Real-world Value Research Articles

Investigation of harbor craft activities for emission inventory calculation

ABSTRACT Total emissions from all sources need to be accurately quantified in an emission inventory in order for a basin to develop their air pollution management plan. The best approach is to measure both the real-world emissions and activity for a source; however, often only emissions are measured and activity is estimated from historical factors. This report focuses on harbor craft and presents data showing that using measured emissions and historical factors for activity will lead to inaccurate emission contributions. In this research, real-world activity data were collected from the engine control module (ECM) and from a surrogate method that relied on exhaust temperature. Measured real-world activity values from 10 harbor craft were compared with historical values found in the certification cycle. The vessels included four tugboats, three pilot boats, two police boats, and one supply vessel. The results showed the activity values used in the certification cycle did not reflect the real-world activity of the 10 harbor craft vessels. On average, real-world NOx emissions were only 46% of the NOx emissions estimated by ISO 8178-E3 weighting factor. In contrast, inclusion of significantly lower load factors leads to 31% higher in-use NOx emission factors on average. CARB/EPA load factor ranges from 0.45 to 0.51 while in-use load factor ranged from 0.14 to 0.44. From this finding, researchers are cautioned about accepting the activity values in a certification test cycle, like ISO 8178 E3, and instead should measure real world activity data. This change would improve the accuracy of the emission contribution from harbor craft to the local inventory. Implications: Real-world measurements of activity and emissions are the best way to get an accurate emission contribution to emission inventory. This paper reports on the differences between the use of the traditional certification cycle and real-world activity of harbor craft. Engine control module (ECM) and exhaust temperature data from 10 harbor crafts with different types of operation were used to compare real-world activity data to certification cycle.

Abstract 944: Analysis of efficacy of receptor tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors and insights to potential combinatorial treatment strategies in cholangiocarcinomas

Abstract Introduction: Cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) are aggressive tumors with poor prognosis. A large number of CCA patients are already in late stage at diagnosis so are only amenable to systematic therapies. Traditional systematic therapies are often associated with high toxicity and low efficacy. Several advanced therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are under testing against CCA. These efforts are highlighted by the recent FDA approval of pemigatinib, which blocks FGFR2 activation. Combination use of anti-angiogenesis agents with ICI or TKI are also hot research areas. However, data are lacking to demonstrate the real-world value of the above advanced or testing therapies. Here we aim to use a real-world CCA patient set to explore the clinic value and best strategy of combination therapy in CCA. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 286 CCA patients with a majority (219) of intrahepatic CCA. In total, 73 patients received anti-PD-1/L1 therapies, including mono-use of pembrolizumab (19), camelizumab (12), nivolumab (11), toripalimab (7), and sintilimab (4), and mixed-use (8) or unspecified (12) of the above anti-PD-1/L1 agents. On the other hand, 68 patients received one or more treatment of anlotinib, apatinib, regorafenib, and sorafenib/sorafenib tosylate TKIs. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) (all 286 patients) and RNA-seq (200 patients) to analyze the patients' somatic mutation profiles and tumor microenvironment (TME). We also analyzed their survival benefits stratified by TME, treatment, and gene mutation/fusion status. Results: We identified 59 patients with FGFR family gene copy number (CNV) gain or gene fusion (9 in FGFR2). Treatment with the above five mentioned TKIs show good prognosis (2-year survival rate 100% vs. 60% in un-treated, p=0.057). However, lenvatinib, an anti-VEGF angiogenesis inhibitor, showed no survival benefit in the 59 patients (HR 0.879, p=0.837). This conclusion was largely recapitulated in 114 patients who had higher transcription (top quartile) of FGFR family genes. Treatment with the first 5 TKIs (counted together) gave HR 0.395 (treated vs. non-treated, p=0.041), while lenvatinib gave HR 0.586 (p=0.164). For the 184 patients with survival data, the above mentioned anti-PD-1/L1 treatments gave HR 0.667 (treated vs. un-treated, p=0.073). Among these who received anti-PD-1/L1 treatment, 64 also received lenvatinib treatment and they gave HR 0.647 (treated vs. non-treated, p=0.265). Conclusion: Multi-TKIs and ICIs treatment are effective in prolonging patient lives in CCA. The combination use of lenvatinib with other TKIs has limited survival benefit. However, it has a trend of giving some additional benefit when in combination with anti-PD-1/L1 therapies. However, more testings are needed to confirm this. Citation Format: Jun Liu, Junning Cao, Guan Wang, Bingyang Hu, Chun Dai, Shengzhou Wang, Fei Xu, Qiang Xu, Shichun Lu. Analysis of efficacy of receptor tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors and insights to potential combinatorial treatment strategies in cholangiocarcinomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 944.

