Identification Of Number Research Articles

Phase diagrams and topological mixed edge states in silicene with intrinsic and extrinsic Rashba effects

We investigate the topological phases and corresponding edge states in silicene with fixed intrinsic and extrinsic Rashba spin-orbit couplings. The results show that silicene can exhibit four distinct topological phases, such as two types of valley-polarized quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) and two types of QAHE that can be effectively controlled by the exchange field and electric field. In addition, these topological phases only correspond to the valley edge states distributed at the boundary of silicene. In particular, when the off-resonant circularly polarized (ORCP) light is further considered, silicene can host richer topological phases that are characterized by the Chern numbers from C=−3 to C=3, where the corresponding mixed edge states—where the valley and nonvalley edge states could coexist—can remarkably appear. More interestingly, the special higher Chern numbers C=±3 determine two valley edge states and one nonvalley edge state, with the right-moving or left-moving direction. These peculiar edge states are attributed to the ORCP light destroying the collapse of the Dirac cones that the valley edge states bridge. Additionally, silicene can experience multiple edge-state transitions for identical Chern numbers C=±2 between the valley edge state, nonvalley edge state, and two types of mixed edge state, under the ORCP light. This work may provide a platform and point of view for investigating other forms of topological edge state and is beneficial for designing multifunctional topological devices. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Cost-Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab as First-Line Treatment in Patients with Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Cervical Cancer in the United States.

First-line treatment of persistent, recurrent, or metastatic (advanced) cervical cancer in patients who have a combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 1 with pembrolizumab + chemotherapy versus standard-of-care chemotherapy provides meaningful improvements in overall survival. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis from a US payer perspective. A societal perspective scenario was also considered, including productivity gains. The cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab + chemotherapy versus chemotherapy was assessed using a state-transition model comprising the health states "pre-progression," "post-progression," and "death," with a 1-week cycle length and 50-year time horizon. Patient-level KEYNOTE-826 data informed the efficacy, safety, and health-related quality of life of pembrolizumab + chemotherapy versus chemotherapy at first-line and subsequent treatments. Real-world data were sought to cost subsequent treatments according to US clinical practice. Transition probabilities were derived from parametric survival models fit to time-to-progression, progression-free survival, and post-progression survival patient-level KEYNOTE-826 data. Sensitivity analyses explored the impact on outcomes from variables such as bevacizumab use. According to the state-transition model, pembrolizumab + chemotherapy extended mean life expectancy versus chemotherapy from 1.8 to 6.7 life-years. The mean gain of 4.9 life-years/patient was mostly caused by pembrolizumab delaying progression. Total discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) were 5.0 and 1.3 per patient for pembrolizumab + chemotherapy and chemotherapy, respectively (mean gain: 3.7 QALY/patient). Pembrolizumab + chemotherapy had comparable safety outcomes to chemotherapy alone. Total costs incurred were US $320,247 (pembrolizumab + chemotherapy) versus US $105,446 (chemotherapy; mean incremental costs: US $214,801/patient). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of pembrolizumab + chemotherapy versus chemotherapy was US $58,446/QALY. Sensitivity analyses showed results were insensitive to bevacizumab use. Including productivity gains led to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US $58,385 per QALY. Our model-based analysis suggests that first-line treatment of pembrolizumab + chemotherapy in advanced cervical cancer with a CPS ≥ 1 offers a substantial clinical benefit over standard-of-care chemotherapy alone and is cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of US $150,000. The approximate doubling of life-years and QALYs associated with pembrolizumab + chemotherapy represents a step improvement in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov Identification Number: NCT03635567.

