Ioannis Bassukas, Georgios Chaidemenos, Andreas Katsampas, Marita Kosmadaki, Hara Kousoulakou, Athanasios Petridis, Brad Schenkel, Dimitrios Sotiriadis, Theofanis Spiliopoulos, Panagiotis Stavropoulos, Evgenia Toumpi, and Loukas Xaplanteri
Técnicas Radiográficas Aplicadas à Pesquisa em Implantodontia : Racionalização
No full textA reabilitarção oral por meio de implantes de titânio como alternativa às próteses convencionais, para a substituirção de dentes ausentes ou perdi dos, é uma modalidade de tratamento rotineira. O exame radiográfico é um componente indispensável em todas as fases do tratamento com implan tes, incluindo o planejamento pré-operatório, o diagnóstico, a avaliarção do tratamento e o monitoramento longitudinal dos resultados. Apesar disso, o uso descontrolado de exames radiográficos leva a uma exposirção á radiarção aumentada e desnecessária aos pacientes, sendo imprescindível
a correta indicarção de cada modalidade de exame sugerido, embasados sempre nas vantagens do uso do método selecionado, e principalmente, ponderados por suas limitarções.
Ao longo dos últimos anos urna grandevariedade de técnicas de ima geologia bi (2D) e tridimensionais (3D) têm sido utilizadas tanto nas áreas clínicas como nas pré-clínicas em Implantodontia, estando conectadas ás várias fases da reabilitarção com implantes. Mais recentemente, os avanços tecnológicos e os custos mais atraentes fizeram com que as técnicas de imagem 3D se tornassem mais acessíveis para os cirurgiões-dentistas de uma forma geral. Como reflexo, a utilizarção de tomografias computadori zadas de feixe cônico (TCFC) é cadavez mais comum, devendo sempre ser levado em conta que o uso desta técnica está associado a um aumento na dose de radiação fornecida ao paciente1-4 e a custos mais elevados quando comparada a radiografias panorâmicas, por exemplo, aliado ao fato de que o acesso a TCFC ainda é bastante limitado para a maioria das clínicas, con siderando o Brasil como um todo.5 Além disso, esta tecnologia é util prin cipalmente para o diagnóstico e plano de tratamento com implantes, mas não para o monitoramento do tratamento, devido aos artefatos que apare-
cem adjacentes à superfície do implante, como resultado da interferência
de objetos metálicos na captação dessas imagens. Por outro lado, admite
-se que esta tecnologia provavelmente se tornará o padrão diagnóstico em
um futuro próximo, tal como já ocorre em algumas partes do mundo.
Considerando o que é exposto acima, neste capítulo discutiremos alguns aspectos relevantes da radiografia 2D, com foco em pesquisas em Implantodontia. As técnicas radiográficas em 3D serão brevemente men cionadas em relação à radiografia 2D. Mais especificamente, as questões relacionadas à confiabilidade das medidas radiográficas para estimar o nível ósseo peri-implantar (a), a geometria de projeção para qualidade apropriada das imagens de implantes e para avaliação do nível ósseo peri
-implantar (b), distorçães dimensionais em radiografias periapicais e panorâmicas (c) e os prazos de exame radiográfico para avaliação longitu dinal dos níveis ósseos peri-implantares (d) serão discutidos
Correction: A multilevel longitudinal study of obsessive compulsive symptoms in adolescence: Male gender and emotional stability as protective factors [Ann Gen Psychiatry, 16, (2017), (42)] DOI: 10.1186/s12991-017-0165-z
No full textThe original version of this article [1] unfortunately contained a mistake in the author name. The co-author's name should be Dimitris Dikeos instead of Dimitris Dikaios. The original article has been corrected. © The Author(s) 2018
Evaluation of Machine Learning Methods for Fake News Detection
No full textIn a cyber-connected world, fake information appears to be more enticing or interesting to the audience because of their limited attention spans and the plethora of content choices. Taking this into account, fake news detection/classification is definitely becoming of paramount importance in order to avoid the so-called reality vertigo, preclude misinformation and protect actual reality. This chapter presents a comprehensive performance evaluation of eight machine learning algorithms who perform fake news detection/classification based on regression, support vector machines, neural networks, decision trees and Bayes theorem. In every case, our study reaffirms that performance is governed by the nature of data, nevertheless, it sheds light and draws safe generic conclusions with respect to the dimensionality that each algorithm should have, the kind of training that should be performed beforehand for each one of them, and finally the method for generating vector representations of textual information. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
