A generic tool to assess impact of changing edit rules in a business survey - an application to the UK Annual Business Inquiry part 2

Business surveys often use complex sets of edit rules (edits, for short) to check returned questionnaires (records), locate suspicious or unacceptable responses, and support data cleaning operations prior to using the survey responses for estimation of the required target parameters. These sets of edits are complex because they may involve large numbers of survey questionnaires and variables, they may contain a large number of edits, and the edits may depend on a large number of tolerance parameters. When such sets of edits are used, they may cause large numbers of record failures and generate substantial costs of revision, especially if edit failures are dealt with by means of clerical operations, like reviewing original paper questionnaires or digital images of these, and re-contacting businesses for clarification and/or correction of the responses provided. Costs can be high both in terms of the resources required, as well as in terms of timeliness of survey processing, by delaying availability of the survey data for estimation and publication.In this paper we describe a generic tool, developed as a result of the collaboration between the University of Southampton and the ONS. This tool can help to assess the potential impact of changing the edits in a specified business survey. It is a SAS macro using the IML language which enables calculation of a number of edit performance and data quality indicators. Changes to the set of edits aiming to ‘relax’ the existing edits so that failure rates decrease and efficiency savings are achieved are assessed by means of several edit-related performance indicators, like failure and hit rates, false hit rates, etc.. Data quality indicators include proportion of errors missed and estimates of the bias resulting from missing errors for a specified revision of the set of edits. Edit designers and managers can then aim to fine tune their edits so that failure rates, false hit rates and editing costs are reduced, while data quality is preserved. An illustration is provided by the application of the tool to revise the edits used for the UK Annual Business Inquiry Part 2 to the reference year 2007

Implementation of an effective time-saving two-stage methodology for microstructural characterization of cemented carbides

Linear intercept on scanning electron microscopy micrographs is the most commonly used measurement method to determine carbide grain size and contiguity in WC–Co cemented carbides (hardmetals). However, it involves manual time-consuming measurements and is critically dependent on the quality of the micrographs as well as on the identification and definition of grain boundaries. In this study a two-stage methodology for microstructural characterization of hardmetals is presented. First, a digital semi-automatic image analysis procedure for grain size determination of the carbide phase is presented. It involves an experimental assessment of grain size on processed images corresponding to a series of WC–Co and WC–Ni cemented carbide grades with different microstructural characteristics. Obtained results are then compared to the values obtained by means of the linear intercept technique. A good correlation between the mean grain sizes determined following both measurement techniques was attained. Based on experimental findings, a series of empirical relations were found to correlate grain size distributions obtained following both methods. Second, an empirical relation for estimating carbide contiguity in WC–Co cemented carbides is proposed. This relation considers simultaneously the influence of the binder content and the experimentally determined mean grain size on contiguity. The proposed equation for contiguity estimation is based on extensive data collection from open literature. An excellent agreement was attained between contiguity values estimated from such equation and those obtained using the linear intercept technique. This validates the two-stage procedure as an effective time-saving methodology for microstructural characterization of WC–Co cemented carbides.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education during and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Need, Transition and Transformation

The aim of this article focuses on the achievements and challenges of the application of AI (artificial intelligence) based technologies in the field of higher education. Articles on AI-based technologies and their relationship with higher education have been collected from databases such as WOS, Scopus, ProQuest, Ebsco and PudMed. It oriented the analysis to provide the various contributions about technologies, methodologies, processes and learning contexts based on AI that have been emerging during the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the university context. This article focuses on the achievements and challenges of the application of AI based technologies in the field of higher education, and we provide a series of relevant data, examples and explicit studies on the titanic potential of AI in its adaptation to higher education, emphasising crucial aspects of the application of new technologies and their aspects in the current scenario