Effectiveness of Implementing Single Identity Number (SIN) Through NIK Becomes NPWP for Tax Compliance

The inadequate and ineffective tax administration system in Indonesia has a negative impact on taxpayer compliance in carrying out their tax obligations, such as the tax reporting process is often complicated and time-consuming, thus burdening taxpayers, especially those who run small or medium businesses. The implementation of the Single Identity Number (SIN) through the Population Identification Number (NIK) to the Taxpayer Identification Number (NPWP) in Indonesia starting on January 1, 2024, is a major step in efforts to improve tax compliance. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the implementation of SIN through NIK to NPWP on tax compliance as tax administration in Indonesia. This study uses a literature study approach which is a combination of previous research by collecting data from various sources such as scientific journals, news articles, and government regulations which will then find enormous potential in expanding the tax base in increasing taxpayer compliance to carry out tax obligations through the SIN system. The results obtained from this study indicate that the implementation of SIN through NIK to NPWP has a positive impact on increasing tax compliance in Indonesia, such as more effective and easier tax administration with the simplification of tax administration and increased tax revenue. However, despite having various positive impacts, there are several challenges that need to be considered to maximize the effectiveness of the integration, such as the need for socialization and education to the community throughout Indonesia, the need for readiness in terms of information technology infrastructure to support the integration in a sustainable manner, and the need for certainty of good protection of taxpayers' personal data. So, it can be concluded that implementing the integration of NIK and NPWP through the SIN system can have impressive results in improving tax compliance in Indonesia.

Dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the Finnish version of the pain catastrophizing scale in chronic low back pain.

The 13-item pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) is the most commonly used measure of pain catastrophizing. A validated Finnish version of the PCS has previously been unavailable. The objectives were to translate the original English version of the PCS into Finnish (PCS-FI), then to evaluate (i) structural validity of the PCS-FI with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (ii) internal reliability with Cronbach's alpha, Omega, and Omega hierarchical, (iii) convergent validity with measures of well-being, quality of life, sleep quality, symptoms of central sensitization, and anxiety, and (iv) known-groups validity between participants with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and pain-free controls. The translation process was performed with established guidelines. The PCS-FI was psychometrically validated using 92 participants with CLBP and 53 pain-free controls. Structural validity with CFA supported a bifactor solution. However, low reliability was found for the three specific factors (ω h ranging from 0.14 to 0.18) compared to the general factor (ω h = 0.88) suggesting that only the total score should be used. Convergent validity analysis showed satisfactory correlations and medium effect sizes with the other patient-reported outcome measures. Participants with CLBP had significantly higher total PCS-FI scores than pain-free controls. The PCS-FI appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing pain-related catastrophizing in Finnish-speaking populations. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Savo Hospital District, identification number 2131/2022, on the 31st of January 2022.

Optimization of protein identifications through the use of different chromatographic approaches and bioinformatic pipelines.

Selection of proteomic workflows for a given project can be a daunting task. This research provides a guide outlining the impact on protein identification of different steps such as chromatographic separation, data acquisition strategies, and bioinformatic pipelines. The data presented here will help experts and nonexpert proteomic users to increase proteome coverage and peptide identification. HeLa protein digests were analyzed through different C18 chromatographic columns (15 and 50 cm in length), using top 12 data-dependent acquisition (DDA), top 20 DDA, and data-independent acquisition (DIA) with a nanospray source in positive mode in a Thermo Q Exactive instrument. The raw data were analyzed using different search engines, rescoring approaches, and multi-engine searches. The results were analyzed in the context of peptide and protein identifications, precursor properties, and computation requirements to understand the differences between methods. Our results showed that higher column lengths and top N DDA approaches were able to significantly increase protein identifications. The use of multiple search engines yielded limited gains, whereas the use of rescoring methods clearly outperformed other strategies. Finally, DIA approaches, although successful at generating new identifications, had a limited performance influenced by the previous collection of DDA data, which could prohibitively increase instrument time. Nonetheless, the use of library-free methods showed promising results. Our results highlight the impact of different experimental approaches on proteome coverage. Changes in chromatographic columns, data acquisition, or bioinformatic analysis can significantly increase the number of protein identifications (>400%). Thus, this research provides a reference upon which to build a successful proteomic workflow with different considerations at every step.

Taxpayers’ Identification Number and Revenue Generation in the Southwest Region of Nigeria

Taxpayers’ Identification Number and Revenue Generation in the Southwest Region of Nigeria

Optimizing MSME Financial Management through Simple Financial Statement Training

This community service program aims to improve the understanding and skills of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the preparation of simple financial statements and the preparation of Business Identification Numbers (NIB). Angkringan Pak Owie was chosen as a partner because he faced obstacles in financial management and business legality. The methods used include direct training and mentoring regarding systematic financial recording and steps to make NIB through the Online Single Submission (OSS) platform. Through this activity, partners are able to prepare simple financial statements independently and understand the NIB registration process. The results of this program show that Angkringan Pak Owie has succeeded in registering NIB, so that it has business legality that makes it easier to access capital and opportunities to participate in government programs.

