1,091 research outputs found
Efficient Certified RAT Verification
Clausal proofs have become a popular approach to validate the results of SAT
solvers. However, validating clausal proofs in the most widely supported format
(DRAT) is expensive even in highly optimized implementations. We present a new
format, called LRAT, which extends the DRAT format with hints that facilitate a
simple and fast validation algorithm. Checking validity of LRAT proofs can be
implemented using trusted systems such as the languages supported by theorem
provers. We demonstrate this by implementing two certified LRAT checkers, one
in Coq and one in ACL2
Should Patients with High-risk Localised or Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Receive Abiraterone Acetate in Addition to Androgen Deprivation Therapy? Update on a Planned Analysis of the STAMPEDE Trial
Effects of movement velocity and training frequency of resistance exercise on functional performance in older adults: a randomised controlled trial
Objectives: To investigate the effects that high-velocity, low-load (HVLL) and low-velocity, high-load (LVHL) resistance exercise, performed once or twice-weekly, have on indices of functional performance (primary outcome), maximal strength, and body composition (secondary outcomes) in older adults. Methods: In a randomised, controlled, multi-armed, parallel design, 54 moderately-highly active, but resistance exercise naïve older adults (aged 60–79 years), attended baseline and post-10-week intervention assessment sessions. Physical and functional assessments were completed, and predicted one-repetition maximums (1-RM) were obtained for eight exercises. Participants were then randomised into one of five conditions: HVLL once-weekly (HVLL1: n = 11) or twice-weekly (HVLL2: n = 11), LVHL once-weekly (LVHL1: n = 10) or twice-weekly (LVHL2: n = 11), no-exercise control condition (CON: n = 11). The HVLL conditions completed 3 sets of 14 repetitions at 40% 1-RM and the LVHL conditions, 3 sets of 7 repetitions at 80% 1-RM. In total, 50 participants completed all testing and were included in analyses. Results: Only LVHL2 improved 30-sec chair stand performance (p =.035; g = 0.89), arm curls (p =.011; g = 1.65) and grip-strength (p =.015; g = 0.34) compared to CON. LVHL2 improved maximal strength compared to CON for 7/8 exercises (p <.05). Whereas, LVHL1 and HVLL2 only improved seated row and chest press compared to CON (p <.05). Conclusion: Possibly due to the lower intensity nature of the HVLL conditions, LVHL, twice-weekly was most beneficial for improving functional performance and strength in moderately-highly active older adults. Therefore, we recommend that exercise professionals ensure resistance exercise sessions have sufficient intensity of effort and volume, in order to maximise functional performance and strength gains in older adults.
Response to ‘High Risk of Neutropenia for Hormone-naive Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving STAMPEDE-style Upfront Docetaxel Chemotherapy in Usual Clinical Practice’, by Tanguay et al
Madam — Tanguay and colleagues presented data on patients treated with docetaxel [1]. We agree that the reported rates of neutropenia-based toxicities vary across the trials, as do the categories against which toxicities are reported
Rapid RHD Zygosity Determination Using Digital PCR.
BACKGROUND: Paternal zygosity testing is used for determining homo- or hemizygosity of RHD in pregnancies that are at a risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. At present, this is achieved by using real-time PCR or the Rhesus box PCR, which can be difficult to interpret and unreliable, particularly for black African populations. METHODS: DNA samples extracted from 58 blood donors were analyzed using 2 multiplex reactions for RHD-specific targets against a reference (AGO1)(2) to determine gene dosage by digital PCR. Results were compared with serological data, and the correct genotype for 2 discordant results was determined by long-range PCR, next-generation sequencing, and conventional Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The results showed clear and reliable determination of RHD zygosity using digital PCR and revealed that 4 samples did not match the serologically predicted genotype. Sanger sequencing and long-range PCR (LR-PCR) followed by next-generation sequencing revealed that the correct genotypes for samples 729M and 351D, which were serologically typed as R1R2 (DCe/DcE), were R2r' (DcE/dCe) for 729M and R1r" (DCe/dcE), R0r(y) (Dce/dCE), or RZr (DCE/dce) for 351D, in concordance with the digital PCR data. CONCLUSIONS: Digital PCR provides a highly accurate method to rapidly define blood group zygosity and has clinical application in the analysis of Rh phenotyped or genotyped samples. The vast majority of current blood group genotyping platforms are not designed to define zygosity, and thus, this technique may be used to define paternal RH zygosity in pregnancies that are at a risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn and can distinguish between homo- and hemizygous RHD-positive individuals
The influence of methylphenidate on the power spectrum of ADHD children – an MEG study
