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In the literature, many desirable properties for allocations of indivisible goods have been proposed, including envy-freeness, Pareto optimality, and maximization of either the total welfare of all agents, the welfare of the worst-off agent, or the Nash product of agents' welfares. In the two-person context, we study relationships among these properties using both analytical models and simulation in a setting where individual preferences are given by additive cardinal utilities. We provide several new theorems linking these criteria and use simulation to study how their values are related to problem characteristics, assuming that utilities are assigned randomly. We draw some conclusions concerning the relation of problem characteristics to the availabilty of allocations with particular properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is common and disproportionately impacts older adults. Moreover, cancer care of older adults is complex, and the current Canadian cancer care system struggles to address all of the dimensions. In this project, our goal was to understand the barriers and facilitators to caring for older adults with cancer from perspectives of healthcare professionals and cancer care allies, which included community groups, seniors’ centers, and other community-based supports. Methods: In collaboration with a patient advisory board, we conducted focus groups and interviews with multiple local healthcare professionals and cancer care allies in British Columbia, Canada. We used a descriptive qualitative approach and conducted a thematic analysis using NVivo software. Results: A total of 71 participants of various disciplines and cancer care allies participated. They identified both individual and system-level barriers. Priority system-level barriers for older adults included space and staffing constraints and disconnections within healthcare systems, and between healthcare practitioners and cancer care allies. Individual-level barriers relate to the complex health states of older adults, caregiver/support person needs, and the needs of an increasingly diverse population where English may not be a first or preferable language. Conclusions: This study identified key barriers and facilitators that demonstrate aligned priorities among a diverse group of healthcare practitioners and cancer care allies. In conjunction with perspectives from patients and caregivers, these findings will inform future improvements in cancer care. Namely, we emphasize the importance of connections among health systems and community networks, given the outpatient nature of cancer care and the needs of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacovigilance agreements (PVA) landscape has evolved over recent decades with rapid growth in the number and complexity of partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions between pharmaceutical companies. Simultaneously there has been increasing scrutiny from regulatory authorities. Detailed regulations and guidance are lacking in this domain; hence companies have developed their own processes, templates, and tools, which have headed in different directions. Where feasible, marketing authorization holders (MAHs) have written contracts based on mutually understood requirements. Currently, MAHs are striving to find optimal solutions that safeguard patients, and in turn, support pharmacovigilance compliance. Through the TransCelerate BioPharma consortium MAHs are seeking simplification and efficiencies, to optimize the process of developing contractual agreements for pharmacovigilance. A survey of MAHs confirmed the perceptions above, and the need for efficient solutions to help navigate through the maze of complexity. The authors have led the development of tools and techniques to enable partnership between MAHs, and ultimately to support patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recyclable and biodegradable microelectronics, i.e., "green" electronics, are emerging as a viable solution to the global challenge of electronic waste. Specifically, flexible circuit boards represent a prime target for materials development and increasing the utility of green electronics in biomedical applications. Circuit board substrates and packaging are good dielectrics, mechanically and thermally robust, and are compatible with microfabrication processes. Poly(octamethylene maleate (anhydride) citrate) (POMaC) – a citric acid-based elastomer with tunable degradation and mechanical properties – presents a promising alternative for circuit board substrates and packaging. Here, we report the characterization of Elastomeric Circuit Boards (ECBs). Synthesis and processing conditions were optimized to achieve desired degradation and mechanical properties for production of stretchable circuits. ECB traces were characterized and exhibited sheet resistance of 0.599 Ω cm−2, crosstalk distance of <0.6 mm, and exhibited stable 0% strain resistances after 1000 strain cycles to 20%. Fabrication of single layer and encapsulated ECBs was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary research that looks at self-regulated learning (SRL) as processes of learning events derived from trace data has attracted increasing interest over the past decade. However, limited research has been conducted that looks into the validity of trace-based measurement protocols. In order to fill this gap in the literature, we propose a novel validation approach that combines theory-driven and data-driven perspectives to increase the validity of interpretations of SRL processes extracted from trace-data. The main contribution of this approach consists of three alignments between trace data and think aloud data to improve measurement validity. In addition, we define the match rate between SRL processes extracted from trace data and think aloud as a quantitative indicator together with other three indicators (sensitivity, specificity and trace coverage), to evaluate the "degree" of validity. We tested this validation approach in a laboratory study that involved 44 learners who learned individually about the topic of artificial intelligence in education with the use of a technology-enhanced learning environment for 45 minutes. Following this new validation approach, we achieved an improved match rate between SRL processes extracted from trace-data and think aloud data (training set: 54.24%; testing set: 55.09%) compared to the match rate before applying the validation approach (training set: 38.97%; test set: 34.54%). By considering think aloud data as "reference point", this improvement of the match rate quantified the extent to which validity can be improved by using our validation approach. In conclusion, the novel validation approach presented in this study used both empirical evidence from think aloud data and rationale from our theoretical framework of SRL, which now, allows testing and improvement of the validity of trace-based SRL measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has