A framework and experimental study for discrimination of collision and channel errors in wireless LANs
No full textA fundamental unresolved problem in wireless networks is that of distinguishing packet errors that are caused by deteriorated link conditions and noise, from errors that occur due to packet collisions. In this paper, we develop advanced algorithms based on Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) [10] that solve this problem. Specifically, our innovation is that we form multiple CRCs, each of which is responsible for a different segment in a packet. The CRCs are appended after each segment. In this way, we can essentially visualize the pattern of errors across the packet. If the number of successive erroneous segments exceeds a threshold, we decide in favor of a collision. We integrate our approach with SampleRate. Our approach is implemented in MadWiFi [7] and is validated through realistic test-bed experiments. Our technique is shown to significantly outperform current error identification techniques, while having low complexity, and it constitutes an approach that can be readily incorporated in existing wireless protocols. © 2012 ICST Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering
Changes in Muscle Strength in U19 Soccer Players During an Annual Training Cycle
No full textThe aim of the study was to investigate the seasonal variation in isokinetic strength of the knee flexors and extensors, and conventional (H/QCONV) and functional (H/QFUNC) hamstring to quadriceps strength ratios in highly trained adolescent soccer players. The players (n=11; age 17.8±0.3) were measured at the end of the competitive season (autumn), at the beginning and the end of pre-season (winter) and during the sixth week of a new competitive season. Isokinetic peak torque (concentric and eccentric) was measured at 60°·s-1 in a sitting position with the hip flexed at 100°. The testing range of motion was set from 10 – 90° of knee flexion. The players performed a set of five maximum repetitions for both the dominant and non-dominant leg. Statistically significant differences (p<0.001) between the four seasonal measurements were noted for peak torque of the dominant leg knee flexors in concentric muscle action only. A post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in peak torque from the 1st to the 4th measurement (p<0.001; d=0.692) and from the 2nd to the 4th (p<0.01; d=0.564). The differences in the changes of peak torque of the knee flexors and extensors depending on type of muscle action and tendencies found in the H/Q ratios throughout the annual training cycle indicate that strength assessment of the knee flexors and extensors and their balance throughout the annual training cycle could be beneficial for elite male adolescent soccer players both in terms of performance and risk of injury
Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2): measurement invariance across genders and item response theory examination
No full textBackground: The present study considers a measure of positive body image, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, which assesses acceptance and/or favourable opinions towards the body (BAS-2). Potential variations of the psychometric properties of the scale across males and females, as well as across its different items invite for further investigation. The present study contributes to this area of knowledge via the employment of gender Measurement Invariance (MI) and Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses. Methods: A group of 386 adults from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (USA) were assessed online (N = 394, 54.8% men, 43.1% women, Mage = 27.48; SD = 5.57). Results: MI analyses observed invariance across males and females at the configural level, and non-invariance at the metric level. Further, the graded response model employed to observe IRT properties indicated that all items demonstrated, although variable, strong discrimination capacity. Conclusions: The items showed increased reliability for latent levels of ∓ 2 SD from the mean level of Body Appreciation (BA). Gender comparisons based on BAS-2 should be cautiously interpreted for selected items, due to demonstrating different metric scales and same scores indicating different severity. The BAS-2 may also not perform well for clinically low and high BA levels. Thus, it should optimally be accompanied by clinical interviews for formal assessment in such cases. © 2021, The Author(s)
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