337 research outputs found
Semileptonic decays of the Higgs boson at the Tevatron
We examine the prospects for extending the Tevatron reach for a Standard
Model Higgs boson by including the semileptonic Higgs boson decays h --> WW -->
l nu jj for M_h >~ 2 M_W, and h --> W jj --> l nu jj for M_h <~ 2 M_W, where j
is a hadronic jet. We employ a realistic simulation of the signal and
backgrounds using the Sherpa Monte Carlo event generator. We find kinematic
selections that enhance the signal over the dominant W+jets background. The
resulting sensitivity could be an important addition to ongoing searches,
especially in the mass range 120 <~ M_h <~ 150 GeV. The techniques described
can be extended to Higgs boson searches at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 68 pages, 19 figure
Data driving the top quark forward--backward asymmetry with a lepton-based handle
We propose that, within the standard model, the correlation between the
forward--backward asymmetry and the corresponding
lepton-based asymmetry -- at the differential level -- is strong and
rather clean both theoretically and experimentally. Hence a combined
measurement of the two distributions as a function of the lepton , a
direct and experimentally clean observable, would lead to a potentially
unbiased and normalization-free test of the standard model prediction. To check
the robustness of our proposal we study how the correlation is affected by
mis-measurement of the system transverse momenta, acceptance cuts,
scale dependence and compare the results of MCFM, POWHEG (with & without PYTHIA
showering), and SHERPA's CSSHOWER in first-emission mode. We find that the
shape of the relative differential distribution is only moderately distorted hence supporting the
usefulness of our proposal. Beyond the first emission, we find that the
correlation is not accurately captured by lowest-order treatment. We also
briefly consider other differential variables such as the system transverse
mass and the canonical invariant mass. Finally, we study new physics
scenarios where the correlation is significantly distorted and therefore can be
more readily constrained or discovered using our method.Comment: 27 pages, 12 figure
Coordinating Anions âto the Rescueâ of the Lithium Ion Mobility in Ternary Solid Polymer Electrolytes Plasticized With Ionic Liquids
Lithium salts with low coordinating anions such as
bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) have been the state-of-the-art
for polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based âdryâ polymer electrolytes for 3 dec-
ades. Plasticizing PEO with TFSI-based ionic liquids (ILs) to form ternary
solid polymer electrolytes (TSPEs) increases conductivity and Li+ diffusivity.
However, the Li+ transport mechanism is unaffected compared to their âdryâ
counterparts and is essentially coupled to the dynamics of the polymer host
matrix, which limits Li+ transport improvement. Thus, a paradigm shift is
hereby suggested: the utilization of more coordinating anions such as trifluo-
romethanesulfonyl-N-cyanoamide (TFSAM), able to compete with PEO for
Li+ solvation, to accelerate the Li+ transport and reach a higher Li+ transfer-
ence number. The LiâTFSAM interaction in binary and ternary TFSAM-based
electrolytes is probed by experimental methods and discussed in the context
of recent computational results. In PEO-based TSPEs, TFSAM drastically
accelerates the Li+ transport (increases Li+ transference number by a factor 6
and the Li+ conductivity by 2â3) and computer simulations reveal that lithium
dynamics are effectively re-coupled from polymer to anion dynamics. Last,
this concept of coordinating anions in TSPEs is successfully applied in LFP||Li
metal cells leading to enhanced capacity retention (86% after 300 cycles) and
an improved rate performance at 2C
Recommended from our members
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application.
