248 research outputs found
Towards an Ontological Modelling of Preference Relations
Preference relations are intensively studied in Economics,
but they are also approached in AI, Knowledge Representation, and
Conceptual Modelling, as they provide a key concept in a variety of
domains of application. In this paper, we propose an ontological foundation
of preference relations to formalise their essential aspects across
domains. Firstly, we shall discuss what is the ontological status of the
relata of a preference relation. Secondly, we investigate the place of preference
relations within a rich taxonomy of relations (e.g. we ask whether
they are internal or external, essential or contingent, descriptive or nondescriptive
relations). Finally, we provide an ontological modelling of
preference relation as a module of a foundational (or upper) ontology
(viz. OntoUML).
The aim of this paper is to provide a sharable foundational theory of
preference relation that foster interoperability across the heterogeneous
domains of application of preference relations
Ongoing initiatives within the Scottish National Health Service to affect the prescribing of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and their influence
Aim: Increasing use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in Scotland, coupled with safety concerns with some SSRIs, and the increasing availability of generic SSRIs, have resulted in multiple initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of their prescribing in Scotland. Our aim is to assess their influence to provide future direction. Materials & methods: The prescription costs analysis database was used to document utilization and expenditure on SSRIs between 2001 and 2017 alongside documenting the initiatives. Results: Multiple interventions over the years increased international nonproprietary name prescribing up to 99.9% lowering overall costs. This, coupled with initiatives to limit escitalopram prescribing due to concerns with its value, resulted in a 73.7% reduction in SSRI expenditure between 2001 and 2017 despite a 2.34-fold increase in utilization. Safety warnings resulted in a significant reduction in the prescribing of paroxetine, citalopram and escitalopram alongside a significant increase in sertraline Conclusion: Multiple initiatives have increased the quality and efficiency of SSRI prescribing in Scotland providing direction to others
Spectropolarimetric Fluctuations in a Sunspot Chromosphere
The instrumental advances made in this new era of 4-meter class solar
telescopes with unmatched spectropolarimetric accuracy and sensitivity, will
enable the study of chromospheric magnetic fields and their dynamics with
unprecedented detail. In this regard, spectropolarimetric diagnostics can
provide invaluable insight into magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) wave processes. MHD
waves and, in particular, Alfv\'enic fluctuations associated to particular wave
modes, were recently recognized as important mechanisms not only for the
heating of the outer layers of the Sun's atmosphere and the acceleration of the
solar wind, but also for the elemental abundance anomaly observed in the corona
of the Sun and other Sun-like stars (also known as first ionisation potential;
FIP) effect. Here, we take advantage of state-of-the-art and unique
spectropolarimetric IBIS observations to investigate the relation between
intensity and circular polarisation (CP) fluctuations in a sunspot
chromosphere. Our results show a clear link between the intensity and CP
fluctuations in a patch which corresponds to a narrow range of magnetic field
inclinations. This suggests the presence of Alfv\'enic perturbations in the
sunspot.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society
Substitution in a sense
The Reference Principle (RP) states that co-referring expressions are everywhere intersubstitutable salva congruitate. On first glance, (RP) looks like a truism, but a truism with some bite: (RP) transforms difficult philosophical questions about co-reference into easy grammatical questions about substitutability. This has led a number of philosophers to think that we can use (RP) to make short work of certain longstanding metaphysical debates. For example, it has been suggested that all we need to do to show that the predicate ‘( ) is a horse’ does not refer to a property is point out that ‘( ) is a horse’ and ‘the property of being a horse’ are not everywhere intersubstitutable salva congruitate. However, when we understand ‘substitution’ in the simplest and most straightforward way, (RP) is no truism; in fact, natural languages are full of counterexamples to the principle. In this paper, I introduce a new notion of substitution, and then develop and argue for a version of (RP) that is immune to these counterexamples. Along the way I touch on the following topics: the relation between argument forms and their natural language instances; the reification of sense; the difference between terms and predicates; and the relation between reference and disquotation. I end by arguing that my new version of (RP) cannot be used to settle metaphysical debates quite as easily as some philosophers would like
Roles of Fast-Cyclotron and Alfven-Cyclotron Waves for the Multi-Ion Solar Wind
Using linear Vlasov theory of plasma waves and quasi-linear theory of
resonant wave-particle interaction, the dispersion relations and the
electromagnetic field fluctuations of fast and Alfven waves are studied for a
low-beta multi-ion plasma in the inner corona. Their probable roles in heating
and accelerating the solar wind via Landau and cyclotron resonances are
quantified. We assume that (1) low-frequency Alfven and fast waves have the
same spectral shape and the same amplitude of power spectral density; (2) these
waves eventually reach ion cyclotron frequencies due to a turbulence cascade;
(3) kinetic wave-particle interaction powers the solar wind. The existence of
alpha particles in a dominant proton/electron plasma can trigger linear mode
conversion between oblique fast-whistler and hybrid alpha-proton cyclotron
waves. The fast-cyclotron waves undergo both alpha and proton cyclotron
resonances. The alpha cyclotron resonance in fast-cyclotron waves is much
stronger than that in Alfven-cyclotron waves. For alpha cyclotron resonance, an
oblique fast-cyclotron wave has a larger left-handed electric field