been linked to improved learning and corresponding learning outcomes. However, there is a need for more precise insights into how SRL during learning contributes to specific learning outcomes. We operationalised four learning outcomes that varied on two dimensions: structure/connectedness and level/deepness of knowledge. Specifically, we assessed how surface knowledge measured with a domain knowledge test (independent concepts) and a concept map (connected concepts), and deep knowledge measured with a transfer test (independent concepts) and an essay (connected concepts) were associated with frequencies of SRL activities during learning, assessed by concurrent think aloud, while taking into account students' metacognitive and prior knowledge. Forty-four university students performed a 45-minute problem-solving task integrating information about three topics to write a vision essay on the future of education. Results of the pre-/post-test analysis revealed a learning gain in domain knowledge and concept maps. Low cognitive activities were associated with all knowledge measures, except the concept maps and transfer. Furthermore, specific low cognitive activities showed either a positive or negative association; for example, processing showed a positive association with essay, but a negative association with domain knowledge. High cognitive activities were associated with the essay (connected concepts), but not with the concept map. Both metacognitive activities and knowledge were related to transfer. To conclude, taking the level and structure of knowledge into account helps specify the association between SRL activities during learning and the related learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, unobtrusive measures of self-regulated learning (SRL) processes based on log data recorded by digital learning environments have attracted increasing attention. However, researchers have also recognised that simple navigational log data or time spent on pages are often not fine-grained enough to study complex SRL processes. Recent advances in data-capturing technologies enabled researchers to go beyond simple navigational logs to measure SRL processes with multi-channel data. What multi-channel data can reveal about SRL processes, and to what extent can the addition of peripheral and eye-tracking data with navigational log data change and improve the measurement of SRL are key questions that require further investigation. Hence, we conducted a study and collected learning trace data generated by 25 university students in a laboratory setting, that aimed to address this problem by enhancing navigational log data with peripheral and eye-tracking data. We developed a trace-based measurement protocol of SRL, which interpreted raw trace data from multi-channel data into SRL processes. Specifically, the study compared the frequency and duration of SRL processes detected, how much duration and times of occurrences of the detected SRL processes were affected or refined. We also used a process mining technique to analyses how temporal sequencing of the detected SRL processes changed by enriching navigational log data with peripheral and eye-tracking data. The results revealed that by adding new data channels, we improved the capture of learning actions and detected SRL processes while enhancing the granularity of the measurement. In comparison to the use of navigational logs only, the completeness of temporal sequencing relationships between SRL processes with multi-channel data improved. In addition, we concluded that eye-tracking data is valuable for measuring and extracting SRL processes, and it should receive more attention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biliary tract cancers, including intra- and extra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma as well as gallbladder cancer, are associated with poor prognosis and the majority of patients present with advanced-stage, non-resectable disease at diagnosis. Biliary tract cancer may develop through an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations and can be influenced by microbial exposure. Furthermore, the liver and biliary tract are exposed to the gastrointestinal microbiome through the gut–liver axis. The availability of next-generation sequencing technology has led to an increase in studies investigating the relationship between microbiota and human disease. In particular, the interplay between the microbiome, the tumour micro-environment and response to systemic therapy is a prospering area of interest. Given the poor outcomes for patients with biliary tract cancer, this emerging field of research, through which new biomarkers may be identified, offers potential as a tool for early diagnosis, prognostication or even as a future therapeutic target. This review summarises the available evidence on the microbiome environment in patients with biliary tract cancer, including a discussion around confounding factors, implications for therapy and proposed future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weighted scoring rules, perhaps the most common procedures for multi-candidate, single-winner elections, are defined by score vectors, of which the Borda Count is the best known example. The concept of Borda dominance identifies candidates who cannot win under any score vector; we assess its usefulness in the context of single-winner elections. We propose several families of score vectors that can accommodate any number of candidates, asking whether any of them can improve on Borda Count. Using large-scale simulation, we compare score vectors on Condorcet efficiency, or ability to find a Condorcet winner when one exists, on resilience to ballot truncation, and on ability to maximize the Copeland score using both complete and uniformly truncated ballots. Borda performs well on criteria related to Condorcet winner and Copeland score but, depending on the preference model, may not be optimal. Convex score vectors are the most resilient to ballot truncation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arc magmas typically contain phenocrysts with complex zoning and diverse growth histories. Microlites highlight the same level of intracrystalline variations but require nanoscale resolution which is globally less available. The southern Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand, has produced a wide range of explosive eruptions yielding glassy microlite-bearing tephras. Major oxide analyses and textural information reveal that microlite rims are commonly out of equilibrium with the surrounding glass. We mapped microlites and microcrysts at submicron resolution for major and trace element distributions and observed three plagioclase textural patterns: (1) resorption and overgrowth, (2) oscillatory zoning, and (3) normal (sharp) zoning. Pyroxene textures are diverse: (1) resorption and overgrowth, (2) calcium-rich bands, (3) hollow textures, (4) oscillatory zoning, (5) sector zoning, (6) normal