Early refund bonuses increase successful crowdfunding

The assurance contract mechanism is often used to crowdfund public goods. This mechanism has weak implementation properties that can lead to miscoordination and failure to produce socially valuable projects. To encourage early contributions, we extend the assurance contract mechanism with refund bonuses rewarded only to early contributors in the event of fundraising failure. The experimental results show that our proposed solution is very effective in inducing early cooperation and increasing fundraising success. Limiting refund bonuses to early contributors works as well as offering refund bonuses to all potential contributors, while also reducing the amount of bonuses paid. We find that refund bonuses can increase the rate of campaign success by 50% or more. Moreover, we find that even taking into account campaign failures, refund bonuses can be financially self-sustainable suggesting the real world value of extending assurance contracts with refund bonuses.

Clinical pathways implementation in a community-based oncology practice: Real-world outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer segmented by disease stage at diagnosis.

e18719 Background: Clinical pathways have been introduced as tools to optimize cancer care delivery, but evidence of their value in the real world is limited. This retrospective study was performed to assess treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before and after pathway implementation at Tennessee Oncology (TO). Methods: Chart data were abstracted for patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with Stage I-IV NSCLC who initiated first-line (1L) systemic treatment at a TO clinic and had follow-up for ³6 months or until death. Patients were divided into two cohorts: pre-pathways (treatment initiation 2014–2015) and post-pathways (treatment initiation 2016–2018). Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes were described and compared across cohorts. An exploratory study endpoint was the evaluation of outcomes based on disease stage at diagnosis. Results: Among 501 patients (251 pre-pathways and 250 post-pathways), most had advanced or metastatic NSCLC at diagnosis (Stage III: 40%; Stage IV: 42%). Chemotherapy comprised almost all 1L systemic therapy used pre-pathways (Stage I/II: 100%; Stage III: 96%; Stage IV: 83%). Post-pathways, chemotherapy remained the most common 1L therapy in patients with Stage I/II (89%) and Stage III (72%) disease, but among patients with Stage IV disease, use of chemotherapy decreased (47%) and immuno-oncology (IO) therapy alone or in combination became common (45%). Median duration of 1L therapy was longer post-pathways in patients with Stage III (2.1 months vs 1.4 months pre-pathways; P < 0.01) and Stage IV disease (3.3 months vs 2.3 months pre-pathways; P < 0.01) but did not differ among Stage I/II patients. Median progression-free survival was significantly longer post-pathways in patients with Stage IV disease (7.0 months vs 4.2 months pre-pathways; P < 0.05), but not in other disease-stage subgroups. Median overall survival increased non-significantly post-pathways for all disease stage subgroups (Stage I/II: 26 months vs 20 months pre-pathways; Stage III: 26 months vs 20 months; Stage IV: 10 months vs 9 months). For each disease stage, rates of severe adverse events were similar between cohorts. Conclusions: While outcomes for patients diagnosed with Stage III/IV NSCLC were generally improved following the implementation of clinical pathways, this change coincided with a dramatic shift in available treatment options. Improvements post-pathways were mainly observed in patients diagnosed with advanced disease. Thus, differences in outcomes between pre-pathways and post-pathways cohorts in our study are more likely attributable to other evolving practices in cancer care, particularly the availability of newer, more effective treatments such as IO therapy as part of standard practice, than implementation of the clinical pathways.

