Binary Criteria Research Articles

Semantic decomposition and enhancement hashing for deep cross-modal retrieval

Deep hashing has garnered considerable interest and has shown impressive performance in the domain of retrieval. However, the majority of the current hashing techniques rely solely on binary similarity evaluation criteria to assess the semantic relationships between multi-label instances, which presents a challenge in overcoming the feature gap across various modalities. In this paper, we propose semantic decomposition and enhancement hashing (SDEH) by extensively exploring the multi-label semantic information shared by different modalities for cross-modal retrieval. Specifically, we first introduce two independent attention-based feature learning subnetworks to capture the modality-specific features with both global and local details. Subsequently, we exploit the semantic features from multi-label vectors by decomposing the shared semantic information among multi-modal features such that the associations of different modalities can be established. Finally, we jointly learn the common hash code representations of multimodal information under the guidelines of quadruple losses, making the hash codes informative while simultaneously preserving multilevel semantic relationships and feature distribution consistency. Comprehensive experiments on four commonly used multimodal datasets offer strong support for the exceptional effectiveness of our proposed SDEH.

Adiabatic Mass Loss in Binary Stars. IV. Low- and Intermediate-mass Helium Binary Stars

The unstable mass transfer situation in binary systems will asymptotically cause the adiabatic expansion of the donor star and finally lead to the common envelope phase. This process could happen in helium binary systems once the helium donor star fills its Roche-lobe. We have calculated the adiabatic mass-loss model of naked helium stars with a mass range of 0.35 M ⊙–10 M ⊙, and every mass sequence evolved from the helium-zero-age main sequence to the cooling track of white dwarf or carbon ignition. In consideration of the influence of stellar wind, massive helium stars are not considered in this paper. Comparing the stellar radius with the evolution of the Roche-lobe under the assumption of conservative mass transfer, we give the critical mass ratio q crit = M He/M accretor as the binary stability criteria of low- and intermediate-mass helium binary stars. On the helium main sequence, the result shows 1.0 < q crit < 2.6, which is more unstable than the classical result of polytropic model q crit = 3. After the early helium Hertzsprung Gap, the q crit quickly increases even larger than 10 (more stable compared with the widely used result of q crit = 4), which is dominated by the expansion of the radiative envelope. Our result could be useful for these quick mass transfer binary systems such as AM CVns, ultra-compact X-ray binaries, and helium novae, and it could guide the binary population synthesis for the formation of special objects such as type Ia supernova and gravitational wave sources.

Criterion Measures Are Not Always Continuous: Consequential Validity Ratio for Logistic Regression

Neither the theoretical conceptualization of validity, validation methodologies, nor the relative importance of different aspects of validity in measure development, is static over time. With the evolution of social values, validity evidence based on testing consequences has received greater attention in measurement research and practice. However, the methodological basis for generating this type of validity evidence is relatively underdeveloped compared to other psychometric properties (e.g., dimensionality, content validity, and reliability). The Consequential Validity Ratio (CVR) is a recently developed method for quantifying and representing how well test scores avoid the improper influence of participant demographics in the prediction of a validation criterion. The original CVR can only be applied when the criterion measures are continuous; however, binary criteria are also common in scale validation practice. This study theoretically proposes six candidate formulas for the CVR that can be used with binary criteria in a logistic regression framework (i.e., CVRB). A simulation analysis with a two-factor design was conducted to help determine the final formulation of the CVRB. The final formulation is conceptually aligned with the original CVR, straightforward to calculate, intuitive to interpret, and has adequate efficacy in generating evidence for the consequential basis of validity.

Structured image diagnosis of vertebral body degeneration and intervertebral disc damage - Binary image criteria and comparison for systematic image analysis for occupational diseases 2108 and 2110.

