Equivalent Version Research Articles

A refined cocktailing of pro-apoptotic nanoparticles boosts anti-tumor activity

A functional 29 amino acid-segment of the helix α5 from the human BAX protein has been engineered for production in recombinant bacteria as self-assembling, GFP-containing fluorescent nanoparticles, which are targeted to the tumoral marker CXCR4. These nanoparticles, of around 34 nm in diameter, show a moderate tumor biodistribution and limited antitumoral effect when systemically administered to mouse models of human CXCR4+ colorectal cancer (at 300 μg dose). However, if such BAX nanoparticles are co-administered in cocktail with equivalent nanoparticulate versions of BAK and PUMA proteins at the same total protein dose (300 μg), protein biodistribution and stability in tumor is largely improved, as determined by fluorescence profiles. This fact leads to a potent and faster destruction of tumor tissues when compared to individual pro-apoptotic factors. The analysis and interpretation of the boosted effect, from both the structural and functional sides, offers clues for the design of more efficient nanomedicines and theragnostic agents in oncology based on precise cocktails of human proteins. Statement of significanceSeveral human pro-apoptotic peptides (namely BAK, BAX and PUMA) have been engineered as self-assembling protein nanoparticles targeted to the tumoral marker CXCR4. The systemic administration of the same final amounts of those materials as single drugs, or as combinations of two or three of them, shows disparate intensities of antitumoral effects in a mouse model of human colorectal cancer, which are boosted in the triple combination on a non-additive basis. The superiority of the combined administration of pro-apoptotic agents, acting at different levels of the apoptotic cascade, opens a plethora of possibilities for the development of effective and selective cancer therapies based on the precise cocktailing of pro-apoptotic nanoparticulate agents.

VSocial: a cloud-based system for social virtual reality learning environment applications in special education

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are spaces designed to educate student groups remotely via online platforms. Although traditional VLEs have shown promise in educating students, they offer limited immersion that overall diminishes learning effectiveness. In this paper, we describe vSocial, a cloud-based virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) system that can be deployed over high-speed networks using the High Fidelity “social VR” platform. vSocial provides flexible control of group learning content and compliance with established VLE standards with improved immersive user experience for both instructor(s) and students. For our vSocial development, we build upon the use case of an existing special education VLE viz., iSocial that trains youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder by implementing the Social Competence Intervention (SCI) curriculum. The vSocial can be used to: (a) implement multiple learning modules using wearable VR technologies, (b) integrate cognitive state sensing devices, and (c) organize learning session data securely using web applications hosted on cloud resources. Our experiment results show that the VR mode of content delivery in vSocial better stimulates the generalization of lessons to the real world than non-VR lessons, and provides improved immersion when compared to an equivalent desktop version. Further, usability study results show that users can successfully use the web application features in vSocial for group learning activities with ease-of-use and consistency.

Flow extensions and group connectivity with applications

We study the flow extension of graphs, i.e., pre-assigning a partial flow on the edges incident to a given vertex and aiming to extend to the entire graph. This is closely related to Tutte’s 3-flow conjecture(1972) that every 4-edge-connected graph admits a nowhere-zero 3-flow and a Z3-group connectivity conjecture(3GCC) of Jaeger, Linial, Payan, and Tarsi(1992) that every 5-edge-connected graph G is Z3-connected. Our main results show that these conjectures are equivalent to their natural flow extension versions and present some applications. The 3-flow case gives an alternative proof of Kochol’s result(2001) that Tutte’s 3-flow conjecture is equivalent to its restriction on 5-edge-connected graphs and is implied by the 3GCC. It also shows a new fact that Grötzsch’s theorem (that triangle-free planar graphs are 3-colorable) is equivalent to its seemly weaker girth five case that planar graphs of girth 5 are 3-colorable. Our methods allow to verify 3GCC for graphs with crossing number one, which is in fact reduced to the planar case proved by Richter, Thomassen and Younger(2017). Other equivalent versions of 3GCC and related partial results are obtained as well.

