General Statements Research Articles

The Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture for systems of linear forms

AbstractWe extend the Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture to the setting of systems of linear forms in variables. That is, we establish a criterion to determine whether, for a given rate of approximation, almost all or almost no ‐by‐ systems of linear forms are approximable at that rate using integer vectors satisfying a natural coprimality condition. When , this is the classical 1941 Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture, which was proved in 2020 by Koukoulopoulos and Maynard. Pollington and Vaughan proved the higher dimensional version, where and , in 1990. The general statement we prove here was conjectured in 2009 by Beresnevich, Bernik, Dodson, and Velani. For approximations with no coprimality requirement, they also conjectured a generalized version of Catlin's conjecture, and in 2010, Beresnevich and Velani proved the cases of that. Catlin's classical conjecture, where , follows from the classical Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture. The remaining cases of the generalized version, where and , follow from our main result. Finally, through the mass transference principle, our main results imply their Hausdorff measure analogues, which were also conjectured by Beresnevich et al.

Tinkering While the Arctic Marine Environment Totters: Governance and the Triple Polar Crisis$

After describing how the marine environment is tottering in the face of the triple environmental crisis, this article explores the limited governance progressions at the global and regional levels in addressing the threats of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in the especially vulnerable Arctic. For pollution, key limitations include slow and arduous processes to add chemicals for control under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions and reliance at the regional level on a fragmented array of pollution studies and projects but without specific region-wide legally binding pollution standards. For climate change, the world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature targets which is especially problematic for the Arctic cryosphere while the Arctic Council has largely been limited to providing general statements of concern and aspirational calls for enhanced climate mitigation and adaptation actions. For marine biodiversity losses, a pan-Arctic network of marine protected areas has yet to be developed and various implementation challenges surround the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean including the need to ensure adequate financial, human resource and technical support. The paper concludes by highlighting some promising future governance directions. They include: the conclusion of a global treaty on plastic pollution; implementation of a new Global Framework on Chemicals –For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste; expected further clarifications from international tribunals on State responsibilities to address climate change; and regional implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the new agreement under the UN Convention on Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Japanese Breast Cancer Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Breast Cancer, 2022 Edition: changes from the 2018 edition and general statements on breast cancer treatment

The Japanese Breast Cancer Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Breast Cancer, 2022 Edition was published in June 2022. The guidelines were prepared while conforming as much as possible to the “Minds Manual for Guideline Development 2020 ver. 3.0.” edited by the Minds Manual Development Committee of the Japan Council for Quality Health Care in 2021. In addition, a survey of Japanese Breast Cancer Society members on the 2018 edition of the guidelines was conducted from February 19 to March 4, 2021. Based on the responses from over 600 members, original innovations were made to make the guidelines more user-friendly. The 2018 edition of the guidelines was developed to provide support tools for physicians and patients to utilize shared decision-making. The 2022 guidelines consist of two volumes: (1) an “Epidemiology and Diagnosis” section covering “Screening and Diagnosis”, “Radiological diagnosis”, and “Pathological diagnosis”, and (2) a “Treatment” section covering “Surgical therapy”, “Radiation therapy”, and “Systemic therapy”. We believe that this concise summary of the guidelines will be useful to physicians and researchers in Japan and overseas.