Job-related limitations of earning capacity are eligible for recognition under social legislation and may be subject to compensation (see Part 1). For the recognition of an occupational disease (BK), diagnostic imaging is required as part of the legal determination procedure for occupational diseases 2108/2110 ("occupational disc disease"). The focus is on image criteria on X-ray images and MRI examinations. In a consensus paper under the guidance of the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions from 2005, the characteristic patterns are defined and explained extensively and summarized in typical occupation-related constellations. This article presents representative image examples as a reference system for expert reporting as far as the typical patterns from the consensus paper are concerned. In Part 2, comparison images with the typical findings of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs according to occupational diseases are systematically presented, explained, and offered as a reference system for expert assessment. The image criteria can be used as "evidence by eye" (Heuck) in the recognition procedure. · Occupational diseases are defined by the legislator in the "List of Occupational Diseases".. · For occupational intervertebral disc diseases (OD nos. 2108/2110), constellations of findings are defined.. · Within the scope of diagnostic imaging, a large number of image criteria are used.. · Part 1 explains the basics and the legal background.. · Part 2 provides the image criteria on the basis of "comparison images" as a reference catalog.. · Braunschweig R, Kildal D, Meyer-Clement M et al. Structured image diagnosis of vertebral body degeneration and intervertebral disc damage - Binary image criteria and comparison for systematic image analysis for occupational diseases 2108 and 2110. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2024; 196: 912 - 920.

Development and Validation of the Phoenix Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock

The Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task Force sought to develop and validate new clinical criteria for pediatric sepsis and septic shock using measures of organ dysfunction through a data-driven approach. To derive and validate novel criteria for pediatric sepsis and septic shock across differently resourced settings. Multicenter, international, retrospective cohort study in 10 health systems in the US, Colombia, Bangladesh, China, and Kenya, 3 of which were used as external validation sites. Data were collected from emergency and inpatient encounters for children (aged <18 years) from 2010 to 2019: 3 049 699 in the development (including derivation and internal validation) set and 581 317 in the external validation set. Stacked regression models to predict mortality in children with suspected infection were derived and validated using the best-performing organ dysfunction subscores from 8 existing scores. The final model was then translated into an integer-based score used to establish binary criteria for sepsis and septic shock. The primary outcome for all analyses was in-hospital mortality. Model- and integer-based score performance measures included the area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC; primary) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC; secondary). For binary criteria, primary performance measures were positive predictive value and sensitivity. Among the 172 984 children with suspected infection in the first 24 hours (development set; 1.2% mortality), a 4-organ-system model performed best. The integer version of that model, the Phoenix Sepsis Score, had AUPRCs of 0.23 to 0.38 (95% CI range, 0.20-0.39) and AUROCs of 0.71 to 0.92 (95% CI range, 0.70-0.92) to predict mortality in the validation sets. Using a Phoenix Sepsis Score of 2 points or higher in children with suspected infection as criteria for sepsis and sepsis plus 1 or more cardiovascular point as criteria for septic shock resulted in a higher positive predictive value and higher or similar sensitivity compared with the 2005 International Pediatric Sepsis Consensus Conference (IPSCC) criteria across differently resourced settings. The novel Phoenix sepsis criteria, which were derived and validated using data from higher- and lower-resource settings, had improved performance for the diagnosis of pediatric sepsis and septic shock compared with the existing IPSCC criteria.

Bicentric retrospective study comparing the postoperative outcomes of patients treated surgically for bladder stones with or without concomitant surgery for BPH.

To compare the postoperative outcomes of male patients who underwent bladder stone (BS) removal, with or without concomitant benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery. All men aged > 50years who underwent BS removal at two French university hospitals between 2009 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Four binary outcome criteria were identified during the follow-up: early postoperative complications, stone recurrence, subsequent surgery for BS or BPH, and late surgical complications. A composite score ranging from 0 to 4 was calculated by combining the four criteria. A median follow-up period of 42months was observed in 179 patients. Of these, 107 patients were in the "concomitant surgical treatment" (CST) group and 72 in the bladder "stone removal alone" (SRA) group. The CST group presented higher baseline post-void residual volume (105 vs. 30ml, p = 0.005). Patients who underwent CST had a significantly lower rate of BS recurrence (12% vs. 39%; p = 0,001) and underwent fewer subsequent surgeries (14% vs. 44%; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the early (51% vs. 35%, p = 0,168) and late (26% vs. 17%, p = 0,229) complications rates between the two groups. A better composite score was observed in the CST than in the SRA, but the difference was not significant (3.07 vs. 2.72, p = 0.078). As CST increases morbidity and decreases the risk of reoperation, each situation should be considered, taking into account patient choice and comorbidities.