Time trends in mortality, incidence and case-fatality of acute myocardial infarction in Norway - do we see the end of the coronary heart disease epidemic?

Abstract Background In Norway and most industrialized countries the mortality rates from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) increased after World War II, peaked in the 1960s – 1970s, and have since that time declined (Figure). Recent studies have suggested that the decline may have leveled off, and that the favourable trends do not include younger age groups, possibly due obesity and diabetes. Also, the relative contribution of a reduction in incidence and improved case-fatality rates (CFR) to the AMI mortality trends are not known with certainty. We examined mortality trends of AMI in Norway during 1951 – 2021, and the incidence and CFR of hospitalized and non-hospitalized AMI during 2013-2021. Methods Fatal AMI cases were identified in the National Causes of Death Registry. Norwegian hospitals are required by law to register all patients hospitalized for AMI in the Norwegian AMI Registry. Hospitalized cases not registered in the AMI registry were retrieved from the Norwegian Patient Registry which contains discharge diagnoses for hospitalized patients. The national unique 11-digit identification number allowed linkage of the registries and identification of transfers between hospitals and re-hospitalizations. An AMI (either hospitalization or death) was classified as incident if no hospitalization was found for that individual during the previous 5 years. We calculated age-adjusted rates with the Norwegian population in 2017 as standard. Results Norwegian AMI mortality rates increased from 1951, peaked in the late 1960s, and have since that time declined steadily, although steeper after around 1990 (Figure). Present AMI mortality rates are lower than in the 1950s, and are still declining. Incidence of AMI (hospitalized and non-hospitalized) fell from 391/100 000 in 2013 to 271/100 000 in 2021, corresponding to a mean reduction of 3.6 % per year (p<0.001). Incidence of out-of-hospital fatal AMI fell by 6.5 % per year, incidence of hospitalized ST-segment elevation AMI (STEMI) fell by 2.3 % per year, and incidence of non-ST-segment elevation AMI (NSTEMI) fell by 3.1 % per year (all p<0.001). 30-days CFR of hospitalized and non-hospitalized AMI fell from 21.3 % in 2013 to 17.5 % (3.6 % per year; p<0.001). CFR after NSTEMI fell from 8.2 % in 2013 to 6.4 % in 2021 (4.4 % per year; p<0.001), whereas there was no significant change in CFR after STEMI (13.3 % in 2013 and 12.0 % in 2021). The incidence and CFR trends were similar in men and women aged 20-49, 50-79 and 80+ years. Comments Declining incidence of out-of-hospital fatal AMI and declining incidence of hospitalized STEMI and NSTEMI were major contributors to the declining AMI mortality rates in Norway. Improved case-fatality rates among hospitalized patients have contributed to the declining mortality rates, but there was no improvement in case-fatality in STEMI during 2013-2021.

Analysis of Scale of Business in mediating Financial Technology and Knowledge Management on Digital-Based Accounting of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Medan City

Micro, small and medium enterprises are businesses that can help neraga in improving the community's economy, reducing unemployment so that the government is now very enthusiastic in supporting the development of MSMEs. It is inseparable from the local government of Medan City which motivates business actors in using digitalisation in every sector in running a business so that it can develop not only at the national level but even at the international level. This research was conducted in Medan City with the variables used were Scale of Business, Finalcial Technology with Knowledge Management as the mediating variable on digital-based accounting of MSMEs. The population in this study were MSMEs under the guidance of the Medan City UKM cooperative office which already had a Business Identification Number of 488 businesses with a sampling method using the Slovin formula with an error rate of 5%. The analysis model used to test the hypothesis in this study is multiple regression analysis using the Smart PLS application. multiple regression analysis is a statistical method used to determine the magnitude of the influence between independent variables. Indirectly Scale of Business Mediates Financial Technology, on Digital-Based Accounting, Indirectly Scale of Business does not Mediate Knowledge Management, on Digital-Based Accounting, Directly Scale of Business, Financial Technology, Knowledge Management, have a significant effect on Digital-Based Accounting, Directly, Financial Technology has a significant effect on Scale of Business, Directly, Knowledge Management does not have a significant effect on Scale of Business micro small and medium enterprises in Medan City.

