Logics of Finite Hankel Rank

We discuss the Feferman-Vaught Theorem in the setting of abstract model theory for finite structures. We look at sum-like and product-like binary operations on finite structures and their Hankel matrices. We show the connection between Hankel matrices and the Feferman-Vaught Theorem. The largest logic known to satisfy a Feferman-Vaught Theorem for product-like operations is CFOL, first order logic with modular counting quantifiers. For sum-like operations it is CMSOL, the corresponding monadic second order logic. We discuss whether there are maximal logics satisfying Feferman-Vaught Theorems for finite structures.Comment: Appeared in YuriFest 2015, held in honor of Yuri Gurevich's 75th birthday. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23534-9_1

Measurement of e⁺e⁻-->e⁺e⁻ and e⁺e⁻-->gammagamma at energies up to 36.7 GeV

e+e- +- +- ... + e e und e e + yy wurden bel Energlen zwischen 33.0 und 36.7 GeV gemessen. Die Ergebnisse stimmen mit den Vorhersagen der Quantenelektrodynamik überein. Ein Vergleich mit dem Standardmodell der elektroschwachen Wechselwirkung liefert sin 20w= 0.25 ± 0.13

Maximizing Happiness in Graphs of Bounded Clique-Width

Clique-width is one of the most important parameters that describes structural complexity of a graph. Probably, only treewidth is more studied graph width parameter. In this paper we study how clique-width influences the complexity of the Maximum Happy Vertices (MHV) and Maximum Happy Edges (MHE) problems. We answer a question of Choudhari and Reddy '18 about parameterization by the distance to threshold graphs by showing that MHE is NP-complete on threshold graphs. Hence, it is not even in XP when parameterized by clique-width, since threshold graphs have clique-width at most two. As a complement for this result we provide a $n^{\mathcal{O}(\ell \cdot \operatorname{cw})}$ algorithm for MHE, where $\ell$ is the number of colors and $\operatorname{cw}$ is the clique-width of the input graph. We also construct an FPT algorithm for MHV with running time $\mathcal{O}^*((\ell+1)^{\mathcal{O}(\operatorname{cw})})$, where $\ell$ is the number of colors in the input. Additionally, we show $\mathcal{O}(\ell n^2)$ algorithm for MHV on interval graphs.Comment: Accepted to LATIN 202

The importance of identity-by-state information for the accuracy of genomic selection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is commonly assumed that prediction of genome-wide breeding values in genomic selection is achieved by capitalizing on linkage disequilibrium between markers and QTL but also on genetic relationships. Here, we investigated the reliability of predicting genome-wide breeding values based on population-wide linkage disequilibrium information, based on identity-by-descent relationships within the known pedigree, and to what extent linkage disequilibrium information improves predictions based on identity-by-descent genomic relationship information.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was performed on milk, fat, and protein yield, using genotype data on 35 706 SNP and deregressed proofs of 1086 Italian Brown Swiss bulls. Genome-wide breeding values were predicted using a genomic identity-by-state relationship matrix and a genomic identity-by-descent relationship matrix (averaged over all marker loci). The identity-by-descent matrix was calculated by linkage analysis using one to five generations of pedigree data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We showed that genome-wide breeding values prediction based only on identity-by-descent genomic relationships within the known pedigree was as or more reliable than that based on identity-by-state, which implicitly also accounts for genomic relationships that occurred before the known pedigree. Furthermore, combining the two matrices did not improve the prediction compared to using identity-by-descent alone. Including different numbers of generations in the pedigree showed that most of the information in genome-wide breeding values prediction comes from animals with known common ancestors less than four generations back in the pedigree.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results show that, in pedigreed breeding populations, the accuracy of genome-wide breeding values obtained by identity-by-descent relationships was not improved by identity-by-state information. Although, in principle, genomic selection based on identity-by-state does not require pedigree data, it does use the available pedigree structure. Our findings may explain why the prediction equations derived for one breed may not predict accurate genome-wide breeding values when applied to other breeds, since family structures differ among breeds.</p

Bounding clique-width via perfect graphs

We continue the study into the clique-width of graph classes defined by two forbidden induced graphs. We present three new classes of bounded clique-width and one of unbounded clique-width. The four new graph classes have in common that one of their two forbidden induced subgraphs is the diamond. To prove boundedness of clique-width for the first three cases we develop a technique based on bounding clique covering number in combination with reduction to subclasses of perfect graphs. We extend our proof of unboundedness for the fourth case to show that Graph Isomorphism is Graph Isomorphism-complete on the same graph class

Clique-width : harnessing the power of atoms.