“Every word is a world”: loanword ideologies and linguistic purism in post-Soviet Armenia

Abstract Through the analysis of materials such as online articles, blogs, and radio broadcasts, this paper investigates linguistic purism toward Russian and English loanwords in the understudied context of post-Soviet Armenia. Our analysis finds that public commentators categorize potential loanwords as “borrowings” (փոխառություն [pʰokhaṛutʰyun]) if acceptable and “foreignisms” (օտարաբանություն [ōtarabanutʰyun]) if unacceptable, while also comparing these loanwords with acceptable and unacceptable Armenian equivalent words. In categorizing both loanwords and Armenian equivalents, commentators base their arguments on evaluative contrasts related to threats to the language, the desirability of word meaning and usage, and stylistic appropriateness. Though commentators situate themselves into opposing purist and moderate camps, differentiated by their tolerance of loanwords and classifications of individual words, the two camps rely on the same ideological framework of contrasts and use similar argumentation. Thus, while the debate invokes binary criteria for evaluating words, similar to those identified in other instances of linguistic purism, Armenian commentators themselves often defy binary categorization, falling along a fluid language-ideological continuum in which seemingly opposing commentators sometimes demonstrate striking similarities. Framed alongside prior studies of language ideologies in post-Soviet spaces, this evidence suggests that the loanword debate has a more symbolic than practical function in Armenia’s contemporary multilingual society.

Constraints on the multiplicity of the most massive stars known: R136 a1, a2, a3, and c

Context. The upper stellar mass limit is a fundamental parameter for simulations of star formation, galactic chemical evolution, and stellar feedback. An empirical bound on this parameter is therefore highly valuable. The most massive stars known to date are R 136 a1, a2, a3, and c, with reported masses in excess of 150–200 M⊙ and initial masses of up to ≈300 M⊙. They are located within the central cluster R 136a of the Tarantula nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), However, the mass estimation of these stars relies on the assumption that they are single. Aims. Via multi-epoch spectroscopy, we provide, for the first time, constraints on the presence of close stellar companions to the most massive stars known for orbital periods of up to ≈10 yr. Methods. We collected three epochs of spectroscopy for R 136 a1, a2, a3, and c with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in the years 2020–2021 to probe potential radial-velocity (RV) variations. We combined these epochs with an additional HST/STIS observation taken in 2012. For R 136 c, we also used archival spectroscopy obtained with the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We used cross-correlation to quantify the RVs and establish constraints on possible companions to these stars up to periods of ≈10 yr. Objects are classified as binaries when the peak-to-peak RV shifts exceed 50 km s−1 and when the RV shift is significant with respect to errors. Results. R 136 a1, a2, and a3 do not satisfy the binary criteria and are thus classified as putatively single, although formal peak-to-peak RV variability on the level 40 km s−1 is noted for a3. Only R 136 c is classified as a binary, in agreement with the literature. We can generally rule out massive companions (M2 ≳ 50 M⊙) to R 136 a1, a2, and a3 out to orbital periods of ≲1 yr (separations ≲5 au) at 95% confidence, or out to tens of years (separations ≲100 au) at 50% confidence. Highly eccentric binaries (e ≳ 0.9) or twin companions with similar spectra could evade detection down to shorter periods (≳10 days), though their presence is not supported by the relative X-ray faintness of R 136 a1, a2, and a3. We derive a preliminary orbital solution with a 17.2 days period for the X-ray-bright binary R 136 c, though more data are needed to conclusively derive its orbit. Conclusions. Our study supports a lower bound of 150–200 M⊙ on the upper-mass limit at LMC metallicity.

Erratum: High-Throughput Identification of Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato in Tomato using Seedling Flood Assay.