Impact of body mass index on aortic valve stenosis and its clinical outcomes in early adulthood: a long-term study of young men

Abstract Aims Studies investigating associations between body mass index (BMI), incidence of aortic valve stenosis (AVS), and clinical outcomes in AVS patients are scarce. Purpose To investigate the relationship between BMI in youth and subsequent diagnosis of AVS. A secondary aim was to determine the role of obesity in clinical outcomes in individuals diagnosed with AVS. Methods This was a nationwide, register-based cohort study of 1 701 390 men (mean age, 18.3 ±0.8 years) enrolled in compulsory conscription for military service in Sweden from 1969 through 2005. Anthropometrics, blood pressure, fitness, muscle strength and IQ were recorded at baseline. AVS cases and cardiovascular outcomes were identified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 registered in the National patient register and Cause of Death Register through the Swedish 12-digit personal identification number. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized as <18.5, 18.5–<20, 20–<22.5, 22.5–<25, 25–<27.5, 27.5 <30, 30–<35, and 35–<50 kg/m2. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between adolescent BMI and future hospitalization for AVS while adjusting for potential confounders. The BMI reference was set as 20–<22.5. Those who developed AVS formed a subcohort that was followed until a first clinical cardiovascular outcome of death, cardiovascular mortality, Heart failure, Atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, or ischaemic stroke. Results During a median follow-up of 32 years (IQR, 24-41 years), 5766 cases (mean age 54.7±9.4 years) of AVS were diagnosed. After adjustment, underweight subjects with a BMI of <18.5 kg/m2, compared to those with a low-normal BMI (20.0–<22.5 kg/m2) showed lower risk (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.61–0.80) of AVS. The multivariable-adjusted HR for AVS increased from HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.17–1.39 for BMI 22.5–<25 kg/m2 to HR 1.91; 95% CI 1.12–3.25 for those with BMI 35–50 kg/m2. Further on, individuals diagnosed with AVS were followed for a median of ~5.5 years. The multivariable-adjusted HR for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and heart failure for obese (BMI 30–50 kg/m2), compared to BMI <20.0 kg/m2 in men diagnosed with AVS, were 4.69 (95% CI 2.61–8.44), 4.09 (95% CI 1.72–9.73), and 2.76 (95% CI, 1.36–5.60), respectively. Conclusions Elevated BMI in youth, even within the normal range, is associated with increased risk of developing AVS, while subnormal BMI was protective. Excess weight in youth diagnosed with AVS is associated with higher risk of subsequent clinical outcomes. These findings are novel, generating new questions as to potential mechanisms and implying more vigilant monitoring of patients with AVS and a history of obesity in youth.Figure 1Figure 2

Long-term outcomes in women diagnosed with heart failure in connection to delivery