Linguistic and Psychometric Validation of the Chinese Version of the Control Attitudes Scale-Revised in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

The concept of perceived control reflects the belief that one has resources needed to cope with negative events and the ability to positively influence consequences of those negative events. In patients with heart failure, perceived control is associated with a variety of health outcomes. Perceived control is commonly measured using the Control Attitudes Scale-Revised (CASR). There is no Chinese version of the CAS-R (CCAS-R). The purpose of this article was to perform linguistic validation and psychometric evaluation of the CCAS-R. The CAS-R was translated into Chinese according to Brislin's model. Then, a multicenter observational study was performed. Floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency, structural validity, and hypothesis testing were all assessed for psychometric validation of the CCAS-R. A total of 227 patients with chronic heart failure were included. There were no ceiling or floor effects detected. Cronbach α was 0.94, indicating a high reliability. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 1-factor structure as proposed by the original CAS-R fits the data well. The results of the principal component analysis suggested that the 1-factor structure was optimal as well, accounting for 71.6% of the total variance. The a priori hypothesis was supported by a statistically significant correlation between the CCAS-R and 3 theoretically related variables. We developed a semantically equivalent version of the CAS-R in Chinese. The evaluation of the instruments' psychometric properties demonstrated that the CCAS-R has good reliability and validity for use in Chinese patients with chronic heart failure.

An experimental and practical study on the equivalent mutant connection: An evolutionary approach

Abstract Context Mutation testing is considered to be a powerful approach to assess and improve the quality of test suites. However, this technique is expensive mainly because some mutants are semantically equivalent to the original program; in general, equivalent mutants require manual revision to differentiate them from useful ones, which is known as the Equivalent Mutant Problem (EMP). Objective In the past, several authors have proposed different techniques to individually identify certain equivalent mutants, with notable advances in the last years. In our work, by contrast, we address the EMP from a global perspective. Namely, we wonder the extent to which equivalent mutants are connected (i.e., whether they share mutation operators and code areas) as well as the extent to which the knowledge of that connection can benefit the mutant selection process. Such a study could allow going beyond the implicit limit in the traditional individual detection of equivalent mutants. Method We use an evolutionary algorithm to select the mutants, an approach called Evolutionary Mutation Testing (EMT). We propose a new derived version, Equivalence-Aware EMT (EA-EMT), which penalizes the fitness of known equivalent mutants so that they do not transfer their features to the next generations of mutants. Results In our experiments applying EMT to well-known C++ programs, we found that (i) equivalent mutants often originate from other equivalent mutants (over 60% on average); (ii) EA-EMT’s approach of penalizing known equivalent mutants provides better results than the original EMT in most of the cases (notably, the more equivalent mutants are detected, the better); and (iii) we can combine EA-EMT with Trivial Compiler Equivalence as a way to automatically identify equivalent mutants in a real situation, reaching a more stable version of EMT. Conclusions This novel approach opens the way for improvement in other related areas that deal with equivalent versions.

Seismic modeling and inversion using half-precision floating-point numbers

New processors are increasingly supporting half-precision floating-point numbers, often with a significant throughput gain over single-precision operations. Seismic modeling, imaging, and inversion could benefit from such an acceleration, but it is not obvious how the accuracy of the solution can be preserved with a very narrow 16-bit representation. By scaling the finite-difference expression of the isotropic elastic wave equation, we have found that a stable solution can be obtained despite the very narrow dynamic range of the half-precision format.We develop an implementation with the CUDA platform, which, on most recent graphics processing units (GPU), is nearly twice as fast and uses half the memory of the equivalent single-precision version. The error on seismograms caused by the reduced precision is shown to correspond to a negligible fraction of the total seismic energy and is mostly incoherent with seismic phases. Finally, we find that this noise does not adversely impact full-waveform inversion nor reverse time migration, which both benefit from the higher throughput of half-precision computation.

The Boundary Element Method Applied to the Analysis of Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko Continuous Beams

This article is concerned with the analysis of continuous beams under static loading by the Boundary Element Method. The problem can be governed by the Euler–Bernoulli theory, also called classical beam theory, or by the Timoshenko theory; consequently, two different formulations arise. In order to obtain the analytical solutions for the Timoshenko continuous beams, an equivalent version of the three moments equation is presented. Two examples are included: the first consists of a two-span beam; the second, of a three-span beam. The results for the displacement, rotation, bending moment and shear force are always compared with the corresponding analytical solutions.