zoning and (7) reverse zoning. Microlite chemistry and textures inform processes operating during pre-eruptive magma ascent. They indicate a plumbing system periodically intruded by short-lived sub-aphyric dykes that entrain microantecrysts grown under diverse physico-chemical conditions and stored in rapidly cooled, previously intruded dykes. Changes in temperature gradients between the intrusion and the host rock throughout ascent and repeated magma injections lead to fluctuations in cooling rates and generate local heterogeneities illustrated by the microlite textures and rim compositions. Late-stage degassing occurs at water saturation, forming thin calcic microcryst rims through local partitioning effects. This detailed investigation of textures cryptic to conventional imaging shows that a significant proportion of the micrometre-sized crystal cargo of the TVZ is of antecrystic origin and may not be attributed to late-stage nucleation and growth at the onset of volcanic eruptions, as typically presumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new episode of unrest and phreatic/phreatomagmatic/magmatic eruptions occurred at Ambae volcano, Vanuatu, in 2017–2018. We installed a multi-station seismo-acoustic network consisting of seven 3-component broadband seismic stations and four 3-element (26–62 m maximum inter-element separation) infrasound arrays during the last phase of the 2018 eruption episode, capturing at least six reported major explosions towards the end of the eruption episode. The observed volcanic seismic signals are generally in the passband 0.5–10 Hz during the eruptive activity, but the corresponding acoustic signals have relatively low frequencies (< 1 Hz). Apparent very-long-period (< 0.2 Hz) seismic signals are also observed during the eruptive episode, but we show that they are generated as ground-coupled airwaves and propagate with atmospheric acoustic velocity. We observe strongly coherent infrasound waves at all acoustic arrays during the eruptions. Using waveform similarity of the acoustic signals, we detect previously unreported volcanic explosions at the summit vent region based on constant-celerity reverse-time-migration (RTM) analysis. The detected acoustic bursts are temporally related to shallow seismic volcanic tremor (frequency content of 5–10 Hz), which we characterise using a simplified amplitude ratio method at a seismic station pair with different distances from the vent. The amplitude ratio increased at the onset of large explosions and then decreased, which is interpreted as the seismic source ascent and descent. The ratio change is potentially useful to recognise volcanic unrest using only two seismic stations quickly. This study reiterates the value of joint seismo-acoustic data for improving interpretation of volcanic activity and reducing ambiguity in geophysical monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whakaari is New Zealand's most active volcano, and its last major magmatic eruption occurred during a protracted episode between 1976 and 2000. This eruption episode involved a sustained phase of heightened unrest, punctuated by regular, and small-volume, phreatic, magmatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions. We examine the scoria sample suite erupted throughout this period to develop a model for the storage conditions and the underlying cause of this long-lived activity. From our analysis of the major element composition of minerals, groundmass glass and phenocryst-hosted melt inclusions, along with the volatile content of melt inclusions, Whakaari magmas are relatively hot and dry arc andesites when compared globally. Based on a combination of plagioclase hygrometry, volatile contents of phenocryst-hosted melt inclusions and thermodynamic modelling, we conceptualize a distributed magmatic system that is dominated by andesite. We find that the 1976–2000 eruption episode was largely driven by volatile poor andesite-dacite magma that was periodically intruded by a relatively primitive mafic magma throughout this period. This andesite-dacite crustal magma reservoir (to at least 9 km) is capped by a shallow storage reservoir at ~1- to 2-km depth, where magmas stalled before erupting. Mafic magma/s periodically intruded the andesite-dacite reservoir providing heat, melt, volatiles, and mafic minerals, including olivine, into the system. Finally, we show that the volatile budget during this small-volume eruption episode released significant S and Cl into the atmosphere, similar in scale to large basaltic eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IDEAL household energy dataset described here comprises electricity, gas and contextual data from 255 UK homes over a 23-month period ending in June 2018, with a mean participation duration of 286 days. Sensors gathered 1-second electricity data, pulse-level gas data, 12-second temperature, humidity and light data for each room, and 12-second temperature data from boiler pipes for central heating and hot water. 39 homes also included plug-level monitoring of selected electrical appliances, real-power measurement of mains electricity and key sub-circuits, and more detailed temperature monitoring of gas- and heat-using equipment, including radiators and taps. Survey data included occupant demographics, values, attitudes and self-reported energy awareness, household income, energy tariffs, and building, room and appliance characteristics. Linked secondary data comprises weather and level of urbanisation. The data is provided in comma-separated format with a custom-built API to facilitate usage, and has been cleaned and documented. The data has a wide range of applications, including investigating energy demand patterns and drivers, modelling building performance, and undertaking Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring research. Measurement(s) electrical current • Gas • room temperature ambient air • humidity • light • temperature • individual appliance power usage • sociodemographics values • physical characteristics of building • appliance characteristics • Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors • Perception Technology Type(s) current clamp • pulse block device • Temperature Sensor Device • Sensor Device • Temperature Probe Device • Monitor Device • Survey Sample Characteristic - Organism Homo sapiens Sample Characteristic - Environment anthropogenic environment • building Sample Characteristic - Location United Kingdom Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14096993 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-molecule long-read DNA sequencing with biological nanopores is fast and high-throughput but suffers reduced accuracy in homonucleotide stretches. We now combine the CsgG nanopore with the 35-residue N-terminal region of its extracellular interaction partner CsgF to produce a dual-constriction pore with improved signal and base-calling accuracy for homopolymer regions. The electron cryo-microscopy structure of CsgG in complex with full-length CsgF shows that the 33 N-terminal residues of CsgF bind inside the β-barrel of the pore, forming a defined second constriction. In complexes of CsgG bound to a 35-residue CsgF constriction peptide, the second constriction is separated from the primary constriction by ~25 Å. We find that both constrictions contribute to electrical signal modulation during single-stranded DNA translocation. DNA sequencing using a prototype CsgG–CsgF protein pore with two constrictions improved single-read accuracy by 25 to 70% in homopolymers up to 9 nucleotides long. Equipping a protein nanopore with a second constriction improves sequencing of homopolymer DNA stretches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, diethyl (6-methyl-2-pyridyl)aminoethylenemalonate (1), crystallises in the monoclinic space group P21/c (No. 14). The unit cell parameters are a = 10.5657(7) Å, b = 9.1784(5) Å, c = 14.5681(7) Å, β = 101.636(6)°, Z′ = 1 and Z = 4 at 150 K. The extended structure forms approximately orthogonal columns of stacked molecules. All bond lengths and angles are unremarkable. No disorder, twinning or co-crystallised solvent is present in the structure. An intramolecular hydrogen bond exists between the enamine nitrogen and carbonyl oxygen. Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals a short contact between a carbonyl oxygen and neighbouring aryl hydrogen, as well as a carbonyl–carbonyl interaction. The X-ray structure of diethyl (6-methyl-2-pyridyl)aminoethylenemalonate (1), an intermediate in the synthesis of ethyl nalidixate, is reported, and Hirshfeld surface analysis employed to identify intermolecular interactions within the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ranked-choice elections, voters vote by indicating their preference orderings over the candidates. A ballot is truncated when the ordering is incomplete (called partial voting). Sometimes truncation is forced—voters are allowed to rank only a limited number of candidates—but sometimes it is voluntary. During the vote tabulating process, a truncated ballot is exhausted when all of the candidates it ranks have been eliminated. Ballot exhaustion and, therefore ballot truncation, is a concern in single-winner elections when the margin of victory in the final stage is less than the number of exhausted ballots. That concern motivates our study. We review evidence from actual single-winner ranked-choice elections and conclude that voluntary ballot truncation is very common. Moreover, it is difficult to explain strategically. To assess the significance of ballot truncation, we simulate ranked-choice elections with four, five and six candidates, using both spatial and random models of voter preferences. Does truncation change the probability that a Condorcet winner wins the election? Does the winner change as the extent of truncation increases? We find that even small amounts of truncation can alter election outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental design and inherent capabilities of the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) to address a rich range of complex real world conflict situations are put into perspective by tracing its historical development over a period spanning more than 30 years, and highlighting great opportunities for meaningful future expansions within an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and intensifying conflict in an over-crowded world. By constructing a sound theoretical foundation for GMCR based upon assumptions reflecting what actually occurs in reality, a fascinating story is narrated on how GMCR was able to expand in bold new directions as well as take advantage of many important legacy decision technologies built within the earlier Metagame Analysis and later Conflict Analysis paradigms. From its predecessors, for instance, GMCR could benefit by the employment of option form put forward within Metagame Analysis for effectively recording a conflict, as well as preference elicitation techniques and solution concepts for defining chess-like behavior when calculating stability of states from the realm of Conflict Analysis. The key ideas outlined in the paper underlying the current and projected capabilities of GMCR include the development of four different ways to handle preference uncertainty in the presence of either transitive or intransitive preferences; a wide range of solution concepts for describing many kinds of human behavior under conflict; unique coalition analysis algorithms for determining if a given decision maker can fare better in a dispute via cooperation; tracing the evolution of a conflict over time; and the matrix formulation of GMCR for computational efficiency when calculating stability and also theoretically expanding GMCR in bold new directions. Inverse engineering is mentioned as an AI extension of GMCR for computationally determining the preferences required by decision makers in order to reach a desirable state, such as a climate change agreement in which all nations significantly cut back on their greenhouse gas emissions. The basic design of a decision support system for permitting researchers and practitioners to readily apply the foregoing and other advancements in GMCR to tough real world controversies is discussed. Although GMCR has been successfully applied to challenging disputes arising in many different fields, a simple climate change negotiation conflict between the US and China is utilized to explain clearly key concepts mentioned throughout the fascinating historical journey surrounding GMCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological exploitation research generally holds that cooperation alliances form without restrictions and the information within alliances is known exactly. However, these assumptions do not always accord with reality. The main aim of this paper is to develop a more realistic approach in order to analyze alliance formation and profit allocation from ecological exploitation. We define an extended fuzzy graph cooperative game, in which players partially participating in coalitions and payoffs are fuzzy numbers, called bi-fuzzy graph cooperative game. The average tree solution (short for A-T solution) based on players' risk preferences is proposed for this cooperative game, and the existence of the solution is proved. This paper can demonstrate that the players' profitability depends not only on their marginal contribution degree to the coalition, but also on the communication structure and players' positions in coalitions of a cooperative game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dempster-Shafer Theory (DST) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) are integrated in order to elicit preference information from experts regarding decision makers (DMs) involved in a regulatory conflict. More precisely, DST is used for combining expert knowledge regarding preferences of a specific DM(the regulatory body), and AHP is employed for ranking feasible states in the conflict for this same DM. In order to illustrate how this preference elicitation proposal can be conveniently implemented in practice within the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR), it is applied to a real construction dispute located in the city of Ipojuca, Brazil. The conflict is modeled with three DMs: support, opposition, and the regulatory body. Results show that the new preference methodology possesses many inherent advantages including high flexibility, the ability to capture uncertainty or even ignorance about preferences, the possibility of combining expert knowledge with respect to missing preferences, and a substantial reduction in the number of pairwise comparisons of states required to express preference information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancers of Unknown Primary (CUP) comprise a heterogeneous clinical entity of confirmed metastatic cancer where the primary site of origin is undetectable. It has a poor prognosis with limited treatment options. CUP is historically under-researched; however, understanding its biology has the potential to not only improve treatment and survival by implementation of biomarkers for patient management, but also to greatly contribute to our understanding of carcinogenesis and metastasis across all cancer types. Here we review the current advances in CUP research and explore the debated hypotheses underlying its biology. The evolution of molecular profiling and tissue-of-origin classifiers have the potential to transform the diagnosis, classification and therapeutic management of patients with CUP but robust evidence to support widespread use is lacking. Precision medicine has transformed treatment strategy in known tumour types; in CUP, however, there remains a clinical need for a better understanding of molecular characteristics to establish the potential role of novel or existing therapeutics. The emergence of liquid biopsies as a source of predictive and prognostic biomarkers within known tumour types is gaining rapid ground and this review explores the potential utility of liquid biopsies in CUP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ameliorate ideological or partisan cleavages in councils and legislatures, we propose modifications of approval voting in order to elect multiple winners, who may be either individuals or candidates of a political party. We focus on two divisor methods of apportionment, first proposed by Jefferson and Webster, that fall within a continuum of apportionment methods. Our applications of them depreciate the approval votes of voters who have had one or more approved candidates elected and give approximately proportional representation to political parties. We compare a simple sequential rule for allocating approval votes with a computationally more complex simultaneous (nonsequential) rule that, nonetheless, is feasible for many elections. We find that our Webster apportionments tend to be more representative than ours based on Jefferson—by giving more voters at least one representative of whom they approve. But our Jefferson apportionments, with equally spaced vote thresholds that duplicate those of cumulative voting in two-party elections, are more even-handed. By enabling voters to express support for more than one candidate or party, these apportionment methods will tend to encourage coalitions across party or factional lines, thereby diminishing gridlock and promoting consensus in voting bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In UK medical schools, five-option single-best answer (SBA) questions are the most widely accepted format of summative knowledge assessment. However, writing SBA questions with four effective incorrect options is difficult and time consuming, and consequently, many SBAs contain a high frequency of implausible distractors. Previous research has suggested that fewer than five-options could hence be used for assessment, without deterioration in quality. Despite an existing body of empirical research in this area however, evidence from undergraduate medical education is sparse. The study investigated the frequency of non-functioning distractors in a sample of 480 summative SBA questions at Cardiff University. Distractor functionality was analysed, and then various question models were tested to investigate the impact of reducing the number of distractors per question on examination difficulty, reliability, discrimination and pass rates. A survey questionnaire was additionally administered to 108 students (33 % response rate) to gain insight into their perceptions of these models. The simulation of various exam models revealed that, for four and three-option SBA models, pass rates, reliability, and mean item discrimination remained relatively constant. The average percentage mark however consistently increased by 1-3 % with the four and three-option models, respectively. The questionnaire survey revealed that the student body had mixed views towards the proposed format change. This study is one of the first to comprehensively investigate distractor performance in SBA examinations in undergraduate medical education. It provides evidence to suggest that using three-option SBA questions would maximise efficiency whilst maintaining, or possibly improving, psychometric quality, through allowing a greater number of questions per exam paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical stress results in a significant reduction in natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity (NKC), which has been linked to postoperative cancer metastases. However, few studies have measured the impact of surgical stress upon NK cell IFNγ secretion (NKA), a cytokine with essential roles in controlling infection and metastases. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of surgical stress on NKA in colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery patients.Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from CRC surgery patients (n = 42) preoperatively and on postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, 5, 28, and 56. Healthy donor blood (n = 27) was collected for controls. We assessed NKA by production of IFNγ following whole blood cytokine stimulation, NKC by 51Cr-release assay, and immune cell profiling by flow cytometry.Results: The mean reduction in NKA on POD1 compared with baseline was 83.1% (standard deviation 25.2%; confidence interval 75-91), and therefore the study met the primary endpoint of demonstrating a > 75% decrease in a cohort of CRC surgery patients (p < 0.0001). The profound and universal suppression of NKA persisted with 65.5% (19/29) and 33.3% (4/12) of patients with levels measuring < 75% of baseline on POD28 and POD56 respectively. The NKC was significantly reduced on POD1, but the degree was less pronounced (24.6%, p = 0.0024). Immune cell profiling did not reveal differences in the absolute number of NK cells (CD3−CD56+) or the ratio of CD56dim-to-CD56bright subsets.Conclusions: NKA is significantly suppressed for up to two months following surgery in CRC patients, a degree of surgery-induced immunosuppression far worse than previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new analysis technique, appropriate to situations of high preference uncertainty, is added to the graph model for conflict resolution methodology. Interval fuzzy stabilities are now formulated, based on decision makers’ (DMs’) interval fuzzy preferences over feasible scenarios or states in a conflict. Interval fuzzy stability notions enhance the applicability of the graph model, and generalize its crisp and fuzzy preference-based stability ideas. A graph model is both a formal representation and an analysis procedure for multiple participant-multiple objective decisions that employs stability concepts representing various forms of human behavior under conflict. Defined based on a type-2 fuzzy logic, an interval fuzzy preference for one state over another is represented by a subinterval of [0, 1] indicating an interval-valued preference degree for the first state over the second. The interval fuzzy stabilities put forward in this research are interval fuzzy Nash stability, interval fuzzy general metarational stability, interval fuzzy symmetric metarational stability, and interval fuzzy sequential stability. A state is interval fuzzy stable for a DM if moving to any other state is not adequately desirable to the DM; where adequacy is measured by the interval fuzzy satisficing threshold of the DM and farsightedness, involving possible moves and countermoves by DMs, is determined by the interval fuzzy stability notion selected. Note that infinitely many degrees in an interval-valued preference are preserved in characterizing the desirability of a move. A state from which no DM can move to any sufficiently desirable scenario is an interval fuzzy equilibrium, and is interpreted as a possible resolution of the strategic conflict under study. The new stability concept is illustrated through its application to an environmental conflict that took place in Elmira, Ontario, Canada. Insightful results are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid food product analysis is of great interest for quality control and assurance during the production process. Conventional quality control protocols require time and labor-intensive sample preparation for analysis by state-of-the-art analytical methods. To reduce overall cost and facilitate rapid qualitative assessments, food products need to be tested with minimal sample preparation. We present a novel and simple method for assessing food product compositions by mass spectrometry using a novel surface acoustic wave nebulization method. This method provides significant advantages over conventional methods requiring no pumps, capillaries, or additional chemicals to enhance ionization for mass spectrometric analysis. In addition, the surface acoustic wave nebulization-mass spectrometry method is ideal for rapid analysis and to investigate certain compounds by using the mass spectra as a type of species-specific fingerprint analysis. We present for the first time surface acoustic wave nebulization-generated mass spectra of a variety of fermented food products from a small selection of vinegars, wines, and beers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A duo hierarchical graph model for conflict resolution is developed to investigate market competition between Airbus and Boeing over aircraft sales in the Asia Pacific region. The duo hierarchical graph model, a significant extension of the graph model for conflict resolution methodology, contains two common decision makers, who take part in two related subconflicts, as well as local decision makers, who participate in only one subconflict. New stability definitions are proposed to describe forms of sanction unique to the hierarchical model. The interrelationships between stabilities in the overall graph model and in the two local models are investigated. Then the duo hierarchical graph model is applied to the competition between Airbus and Boeing in both the wide and narrow body markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The two types of Asian airlines have different operating strategies, so that the two markets constitute sub-competitions that can be modelled naturally using the duo hierarchical graph model. The stability results indicate a resolution for all decision makers that implies marketing strategies for the aircraft manufacturers and guidelines for aircraft purchase by the airlines. Thus, this model provides decision makers with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of the competition and guidance in identifying beneficial actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maximal voluntary rate (MVR) performance tasks can provide important age-related information to the limiting factors associated with movement and the development of fatigue. Aim: To determine whether kinematic and muscle activation patterns during an MVR task differ between young and older adults. Methods: We continuously measured frequency, amplitude, peak velocity, index of co-contraction and median frequencies of the index finger flexors and extensors during a 20-s MVR task in 10 young and 10 older subjects. Results: Index finger amplitude and peak velocity in flexion and extension were significantly lower in the older group. During the MVR, amplitude was maintained in the old (1-4 s, 53.2° ± 2.8° vs. 15-19 s, 48.6° ± 3.2°, ns) but not in the younger group (1-4 s, 64.9° ± 4.9° vs. 15-19 s, 59.4° ± 3.3°; p = 0.001). Frequency declined in the young (1-4 s, 5.2 ± 0.24 Hz vs. 15-19 s, 4.4 ± 0.25 Hz; p = 0.001) and old (1-4 s, 4.6 ± 0.17 Hz vs. 15-19 s, 4.0 ± 0.15 Hz; p = 0.01). Similarly, peak flexion velocity of the young (1-4 s, 1.77 ± 0.07 × 10 °/s vs. 15-19 s, 1.01 ± 0.07 × 10 °/s, p = 0.01) and older groups (1-4 s, 1.04 ± 0.07 × 10 °/s vs. 15-19 s, 0.78 ± 0.06 × 10 °/s; p = 0.016) as well as peak extension velocity of the young (1-4 s, 1.01 ± 0.053 × 10 °/s vs. 15-19 s, 0.78 ± 0.06 × 10 °/s, p = 0.01) and older groups (1-4 s, 0.72 ± 0.04 × 10 °/s vs. 15-19 s, 0.58 ± 0.05 × 10 °/s, p = 0.012) significantly decreased throughout the MVR. Median frequency of the flexors and extensors were maintained and were not different between groups. Only the older group experienced an increase in the index of co-contraction. Conclusion: The changes in kinematics over time are not a result of a decrease in pre-post test force or velocity, but rather central factors affecting movement coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vesicles in volcanic rocks are physical records of magmatic degassing; however, the interpretation of their textures is complicated by resorption, coalescence, and collapse. We discuss the textural significance of vesicle-hosted vapor-phase cristobalite (high-T, low-P SiO polymorph), and its utility as a complement to textural assessments of magmatic degassing, using a representative dacite bomb erupted from White Island volcano (New Zealand) in 1999. Imaging in 2D (SEM) and 3D (CT) shows the bomb to have 56% bulk porosity, almost all of which is connected (~ 99%) and devoid of SiO phases. The remaining (~ 1%) of porosity is in isolated, sub-spherical vesicles that have corroded walls and contain small (< 30 μm across) prismatic vapor-phase cristobalite crystals (98.4 ± 0.4 wt.% SiO with diagnostic laser Raman spectra). Halogen degassing models show vapor-phase cristobalite to be indicative of closed-system chlorine and fluorine partitioning into HO-rich fluid in isolated pores. At White Island, this occurred during shallow (< 100s of meters) ascent and extensive (~ 50%) groundmass crystallization associated with slow cooling in a volcanic plug. Pristine textures in this White Island bomb demonstrate the link between pore isolation and vapor-phase cristobalite deposition. We suggest that because these crystals have higher preservation potential than the bubbles in which they form, they can serve as durable, qualitative textural indicators of halogen degassing and pre-quench bubble morphologies in slowly cooled volcanic rocks (e.g., lava flows and domes), even where emplacement mechanisms have overprinted original bubble textures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group decision-making methodology is proposed that permits each member of a group to state his or her preferences with respect to combinations of alternative solutions to a problem during a collective process to arrive at a compromise via a special voting procedure. The possible combinations of alternatives are systematically generated using an option form approach. Decision-makers (DMs) individually rank combinations based on their preferences by providing ordinal information in an interactive way, reducing the cognitive burden of making many comparisons or defining tradeoffs. In this approach, each DM expresses his or her preferences using logical preference statements regarding combinations of alternatives. A group recommendation is obtained after aggregating the final individual ranks through a voting procedure, and a voting support system, based on classification by quartiles. The voting procedure is simple and transparent for voters and does not present severe computational difficulties, thereby making this approach an appropriate tool for employment in the context of group-decision making. To illustrate its applicability, the proposed methodology is applied to a realistic decision problem faced by a watershed committee in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phreatic eruptions, although posing a serious threat to people in crater proximity, are often underestimated and have been comparatively understudied. The detailed eruption catalogue for Ruapehu Volcano (New Zealand) provides an exceptional opportunity to study the statistics of recurring phreatic explosions at a crater lake volcano. We performed a statistical analysis on this phreatic eruption database, which suggests that phreatic events at Ruapehu do not follow a Poisson process. Instead they tend to cluster, which is possibly linked to an increased heat flow during periods of a more shallow-seated magma column. Larger explosions are more likely to follow shortly after smaller events, as opposed to longer periods of quiescence. The absolute probability for a phreatic explosion to occur at Ruapehu within the next month is about 10%, when averaging over the last 70 years of recording. However, the frequency of phreatic explosions is significantly higher than the background level in years prior to magmatic episodes. Combining clast ejection simulations with a Bayesian event tree tool (PyBetVH) we perform a probabilistic assessment of the hazard due to ballistic ejecta in the summit area of Ruapehu, which is frequently visited by hikers. Resulting hazard maps show that the absolute probability for the summit to be affected by ballistics within the next month is up to 6%. The hazard is especially high on the northern lakeshore, where there is a mountain refuge. Our results contribute to the local hazard assessment as well as the general perception of hazards due to steam-driven explosions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-roaming cat populations are increasing in urban areas around the world. Management strategies remain controversial, as attempts to rapidly minimize the impact of cats may conflict with finding an ethical means of population reduction in this domesticated species. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a non-lethal strategy which can theoretically lead to population decline with an ethical approach. The present study aimed to estimate free-roaming cat populations and also to measure the efficacy of a one-year TNR campaign in a highly urban area. Using a sight/resight methodology, we examined free-roaming cat populations in four sites across two neighbourhoods (Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant) in New York City. Sampling was repeated after 1 year, during which an intensive TNR effort occurred in each of those areas. Results from this study found population estimates range from 2.6-4.1 cats/km. Additionally, we found between 78-98% turnover in each study area. After one year of TNR, the proportion of sterilised individuals in our treatment sites increased to 50%. Model results suggest there is no evidence that sterilised individuals are more likely to be encountered, indicating that sterilisation may not affect movement patterns of cats. Free-roaming cats occur at high densities at all study sites, though populations varied, even within the same neighbourhood. We found evidence of considerable migration within study sites, which further complicates the application of a sterilisation management strategy. Management strategies directed toward free-roaming cats, such as TNR, may require a broad-scale approach, involving different facets of the community and should occur over multiple years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assume that two players have strict rankings over an even number of indivisible items. We propose two algorithms to find balanced allocations of these items that are maximin-maximize the minimum rank of the items that the players receive-and are envy-free and Pareto-optimal, if such allocations exist. To determine whether an envy-free allocation exists, we introduce a simple condition on preference profiles; in fact, our condition guarantees the existence of a maximin, envy-free, and Pareto-optimal allocation. Although not strategy-proof, our algorithms would be difficult to manipulate unless a player has complete information about its opponent's ranking. We assess the applicability of the algorithms to real-world problems, such as allocating marital property in a divorce or assigning people to committees or projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In US presidential elections, voters in noncompetitive states seem not to count-and have zero power, according to standard measures of voting power-because they cannot influence