BackgroundPractical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements - the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process - remains a key question. Methods for doing so collaboratively, rapidly and remotely offer much potential, but are under-developed. We propose an approach for engaging diverse stakeholders remotely in a consensus-building exercise to help specify improvements in a healthcare process, and we illustrate the approach in a case study.MethodsOrganised in a five-step framework, our proposed approach is informed by a participatory ethos, crowdsourcing and consensus-building methods: (1) define scope and objective of the process improvement; (2) produce a draft or prototype of the proposed process improvement specification; (3) identify participant recruitment strategy; (4) design and conduct a remote consensus-building exercise; (5) produce a final specification of the process improvement in light of learning from the exercise. We tested the approach in a case study that sought to specify process improvements for the management of obstetric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a brief video showing a process for managing a post-partum haemorrhage in women with COVID-19 to elicit recommendations on how the process could be improved. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted to reach consensus.ResultsWe gathered views from 105 participants, with a background in maternity care (nâ=â36), infection prevention and control (nâ=â17), or human factors (nâ=â52). The participants initially generated 818 recommendations for how to improve the process illustrated in the video, which we synthesised into a set of 22 recommendations. The consensus-building exercise yielded a final set of 16 recommendations. These were used to inform the specification of process improvements for managing the obstetric emergency and develop supporting resources, including an updated video.ConclusionsThe proposed methodological approach enabled the expertise and ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to be captured and mobilised to specify process improvements in an area of pressing service need. This approach has the potential to address current challenges in process improvement, but will require further evaluation
Characterization of quantitative flow ratio and fractional flow reserve discordance using doppler flow and clinical follow-up
The physiological mechanisms of quantitative flow ratio and fractional flow reserve disagreement are not fully understood. We aimed to characterize the coronary flow and resistance profile of intermediate stenosed epicardial coronary arteries with concordant and discordant FFR and QFR. Post-hoc analysis of the DEFINE-FLOW study. Anatomical and Doppler-derived physiological parameters were compared for lesions with FFR+QFRâ (n = 18) vs. FFR+QFR+ (n = 43) and for FFRâQFR+ (n = 34) vs. FFRâQFRâ (n = 139). The association of QFR results with the two-year rate of target vessel failure was assessed in the proportion of vessels (n = 195) that did not undergo revascularization. Coronary flow reserve was higher [2.3 (IQR: 2.1â2.7) vs. 1.9 (IQR: 1.5â2.4)], hyperemic microvascular resistance lower [1.72 (IQR: 1.48â2.31) vs. 2.26 (IQR: 1.79â2.87)] and anatomical lesion severity less severe [% diameter stenosis 45.5 (IQR: 41.5â52.5) vs. 58.5 (IQR: 53.1â64.0)] for FFR+QFRâ lesions compared with FFR+QFR+ lesions. In comparison of FFRâQFR+ vs. FFR-QFR- lesions, lesion severity was more severe [% diameter stenosis 55.2 (IQR: 51.7â61.3) vs. 43.4 (IQR: 35.0â50.6)] while coronary flow reserve [2.2 (IQR: 1.9â2.9) vs. 2.2 (IQR: 1.9â2.6)] and hyperemic microvascular resistance [2.34 (IQR: 1.85â2.81) vs. 2.57 (IQR: 2.01â3.22)] did not differ. The agreement and diagnostic performance of FFR using hyperemic stenosis resistance (> 0.80) as reference standard was higher compared with QFR and coronary flow reserve. Disagreement between FFR and QFR is partly explained by physiological and anatomical factors. Clinical Trials Registration https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01813435. Graphical abstract: Changes in central physiological and anatomical parameters according to FFR and QFR match/mismatch quadrants
Utilizing Public Blockchains for the Sybil-Resistant Bootstrapping of Distributed Anonymity Services
Distributed anonymity services, such as onion routing networks or
cryptocurrency tumblers, promise privacy protection without trusted third
parties. While the security of these services is often well-researched,
security implications of their required bootstrapping processes are usually
neglected: Users either jointly conduct the anonymization themselves, or they
need to rely on a set of non-colluding privacy peers. However, the typically
small number of privacy peers enable single adversaries to mimic distributed
services. We thus present AnonBoot, a Sybil-resistant medium to securely
bootstrap distributed anonymity services via public blockchains. AnonBoot
enforces that peers periodically create a small proof of work to refresh their
eligibility for providing secure anonymity services. A pseudo-random, locally
replicable bootstrapping process using on-chain entropy then prevents biasing
the election of eligible peers. Our evaluation using Bitcoin as AnonBoot's
underlying blockchain shows its feasibility to maintain a trustworthy
repository of 1000 peers with only a small storage footprint while supporting
arbitrarily large user bases on top of most blockchains.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the 15th ACM ASIA Conference on
Computer and Communications Security (ACM ASIACCS'20
QCD Coherence and the Top Quark Asymmetry
Coherent QCD radiation in the hadroproduction of top quark pairs leads to a
forward--backward asymmetry that grows more negative with increasing transverse
momentum of the pair. This feature is present in Monte Carlo event generators