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) among young patients may be from various causes, often triggered by heightened physical demands like pregnancy. Data regarding outcomes of women diagnosed with HF in conjunction to pregnancy and delivery are varied. There remains a notable gap in understanding the outcomes observed in women diagnosed with heart failure in conjunction with delivery. Also, long-term follow-up studies are crucial to elucidate the impact of pregnancy-associated HF on future cardiovascular. Purpose To study the interplay between pregnancy, HF, and subsequent cardiovascular risk. Method Using the personal identification numbers (PINs) that all individuals in Sweden have enables linkage of data between different registers. Data from the National Patient Register (NPR), Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR) and the Cause of Death Register were also used. All women 18 to 50 years of age registered in the in MBR in the period 1st January 1997 to 31st December 2019 were included. Women with first-time HF in relation to delivery were identified using the international classification code for diseases (ICD-10) I50, I42, I43 and 090.3 together with co-morbidities. Every patient was compared with 5 controls without HF from the Total Population Register matched on age at delivery and calendar year of delivery. Outcomes: all-cause mortality, and any cardiovascular disease (CVD) diagnosed during the observation time. Results A total of 286 cases and 1,430 controls were included. The prevalence of comorbidities at baseline for both patients and controls was low; congenital heart disease (1.4%, vs. 0%), pulmonary hypertension (1.0% vs. 0%), valvular heart disease (5.9% vs. 0%), myocardial infarction 0.7% vs. 0%), arrhythmia (5.9% vs. 0%), hypertension (6.3 % vs. 0.1%), (all p<0.05). Preeclampsia prior to HF diagnosis had 31% of patients vs. 0.2% of controls (p<0.001). Patients exhibited higher mortality rates at 4.9% during median follow up 9.0 (IQR 5.6-13.0) years vs. 0.3%, median follow up 9.4 (6.2-13.5) years and hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality HR (95% CI) of 18.20 (5.99 - 55.31) (p<0.001) compared to controls. During median follow up of 3.2 (0.0-9.2) years 60.1% of patients were diagnosed with CVD both at in-/out-patient settings compared with 4.1% in controls during 9.4 (5.8-13.5) years of follow up. Comparing patients with controls the HR (95% CI) was 22.24 (16.50 - 29.96) p<0.0001 for CVD diagnosis during follow-up, see Figure 1. Conclusion In conjunction with delivery, and in the years thereafter, women with heart failure diagnosis had more than eighteen times higher risk of mortality than women without heart failure. The risk of CVD event in the heart failure group is highest in conjunction with delivery. Figure 1. Cumulative incidence functions for all-cause mortality, CVD in- or out-patient visit adjusted for death as competing risk, comparing cases with controls.

Genetic Variability in Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory, and Neurodevelopmental Pathways: Impact on the Susceptibility and Course of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

The spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) phenotype strongly correlates with the SMN2 gene copy number. However, the severity and progression of the disease vary widely even among affected individuals with identical copy numbers. This study aimed to investigate the impact of genetic variability in oxidative stress, inflammatory, and neurodevelopmental pathways on SMA susceptibility and clinical progression. Genotyping for 31 genetic variants across 20 genes was conducted in 54 SMA patients and 163 healthy controls. Our results revealed associations between specific polymorphisms and SMA susceptibility, disease type, age at symptom onset, and motor and respiratory function. Notably, the TNF rs1800629 and BDNF rs6265 polymorphisms demonstrated a protective effect against SMA susceptibility, whereas the IL6 rs1800795 was associated with an increased risk. The polymorphisms CARD8 rs2043211 and BDNF rs6265 were associated with SMA type, while SOD2 rs4880, CAT rs1001179, and MIR146A rs2910164 were associated with age at onset of symptoms after adjustment for clinical parameters. In addition, GPX1 rs1050450 and HMOX1 rs2071747 were associated with motor function scores and lung function scores, while MIR146A rs2910164, NOTCH rs367398 SNPs, and GSTM1 deletion were associated with motor and upper limb function scores, and BDNF rs6265 was associated with lung function scores after adjustment. These findings emphasize the potential of genetic variability in oxidative stress, inflammatory processes, and neurodevelopmental pathways to elucidate the complex course of SMA. Further exploration of these pathways offers a promising avenue for developing personalized therapeutic strategies for SMA patients.

Tooth numbering with polygonal segmentation on periapical radiographs: an artificial intelligence study.

Accurately identification and tooth numbering on radiographs is essential for any clinicians. The aim of the present study was to validate the hypothesis that Yolov5, a type of artificial intelligence model, can be trained to detect and number teeth in periapical radiographs. Six thousand four hundred forty six anonymized periapical radiographs without motion-related artifacts were randomly selected from the database. All periapical radiographs in which all boundaries of any tooth could be distinguished were included in the study. The radiographic images used were randomly divided into three groups: 80% training, 10% validation, and 10% testing. The confusion matrix was used to examine model success. During the test phase, 2578 labelings were performed on 644 periapical radiographs. The number of true positive was 2434 (94.4%), false positive was 115 (4.4%), and false negative was 29 (1.2%). The recall, precision, and F1 scores were 0.9882, 0.9548, and 0.9712, respectively. Moreover, the model yielded an area under curve (AUC) of 0.603 on the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). This study showed us that YOLOv5 is nearly perfect for numbering teeth on periapical radiography. Although high success rates were achieved as a result of the study, it should not be forgotten that artificial intelligence currently only can be guides dentists for accurate and rapid diagnosis. It is thought that dentists can accelerate the radiographic examination time and inexperienced dentists can reduce the error rate by using YOLOv5. Additionally, YOLOv5 can also be used in the education of dentistry students.