Many NP-complete graph problems are polynomial-time solvable on graph classes of bounded clique-width. Several of these problems are polynomial-time solvable on a hereditary graph class G if they are so on the atoms (graphs with no clique cut-set) of G . Hence, we initiate a systematic study into boundedness of clique-width of atoms of hereditary graph classes. A graph G is H-free if H is not an induced subgraph of G, and it is (H1,H2) -free if it is both H1 -free and H2 -free. A class of H-free graphs has bounded clique-width if and only if its atoms have this property. This is no longer true for (H1,H2) -free graphs, as evidenced by one known example. We prove the existence of another such pair (H1,H2) and classify the boundedness of clique-width on (H1,H2) -free atoms for all but 18 cases

Positioning pharmacists’ roles in primary health care: a discourse analysis of the compensation plan in Alberta, Canada

Abstract Background A comprehensive Compensation Plan for pharmacy services delivered by community pharmacists was implemented in Alberta, Canada in July 2012. Services covered by the Compensation Plan include care planning services, prescribing services such as adapting prescriptions, and administering a drug or publicly-funded vaccine by injection. Understanding how the Compensation Plan was framed and communicated provides insight into the roles of pharmacists and the potential influence of language on the implementation of services covered by the Compensation Plan by Albertan pharmacists. The objective of this study is to examine the positioning of pharmacists’ roles in documents used to communicate the Compensation Plan to Albertan pharmacists and other audiences. Methods Publicly available documents related to the Compensation Plan, such as news releases or reports, published between January 2012 and December 2015 were obtained from websites such as the Government of Alberta, Alberta Blue Cross, the Alberta College of Pharmacists, the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association, and the Blueprint for Pharmacy. Searches of the Canadian Newsstand database and Google identified additional documents. Discourse analysis was performed using social positioning theory to explore how pharmacists’ roles were constructed in communications about the Compensation Plan. Results In total, 65 publicly available documents were included in the analysis. The Compensation Plan was put forward as a framework for payment for professional services and formal legitimization of pharmacists’ changing professional roles. The discourse associated with the Compensation Plan positioned pharmacists’ roles as: (1) expanding to include services such as medication management for chronic diseases, (2) contributing to primary health care by providing access to services such as prescription renewals and immunizations, and (3) collaborating with other health care team members. Pharmacists’ changing roles were positioned in alignment with the aims of primary health care. Conclusions Social positioning theory provides a useful lens to examine the dynamic and evolving roles of pharmacists. This study provides insight into how communications regarding the Compensation Plan in Alberta, Canada positioned pharmacists’ changing roles in the broader context of changes to primary health care delivery. Our findings may be useful for other jurisdictions considering implementation of remunerated clinical services provided by pharmacists

The effect of alcohol advertising, marketing and portrayal on drinking behaviour in young people: systematic review of prospective cohort studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effect of alcohol portrayals and advertising on the drinking behaviour of young people is a matter of much debate. We evaluated the relationship between exposure to alcohol advertising, marketing and portrayal on subsequent drinking behaviour in young people by systematic review of cohort (longitudinal) studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>studies were identified in October 2006 by searches of electronic databases, with no date restriction, supplemented with hand searches of reference lists of retrieved articles. Cohort studies that evaluated exposure to advertising or marketing or alcohol portrayals and drinking at baseline and assessed drinking behaviour at follow-up in young people were selected and reviewed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>seven cohort studies that followed up more than 13,000 young people aged 10 to 26 years old were reviewed. The studies evaluated a range of different alcohol advertisement and marketing exposures including print and broadcast media. Two studies measured the hours of TV and music video viewing. All measured drinking behaviour using a variety of outcome measures. Two studies evaluated drinkers and non-drinkers separately. Baseline non-drinkers were significantly more likely to have become a drinker at follow-up with greater exposure to alcohol advertisements. There was little difference in drinking frequency at follow-up in baseline drinkers. In studies that included drinkers and non-drinkers, increased exposure at baseline led to significant increased risk of drinking at follow-up. The strength of the relationship varied between studies but effect sizes were generally modest. All studies controlled for age and gender, however potential confounding factors adjusted for in analyses varied from study to study. Important risk factors such as peer drinking and parental attitudes and behaviour were not adequately accounted for in some studies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>data from prospective cohort studies suggest there is an association between exposure to alcohol advertising or promotional activity and subsequent alcohol consumption in young people. Inferences about the modest effect sizes found are limited by the potential influence of residual or unmeasured confounding.</p