190 Translating Alzheimer’s Disease Research to Improve Dementia Screening Through Health Message Design in the Community: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This study engaged Black adults who reside in a rural area of Kentucky to explore their beliefs, norms, knowledge, attitudes, and health-related behaviors about Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (RQ1) and what message elements are most relevant for designing a health message aimed at encouraging them to get screened for AD (RQ2). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This qualitative study was guided bythe Integrative Model of Behavior. Participants were recruited from a faith-based institution in rural Kentucky. Black adults aged 50+ years were invited to participate in the study, which consisted of two focus groups. Group 1 gained information about behavioral determinants (RQ1) and examined which message design elements were important to Black adults by asking for feedback on a handout from the Alzheimer’s Association that encouraged AD screening (RQ2). The handout was redesigned based on feedback from Group 1. Group 2 was involved in a discussion of the redesigned handout, asking for further feedback. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis included thematic analysis of transcripts of the focus groups and quantitative analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Participants (N=18) were all female and Black with a mean age of sixty-two years. For RQ1, Results revealed that 1) limited knowledge of AD led to feelings of not being able to do anything about the disease, whereas awareness and education led to hope; 2) past healthcare experiences informed subsequent beliefs and behaviors, and 3) culture impacted beliefs, with a cultural norm of “what happens in our house, stays in our house” being prominent. For RQ2, results revealed the importance of regionally specific messaging for AD. Generic statements that applied broadly did not appeal to participants. Message delivery, layout, and format for low literacy individuals are key for maximizing audience impact. Pictures give hints about the message and aid in understanding. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Barriers such as past experiences, lack of knowledge, and cultural norms negatively impact the likelihood that Black adults will get screened for AD, resulting in delayed healthcare or healthcare avoidance. Regionally specific health messaging for AD has the potential to encourage modifications in health-related behaviors.

Experimental investigations of upscaling effects of high-temperature heat pumps with R1233zd(E){fr}Études expérimentales des effets d'échelle des pompes à chaleur haute température au R1233zd(E)

High-temperature heat pumps (HTHP) are crucial for decarbonizing district heating and industry. Hence, a reliable performance estimation considering effects of scaling is of interest for cost-efficient system integration. This study compares two laboratory HTHPs with the same refrigerant R1233zd(E). These systems have a similar plant design but a capacity scale factor of 3.2. The aim is to evaluate scale effects and make general valid statements about the challenges of upscaling laboratory test results. The analyses show that it is essential to distinguish between design effects like temperature differences at the pinch point or different heat exchanger surfaces and scale effects like relative heat losses and efficiencies of components and the system. At the component level, large surface reserves in the heat exchangers lead to 3 - 5 K smaller approach temperature differences in the lower capacity HTHP. At the system level, the relative heat losses are about 15 % higher than in the system with a larger capacity. The coefficient of performance of both HTHPs shows a similar trend as a function of the temperature lift from the heat source to the sink. Cross-referencing these performance results with over 200 data points from the literature, validated the possibility of upscaling.

The VertiGO! Trial protocol: A prospective, single-center, patient-blinded study to evaluate efficacy and safety of prolonged daily stimulation with a multichannel vestibulocochlear implant prototype in bilateral vestibulopathy patients.

A combined vestibular (VI) and cochlear implant (CI) device, also known as the vestibulocochlear implant (VCI), was previously developed to restore both vestibular and auditory function. A new refined prototype is currently being investigated. This prototype allows for concurrent multichannel vestibular and cochlear stimulation. Although recent studies showed that VCI stimulation enables compensatory eye, body and neck movements, the constraints in these acute study designs prevent them from creating more general statements over time. Moreover, the clinical relevance of potential VI and CI interactions is not yet studied. The VertiGO! Trial aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of prolonged daily motion modulated stimulation with a multichannel VCI prototype. A single-center clinical trial will be carried out to evaluate prolonged VCI stimulation, assess general safety and explore interactions between the CI and VI. A single-blind randomized controlled crossover design will be implemented to evaluate the efficacy of three types of stimulation. Furthermore, this study will provide a proof-of-concept for a VI rehabilitation program. A total of minimum eight, with a maximum of 13, participants suffering from bilateral vestibulopathy and severe sensorineural hearing loss in the ear to implant will be included and followed over a five-year period. Efficacy will be evaluated by collecting functional (i.e. image stabilization) and more fundamental (i.e. vestibulo-ocular reflexes, self-motion perception) outcomes. Hearing performance with a VCI and patient-reported outcomes will be included as well. The proposed schedule of fitting, stimulation and outcome testing allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility and long-term safety of a multichannel VCI prototype. This design will give insights into vestibular and hearing performance during VCI stimulation. Results will also provide insights into the expected daily benefit of prolonged VCI stimulation, paving the way for cost-effectiveness analyses and a more comprehensive clinical implementation of vestibulocochlear stimulation in the future. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04918745. Registered 28 April 2021.