Erratum: High-Throughput Identification of Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato in Tomato using Seedling Flood Assay.

BRAIN TUMOR SEGMENTATION ON FLAIR MR IMAGES WITH U-NET

Brain tumors are among the illnesses that, if not treated promptly, can lead to death. It is extremely difficult to detect tumor tissue using only eye examination methods. As a result, Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is used to diagnose brain tumors. T1, T1c, T2, and FLAIR MRI sequences provide detailed information about brain tumors. If the segmentation procedure is performed correctly, patients' chances of survival improve. This paper describes an automated brain tumor segmentation for FLAIR sequences in MR images using U-NeT method. The study has been carried out on the BraTS 2018 data set. The models' correctness has been assessed using the binary accuracy, dice coefficient, and IOU assessment criteria. The results of the comparison between the tumor regions identified by the expert physicians and the tumor regions calculated by the U-Net model are as follows: The model has been completed with 99.26% accuracy, and the dice coefficient value, which expresses the similarity on the basis of pixels for the test data, has been found to be 73.99%. Furthermore, the IOU value of 0.59 demonstrated that the model provided accurate estimates for the study.

Scoring scheme for Comparative Ranking of impact potential of chemical Alternatives (SCoRA)

BackgroundReplacing hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives is essential for a toxic-free environment. To avoid regrettable substitution, a comparison of the entire spectrum of potential impacts of the candidate for substitution with those of the available alternatives is required. A particular challenge is to also capture yet unknown long-term impacts of (very) persistent chemicals, including but not limited to PBT and CMR properties.ResultsFor a flexible and transparent comparative ranking of the impact potential of chemical alternatives, we propose a concern-based scoring scheme (Scoring scheme for Comparative Ranking of chemical Alternatives, SCoRA). The approach accounts for hazards due to ecotoxicity in water/sediment and soil, and effects on human health such as CMR properties and endocrine disruption. This is combined with exposure-related information in terms of expected environmental pollution stock levels. The SCoRA approach is illustrated with case study chemicals of very high concern (15 SVHC, mostly PBT, representing different chemical classes with different modes of bioaccumulation and toxicity). A comparison of PBT substances reveals that SCoRA goes well beyond binary screening criteria (PBT: yes/no), showing that PBT substances are all of very high concern, although their impact profiles can be substantially different. Ordinal scores support a detailed characterisation of their potential for long-term impacts. Furthermore, SCoRA enables a coherent comparative assessment of substances with different primary concerns, for example PBTness and endocrine disruption.ConclusionsSCoRA complements existing and established tools such as comparative risk assessment. It is particularly useful, when, for example, only limited data are available or when risk assessment is not feasible, as in the case of persistent chemicals. A strength of SCoRA is that the relative contributions of the impact components determining the concern can be visualised with a heatmap and fingerprints. This facilitates communication among scientists, regulators, risk managers, stakeholders and the public.

Precession and polar alignment of accretion discs in triple (or multiple) stellar systems

ABSTRACTWe investigate the mechanism of polar alignment for accretion discs in hierarchical systems (HSs) with more than two stars. In eccentric binary systems, low-mass discs that are sufficiently tilted to the binary orbit align in a polar configuration with respect to the binary plane by aligning their angular momentum to the binary eccentricity vector. In HSs, secular evolution of the orbital parameters makes the eccentricity vector of the system precess with time. This precession undermines the stability of the polar orbit for accretion discs hosted in HSs. We analytically show that the binary criteria for polar alignment derived in the literature are necessary but not sufficient conditions for polar alignment in HSs. Then, we derive an analytical criterion for polar alignment in HSs. In general, we find that discs orbiting the innermost level of an HS can go polar. Conversely, radially extended discs orbiting the outer levels of an HS cannot polarly align and evolve as orbiting around a circular binary. We confirm our findings through detailed numerical simulations. Also, our results are compatible with the observed distribution of disc–orbit mutual inclination. Finally, we compare the observed distribution of disc inclinations in the binary and in the HS populations. Binaries host mainly coplanar discs, while HSs show a wide range of disc inclinations. We suggest that the wider range of inclinations in HSs results from the secular oscillation of their orbital parameters (such as Kozai–Lidov oscillations), rather than from a different initial condition or evolution between HSs and binaries.