A bijective proof of the hook-length formula for skew shapes

Recently, Naruse presented a beautiful cancellation-free hook-length formula for skew shapes. The formula involves a sum over objects called excited diagrams, and the term corresponding to each excited diagram has hook lengths in the denominator, like the classical hook-length formula due to Frame, Robinson and Thrall. In this paper, we present a simple bijection that proves an equivalent recursive version of Naruse’s result, in the same way that the celebrated hook-walk proof due to Greene, Nijenhuis and Wilf gives a bijective (or probabilistic) proof of the hook-length formula for ordinary shapes.In particular, we also give a new bijective proof of the classical hook-length formula, quite different from the known proofs.

Field theoretic approach for block polymer melts: SCFT and FTS.

This perspective addresses the development of polymer field theory for predicting the equilibrium phase behavior of block polymer melts. The approach is tailored to the high-molecular-weight limit, where universality reduces all systems to the standard Gaussian chain model, an incompressible melt of elastic threads interacting by contact forces. Using mathematical identities, this particle-based version of the model is converted to an equivalent field-based version that depends on fields rather than particle coordinates. The statistical mechanics of the field-based model is typically solved using the saddle-point approximation of self-consistent field theory (SCFT), which equates to mean field theory, but it can also be evaluated using field theoretic simulations (FTS). While SCFT has matured into one of the most successful theories in soft condensed matter, FTS are still in its infancy. The two main obstacles of FTS are the high computational cost and the occurrence of an ultraviolet divergence, but fortunately there has been recent groundbreaking progress on both fronts. As such, FTS are now well poised to become the method of choice for predicting fluctuation corrections to mean field theory.

Battery-electric transit vehicle scheduling with optimal number of stationary chargers

Because of zero emissions and other social and economic benefits, electric vehicles (EVs) are currently being introduced in more and more transit agencies around the world. One of the most challenging tasks involves efficiently scheduling a set of EVs considering the limited driving range and charging requirement constraints. This study examines the battery-electric transit vehicle scheduling problem (BET-VSP) with stationary battery chargers installed at transit terminal stations. Two equivalent versions of mathematical formulations of the problem are provided. The first formulation is based on the deficit function theory, and the second formulation is an equivalent bi-objective integer programming model. The first objective of the math-programming optimization is to minimize the total number of EVs required, while the second objective is to minimize the total number of battery chargers required. To solve this bi-objective BET-VSP, two solution methods are developed. First, a lexicographic method-based two-stage construction-and-optimization solution procedure is proposed. Second, an adjusted max-flow solution method is developed. Three numerical examples are used as an expository device to illustrate the solution methods, together with a real-life case study in Singapore. The results demonstrate that the proposed math-programming models and solution methods are effective and have the potential to be applied in solving large-scale real-world BET-VSPs.

Multiphoton magnetic resonance in imaging: A classical description and implementation.

To develop a classical geometric interpretation of multiphoton excitation and apply it to MRI. To investigate ways in which multiphoton excitation can enable novel imaging techniques. We present a fully geometric view of multiphoton excitation by taking a particular rotating frame transformation. In this rotating frame, we find that multiphoton excitations appear just like single-photon excitations again, and therefore, we can readily generalize concepts already explored in standard single-photon excitation. With a homebuilt low frequency coil, we execute a standard slice selective pulse sequence with all of its excitations replaced by their equivalent two-photon versions. In the case of no extra hardware, we use oscillating gradients as a source of extra photons for excitation. Finally, with the multiphoton interpretation of oscillating gradients, we present a novel way to transform a standard slice selective adiabatic inversion pulse into a multiband version without modifying the RF pulse itself. The addition of oscillating gradients creates multiphoton resonances at multiple spatial locations and allows for adiabatic inversions at each location. With Bloch-Siegert shift corrections, analytical multiphoton excitation expressions match with Bloch equation simulations. Two-photon gradient-echo images of a lemon and a pork rib match with their single-photon counterparts. Frequency-offset RF combined with oscillating gradients generate excitation where the RF alone does not. The multiphoton interpretation presents new flexibilities for imaging. Excitation needs not be bound to the Larmor frequency, which opens doors to RF pulse design beyond the usual filter design and the potential for further imaging innovations.