Is That Minnow in Your Bait Bucket an Invasive Species? An Inquiry-Based Activity for Teaching Taxonomy in College-Level Courses

Despite the importance that taxonomy and species identification have in our current understanding of ecology, evolution, and conservation of organisms, it is a challenging topic to teach. One of the primary reasons for this challenge is the lack of student motivation to learn organism classification and identification, which is often reinforced by curricula that do not show the practical value of taxonomic knowledge. This article describes an inquiry-based learning activity designed to show students the real-world value of organism identification. In this activity, students relate the misidentification of baitfish to the spread of invasive species via the baitfish industry. Students role play as fish ecologists and help a bait shop owner identify the specimens in their baitfish supply and subsequently develop a strategy to ensure that the business is not contributing to the spread of invasive species. By relating the field of taxonomy to species invasions, instructors can show students that they are learning information and gaining skills that have utility outside of the classroom. We found this to be an appealing alternative to other species identification activities, which typically focus on low-level learning, and we are excited to share our approach with the readers of The American Biology Teacher.

Dental patient reported outcome and oral health-related quality of life measures: protocol for a systematic evidence map of reviews

AimsThis research synthesis protocol addresses the question: what is the evidence concerning measurement properties of dental patient reported outcome measures (dPROMs), and regarding the real-world value of dPROMs, and where are the gaps in this evidence? Evidence mapping will systematically examine reviews of quantitative dPROMs used to assess the impact of oral health on the quality of life of dental patients and research participants. Evidence gaps where future research or systematic reviews are required will be identified.Materials and methodsThis protocol accords with the PRISMA-P guideline. Open Science Framework Registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RZD3N. Biomedical and grey literature databases will be searched, adapting the same search strategy. Published or unpublished reviews evaluating any dPROM will be considered for inclusion. There will be no restriction by date, setting, or language. AMSTAR2 and ROBIS will evaluate risk of bias. Psychometric criteria will be adapted from COSMIN. Data will be summarised separately for specific populations and conditions.DiscussionThe findings will enable clinicians and researchers to identify methodologically robust dPROMs, appropriate for use with relevant populations and conditions. Implications for real-world practice and research will be discussed.

AdmixSim: A Forward-Time Simulator for Various Complex Scenarios of Population Admixture.

Background: Population admixture is a common phenomenon in humans, animals, and plants, and it plays a very important role in shaping individual genetic architecture and population genetic diversity. Inference of population admixture, however, is very challenging and typically relies on in silico simulation. We are aware of the lack of a computerized tool for such a purpose. A simulator capable of generating data under various complex admixture scenarios would facilitate the study of recombination, linkage disequilibrium, ancestry tracing, and admixture dynamics in admixed populations. We described such a simulator here.Results: We developed a forward-time simulator (AdmixSim) under the standard Wright Fisher model. It can simulate the following admixed populations: (1) multiple ancestral populations; (2) multiple waves of admixture events; (3) fluctuating population size; and (4) admixtures of fluctuating proportions. Analysis of the simulated data by AdmixSim showed that our simulator can quickly and accurately generate data resembling real-world values. We included in AdmixSim all possible parameters that would allow users to modify and simulate any kind of admixture scenario easily, so it is very flexible. AdmixSim records recombination break points and traces of each chromosomal segment from different ancestral populations, with which users can easily perform further analysis and comparative studies with empirical data.Conclusions: AdmixSim facilitates the study of population admixture by providing a simulation framework with the flexible implementation of various admixture models and parameters.

PP469 From Theory To Practice: Which Value Framework Is Applied For Onco-Hematology Therapies In Italy? A 5-year Retrospective Analysis