Lessons from crossing symmetry at large N

20 pages, v2: Assumptions stated more clearly, version published in JHEPWe consider the four-point correlator of the stress tensor multiplet in N=4 SYM. We construct all solutions consistent with crossing symmetry in the limit of large central charge c ~ N^2 and large g^2 N. While we find an infinite tower of solutions, we argue most of them are suppressed by an extra scale \Delta_{gap} and are consistent with the upper bounds for the scaling dimension of unprotected operators observed in the numerical superconformal bootstrap at large central charge. These solutions organize as a double expansion in 1/c and 1/\Delta_{gap}. Our solutions are valid to leading order in 1/c and to all orders in 1/\Delta_{gap} and reproduce, in particular, instanton corrections previously found. Furthermore, we find a connection between such upper bounds and positivity constraints arising from causality in flat space. Finally, we show that certain relations derived from causality constraints for scattering in AdS follow from crossing symmetry.Peer reviewe

Interim outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis from the all-comer CLOUT registry

OBJECTIVES: The multicenter, prospective, single arm CLOUT registry assesses the safety and effectiveness of the ClotTriever System (Inari Medical, Irvine, CA) for the treatment of acute and nonacute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in all-comer patients. Reported here are the outcomes of the first 250 patients. METHODS: All-comer patients with lower extremity DVT were enrolled, including those with bilateral DVT, those with previously failed DVT treatment, and regardless of symptom duration. The primary effectiveness end point is complete or near-complete (≥75%) thrombus removal determined by independent core laboratory-adjudicated Marder scores. Safety outcomes include serious adverse events through 30 days and clinical outcomes include post-thrombotic syndrome severity, symptoms, pain, and quality of life through 6 months. RESULTS: The median age was 62 years and 40% of patients had contraindications to thrombolytics. A range of thrombus chronicity (33% acute, 35% subacute, 32% chronic) was observed. No patients received thrombolytics and 99.6% were treated in a single session. The median thrombectomy time was 28 minutes. The primary effectiveness end point was achieved in 86% of limbs. Through 30 days, one device-related serious adverse event occurred. At 6 months, 24% of patients had post-thrombotic syndrome. Significant and sustained improvements were observed in all clinical outcomes, including the Revised Venous Clinical Severity Score, the numeric pain rating scale, and the EuroQol Group 5-Dimension Self-Report Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The 6-month outcomes from the all-comer CLOUT registry with a range of thrombus chronicities demonstrate favorable effectiveness, safety, and sustained clinical improvements

Tarlatamab, a first-in-class DLL3-targeted bispecific T-cell engager, in recurrent small-cell lung cancer: An open-label, Phase I study

PURPOSE: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited treatments. Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) is aberrantly expressed in most SCLC. Tarlatamab (AMG 757), a bispecific T-cell engager molecule, binds both DLL3 and CD3 leading to T-cellb-mediated tumor lysis. Herein, we report phase I results of tarlatamab in patients with SCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study evaluated tarlatamab in patients with relapsed/refractory SCLC. The primary end point was safety. Secondary end points included antitumor activity by modified RECIST 1.1, overall survival, and pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: By July 19, 2022, 107 patients received tarlatamab in dose exploration (0.003 to 100 mg; n = 73) and expansion (100 mg; n = 34) cohorts. Median prior lines of anticancer therapy were 2 (range, 1-6); 49.5% received antiprogrammed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 therapy. Any-grade treatment-related adverse events occurred in 97 patients (90.7%) and grade b % 3 in 33 patients (30.8%). One patient (1%) had grade 5 pneumonitis. Cytokine release syndrome was the most common treatment-related adverse event, occurring in 56 patients (52%) including grade 3 in one patient (1%). Maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Objective response rate was 23.4% (95% CI, 15.7 to 32.5) including two complete and 23 partial responses. The median duration of response was 12.3 months (95% CI, 6.6 to 14.9). The disease control rate was 51.4% (95% CI, 41.5 to 61.2). The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.7 months (95% CI, 2.1 to 5.4) and 13.2 months (95% CI, 10.5 to not reached), respectively. Exploratory analysis suggests that selecting for increased DLL3 expression can result in increased clinical benefit. CONCLUSION: In patients with heavily pretreated SCLC, tarlatamab demonstrated manageable safety with encouraging response durability. Further evaluation of this promising molecule is ongoing