Development, equivalence study, and normative data of version B of the Spanish-language Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test

IntroductionThe Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is widely used for the assessment of verbal episodic memory, mainly in patients with Alzheimer disease. A Spanish-language version of the FCSRT and normative data were developed within the NEURONORMA project. Availability of alternative, equivalent versions is useful for following patients up in clinical settings. This study aimed to develop an alternative version of the original FCSRT (version B) and to study its equivalence to the original Spanish-language test (version A), and its performance in a sample of healthy individuals, in order to develop reference data. MethodsWe evaluated 232 healthy participants of the NEURONORMA-Plus project, aged between 18 and 90. Thirty-three participants were assessed with both test versions using a counterbalanced design. ResultsHigh intra-class correlation coefficients (between 0.8 and 0.9) were observed in the equivalence study. While no significant differences in performance were observed in total recall scores, free recall scores were significantly lower for version B. ConclusionsThese preliminary results suggest that the newly developed FCSRT version B is equivalent to version A in the main variables tested. Further studies are necessary to ensure interchangeability between versions. We provide normative data for the new version.

Spectral representation of lattice gluon and ghost propagators at zero temperature

We consider the analytic continuation of Euclidean propagator data obtained from 4D simulations to Minkowski space. In order to perform this continuation, the common approach is to first extract the Källén-Lehmann spectral density of the field. Once this is known, it can be extended to Minkowski space to yield the Minkowski propagator. However, obtaining the Källén-Lehmann spectral density from propagator data is a well known ill-posed numerical problem. To regularise this problem we implement an appropriate version of Tikhonov regularisation supplemented with the Morozov discrepancy principle. We will then apply this to various toy model data to demonstrate the conditions of validity for this method, and finally to zero temperature gluon and ghost lattice QCD data. We carefully explain how to deal with the IR singularity of the massless ghost propagator. We also uncover the numerically different performance when using two—mathematically equivalent—versions of the Källén-Lehmann spectral integral.

Risk Matters: Breaking Certainty Equivalence

In this paper we use the property that certainty equivalence, as implied by a first-order approximation to the solution of stochastic discrete-time models, breaks in its equivalent continuous-time version. We study the extent to which a first-order approximated solution built by perturbation methods accounts for risk. We show that risk matters economically in a real business cycle (RBC) model with habit formation and capital adjustment costs and that neglecting risk leads to substantial pricing errors. A first-order approximation in continuous time reduces pricing errors by 90 percent relative to the certainty equivalent linear solution.

Classical Equivalent Quantum Unsupervised Learning Algorithms

The paper presents necessity of data pre-processing to process the data set through machine learning algorithms, and it filters the raw data to make the data as in compatible format for analysis purpose. The methods such as mean normalization, feature scaling and dimensionality reduction are used for data smoothing and therefore formatted data set gets processed by learning algorithms to predict best possible outcome as per the analysis. Machine learning became famous for such processing purpose and through unsupervised learning we are capable of processing over various data formats. Such algorithms performance is up-to the mark, but as per the availability of inherent parallel processing through quantum machines, computational speedup can be achieved by designing classical equivalent quantum machine learning algorithms. In this paper, we discussed some of the classical unsupervised learning algorithms, and then we propose the equivalent quantum version of algorithms along with the mathematical justification over the complexity analysis and achieved computational speedup and show the betterment by processing such problems over quantum machines.

Robust estimation and inference for general varying coefficient models with missing observations

This paper considers estimation and inference for a class of varying coefficient models in which some of the responses and some of the covariates are missing at random and outliers are present. The paper proposes two general estimators—and a computationally attractive and asymptotically equivalent one-step version of them—that combine inverse probability weighting and robust local linear estimation. The paper also considers inference for the unknown infinite-dimensional parameter and proposes two Wald statistics that are shown to have power under a sequence of local Pitman drifts and are consistent as the drifts diverge. The results of the paper are illustrated with three examples: robust local generalized estimating equations, robust local quasi-likelihood and robust local nonlinear least squares estimation. A simulation study shows that the proposed estimators and test statistics have competitive finite sample properties, whereas two empirical examples illustrate the applicability of the proposed estimation and testing methods.

Translation and culture adaptation of the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Test, the Literacy Assessment for Diabetes and the Diabetes Numeracy Test.