IntroductionDifferent value frameworks (VFs) have been proposed in order to translate available evidence on risk-benefit profiles of new treatments into Pricing & Reimbursement (P&R) decisions. However limited evidence is available on the impact of their implementation. It's relevant to distinguish among VFs proposed by scientific societies and providers, which usually are applicable to all treatments, and VFs elaborated by regulatory agencies and health technology assessment (HTA), which focused on specific therapeutic areas. Such heterogeneity in VFs has significant implications in terms of value dimension considered and criteria adopted to define or support a price decision.MethodsA literature research was conducted to identify already proposed or adopted VF for onco-hematology treatments. Both scientific and grey literature were investigated. Then, an ad hoc data collection was conducted for multiple myeloma; breast, prostate and urothelial cancer; and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) therapies. Pharmaceutical products authorized by European Medicines Agency from January 2014 till December 2019 were identified. Primary sources of data were European Public Assessment Reports and P&R decision taken by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) till September 2019.ResultsThe analysis allowed to define a taxonomy to distinguish categories of VF relevant to onco-hematological treatments. We identified the “real-world” VF that emerged given past P&R decisions taken at the Italian level. Data was collected both for clinical and economical outcomes/indicators, as well as decisions taken on innovativeness of therapies. Relevant differences emerge between the real world value framework and the one that should be applied given the normative framework of the Italian Health System.ConclusionsThe value framework that emerged from the analysis addressed issues of specific aspects of onco-hematological treatments which emerged during an ad hoc analysis conducted on treatment authorized in the last 5 years. The perspective adopted to elaborate the VF was the one of an HTA agency responsible for P&R decisions at a national level. Furthermore, comparing a real-world value framework with the one based on the general criteria defined by the national legislation, our analysis allowed identification of the most critical point of the current national P&R process in terms ofsustainability of current and future therapies as advance therapies and agnostic-tumor therapies.

OP410 Real-World Benefit Of Endovascular Repair Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms - Comparison Of GORE® Global Registry for Endovascular Aortic Treatment And National Institute for Clinical Excellence 2018 Guidance

IntroductionEndovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is routinely used for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). In 2018, draft guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) suggested EVAR was not cost-effective compared to open surgical repair. The analysis was driven by clinical inputs from randomized control trials which may not reflect current clinical practice. Data from registries may inform more robust economic modelling. The Global Registry for Endovascular Aortic Treatment (GREAT) was initiated to collect contemporary real-world data on the performance of GORE® aortic endografts and includes long-term data on survival, re-interventions and resource use. This study compares the real-world values for mortality and resource use following elective EVAR as collected by GREAT with the 2018 NICE AAA draft guidance.MethodsA total of 1,348 patients (88.7% men; mean age 73.1 years) undergoing elective AAA repair with the GORE® EXCLUDER device. Mortality, re-intervention and resource use was compared with the economic inputs for 2018 NICE draft guidance cost-utility analysis.ResultsAll patients survived EVAR compared to the 0.4 percent mortality indicated in the NICE analysis. All-cause mortality was lower through 1, 3 and 5 years with values of 6.9, 14.8 and 16.2 percent respectively compared to the NICE base case. The average length of stay was 3.7 days in GREAT compared to 8.34 days in the NICE analysis. Short- and long-term re-interventions were also lower with real-world data (3.6% versus 7.3% and 5.5% versus 8.3%).ConclusionsGREAT provides conflicting data on survival and resource use associated with EVAR compared to inputs of the 2018 NICE draft guidance These differences are likely to significantly alter incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Robust cost-effectiveness modelling in health technology assessments should consider contemporary data, as it is likely more reflective of current clinical practice and more informative for clinical and economic decision making for AAA.

Pandora's Loot Box

Virtual worlds are a frontier unlike any other. But as virtual worlds grow exponentially in the internet age, they find more overlap with the real world and the laws that govern it. One such emerging intersection is the advent of “loot boxes.” Borrowing their design from the gambling industry, loot boxes operate as a hybrid between slot machines and packs of trading cards. A consumer pays real-world money to buy a virtual box without knowing its contents. Upon opening the box, the consumer receives a virtual good that may be of great value, but may also be a common or duplicate virtual good of little to no value. Such is the gamble that fuels this troubling and addictive virtual gaming mechanism. While scholars and government agencies have considered differing views regarding the ownership, property, and sale of virtual goods, few have considered the gambling perspective brought on by loot boxes. This Article offers a unique legal exploration of the overlaps between loot boxes and gambling by proposing that state gambling laws be updated to include the social science concept of perceived value that explains consumer behavior. By examining the perceived value of loot box rewards, it becomes clear that consumers are driven to gamble for virtual goods based on the value they bestow in the virtual world—irrespective of any real-world value. This framework of virtual valuation is key in properly regulating loot boxes as a form of gambling, which plays on the same psychological triggers as do slot machines. This new framework carries important implications outside of gambling regulation in virtual worlds, while also contributing to the developing literature exploring the ethical and economic dilemmas when software is designed to increase user engagement by exploiting psychological weaknesses.