The product of a quartic and a sextic number cannot be octic

Abstract In this article, we prove that the product of two algebraic numbers of degrees 4 and 6 over Q {\mathbb{Q}} cannot be of degree 8. This completes the classification of so-called product-feasible triplets ( a , b , c ) ∈ N 3 \left(a,b,c)\in {{\mathbb{N}}}^{3} with a ≤ b ≤ c a\le b\le c and b ≤ 7 b\le 7 . The triplet ( a , b , c ) \left(a,b,c) is called product-feasible if there are algebraic numbers α , β \alpha ,\beta , and γ \gamma of degrees a , b a,b , and c c over Q {\mathbb{Q}} , respectively, such that α β = γ \alpha \beta =\gamma . In the proof, we use a proposition that describes all monic quartic irreducible polynomials in Q [ x ] {\mathbb{Q}}\left[x] with four roots of equal moduli and is of independent interest. We also prove a more general statement, which asserts that for any integers n ≥ 2 n\ge 2 and k ≥ 1 k\ge 1 , the triplet ( a , b , c ) = ( n , ( n − 1 ) k , n k ) \left(a,b,c)=\left(n,\left(n-1)k,nk) is product-feasible if and only if n n is a prime number. The choice ( n , k ) = ( 4 , 2 ) \left(n,k)=\left(4,2) recovers the case ( a , b , c ) = ( 4 , 6 , 8 ) \left(a,b,c)=\left(4,6,8) as well.

CEOs Showing Humanity: Seemingly Generic Human Care Statements in Conference Calls and Stock Market Performance during Crisis

CEOs Showing Humanity: Seemingly Generic Human Care Statements in Conference Calls and Stock Market Performance during Crisis

Interpretability is in the Eye of the Beholder: Human Versus Artificial Classification of Image Segments Generated by Humans Versus XAI

The evaluation of explainable artificial intelligence is challenging, because automated and human-centred metrics of explanation quality may diverge. To clarify their relationship, we investigated whether human and artificial image classification will benefit from the same visual explanations. In three experiments, we analysed human reaction times, errors, and subjective ratings while participants classified image segments. These segments either reflected human attention (eye movements, manual selections) or the outputs of two attribution methods explaining a ResNet (Grad-CAM, XRAI). We also had this model classify the same segments. Humans and the model largely agreed on the interpretability of attribution methods: Grad-CAM was easily interpretable for indoor scenes and landscapes, but not for objects, while the reverse pattern was observed for XRAI. Conversely, human and model performance diverged for human-generated segments. Our results caution against general statements about interpretability, as it varies with the explanation method, the explained images, and the agent interpreting them.

Decoding autumn phenology: Unraveling the link between observation methods and detected environmental cues.

Leaf coloring and fall mark the end of the growing season (EOS), playing essential roles in nutrient cycling, resource allocation, ecological interactions, and as climate change indicators. However, understanding future changes in autumn phenology is challenging due to the multitude of likely environmental cues and substantial variations in timing caused by different derivation methods. Yet, it remains unclear whether these two factors are independent or if methodological uncertainties influence the environmental cues determined. We derived start of growing season (SOS) and EOS at a mixed beech forest in Central Germany for the period 2000-2020 based on four different derivation methods using a unique long-term data set of in-situ data, canopy imagery, eddy covariance measurements, and satellite remote sensing data and determined their influence on a predictor analysis of leaf senescence. Both SOS and EOS exhibited substantial ranges in mean onset dates (39.5 and 28.6 days, respectively) across the different methods, although inter-annual variations and advancing SOS trends were similar across methods. Depending on the data, EOS trends were advanced or delayed, but inter-annual patterns correlated well (mean r = .46). Overall, warm, dry, and less photosynthetically productive growing seasons were more likely to be associated with a delayed EOS, while colder, wetter, and more photosynthetically productive vegetation periods resulted in an earlier EOS. In addition, contrary to recent results, no clear influence of pre-solstice vegetation activity on the timing of senescence was detected. However, most notable were the large differences in sign and strength of potential drivers both in the univariate and multivariate analyses when comparing derivation methodologies. The results suggest that an ensemble analysis of all available phenological data sources and derivation methods is needed for general statements on autumn phenology and its influencing variables and correct implementation of the senescence process in ecosystem models.