Abstract TP90: Lesion Topography Role On Functional Outcome Of Stroke Patients

Background: The anatomical site of ischemia in stroke patients might impact functional outcome and can be a relevant factor for prognosis and clinical decision. Methods: We included patients from the MR CLEAN stroke trial population who had an adequate 5-9-day control CT scan. The images were segmented and registered over two neuroanatomical atlases. Each anatomical region was classified as affected or spared based on the total amount of voxels in each region interpreted as ischemic on CT imaging. Analysis were conducted with a threshold level of 20% and 50% of the total voxels as a binary classification criteria for considering a brain area as affected by the ischemic core. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to assess for relationships between specific brain regions involvement and worse functional outcome (defined by the 90-day mRS). Results: A total of 356 patients was included. The left dorsal striatum and left insular ribbon were significantly associated with worse outcomes after correction for the total lesion volume (p &amp;lt; 0,05). On a binary logistic model, no areas were significantly associated with worse outcome when a threshold of 20% was used. Both left and right dorsal striatum’s were significantly associated with worse outcome after adjustment for volume when a threshold of 50% was used. Conclusion: Some areas of the brain appear to have a higher impact on clinical outcomes for stroke patients. Areas related to motor function were strongly associated with the 90-day mRS when compared to other brain areas. The impact of a brain region on outcome also seems to depend on which hemisphere has been affected and on the extent to which the region that has ben involved in the ischemia.

Metabolic syndrome severity score in the middle-aged and elderly Iranian population: A cross-sectional survey of Bandare-Kong Cohort Study (the findings of PERSIAN Cohort Study).

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as the presence of several metabolic risk factors. The traditional MetS criteria have been considered insufficient for evaluating individuals at risk. MetS has always been categorized using binary criteria, which deny that the risk associated with MetS is likely to exist as a continuum. Also, MetS may present differently depending on age, sex, race, or ethnicity. We aimed to derive age-sex-specific equations for MetS severity scores within a southern Iranian population. This study used first-phase data from the Bandare-Kong Non-Communicable Diseases (BKNCD) Cohort Study as part of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN). After exclusion of the pregnant women, diabetic patients, and individuals taking antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic medications, 2,735 individuals aged 35 to 70 years were selected for analysis. The diagnosis of MetS was based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria for the Iranian population. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to formulate MetS severity scores. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to validate MetS severity score equations for age-sex-specific categories. Triglyceride had the highest factor loading range in all age-sex categories for determining the MetS severity score. Conversely, systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) exhibited the lowest factor loadings across all age-sex groups. In both sexes, when age was considered, systolic blood pressure and FPG factor loadings were less significant among subjects aged ≥45 and 35-44 years, respectively. MetS severity scores might be more applicable than the current criteria of MetS. Prospective population-based studies should be conducted to assess the accuracy and validity of the MetS severity score for predicting cardiometabolic diseases.

The coronal alignment technique impacts deviation from native knee anatomy after total knee arthroplasty.