Calibration method of simulation data of virtual GPS and truth value in real world

At present, the complexity of the research and development process of the intelligent connected vehicle and the diversity of research methods increase the difficulty of establishing, integrating and verifying of virtual simulation experiments. In view of the deviation of the virtual vehicle sensor in the simulation experiment to the restoration of the real environment, this paper proposes to use the multi-point positioning method for data calibration, use the least square method to estimate the unknown point position in complex situations, and according to the error size after calibration, specific evaluation criteria are given. Finally, the scene verification and simulation evaluation of the calibration method of the GPS simulation data in the virtual environment and the truth value in the real world were carried out. The results show that this method effectively improves the restoration degree of the virtual simulation sensor to the real environment.

Which Implementations of Loot Boxes Constitute Gambling? A UK Legal Perspective on the Potential Harms of Random Reward Mechanisms

Loot boxes are virtual items in video games that offer the player randomised in-game rewards of uncertain in-game and real-world value. Paid loot boxes represent a lucrative and prevalent contemporary monetisation method that encourages repeat purchase through randomisation. The psychology literature has consistently reported a relationship between loot boxes and problem gambling. However, various implementations of loot boxes have not been sufficiently differentiated and separately examined. The literature and gambling regulators have generally argued that only loot boxes that cost real-world money to buy, and offer rewards that can be transferred to other players and are consequently worth real-world money, constitute ‘gambling.’ This paper identifies the potential harms of two other types of loot box: one does not cost real-world money to buy and the other does not offer rewards that are worth real-world money and argues that both may constitute ‘gambling’ under UK law. This paper hypothesises that even loot boxes that neither cost real-world money to buy nor offer rewards that are worth real-world money may be potentially harmful as they may normalise gambling behaviours. This paper highlights that, when the game’s design and economy are exploited by players, a particular implementation of loot boxes may involve real-world money, potentially contrary to the game company’s intentions, and thereby effectively constitute ‘gambling.’ This paper recommends that future empirical research separately examine the potential harms of each type of loot box.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with apremilast in the real world: results from the APPRECIATE study.

APPRECIATE is a multinational, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study in patients treated for psoriasis with apremilast, an oral phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor. To describe the characteristics of patients with psoriasis treated with apremilast in the clinical setting, to evaluate real-world outcomes of psoriasis treatment with apremilast and to better understand the perspectives of patients and physicians on treatment outcomes. In six European countries, patients with chronic plaque psoriasis treated in clinical practice who could be contacted 6 (±1) months after apremilast initiation were enrolled. Patient characteristics, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were obtained from medical records when available. Outcomes were evaluated using patient/physician questionnaires. In 480 patients at treatment initiation, mean [median; 95% confidence interval (CI)] PASI and DLQI scores were 12.5 (10.7; 11.6-13.4) and 13.4 (13.0; 11.4-14.2), respectively. At 6 (±1) months, 72.3% of patients (n=347) continued apremilast treatment [discontinuations: lack of efficacy (13.5%), safety (11.7%), other (2.5%)]. In patients continuing treatment, 48.6% achieved a ≥75% reduction in PASI score; mean (95% CI) DLQI score was 5.7 (4.5-6.9), and mean (SD) Patient Benefit Index score was 2.8 (1.2). Physicians perceived clinical improvement in 75.6% of patients. Physicians' perspective on overall success of apremilast in meeting expectations correlated with patients' perception of treatment benefit (r=0.691). Most commonly reported adverse events (>5% of patients) were diarrhoea, nausea and headache. Patients in APPRECIATE reported high disease burden despite more moderate skin involvement than those who enrolled in clinical trials of apremilast. Findings from APPRECIATE demonstrate the real-world value of apremilast for psoriasis treatment, as 7 of 10 patients continued therapy and showed notable improvement in disease severity and quality of life 6 (±1) months after apremilast initiation.