Darkness inhibits autokinase activity of bacterial bathy phytochromes

Bathy phytochromes are a subclass of bacterial biliprotein photoreceptors that carry a biliverdin IXα chromophore. In contrast to prototypical phytochromes that adopt a red-light absorbing Pr ground state, the far-red light absorbing Pfr-form is the thermally stable ground state of bathy phytochromes. Although the photobiology of bacterial phytochromes has been extensively studied since their discovery in the late 1990s, our understanding of the signal transduction process to the connected transmitter domains, which are often histidine kinases, remains insufficient. Initiated by the analysis of the bathy phytochrome PaBphP from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we performed a systematic analysis of five different bathy phytochromes with the aim to derive a general statement on the correlation of photostate and autokinase output. While all proteins adopt different Pr/Pfr-fractions in response to red, blue, and far-red light, only darkness leads to a pure or highly-enriched Pfr-form, directly correlated with the lowest level of autokinase activity. Using this information, we developed a method to quantitatively correlate the autokinase activity of phytochrome samples with well-defined stationary Pr/Pfr-fractions. We demonstrate that the off-state of the phytochromes is the Pfr-form and that different Pr/Pfr-fractions enable the organisms to fine-tune their kinase output in response to a certain light environment. Furthermore, the output response is regulated by the rate of dark reversion, which differs significantly from 5 seconds to 50 minutes half-life. Overall, our study indicates that bathy phytochromes function as sensors of light and darkness, rather than red and far-red light, as originally postulated.

On a Carnot working continuum with non-equilibrium state parameters

We explain that a full description of how the non-equilibrium state of the system evolves in time requires the consideration and solution of its general equation of motion. In the case of the Carnot medium, as a general equation of motion, there must be taken two balances of: nonequilibrium specific volume and non-equilibrium specific entropy. Instead of taking the classical approach where the balance of entropy is postponed to more advanced and theoretical treatments, we focus on the analysis of two, most general, volume and entropy fluxes. These fluxes of motion are universal features of thermodynamics. It has been shown that the Carnot working continuum mathematical model is captured by the two general nonmathematical statements valid for all systems that we call the first law and the second law of thermodynamics.

Reporting and presentation of statistical analyses: instructions for authors of health sciences journals based in South Africa

Background: Statistical analyses are a key component of quantitative research in health sciences. Objectives: To review the instructions for authors on reporting and presentation of statistical methods by all health sciences journals based in South Africa. Methods: Health sciences journals based in South Africa that publish original quanti-tative research articles were identified using three sources, namely the list of accred-ited South African journals compiled by the South African Department of Higher Education and Training in 2022, relevant journals covered in Scopus, and web pages of major health sciences publishers in South Africa. The list was cross-checked against the listing of journals in Sabinet, an online database covering South Africa, under the category ‘Collection: Medicine and Health’. The instructions for authors given by the journals were accessed through their websites. The form for recording data was based on items listed in the ‘Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature’ (SAMPL) guidelines. Results: All except one of the 52 journals could be located online. Of the 51, 13 (25%) made no mention of statistics in their instructions, and 11 (22%) made only a gen-eral statement regarding statistical content with no further guidance. The statistical item most frequently mentioned was the P value (45% of journals), whereas the rest of the items appeared in the instructions of 20% or fewer journals. Nine journals (18%) referred to the EQUATOR guidelines, mainly CONSORT (10%). Conclusion: Nearly half of the health sciences journals based in South Africa either did not mention statistics at all in their instructions for authors or made only a cur-sory reference to statistics. The study thus emphasizes that these journals, in their instructions for authors, need to cover in greater detail the reporting and presenta-tion of statistical methods in articles reporting quantitative research.