with coherent parton showering, even though the production process is treated
at leading order and has no intrinsic asymmetry before showering. In addition,
depending on the treatment of recoils, showering can produce a positive
contribution to the inclusive asymmetry. We explain the origin of these
features, compare them in fixed-order calculations and the Herwig++, Pythia and
Sherpa event generators, and discuss their implications.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures, 2 table
Histopathological Features of Aspirated Thrombi after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
BACKGROUND: Plaque disruption with superimposed thrombus is the predominant mechanism responsible for the onset of acute coronary syndromes. Studies have shown that plaque disruption and thrombotic occlusion are frequently separated in time. We established the histopathological characteristics of material aspirated during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large consecutive ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) population. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Thrombus aspiration during primary PCI was performed in 1,362 STEMI patients. Thrombus age was classified as fresh (<1 day), lytic (1-5 days), or organized (>5 day). Further, the presence of plaque was documented. The histopathological findings were related to the clinical, angiographic, and procedural characteristics. Material could be aspirated in 1,009 patients (74%). Components of plaque were found in 395 of these patients (39%). Fresh thrombus was found in 577 of 959 patients (60%) compared to 382 patients (40%) with lytic or organized thrombi. Distal embolization was present in 21% of patients with lytic thrombus compared to 12% and 15% of patients with fresh or organized thrombus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Material could be obtained in 74% of STEMI patients treated with thrombus aspiration during primary PCI. In 40% of patients thrombus age is older than 24 h, indicating that plaque disruption and thrombus formation occur significantly earlier than the onset of symptoms in many patients
Views on the Past, Present, and Future of Business and Information Systems Engineering
ââThe times they are a-changin,ââ a famous song title by Bob Dylan, also applies to our profession and our subject of study. Information technology has always been a driver for innovation. The recent years, however, have seen IT-based innovations that truly impact everybodyâs lives. Everything that can be digitized will be digitized, and this trend is continuing at an amazing speed. For a discipline that looks at the design and utilization of
information systems these are exciting times. Yet, it is also a time full of challenges. While our discipline has much to contribute, it competes with other disciplines for topics and ideas. Also, the scope of topics studied has become broader and broader, and so have our methods. While initial work in Business and Information Systems Engineering (BISE) was often rooted in artificial intelligence, database systems, or operations research, the community has adopted new approaches to address new types of problems. Nowadays, we also have a strong group of academics working primarily with empirical methods or methods from microeconomics, to name just a few. This development towards a more multiparadigmatic discipline also had its challenges and there were controversial discussions along the way
Correction to: How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a frame work and a case study of its application.
BackgroundPractical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements - the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process - remains a key question. Methods for doing so collaboratively, rapidly and remotely offer much potential, but are under-developed. We propose an approach for engaging diverse stakeholders remotely in a consensus-building exercise to help specify improvements in a healthcare process, and we illustrate the approach in a case study.MethodsOrganised in a five-step framework, our proposed approach is informed by a participatory ethos, crowdsourcing and consensus-building methods: (1) define scope and objective of the process improvement; (2) produce a draft or prototype of the proposed process improvement specification; (3) identify participant recruitment strategy; (4) design and conduct a remote consensus-building exercise; (5) produce a final specification of the process improvement in light of learning from the exercise. We tested the approach in a case study that sought to specify process improvements for the management of obstetric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a brief video showing a process for managing a post-partum haemorrhage in women with COVID-19 to elicit recommendations on how the process could be improved. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted to reach consensus.ResultsWe gathered views from 105 participants, with a background in maternity care (nâ=â36), infection prevention and control (nâ=â17), or human factors (nâ=â52). The participants initially generated 818 recommendations for how to improve the process illustrated in the video, which we synthesised into a set of 22 recommendations. The consensus-building exercise yielded a final set of 16 recommendations. These were used to inform the specification of process improvements for managing the obstetric emergency and develop supporting resources, including an updated video.ConclusionsThe proposed methodological approach enabled the expertise and ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to be captured and mobilised to specify process improvements in an area of pressing service need. This approach has the potential to address current challenges in process improvement, but will require further evaluation
- âŠ