Use of point-of-care tests in pharyngotonsillitis – a registry-based study in primary health care

Background Point-of-care (POC) tests, including C-reactive protein (CRP) tests and rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) for group A streptococci (GAS), are widely used in Swedish primary health care (PHC). This study quantifies their use in pharyngotonsillitis and explore their association with antibiotic prescribing. Material and methods Retrospective data from 2012–2016 in Region Kronoberg, Sweden, included all PHC visits with a pharyngotonsillitis diagnosis. Patient characteristics, test usage and antibiotic prescriptions were linked by visit date and personal identification number. Descriptive statistics were used for POC test analysis. Logistic regression assessed the association between CRP levels and antibiotic prescribing. Results Of 24,237 visits, 68% included RADT and 36% included a CRP test, with 89% of CRP tests performed alongside RADT. CRP testing was more frequent in patients with negative (56%) than positive RADTs (42%) (p < .001). Overall, 66% of RADTs were positive. Median CRP levels were 23 mg/l for positive RADT and 31 mg/l for negative RADT (p < .001). Antibiotics were prescribed for 95% of positive RADTs and 43% of negative RADTs (p < .001). In patients with negative RADTs, CRP testing was associated with higher antibiotic prescribing (57%) compared to no CRP testing (26%) (p < .001). Among these patients, CRP levels were associated with prescribing (aOR 1.032; 95% CI 1.029–1.035; p < .001), with 50% of prescriptions occuring at CRP levels ≤ 20 mg/l. Conclusion The use of RADTs and the proportion of positive test were higher than expected, indicating inappropriate use and diagnostic bias. CRP testing, contrary to guidelines, was common and associated with increased antibiotic prescribing.

Postoperative opioid use in Norway—a population-based observational study on patterns of long-term use

BackgroundThe utilization patterns of opioid analgesics and the proportion of long-term opioid use after surgery in Norway is largely unknown.MethodsThis study aimed to estimate the proportion of one-year long-term prescription opioid use among all Norwegian postoperative opioid users. Complete data from central health registries (NPR, NorPD, Statistics Norway, CoDR) were linked via the personal identification number unique to all citizens. The study period was January 1st 2010 until December 31st 2019. Long-term opioid use was defined as at least two opioid dispensings within two subsequent 90-day periods, with a minimum average use of 10 MME/day for the first 90 days.ResultsThe study population consisted of 693 495 post-operative opioid users (53.6% women), whereof 73.2% had not used opioids the year before surgery (new users). Among the postoperative opioid users, 3.8% were one-year long-term opioid users. The corresponding figures for new and previous opioid users were 0.4% and 13.1%, respectively. The highest proportions of long-term opioid use were found after transluminal endoscopy, eye surgery and assessments related to surgical procedures. In previous opioid users, the proportion of one-year long-term use was higher among women than men in all age groups, a difference that increased with age.ConclusionsThe proportion of postoperative long-term opioid use in Norway is generally low. We detected higher proportions of long-term opioid use after certain types of surgery, but our crude surgery definition warrants further examination. Previous opioid users pose a particular challenge in the management of postoperative pain.Trial registrationThe study used national health registry data from the period 2010–2019. A pre-registered analysis plan is available at Open Science Framework.

