Similarity measures of bipolar neutrosophic sets and their application to multiple criteria decision making

In this paper, we introduced some similarity measures for bipolar neutrosophic sets such as; Dice similarity measure, weighted Dice similarity measure, Hybrid vector similarity measure and weighted Hybrid vector similarity measure. Also we examine the propositions of the similarity measures. Furthermore, a multi-criteria decision-making method for bipolar neutrosophic set is developed based on these given similarity measures. Then, a practical example is shown to verify the feasibility of the new method. Finally, we compare the proposed method with the existing methods in order to demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of the developed method in this paper

Clopidogrel versus ticagrelor in chronic kidney disease patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective evaluation

Aim: To compare the efficacy and bleeding risk of clopidogrel versus ticagrelor in patients presenting with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Method: This was a single-center retrospective comparison of in-hospital and 1-year major advance cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with ACS and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 mL/min) who were treated with clopidogrel or ticagrelor in addition to aspirin. Clinicodemographic features, medication use, and laboratory values were recorded. eGFR was calculated by means of the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation. The Killip classification was used to quantify the severity of heart failure. The primary outcome measures were in-hospital and 1-year MACEs and major and minor bleeding. MACE definition included recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Results: In total, 235 patients (40.9% female, mean age 67.8 ± 12.4 years) were included. Of all patients, 56% presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), whereas 44% had a non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Sixty-eight patients were treated with ticagrelor, while 167 patients were administered clopidogrel. The groups were comparable in terms of in-hospital mortality, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and re-infarction rates. There was no statistical difference between the mortality, CVA and re-infarction rates between the groups at 12-month. In-hospital minor bleedings were more common among ticagrelor users. In-hospital major bleeding frequencies were similar in both groups. There was no statistical difference in terms of major or minor bleeding rates at 12 months. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed comparable efficacy and bleeding risk in ACS patients who were treated clopidogrel or ticagrelor

Preoperative detection of insulinomas: two case reports

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Thymidylate synthase drives the phenotypes of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Background Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) enhances motility, stemness, chemoresistance and metastasis. Little is known about how various pathways coordinate to elicit EMT’s different functional aspects in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thymidylate synthase (TS) has been previously correlated with EMT transcription factor ZEB1 in NSCLC and imparts resistance against anti-folate chemotherapy. In this study, we establish a functional correlation between TS, EMT, chemotherapy and metastasis and propose a network for TS mediated EMT. Methods Published datasets were analysed to evaluate the significance of TS in NSCLC fitness and prognosis. Promoter reporter assay was used to sort NSCLC cell lines in TSHIGH and TSLOW. Metastasis was assayed in a syngeneic mouse model. Results TS levels were prognostic and predicted chemotherapy response. Cell lines with higher TS promoter activity were more mesenchymal-like. RNA-seq identified EMT as one of the most differentially regulated pathways in connection to TS expression. EMT transcription factors HOXC6 and HMGA2 were identified as upstream regulator of TS, and AXL, SPARC and FOSL1 as downstream effectors. TS knock-down reduced the metastatic colonisation in vivo. Conclusion These results establish TS as a theranostic NSCLC marker integrating survival, chemo-resistance and EMT, and identifies a regulatory network that could be targeted in EMT-driven NSCLC

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia