On Hardy-Hilbert-type inequalities with α-fractional derivatives

In the current manuscript, new alpha delta dynamic Hardy-Hilbert inequalities on time scales are discussed. These inequalities combine and expand a number of continuous inequalities and their corresponding discrete analogues in the literature. We shall illustrate our results using Hölder's inequality on time scales and a few algebraic inequalities

Blast Shock Wave Mitigation Using the Hydraulic Energy Redirection and Release Technology

A hydraulic energy redirection and release technology has been developed for mitigating the effects of blast shock waves on protected objects. The technology employs a liquid-filled plastic tubing as a blast overpressure transformer to transfer kinetic energy of blast shock waves into hydraulic energy in the plastic tubings. The hydraulic energy is redirected through the plastic tubings to the openings at the lower ends, and then is quickly released with the liquid flowing out through the openings. The samples of the specifically designed body armor in which the liquid-filled plastic tubings were installed vertically as the outer layer of the body armor were tested. The blast test results demonstrated that blast overpressure behind the body armor samples was remarkably reduced by 97% in 0.2 msec after the liquid flowed out of its appropriate volume through the openings. The results also suggested that a volumetric liquid surge might be created when kinetic energy of blast shock wave was transferred into hydraulic energy to cause a rapid physical movement or displacement of the liquid. The volumetric liquid surge has a strong destructive power, and can cause a noncontact, remote injury in humans (such as blast-induced traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder) if it is created in cardiovascular system. The hydraulic energy redirection and release technology can successfully mitigate blast shock waves from the outer surface of the body armor. It should be further explored as an innovative approach to effectively protect against blast threats to civilian and military personnel

An Ensemble Method: Case-Based Reasoning and the Inverse Problems in Investigating Financial Bubbles

This paper presents an ensemble approach and model; IPCBR, that leverages the capabilities of Case based Reasoning (CBR) and Inverse Problem Techniques (IPTs) to describe and model abnormal stock market fluctuations (often associated with asset bubbles) in time series datasets from historical stock market prices. The framework proposes to use a rich set of past observations and geometric pattern description and then applies a CBR to formulate the forward problem; Inverse Problem formulation is then applied to identify a set of parameters that can statistically be associated with the occurrence of the observed patterns. The technique brings a novel perspective to the problem of asset bubbles predictability. Conventional research practice uses traditional forward approaches to predict abnormal fluctuations in financial time series; conversely, this work proposes a formative strategy aimed to determine the causes of behaviour, rather than predict future time series points. This suggests a deviation from the existing research trend

Biological performance of a promising Kefiran-biopolymer with potential in regenerative medicine applications: a comparative study with hyaluronic acid

Kefiran from kefir grains, an exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), has received an increasing interest because of its safe status. This natural biopolymer is a water-soluble glucogalactan with probed health-promoting properties. However, its biological performance has yet to be completely recognized and properly exploited. This research was carried out to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and the in vitro anti-inflammatory properties of Kefiran biopolymer. Regarding antioxidant activity, the results demonstrated that the Kefiran extract possessed the strongest reducing power and superoxide radical scavenging, over hyaluronic acid (HA, gold standard viscosupplementation treatment). This exopolysaccharide showed a distinct antioxidant performance in the majority of in vitro working mechanisms of antioxidant activity comparing to HA. Moreover, Kefiran presented an interesting capacity to scavenge nitric oxide radical comparing to the gold standard that did not present any potency. Finally, the cytotoxic effects of Kefiran extracts on hASCs were also performed and demonstrated no cytotoxic response, ability to improve cellular function of hASCs. This study demonstrated that Kefiran represented a great scavenger for reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and showed also that it could be an excellent candidate to promote tissue repair and regeneration.Hajer Radhouani, Cristiana Gonçalves and F. Raquel Maia were supported by grants with reference SFRH/BPD/100957/2014, SFRH/BPD/94277/2013 and SFRH/BPD/117492/2016, respectively of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) from Portugal. JM Oliveira also would like to thank FCT for the fund provided under the program Investigador FCT 2015 (IF/01285/2015).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Combined searches for the production of supersymmetric top quark partners in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A combination of searches for top squark pair production using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment, is presented. Signatures with at least 2 jets and large missing transverse momentum are categorized into events with 0, 1, or 2 leptons. New results for regions of parameter space where the kinematical properties of top squark pair production and top quark pair production are very similar are presented. Depending on themodel, the combined result excludes a top squarkmass up to 1325 GeV for amassless neutralino, and a neutralinomass up to 700 GeV for a top squarkmass of 1150 GeV. Top squarks with masses from 145 to 295 GeV, for neutralino masses from 0 to 100 GeV, with a mass difference between the top squark and the neutralino in a window of 30 GeV around the mass of the top quark, are excluded for the first time with CMS data. The results of theses searches are also interpreted in an alternative signal model of dark matter production via a spin-0 mediator in association with a top quark pair. Upper limits are set on the cross section for mediator particle masses of up to 420 GeV

Measurement of the W gamma Production Cross Section in Proton-Proton Collisions at root s=13 TeV and Constraints on Effective Field Theory Coefficients

A fiducial cross section for W gamma production in proton-proton collisions is measured at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 137 fb(-1) of data collected using the CMS detector at the LHC. The W -> e nu and mu nu decay modes are used in a maximum-likelihood fit to the lepton-photon invariant mass distribution to extract the combined cross section. The measured cross section is compared with theoretical expectations at next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics. In addition, 95% confidence level intervals are reported for anomalous triple-gauge couplings within the framework of effective field theory.Peer reviewe