How dwell time affects the determination of occupant density in retail occupancies using footfall data

During the fire engineering design process, occupancy numbers are typically determined through the application of occupant load factors recommended by guidance documents or required by fire safety codes. It is often unclear how these factors have been derived or what upper bound of likely percentile of real-world values they represent. In retail occupancies the number of people using a space across a given time, referred to as footfall, is often recorded to set ground rents, etc. and the length of time that people remain within that space is often called the dwell time. This paper proposes a computational method to determine maximum occupant densities in retail spaces as part of a fire engineering design by combining measured footfall data with dwell time distributions. This method has then been applied to a case study of a large UK mall, using recently recorded footfall data. Simulations suggest that the maximum occupant density in common circulation spaces could be around 2.7 m2 per person and 5.2 m2 per person within the associated retail units whereas current design occupant load factors give 3.5 m2 per person for circulation spaces and 2–10 m2 per person for retail areas.

Why loot boxes could be regulated as gambling.

Do purchasable randomised reward mechanisms in video games (loot boxes) constitute gambling? Opinions often rest on whether virtual items obtained from loot boxes have real-world value. Using market data from real transactions, we show that virtual items have real-world monetary value and therefore could be regulated under existing gambling legislation.

The value of immunotherapy: Comparison of annual cost per patient receiving immunotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

e19364 Background: Checkpoint Inhibitors (CPI) has revolutionized cancer treatment but financial toxicity can be incurred due to high cost. We performed a population-based analysis examining the cost of CPI vs. conventional chemotherapy (CT) in patients with NSCLC to capture the real-world value of CPI on an individual and community level. Methods: Population based claims database of privately insured individuals, MarketScan was interrogated. Pts in years 2015 and 2016 with ICD 9 or 10 diagnosis of lung cancer who were continuously enrolled in insurance plan for at least 12 months were included. CPT codes for CPIs and CT were used. Outcome Measure was Health Service Use ( surrogate for treatment related toxicity) such as Inpatient Admissions and Emergency Department Use. Cost Categories (US Dollars) noted were Total Costs,Total Out-of-Pocket Costs,Total Outpatient Infusion Costs, Outpatient Infusion Out-of-Pocket Costs, Inpatient Admissions Costs and Emergency Department Use Costs.Statistical tests “paired t tests” and “unpaired t tests” were used to compare the above variables using SAS software. Results: In 2015 of 22,193 with lung cancer 554 received CPI vs CT in 21,639. In 2016 of 22,810 pts 2478 received CPI vs CT in 20,332. Data for CPI vs. CT in years 2015 (a) and 2016 ( b) respectively. p value for each pair was <0.0001 unless as noted below 1. Mean Total Cost: a) 228504 vs. 140,970 b) 202202 vs. 147801 2. Mean Total Out of Pocket Cost: a) 3381 vs. 3308 p=0.4829 b) 3500 vs. 3343 p=0.0021 3. Mean Total Outpatient Infusion Cost: a) 51158 vs. 18634 b) 60087 vs. 18999 4. Mean Total Out of Pocket Outpatient Infusion Cost: a)159 vs. 282 b) 359 vs. 263 5. Inpatient Admission rate: a) 33.75% vs. 59.40% b) 43% vs. 58% 6. Mean Inpatient Admission Cost: a) 53045 vs 69810 p =0.0025 b) 54124 vs 73903 7. ED Visit rate: a) 38.2% vs. 61.4% b) 50% vs. 61% 8. Mean ED Cost: a) 4117 vs. 5265 p=0.0379 b) 4947 vs. 6025 p=0.0001. Conclusions: Despite the higher individual total cost in pts receiving CPI vs CT; the cost of CPI could potentially be offset at healthcare level by lesser expenditure through lower ED visits and inpatient hospitalization. Though the out of pocket costs/patient was statistically different, the mean numerical difference was small between CPI vs CT. Future prospective trials of CPI should also incorporate costs to individual and healthcare systems in addition to evaluating the impact of CPI on Quality of life vs CT to understand the real “value” of CPI. This novel study can serve as a benchmark for future population based studies.