The ability to understand instructions on drug bottles, appointment slips and medical education brochures could be affected by patients' health literacy. Healthcare providers need to be aware of, hence, assess patients' literacy before they develop effective educational strategies for these patients. Many validated instruments have been used to evaluate literacy of diabetic patients in the English language, only a limited number is available in Arabic. To translate and culturally-adapt the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT), the Literacy Assessment for Diabetes (LAD), and the Diabetes Numeracy Test (DNT) for potential use in Arabic-speaking countries. A formal process based on the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) guidelines was adopted in translating and culturally adapting the three tools. An expert panel reviewed forward and backward translations of the tools. Ten diabetic patients participated in the cognitive debriefing process to evaluate the tools for clarity, simplicity, and comprehensiveness, and to assess their cultural equivalence. Only minor changes were introduced in tools' design, appearance, and instructions. However, issues identified during the expert panel review and cognitive debriefing led to modifying the tools resulting in item re-wording, addition, deletion or re-arrangement. Terms such as glycosylated hemoglobin, carbohydrates, and infection were adapted to cumulative sugar, starch and microbial inflammation respectively. Issues related to cultural and conceptual equivalence were resolved by replacing words such as kilo instead of pound, and supper instead of dinner, or adding diacritics to the Arabic word for "kidney". The original 43 items of the DNT were reduced to 26, eliminating questions with the same mathematical calculations within each tool domain. A Culturally equivalent version of the Simplified DKT, LAD and DNT have been developed in the Arabic language available to be used in research and clinical practice in the Arabic speaking countries.

Brazilian-Portuguese Linguistic Validation of the Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcome Instrument.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a linguistic validation of the velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) Effects on Life Outcome (VELO) instrument for use in Brazilian-Portuguese patients with VPI. The original English version of the VELO instrument was translated into Brazilian-Portuguese, back-translated, and adapted among the Brazilian patients (n = 21) with VPI and their parents, based on the standardized guidelines for the cross-culture adaption process. Discrepancies in the forward and backward translation steps were computed. Comprehension rates were captured for each debriefing interview. The content validity index (CVI) per item (I-CVI) and of the scale (S-CVI universal agreement [S-CVI/UA] and averaging [S-CVI/Ave]) were calculated. Reconciliation of the 2 forward translations and the comparison between the back translation and the original VELO version resulted in some item wordings with discrepancies which were reviewed by the research team (translators, expert committee, and original developers of instrument). Three rounds of cognitive interviews also led to some revisions of wording. Comprehension rates of patients and their parents were 60% to 100%, 80% to 100%, and 100% in the first, second, and third rounds of cognitive interviews, respectively. The I-CVI, S-CVI/AU, and SCI/Ave for the Brazilian-Portuguese VELO version were 0.83 (or higher), 0.83 (or higher), and 0.97, respectively. The linguistic validation process of the VELO instrument created a cross-culturally equivalent Brazilian-Portuguese version for use in Brazilian-Portuguese speaking patients with VPI.

Slotless Lightweight Motor for Aerial Applications

A slotless, lightweight permanent-magnet (PM) motor with high pole count is designed and analyzed for a drone system that requires four motors of 0.5 kW each for a 2-kW propulsion power to attain the required torque–speed profile. The design optimization was carried out using finite-element analysis that lead to a slotless stator with outer rotor Halbach PM configuration achieving high power density, zero cogging torque, low torque ripple, sinusoidal back electromotive force, and good system efficiency. The Halbach configuration is found to have superior power density and torque ripple over the conventional concepts for the aerial applications. The power density and efficiency of the slotless motor can be enhanced through the use of nonconventional thermoplastic material and Halbach segmentation. The resulting low inductance of the slotless machine introduces a controls challenge, but it can be overcome with today's enabling technology of wide bandgap devices. A comprehensive analysis and comparison of the slotless design with an equivalent slotted-radial version showed the superiority of the former. An optimum slotless design has been prototyped and test results along with analysis are presented.

Translation and Validation of the System Usability Scale in a Danish Mental Health Setting Using Digital Technologies in Treatment Interventions

ABSTRACT The use of technology in the treatment of mental health problems is increasing. The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a widely used standardized questionnaire for assessment of perceived usability of technology. European translations and validations have been conducted, but none in Danish. The aims of this study were to translate the scale into Danish (SUS-DK) and examine the psychometric properties in a mental health sample using digital technologies in treatment interventions. We included 138 participants from a Danish mental health service using computer programs, video consultations, apps and virtual reality. The original SUS was translated according to the recommendations by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). The linguistic adaptation led to a conceptual equivalent Danish version of SUS and the psychometric evaluation found high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87). The SUS-DK is recommended for measuring perceived usability of technology in a Danish treatment context.