McKean–Vlasov limit for interacting systems with simultaneous jumps

Motivated by several applications, including neuronal models, we consider the McKean–Vlasov limit for a general class of mean-field systems of interacting diffusions characterized by an interaction via simultaneous jumps. We focus our interest on systems where the rate of the jumps is unbounded, which are rarely treated in the mean-field literature, and we prove well-posedness of the McKean–Vlasov limit together with propagation of chaos via a coupling technique. To highlight the role of simultaneous jumps, we introduce an intermediate process which is close to the original particle system but does not display simultaneous jumps. This shows in particular that the simultaneous jumps contribute to the overall rate of convergence of the N-particle empirical measures by a term of order 1/√N

Multidimensional extensions of IRT models and their application to customer satisfaction evaluation

Multidimensional IRT models (MIRTM), developed in the fields of psychometrics and ability assessment, are here considered in connection with the problem of evaluating customer satisfaction. Different models, that allow us to take into account more complex and, possibly, more realistic latent constructs than those usually assumed, are presented and discussed. Eventually, these models are applied to a real dataset, MCMC techniques for the estimation are implemented and analogies and differences with results from previous analyses on the same survey in the literature are discussed

Cartilage canals in newborn dogs : histochemical and immunohistochemical findings

Cartilage canals (CCs) are microscopic structures involved in secondary ossification centers (SOCs) development. The features of CCs were investigated in the humeral and femoral proximal epiphyses of small-sized newborn dogs (from premature to 28 days after birth) with histochemical and immunohistochemical approaches. Masson's Trichrome revealed a ring-shaped area around CCs, which changes in colour from green (immature collagen) to red (mature collagen) as ossification progresses; perichondrium staining always matched the ring colour. Safranin-O was always negative. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed immunopositivity for both collagen type I and V around the CCs; collagen type II was negative. CCs count showed a tendency to be higher in the humerus than in the femur. This work enlightened for the first time changes in composition of CCs surrounding matrix during SOCs development in dogs, paving the way to further investigations

Value of a short non-contrast CMR protocol in MINOCA

ObjectivesTo evaluate the diagnostic performance of a short non-contrast CMR (ShtCMR) protocol relative to a matched standard comprehensive CMR (StdCMR) protocol in patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA).MethodsThis multicenter retrospective study included patients with a working diagnosis of MINOCA who underwent a StdCMR between January 2019 and December 2020. An expert and a non-expert reader performed a blinded reading with the ShtCMR (long-axis cine images, T2w-STIR, T1- and T2-mapping). A consensus reading of the StdCMR (reference standard) was performed at least 3 months after the ShtCMR reading session. Readers were asked to report the following: (1) diagnosis; (2) level of confidence in their diagnosis with the ShtCMR; (3) number of myocardial segments involved, and (4) functional parameters.ResultsA total of 179 patients were enrolled. The ShtCMR lasted 21 & PLUSMN; 9 min and the StdCMR 45 & PLUSMN; 11 min (p < 0.0001). ShtCMR allowed reaching the same diagnosis as StdCMR in 85% of patients when interpreted by expert readers (rising from 66% for poor confidence to 99% for good, p = 0.0001) and in 73% (p = 0.01) by non-expert ones (60% for poor vs 89% for good confidence, p = 0.0001). Overall, the ShtCMR overestimated the ejection fraction, underestimated cardiac volumes (p < 0.01), and underestimated the number of segments involved by pathology (p = 0.0008) when compared with the StdCMR.ConclusionThe ShtCMR was found to be a debatable alternative to the StdCMR in patients with MINOCA. Nevertheless, when an experienced reader reaches a good or very good diagnostic confidence using the ShtCMR, the reader may choose to stop the examination, reducing the length of the CMR without affecting the patient's diagnosis

Nurses and Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) collaboration to improve quality in clinical trials

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