Capital structure of special-purpose governments

PurposeThe paper examines whether special purpose governments follow the pecking order model when raising capital, replacing firm equity in the original model with local intergovernmental revenues. Special purpose governments are a relatively underexamined component of state and local governments, and their capital structure choices have important implications for America’s aggregate fiscal health. This paper seeks to illuminate special purpose governments’ choices among available forms of capital.Design/methodology/approachTo address our research inquiry regarding whether special-purpose governments adhere to the pecking order theory, we narrow our focus to a specific group of transit entities. Our investigation utilizes data sourced from two distinct repositories: the United States Census of Governments and the National Transit Database. To facilitate integration of these disparate datasets, we establish a correspondence between them using the Federal Information Processing Standard and the transit identification number. Initially, our analysis employs maximum likelihood estimation, comparing these estimates to those generated by a naïve model. Subsequently, we derive parameter estimates through the application of a bivariate probit model.FindingsThe paper supports the pecking order hypothesis where internal funds are consumed first, debt is consumed next and IGR is consumed last. The results are robust and are not influenced by simultaneity bias.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper uses transit special purpose governments as the special purpose government of interest. These transit special purpose governments have high fixed costs that may inform their capital structure decisions relative to non-transit special purpose governments. Additionally, transit special purpose governments often have a profit-maximizing objective that may not uniformly apply to other special purpose governments, such as school districts, who lack such an incentive.Practical implicationsOur research should grab the attention of state and local politicians, voters, policy experts and scholars. Special-purpose governments, a key part of our governmental system, are on the rise. Understanding them better can guide decision-making on how to allocate resources, set policies and plan strategically. This knowledge boosts financial reporting quality, transparency, accountability and public confidence. Journalists can leverage our findings to ensure accurate and thorough reporting, fostering accountability and trust. Additionally, debt markets and analysts can factor this information into their risk assessments.Originality/valueThe paper enhances our understanding of how special purpose governments interact with existing models of corporate finance when making capital structure decisions.

Face Recognition and Authentication using DLIB for Examination Attendance System

Facial recognition technology enables the identification and detection of individuals based on unique facial features. based on various labels such as name, ID number, etc. In this research, a face recognition system for examination attendance is implemented using the DLIB library. Since manual attendance is a tedious and time-consuming task, this research aims to automate the process, thereby increasing the integrity of examinations. The proposed solution reduces the workload of invigilators by eliminating the need to manually take attendance and fill out attendance sheets. The dataset for this research comprises a combination of student images captured by a camera and images from the database. The system utilizes the DLIB library to generate facial encodings, which are then used to identify students in real-time. Upon recognizing a student, the system logs their attendance by recording their name and the current timestamp in a CSV file. DLIB has pre-trained CNN models that can be used forface detection. This ensures accurate and efficient attendance tracking, providing a reliable record of student presence during examinations.

Investigating the effects of a daily multidisciplinary intensive outpatient rehabilitation program on innovative biomarkers in people with Parkinson's disease: Study protocol for a phase III randomized controlled clinical trial.

To date, there has been no medication that has prevented the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many benefits of intensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for PD are supported by clinical, epidemiological, and experimental data. The main question is whether high-intensity motor and cognitive exercises have an effect on the disease's biological mechanisms. This study protocol is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) designed to determine the efficacy of an experimental, intensive, and multidisciplinary treatment in comparison to a home-based self-treatment in improving biomolecular and functional parameters in PD. A total of 72 participants will be randomly allocated to two different groups, experimental (n = 36) and control group (n = 36). The rehabilitation program will last 6 consecutive weeks and will involve the execution of a total of 30 sessions, one for each day of the week from Monday to Friday. Participants allocated to the control group will carry out a home-based self-treatment program that includes muscle-stretching and active mobilization exercises for 40'/day for 6 consecutive weeks. The primary outcome measure is the effects of both treatments on a new set of molecular biomarkers such as oligomeric alpha-synuclein and neurotrophic factors measured in peripheral neural derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs). Secondary outcomes will include changes of motor and non-motor symptoms, balance and gait performance and cognitive functioning. This RCT has been registered as "Intensive Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation and Biomarkers in Parkinson's Disease" on 30 May, 2022 to ClinicalTrials.gov with the Study ID number: NCT05452655. This rehabilitation program is believed to be crucial in modifying biomolecular and functional parameters in people with PD. We expect that this study will provide additional evidence to understand the impact of an aerobic and intensive rehabilitation program on brain plasticity in patients with PD.