fluctuation, a smaller wave number, a larger local wave amplitude, and a
greater energization capability than a corresponding Alfven-cyclotron wave at
the same wave propagation angle \theta, particularly at < \theta <
. When Alfven-cyclotron or fast-cyclotron waves are present, alpha
particles are the chief energy recipient. The transition of preferential
energization from alpha particles to protons may be self-modulated by
differential speed and temperature anisotropy of alpha particles via the
self-consistently evolving wave-particle interaction. Therefore, fast-cyclotron
waves as a result of linear mode coupling is a potentially important mechanism
for preferential energization of minor ions in the main acceleration region of
the solar wind.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in Solar
Physic
Activities to optimize quality and efficiency of medicines in Scotland
Introduction: The growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, combined with greater recognition of the effectiveness of lipid lowering agents (LLAs), has fueled their increasing use in recent years. Similarly, increasing recognition of mental health and, arguably, societal expectations and pressures has driven appreciable growth in antidepressant prescribing in recent years. Concurrent with this, growing resource pressures enhanced by the continual launch of new premium priced medicines necessitates reforms and initiatives within finite budgets. Scotland has introduced multiple measures in recent years to improve both the quality and efficiency of prescribing. There is a need to document these initiatives and outcomes to provide future direction. Method: Assessment of the utilization (items dispensed) and expenditure of key LLAs (mainly statins) and SSRIs between 2001 and 2017 in Scotland alongside initiatives. Results: Multiple interventions have increased international non-proprietary name (INN) prescribing (99% for statins and up to 99.9% for SSRIs). They have also increased preferential prescribing of generic versus patented statins with low costs for generics, reduced inappropriate prescribing of ezetimibe due to effectiveness concerns, and increased the prescribing of higher dose statins (71% in 2015). These measures have resulted in a 50% reduction in LLA expenditure between 2001 and 2015 despite a 412% increase in utilization. Initiatives to reduce the prescribing of escitalopram as lack of evidence demonstrating cost-benefits over generic citalopram, along with high INN prescribing, achieved a 73.7% reduction in SSRI expenditure between 2001 and 2017 despite a 2.34-fold increase in utilisation. Concerns with paroxetine, and more recently citalopram and escitalopram following safety warnings, resulted in a considerable reduction in their use alongside a significant increase in sertraline. Conclusion: Generic availability coupled with multiple measures has resulted in appreciable shifts in statin and SSRI prescribing behavior and reduced ezetimibe prescribing, resulting in improvements in both the quality and efficiency of prescribing to provide future direction
A Core Curriculum for Sociology in UK Undergraduate Medical Education
The valuable contribution of sociology to medicine has long been recognised in the UK and since 2009 the profession’s regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), has reflected this in the learning outcomes required of all UK graduates in medicine. This recognition has created the need for support to those involved in student learning through programme design, development and delivery. This core curriculum for sociology in medical education provides a robust, evidence and practice-based means of linking sociological knowledge, content and topics to the GMC’s higher-level outcomes. The development of the core curriculum was an inclusive and collaborative process involving individuals responsible for teaching sociology in UK medical schools and a wide range of stakeholders including patient representatives, clinicians, students and medical educationalists. Our methodology was participative and orientated towards establishing consensus without sacrificing attention to diversity of views and experience. It coupled consultation with reviews of materials and research relevant to the teaching of sociology in medicine. The core curriculum comprises 6 topics. The first, entitled the sociological perspective, underpins those that follow. Taken together these topics represent a comprehensive, coherent and detailed guide to a curriculum fit for the purpose of enabling students to meet the GMC outcomes for graduates in medicine. For each topic, the document provides a guide to core learning outcomes and indicative content. The core curriculum recognises the diversity of approaches to pedagogy in medical education and also the contexts and structures within which teaching and learning take place. The curriculum identifies a range of learning and teaching opportunities such as patient involvement and the integration of sociological content into the clinical aspects of medical education. It also highlights challenges such as preserving modes and methods of assessment relevant to the demonstration of disciplinary knowledge required of students. The content of the curriculum is mapped to Tomorrow’s Doctors 2009/2015 and enables students to meet the outcomes relating to ‘scholar and scientist’ as laid down by the GMC
Taxonomic clarification in W-Mediterranean Androcymbium (Colchicaceae): A. wyssianum sunk in the synonymy of A.gramineum and A.europaeum restored
Capsule dehiscence has been used as a diagnostic character for W Mediterranean species of Androcymbium. Depending on the state of capsule maturity, the character, however, can be ambiguous in herbarium material. Based on morphological, phenological and cpDNA characters it is shown that misinterpretation of the capsule as indehiscent in the type material of A. gramineum has led to serious taxonomic confusion. The combined analyses produced evidence that A. gramineum of the population from the type locality at Essaouira, Morocco, is conspecific with A. wyssianum. A. gramineum is therefore the correct name for the species with dehiscent capsules, whereas the populations with indehiscent capsules at the Atlantic coast north of Essaouira and in SE Spain represent a second species, which is correctly named A. europaeu
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