The aim of this study was to analyze and quantify the changes in native coronal alignment of a population of TKA patients according to different alignment goals. Five hundred and twenty TKAs were analyzed. The following angles were measured using an image-free navigation system prior to prosthetic implantation: medial femorotibial mechanical angle without stress and with maximum manual stress to reduce the deformity, medial distal femoral mechanical angle, medial proximal tibial mechanical angle. The native angles were derived from the osteoarthritic knee angles using a validated correction technique, and the overall, femoral and tibial coronal phenotypes were defined. Five different coronal alignment techniques were simulated: mechanical (MA), restricted mechanical (RMA), anatomical (AA), kinematic (KA) and restricted kinematic (RKA). The overall, femoral and tibial coronal phenotypes were compared before and after TKA. The primary endpoint was the binary criterion of whether or not TKA restored the natural overall phenotype. Secondary endpoints were the binary criteria of whether or not the natural femoral and tibial phenotypes were restored by TKA. The rates of restored and non restored phenotypes were compared with a Chi-square test at a 0.05 level of significance, with post hoc tests between all pairs of techniques at a 0.01 level of significance. The overall phenotype was restored significantly differently by the five alignment techniques: 15% for MA, 23% for RMA, 2% for AA, 100% for KA and 79% for RKA (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between each of the technique pairs (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001), except for the mechanical alignment-restricted mechanical alignment pair. The femoral phenotype was restored significantly differently by the five alignment techniques: 37% for MA, 58% for RMA, 19% for AA, 100% for KA and 85% for RKA (p < 0.001). The tibial phenotype was restored significantly differently by the five alignment techniques: 36% for MA, 36% for RMA, 17% for AA, 100% for KA and 88% for RKA (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between each pair of techniques for both femoral and tibial phenotypes (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). Except for the kinematic alignment technique, the various alignment techniques induce significant changes in the pre-arthritic anatomy of the TKA patient. The surgeon must be aware of these modifications. The clinical relevance of this alteration still needs to be defined. III.

Improved contact tracing using network analysis and spatial-temporal proximity

PurposeContact tracing is a crucial tool in infection prevention and control (IPC), which aims to identify outbreaks and prevent onward transmission. What constitutes a contact is typically based on strict binary criteria (i.e., being at a location at the same time). Missing data, indirect contacts and background sources can however substantially alter contact-tracing investigations. Here, we present StEP, a Spatial-temporal Epidemiological Proximity model that accounts for imperfect data by introducing a network-based notion of contact based on spatial-temporal proximity derived from background flows of patient movement.Methods & MaterialsWe showcase StEP by analysing outbreaks of multidrug-resistant bacteria and COVID-19 within a large hospital Trust in London (UK).StEP utilises spatial-temporal patient trajectories and the background hospital movement flows to recover enhanced contact networks. Firstly, we study a well-characterised outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) involving 116 hospitalised patients where genetic sequencing is used to learn model parameters. Secondly, our trained model is deployed in an unsupervised manner on three unseen outbreaks involving 867 patients of related CPE-types. Thirdly, we test application to an altogether novel pathogen by analysing a hospital outbreak of COVID-19 among 90 hospital patients, and demonstrate the power of StEP when characterising newly emerging diseases, even when there is a lack of sequencing data.ResultsIn addition to recovering core contact structures, StEP identifies missing contacts that link seemingly unconnected infection clusters, revealing a larger extent of transmission than conventional methods. Via genomic analyses we confirm that the additional contacts detected through StEP lead to improved alignment to the plasmid phylogeny (the major outbreak driving force). Hence the StEP contact network is most aligned to the transmission structure.ConclusionBy considering spatial-temporal information in a continuous manner, StEP tackles several challenges associated with traditional contact-tracing. StEP allows both direct and indirect contacts as possible routes of disease transmission and is tuneable to a pathogen's epidemiological characteristics. Such flexible use of heterogeneous data in uncertain situations can significantly enhance IPC.

Elements of a design method – a basis for describing and evaluating design methods

AbstractMethod development is at the heart of design research as methods are a formalised way to express knowledge about how aspects of design could or should be done. However, assuring that methods are in fact used in industry has remained a challenge. Industry will only use methods that they can understand and that they feel will give them benefit reliably. To understand the challenges involved in adopting a method, the method needs to be seen in context: it does not exist in isolation but forms a part of an ecosystem of methods for tackling related design problems. A method depends on the knowledge and skills of the practitioners using it: while a description of a method is an artefact that is a formalisation of engineering knowledge, a method in use constitutes a socio-technical system depending on the interaction of human participants with each other as well as with the description of the method, representations of design information and, often, tools for carrying out the method’s tasks. This paper argues that crucial factors in the adoption of methods include how well they are described and how convincingly they are evaluated. The description of a method should cover itscore idea, therepresentationsin which design information is described, theprocedureto be followed, itsintended use, and thetoolsit uses. The account of a method’s intended use should cover itspurpose, the situations or product types within itsscope, itscoverageof kinds of problems within its scope, itsexpected benefitandconditionsfor its use. The different elements need to be evaluated separately as well as the method as an integrated whole. While verification and validation are important for some elements of methods, it is rarely possible to prove the validity of a method. Rather the developers of methods need to gather sufficient evidence that a method will work within a clearly articulated scope. Most design methods do not have binary success criteria, and their usefulness in practice depends as much on simplicity and usability as on the outcomes they produce. Evaluation should focus on how well they work, and how they can be customised and improved.