BACKGROUND: The present study was dedicated to investigate the influence of Methylphenidate (MPH) on cortical processing of children who were diagnosed with different subtypes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As all of the previous studies investigating power differences in different frequency bands have been using EEG, mostly with a relatively small number of electrodes our aim was to obtain new aspects using high density magnetoencephalography (MEG). METHODS: 35 children (6 female, 29 male) participated in this study. Mean age was 11.7 years (± 1.92 years). 17 children were diagnosed of having an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder of the combined type (ADHDcom, DSM IV code 314.01); the other 18 were diagnosed for ADHD of the predominantly inattentive type (ADHDin, DSM IV code 314.0). We measured the MEG during a 5 minute resting period with a 148-channel magnetometer system (MAGNES™ 2500 WH, 4D Neuroimaging, San Diego, USA). Power values were averaged for 5 bands: Delta (D, 1.5–3.5 Hz), Theta (T, 3.5–7.5 Hz), Alpha (A, 7.5–12.5 Hz), Beta (B, 12.5–25 Hz) and Global (GL, 1.5–25 Hz).). Additionally, attention was measured behaviourally using the D2 test of attention with and without medication. RESULTS: The global power of the frequency band from 1.5 to 25 Hz increased with MPH. Relative Theta was found to be higher in the left hemisphere after administration of MPH than before. A positive correlation was found between D2 test improvement and MPH-induced power changes in the Theta band over the left frontal region. A linear regression was computed and confirmed that the larger the improvement in D2 test performance, the larger the increase in Theta after MPH application. CONCLUSION: Main effects induced by medication were found in frontal regions. Theta band activity increased over the left hemisphere after MPH application. This finding contradicts EEG results of several groups who found lower levels of Theta power after MPH application. As relative Theta correlates with D2 test improvement we conclude that MEG provide complementary and therefore important new insights to ADHD
Generation of Three-Qubit Entangled States using Superconducting Phase Qubits
Entanglement is one of the key resources required for quantum computation, so
experimentally creating and measuring entangled states is of crucial importance
in the various physical implementations of a quantum computer. In
superconducting qubits, two-qubit entangled states have been demonstrated and
used to show violations of Bell's Inequality and to implement simple quantum
algorithms. Unlike the two-qubit case, however, where all maximally-entangled
two-qubit states are equivalent up to local changes of basis, three qubits can
be entangled in two fundamentally different ways, typified by the states
and . Here we demonstrate the operation of three coupled
superconducting phase qubits and use them to create and measure
and states. The states are fully characterized
using quantum state tomography and are shown to satisfy entanglement witnesses,
confirming that they are indeed examples of three-qubit entanglement and are
not separable into mixtures of two-qubit entanglement.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. Version 2: added supplementary information and
fixed image distortion in Figure 2
Adding abiraterone to androgen deprivation therapy in men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: There is a need to synthesise the results of numerous randomised controlled trials evaluating the addition of therapies to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). This systematic review aims to assess the effects of adding abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone (AAP) to ADT. METHODS: Using our framework for adaptive meta-analysis (FAME), we started the review process before trials had been reported and worked collaboratively with trial investigators to anticipate when eligible trial results would emerge. Thus, we could determine the earliest opportunity for reliable meta-analysis and take account of unavailable trials in interpreting results. We searched multiple sources for trials comparing AAP plus ADT versus ADT in men with mHSPC. We obtained results for the primary outcome of overall survival (OS), secondary outcomes of clinical/radiological progression-free survival (PFS) and grade III-IV and grade V toxicity direct from trial teams. Hazard ratios (HRs) for the effects of AAP plus ADT on OS and PFS, Peto Odds Ratios (Peto ORs) for the effects on acute toxicity and interaction HRs for the effects on OS by patient subgroups were combined across trials using fixed-effect meta-analysis. FINDINGS: We identified three eligible trials, one of which was still recruiting (PEACE-1 (NCT01957436)). Results from the two remaining trials (LATITUDE (NCT01715285) and STAMPEDE (NCT00268476)), representing 82% of all men randomised to AAP plus ADT versus ADT (without docetaxel in either arm), showed a highly significant 38% reduction in the risk of death with AAP plus ADT (HR = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.53-0.71, p = 0.55 × 10(-10)), that translates into a 14% absolute improvement in 3-year OS. Despite differences in PFS definitions across trials, we also observed a consistent and highly significant 55% reduction in the risk of clinical/radiological PFS (HR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.40-0.51, p = 0.66 × 10(-36)) with the addition of AAP, that translates to a 28% absolute improvement at 3 years. There was no evidence of a difference in the OS benefit by Gleason sum score, performance status or nodal status, but the size of the benefit may vary by age. There were more grade III-IV acute cardiac, vascular and hepatic toxicities with AAP plus ADT but no excess of other toxicities or death. INTERPRETATION: Adding AAP to ADT is a clinically effective treatment option for men with mHSPC, offering an alternative to docetaxel for men who are starting treatment for the first time. Future research will need to address which of these two agents or whether their combination is most effective, and for whom
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