Collaborative Aggregation of Individual Rating for Group Evaluation

The aggregation of individual evaluations into a group evaluation is a key issue in decision theory. Inspired by the collaboration idea on Web2.0, two group evaluation methods of collaborative weighting evaluators where evaluators rate the objects evaluated are presented to form group decision. Among the most commonly applied methods for group evaluation are to average the scores obtained by each objects evaluated and then consider the associated collective evaluation, which not consider the difference between individual evaluators. The proposed methods can offset the effect resulted by some evaluator’s irregular evaluation through considering the contribution of the individual evaluation to the collective evaluation. Sometimes the irregularity is owing to the subjectivity reason. For example, since some evaluators are prejudiced against some objects evaluated, the evaluators will subjectivity give very high or very low rating on the objects evaluated. In this paper, two nonlinear group evaluation methods achieved through mutual restraints between individual evaluators and consequently are more stable than traditional group evaluation method in an actual example and a synthetic data set

Braided stent-assisted coil embolization versus laser engraved stent-assisted coil embolization in patients with unruptured complex intracranial aneurysms

  Purposes: Braided and laser-cut stents both are efficacious and safe for coiling intracranial aneurysms. The study aimed to compare outcomes following braided stent-assisted coil embolization versus laser engraved stent-assisted coil embolization in 266 patients who were diagnosed with unruptured intracranial aneurysms of different types and locations. Methods: Patients with unruptured complex intracranial aneurysms underwent braided (BSE cohort, n = 125) or laser engraved (LSE cohort, n = 141) stent-assisted embolization. Results: The deployment success rate was higher for patients of the LSE cohort than those of the BSE cohort (140 [99%] vs. 117 [94%], p = 0.0142). Seventy-one (fifty-seven percentages) and 73 (52%) were coil embolization procedure success rates of the BSE and the LSE cohorts. Periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage was higher in patients of the BSE cohort than those of the LSE cohort (8 [6%] vs. 1 [1%], p = 0.0142). Four (three percentages) patients from the LSE cohort and 3 (2%) patients from the BSE cohort had in-stent thrombosis during embolization. Permanent morbidities were higher in patients of the LSE cohort than those of the BSE cohort (8 [6%] vs. 1 [1%], p = 0.0389). Higher successful procedures (76% vs. 68%) and fewer postprocedural intracranial hemorrhage (0% vs. 5%) and mortality (0% vs. 5%) were reported for patients of the BSE cohort in posterior circulation aneurysmal location than those of the LSE cohort. Laser engraved stent has fewer problems with deployment and may have better periprocedural and follow-up outcomes after embolization. Conclusions: Braided stent-assisted embolization should be preferred when the aneurysm is present in the posterior circulation

The Retirement Plan Dilemma: Who Is Best Prepared for Retirement in Today’s Environment?

This study examines the factors affecting retirement preparation through employer-sponsored retirement plans using the Survey of Consumer Finances’ (SCF) 2019 data. Various socio-economic and demographic variables are analyzed for significance regarding employee participation in and contributions to employer sponsored retirement plans. Our results indicate that gender, marital status, age, race, financial literacy, risk tolerance, inheritance expectation, and income are all important factors that affect plan participation rates as well as contribution levels. For minority women, income appears to be the most crucial factor in increasing participation. The results provide some implications for policymakers about improving retirement plan policies for women and minorities. The findings may also help individuals make better retirement planning decisions, especially in the face of possible social security benefit shortages and pension plan changes. This study is of great importance, as current retirement plans place a greater responsibility on both employers and individuals for retirement planning

LQ control without Ricatti equations: deterministic systems

We study a deterministic linear-quadratic (LQ) control problem over an infinite horizon, and develop a general apprach to the problem based on semi-definite programming (SDP)and related duality analysis. This approach allows the control cost matrix R to be non-negative (semi-definite), a case that is beyond the scope of the classical approach based on Riccati equations. We show that the complementary duality condition of the SDP is necessary and sufficient for the existence of an optimal LQ control. Moreover, when the complementary duality does hold, an optimal state feedback control is constructed explicitly in terms of the solution to the semidefinite program. On the other hand, when the complementary duality fails, the LQ problem has no attainable optimal solution, and we develop an E-approximation scheme that achieves asymptotic optimality

Effect of Growth Temperature and Time on Morphology and Gas Sensitivity of Cu 2

A facile hydrothermal synthesis with CuSO4 as the copper source was used to prepare micro/nano-Cu2O. The obtained samples have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). With increasing the reaction temperature and time, the final products were successively Cu2O octahedron microcrystals, Cu2O/Cu composite particles, and a wide range of Cu spherical particles. The gas sensitivity of products towards ethanol and acetone gases was studied. The results showed that sensors prepared with Cu2O/Cu composites synthesized at 65°C for 15 min exhibited optimal gas sensitivity. The gas sensing mechanism and the effect of Cu in the enhanced gas response were also elaborated. The excellent gas sensitivity indicates that Cu2O/Cu composites have potential application as gas sensors