Effects of trigeminal neurostimulation on heart rate variability: comparing cutaneous (Tragus) and tongue (Antero-Dorsal mucosa) stimulation

BackgroundTrigeminal neurostimulation of the dorsal anterior mucosal surface of the tongue has been proposed to treat a variety of pathologies and to promote neuro-muscular coordination and rehabilitation. Dental ULFTENS can also be considered a form of trigeminal neurostimulation applied to the skin surface bilaterally at the level of the tragus. It has been used for years in dentistry for practical and diagnostic purposes. Previous work has combined the two stimulation techniques showing an efficacy in improving HRV in healthy young women of dental ULFTENS applied to the mucosal surface of the tongue. This work sought to assess whether there is a difference in HRV in relation to the site of application of dental ULFTENS (tragus vs. tongue). If effective in reducing the activity of arousal circuits, this tongue-level stimulation technique could have new clinical applications.Material and methodA new intraoral device allowed electrical stimulation of the dorsal anterior mucosa of the tongue in 80 healthy young women divided into two groups: TUD group (ULFTENS stimulation on the mucosa of the tongue) and Tragus group (stimulation with ULFTENS bilaterally in the area of the tragus). The effects on HRV were monitored by photoplethysmographic wave (PPG). The HRV parameters studied were RMSSD, HF, LF, LF/HF.ResultsOnly the TUD group showed a significant change in selected HRV parameters that was maintained even in the epoch after the end of electrical stimulation. This effect can be considered as a vagal activation and an increased of HRV parameter. The Tragus group did not show significant change in the direction of increased HRV but showed an opposite trend. There were no undesirable or annoying effects of stimulation.ConclusionStimulation of the dorsal anterior (trigeminal) mucosal surface of the tongue with ULFTENS applied with an intraoral device was shown to be able to increase HRV while the same stimulation on tragus area, according to traditional dental ULFTENS procedure, did not show the same effects.Clinical implicationsThis stimulation technique could be an aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders characterized by autonomic disequilibrium such as, in the dental field, TMDs.Trial registration“Effects of Trigeminal Neurostimulation on Heart Rate Variability: Comparing Tragus and Tongue Stimulation”. ID number: NCT06549205. Date of first registration: August 1st 2024. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06549205?id=%09NCT06549205&rank=1.

Analysis of Influential Parameters in the Dynamic Loading and Stability of the Swing Drive in Hydraulic Excavators

The proper design and configuration of the swing drive mechanism of a hydraulic excavator are crucial to improve energy consumption and efficiency and ensure operational stability. This paper analyzes the influence of the relationship between the parameters of a hydraulic motor and a reducer, which form the integrated transmission of a swing drive, the dynamic characteristics of a hydraulic excavator on loading, and the dynamic stability of the drive. The analysis deals with an excavator model that has the same parameters of the kinematic chain members, the same parameters of the upper structure drive mechanisms, and two variants of the swing drive that, with different integrated transmission parameters, provide the upper structure with the identical number of revolutions and equal rotating moment. One swing drive variant possesses an integrated transmission with a hydraulic motor with a low specific flow and a reducer with a high transmission ratio, while the other drive variant has the opposite parameters. Understanding this relationship is essential for optimizing the design of excavators to achieve better performance and dynamic stability under varying operational conditions. As an example, this paper provides the analysis results regarding the influence of the relationship between the parameters of the integrated transmission hydraulic motor and reducer on the loading and dynamic stability of the swing drive in a tracked hydraulic excavator of 100,000 kg in mass and 4.4 m3 in loading bucket volume, as obtained from the developed dynamic mathematical models of the excavator using the MSC ADAMS program. The results indicate that the dynamic loads on the swing drive’s axial bearing are higher in the variant with a low-specific-flow motor and high transmission ratio reducer during the acceleration and deceleration phases. However, this configuration demonstrated better dynamic stability, with lower oscillation amplitudes and shorter damping times compared to the variant with a high-flow motor and low transmission ratio. Those findings provide valuable criteria for the optimal synthesis of swing drive mechanisms in large hydraulic excavators using multi-criteria optimization methods.