Fairness and Welfare Through Redistribution When Utility Is Transferable

We join the goals of two giant and related fields of research in group decision-making that have historically had little contact: fair division, and efficient mechanism design with monetary payments. To do this we adopt the standard mechanism design paradigm where utility is assumed to be quasilinear and thus transferable across agents. We generalize the traditional binary criteria of envy-freeness, proportionality, and efficiency (welfare) to measures of degree that range between 0 and 1. We demonstrate that in the canonical fair division settings under any allocatively-efficient mechanism the worst-case welfare rate is 0 and disproportionality rate is 1; in other words, the worst-case results are as bad as possible. This strongly motivates an average-case analysis. We then set as the goal identification of a mechanism that achieves high welfare, low envy, and low disproportionality in expectation across a spectrum of fair division settings. We establish that the VCG mechanism is not a satisfactory candidate, but the redistribution mechanism of [Bailey, 1997; Cavallo, 2006] is.

The Framingham risk score is associated with incident frailty, or is it?

BackgroundsCardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are individually associated with frailty. This study examined whether Framingham CVD risk score (FRS) as an aggregate measure of CVD risk is associated with incident frailty among Chinese older adults.MethodsThis study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A sample of 3,618 participants aged 60 to 95 years and without CVD at baseline were followed for four years. FRS was calculated at baseline. Frailty status was defined as not-frail (0–2 criteria) or frail (3–5 criteria) based on the physical frailty phenotype consisting of five binary criteria (weakness, slowness, exhaustion, low activity level, and weight loss). After excluding subjects who were frail (n = 248) at baseline, discrete-time Cox regression was used to evaluate the relationship between FRS and incident frailty.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 4.0 years, 323 (8 %) participants developed CVD and 318 (11 %) subjects had frailty onset. Higher FRS was associated with greater risk of incident frailty (HR: 1.03, 95 % CI: 1.00 to 1.06) after adjusting for education, marital status, obesity, comorbidity burden, and cognitive function. This association however was no longer significant (HR: 1.00, 95 % CI: 0.97 to 1.03) after additionally adjusting for age. These findings remained essentially unchanged after excluding subjects with depression (n = 590) at baseline or incident CVD (n = 323) during the 4-year follow-up.ConclusionsThe FRS was not independently associated with incident frailty after adjusting for chronological age. More research is needed to assess the clinical utility of the FRS in predicting adverse health outcomes other than CVD in older adults.

Indicator system optimization model for evaluating resilience of regional agricultural soil–water resource composite system

Abstract Resilience is an important indicator for measuring regional sustainable development capacity. The construction of a suitable evaluation indicator system is the premise of evaluating regional sustainable development. In this study, taking the Jiansanjiang Administration of Heilongjiang Province in China as an example, a preliminary selection library of the evaluation indicator system for the resilience of a regional agricultural soil–water resource composite system covering seven subsystems and 59 indicators was established. Selection criteria such as the Dale indicator criteria, subjective and objective combination weighting and principal component analysis were introduced to construct an optimization model for the resilience evaluation indicator system for the ASWRS. First, 14 indicators that were incomplete or incapable were removed. Then, the Dale indicator selection criteria were used to ensure that 14 indicators were selected. The binary fuzzy comparison method and criteria importance through interference correlation method were used to calculate the combination weight. Finally, an indicator system optimization model was established. The indicator system was optimized from 59 to 35 indicators, and the completeness of the indicator system reached 85.75%. The proposed method had obvious advantages in terms of indicator identification and elimination, and it may truly achieve the goal of indicator optimization.