Experimental Study of Novel Demountable Shear Connectors for Steel-concrete Composite Buildings

Sustainable composite structures in building construction are assembled using demountable structural elements that can be reused in the circular economy. The current research and development project, in cooperation with Budapest University of Technology and Economics and KÉSZ Group, bim.GROUP Ltd., Hungary, aims to design a novel demountable steel-concrete composite slab and frame system for buildings. The key component of this construction is the demountable shear connector. In the current research, novel bolted shear connectors with embedded bolts and threaded rods are developed and studied that can fit the applied technology of the industrial partner. One of the leading aspects of this connection is the consideration of bolt hole clearance, since it occurs initial slip and stiffness reduction of the composite beam. In the first phase of the research program, demountable and economical structural details were developed, which can reduce the stiffness reduction with the proper resistance and ductility features. To study the behavior of these shear connections, a push-out experimental program was designed and completed in March and April 2023. It is observed that novel shear connectors have a proper behavior with sufficient resistance and ductility, which is applicable according to the Eurocode 4 standard and fits the objectives of the research and development project. In the paper, the developed structural details and the push-out experimental program are presented with general results and statements besides a detailed evaluation of a specified specimen type.

The Linguistic and Grammatical Foundations for Understanding Prophetic Hadith Texts: Proposed Strategies and Mechanisms/ الأسس اللغوية والنحوية لفهم نصوص الحديث النبوي: استراتيجيات وآليات مقترحة

The Prophetic Texts (Hadith) is the second source of Islamic legislation. It provides detailed explanations of what is mentioned in the Quran, clarifies ambiguous matters, specifies general statements, and restricts absolute statements. Anyone who engages in the explanation of the Prophetic Tradition must possess linguistic knowledge, as it plays a significant role for the scholar of Hadith, the interpreter, the jurist, and the scholar of Islamic principles. Understanding the secrets of language and the methods used by Arabs in their speech helps in comprehending the intended meaning of the Prophet's words, peace be upon him. This research aims to develop a conceptual framework and proposed strategies and mechanisms for understanding the Prophetic Tradition based on linguistic knowledge. It also aims to demonstrate the role of the objectives of Arabic grammar in understanding the Prophetic Tradition, as well as to introduce modern grammatical theories and their role in understanding the Prophetic Tradition. The research adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and its findings indicate that understanding the objectives of Arabic grammar assists in comprehending many problematic aspects found in some narrations. Furthermore, the lack of knowledge of the external context of a hadith leads to misconceptions, and the theory of textual grammar contributes to understanding the meanings of the Prophetic Tradition. The indirect style in language also aids in identifying the purpose and intent of the Prophetic Tradition. The researchers recommend the necessity of conducting serious linguistic studies on linguistic expression and meaning, examining their characteristics and roles in elucidating the legal objectives of the Prophetic text, as they are essential in deducing juristic rulings.

Quality indicators for appropriate in-hospital pharmacotherapeutic stewardship: An international modified Delphi study.

In-hospital prescribing errors may result in patient harm, such as prolonged hospitalisation and hospital (re)admission, and may be an emotional burden for the prescribers and healthcare professionals involved. Despite efforts, in-hospital prescribing errors and related harm still occur, necessitating an innovative approach. We therefore propose a novel approach, in-hospital pharmacotherapeutic stewardship (IPS). The aim of this study was to reach consensus on a set of quality indicators (QIs) as a basis for IPS. A three-round modified Delphi procedure was performed. Potential QIs were retrieved from two systematic searches of the literature, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. In two written questionnaires and a focus meeting (held between the written questionnaire rounds), potential QIs were appraised by an international, multidisciplinary expert panel composed of members of the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). The expert panel rated 59 QIs and four general statements, of which 35 QIs were accepted with consensus rates ranging between 79% and 97%. These QIs describe the activities of an IPS programme, the team delivering IPS, the patients eligible for the programme and the outcome measures that should be used to evaluate the care delivered. A framework of 35 QIs for an IPS programme was systematically developed. These QIs can guide hospitals in setting up a pharmacotherapeutic stewardship programme to reduce in-hospital prescribing errors and improve in-hospital medication safety.