the outcome in their states. But the electoral votes of these states are essential to a candidate's victory, so they do count, but in a different way. We propose a simple model that enables us to measure the setup power of voters in noncompetitive states by modeling how these states structure the contest in the competitive states, as illustrated by the 2012, 2008, 2004, and 2000 presidential elections. We define three measures of setup power-winningness, vulnerability, and fragility-and show how they pinpoint the advantages of the candidate who leads in electoral votes of noncompetitive states. In fact, this candidate won in all four elections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife conflict is increasing as urbanization expands and wildlife species adjust to living near people. Translocation is often used to manage human-wildlife conflict because it is considered to be humane, yet fates of translocated animals are largely unknown. As an urban adapter, woodchucks ( Marmota monax) are a common source of human-wildlife conflict due to their burrowing, foraging, and scent-marking behavior. We examined survival and movements of 27 nuisance woodchucks captured by a nuisance wildlife operator in the Chicago metropolitan area, radiomarked with internal transmitters, and translocated to exurban release sites mimicking typical practices. We also captured and radiomarked 16 resident woodchucks from the release landscape for comparison. Translocated woodchucks moved farther than residents immediately post release with no evidence of homing and most left the release site. Annual survival did not differ between translocated and resident woodchucks. However, survival was extremely low (0.18) compared to previous estimates for woodchucks, primarily due to high predation by coyotes ( Canis latrans). Translocation should be used only when other nonlethal methods are ineffective (e.g., exclusion, removing food sources, selecting unpalatable plants for gardens). When necessary, the practice of translocation could be improved by reducing predation risk for translocated animals, either by selecting release sites with low predation risk, or by using soft-release methods, such as acclimation enclosures or artificial burrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-winner elections, for example, the election of members to a committee, are now quite common, and include the interesting subclass of elections with a variable number of winners, or VNW elections. In VNW elections, voters determine how many winners there are, as well as which candidates win. Common VNW elections include elections to bestow honorary status, such as enshrinement in a hall of fame, and elections to determine a shortlist of, say, job candidates for interviews. Such elections are VNW elections whenever the number of winners is not specified in advance. Multi-winner elections are often conducted by adapting standard procedures for single-winner elections. Approval balloting is particularly appropriate for multi-winner elections, as every ballot, and the set of winners, are subsets of the set of all candidates. Many methods of counting approval ballots appropriate to VNW elections are reviewed and illustrated, and their properties-desirable and undesirable-discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An option prioritization technique is developed to efficiently elicit the preferences, both unknown and crisp, of decision makers (DMs) in strategic conflicts. In the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution, each DM has one or more options, each of which may be selected or not. A state, or possible scenario, is formed when all DMs make an option selection. The software GMCR II contains an option prioritization procedure that makes it easy for a modeller to enter a DM's crisp preference ordering over the states using prioritized statements describing the DM's preferred option combinations. This procedure is extended by adding two new logical connectives that describe uncertainty of preference. For each DM, a range of possible scores for each feasible state can then be calculated, facilitating the determination of a preference ordering containing uncertainty by comparing and ranking scores. To demonstrate how this new methodology can be used to represent unknown preferences in a real-world decision problem, it is applied to a Canadian dispute over proposed water exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach for assessing the robustness of an equilibrium in conflict resolution is presented. Roughly, an equilibrium is robust if it is resilient, or resistant to deviation. Robustness assessment is based on a new concept called Level of Freedom, which evaluates the relative freedom of a decision maker to escape an equilibrium. Resolutions of a conflict can be affected by changes in decision makers' preferences, which may destabilize an equilibrium, causing the conflict to evolve. Hence, a conflict may become long-term and thereby continue to evolve, even after reaching an equilibrium. The new robustness measure is used to rank equilibria based on robustness, to facilitate distinguishing equilibria that are relatively sustainable. An absolutely robust equilibrium is a special case in which the level of freedom is at an absolute minimum for each individual stability definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workers' compensation systems aim to service both employer and worker needs following workplace accidents; however, there is increasing debate about the influence of the compensation system itself on recovery of the injured worker. Independent medical examinations (IMEs) are one of the processes within workers' compensation systems that have been reported as distressing for injured workers. The aim of this study was to understand how workers' compensation systems influence the work of psychologists who see clients with compensation claims, and their clients' recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 psychologists. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analysed according to thematic analysis principles. In this manuscript, we focus specifically on the issue of IMEs-a component of the workers' compensation process that was often raised in interviews with psychologists. Five main themes were identified: how IMEs complicate psychological therapy; how psychologists' consider IMEs can exacerbate injury; disincentives for psychologists to practice within the workers' compensation system; the limitations of independent opinions and suggestions for alternatives to the current IME process. Psychologists' views of the impact of IMEs are discussed in relation to procedural, interactional, informational and distributive justice principles. Redesign of the IME process to meet procedural justice principles would likely reduce the negative and adversarial attitudes that injured workers and psychologists have towards insurers and workers' compensation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]