Improving intoxicated witness recall with the Enhanced Cognitive Interview.

Witnesses and victims typically provide the central leads in police investigations, yet statistics from past research indicates in many instances these individuals are intoxicated. To date, however, no research has looked at how best to interview such witnesses to maximise the amount of accurate information they recall. In the present research, whilst on a night out, participants watched a videoed theft whilst either sober or moderately (MBAC = 0.05%) or severely (MBAC = 0.14%) intoxicated. A week later, in a different location, participants were interviewed using either the Enhanced Cognitive (ECI) or Structured Interview. The ECI was found to improve the recall accuracy and completeness of witness accounts across all three drinking conditions. However, no significant interaction was indicated between alcohol and interview condition. The study findings are discussed in terms of their real-world value in aiding police officers to elicit as complete and as accurate an account as possible from intoxicated witnesses.

Operation of a Tube GAHE in Northeastern Poland in Spring and Summer—A Comparison of Real-World Data with Mathematically Modeled Data

The article analyzes a ground-to-air heat exchanger (GAHE) for a mechanical ventilation system in a building. The heat exchanger’s performance was evaluated in northeastern Poland between May and August of 2016, 2017, and 2018. In spring and summer, the GAHE can be theoretically used to precool air for HVAC systems. The aim of the study was to compare the real-world performance of GAHE with its theoretical performance determined based on the distribution of ground temperature and the temperature at the GAHE outlet modeled in compliance with Standard PN-EN 16798-5 1:2017-07. The modeled values differed considerably from real-world data in May and June, but the model demonstrated satisfactory data fit in July and August. In all years, the modeled average monthly air temperature at the GAHE outlet was 8.3 °C below real-world values in May, but the above difference was only 1.1 °C in August. The developed mathematical model is simple and easy to use, and it can be deployed already in the preliminary design stage. It does not require expensive software or expert skills. However, this study revealed that the model has several limitations. The observed discrepancies should be taken into account when modeling the performance of a GAHE.

Accelerated landing in a stingless bee and its unexpected benefits for traffic congestion.

To land, flying animals must simultaneously reduce speed and control their path to the target. While the control of approach speed has been studied in many different animals, little is known about the effect of target size on landing, particularly for small targets that require precise trajectory control. To begin to explore this, we recorded the stingless bees Scaptotrigona depilis landing on their natural hive entrance-a narrow wax tube built by the bees themselves. Rather than decelerating before touchdown as most animals do, S. depilis accelerates in preparation for its high precision landings on the narrow tube of wax. A simulation of traffic at the hive suggests that this counterintuitive landing strategy could confer a collective advantage to the colony by minimizing the risk of mid-air collisions and thus of traffic congestion. If the simulated size of the hive entrance increases and if traffic intensity decreases relative to the measured real-world values, 'accelerated landing' ceases to provide a clear benefit, suggesting that it is only a useful strategy when target cross-section is small and landing traffic is high. We discuss this strategy in the context of S. depilis' ecology and propose that it is an adaptive behaviour that benefits foraging and nest defence.

Edge servers placement in mobile edge computing using stochastic Petri nets

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is a network architecture that takes advantage of cloud computing features (such as high availability and elasticity) and makes use of computational resources available at the edge of the network in order to enhance the mobile user experience by decreasing the service latency. MEC solutions need to dynamically allocate the requests as close as possible to their users. However, the request placement depends not only on the geographical location of the servers, but also on their requirements. Based on this fact, this paper proposes a stochastic Petri net (SPN) model to represent an MEC scenario and analyse its performance, focusing on the parameters that can directly impact the service mean response time (MRT) and resource utilisation level. In order to present the applicability of our work, we propose three case studies with numerical analysis using real-world values. The main objective is to provide a practical guide to help infrastructure administrators to adapt their architectures, finding a trade-off between MRT and level of resource usage.