Addendum: Treatment of atrial fibrillation.

The Interruption of Anticoagulation section of our article on Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation cited the recommendations of the American College of Chest Physicians on perioperative management of antithrombotic therapy (JD Douketis et al. Chest 2022; 162:e207). A reader suggested that our general statement on when to discontinue an oral anticoagulant would have benefited from inclusion of the recommendations of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (JA Joglar et al. Circulation 2024; 149:e1).

Students’ perception of the impact of a Geotechnical Engineering field activity on their competences development

The need to develop several students’ competencies is one of the leading challenges for Engineering instructors in undergraduate courses. It has been quite exhausting in many cases, mainly due to the lack of professors’ expertise in engineering education. Case studies may provide examples and help develop professors’ ability to design effective learning experiences. In this context, this paper presents a case study of implementing an in-class/ ex-class activity conducted in the Soil Mechanics-I course at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Additionally, it aims to discuss students’ perception regarding development of the proposed activity and competences. The activity comprised three phases: selection of Geotechnical Engineering problems on university campus, documentation and analysis of each situation, and presentation of solutions considering technical, environmental, and social aspects. Students’ perceptions were assessed using an anonymous online survey (18 Likert and open-ended questions), divided into three categories: general impressions, competencies development, and open statements. General impressions and competencies development were mostly positive, with deadlines reported as the most challenging aspect. Open questions responses provided positive feedback, emphasizing the main developed competencies, according to students’ perspective (e.g. leadership, interpersonal relationship, and analytical view of the problem). The need of dealing with real problems and work in groups appears to be a successful approach for teaching Geotechnical Engineering courses and developing competences in Engineering undergraduate courses. This case study can support innovation in teaching any engineering course and help students face future professional challenges.

Activation of metrologically useful genuine multipartite entanglement

We consider quantum metrology with several copies of bipartite and multipartite quantum states. We characterize the metrological usefulness by determining how much the state outperforms separable states. We identify a large class of entangled states that become maximally useful for metrology in the limit of large number of copies, even if the state is weakly entangled and not even more useful than separable states. This way we activate metrologically useful genuine multipartite entanglement. Remarkably, not only that the maximally achievable metrological usefulness is attained exponentially fast in the number of copies, but it can be achieved by the measurement of few simple correlation observables. We also make general statements about the usefulness of a single copy of pure entangled states. We surprisingly find that the multiqubit states presented in Hyllus et al (2010 Phys. Rev. A 82 012337), which are not useful, become useful if we embed the qubits locally in qutrits. We discuss the relation of our scheme to error correction, and its possible use for quantum metrology in a noisy environment.

ANN model for Call Options Pricing using S&P 100 Market Data

Stock options pricing is of key importance for markets and traders and is largely based on theoretical models like the Black-Scholes model. However, developments in machine learning open a novel, data-driven, perspective in contrast to the theoretical ones. This work explores the feasibility of artificial neural network model utilization for call option pricing, using the traditional Black-Scholes model as a benchmark. A multilayer perceptron model is trained to learn the Black-Scholes function and tested in real market call options data originating from thirty-five S&P 100 stocks. Findings demonstrate that artificial neural networks perform relatively well with market data and can be a valid data-driven approach for call option pricing, competitive to Black-Scholes. A unique contribution of this study is that testing data is not derived from the same distribution as training data, something common in existing works with similar models. Although further exploration and experimentation are required to reach the required robustness and become less ad hoc and data sensitive, datadriven pricing using artificial neural networks is a promising approach and can play a substantial role in option pricing.