Search results for " Character"
showing 10 items of 1756 documents
Do patients' and referral centers' characteristics influence multiple sclerosis phenotypes? Results from the Italian multiple sclerosis and related d…
2022
Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by phenotypical heterogeneity, partly resulting from demographic and environmental risk factors. Socio-economic factors and the characteristics of local MS facilities might also play a part. Methods This study included patients with a confirmed MS diagnosis enrolled in the Italian MS and Related Disorders Register in 2000–2021. Patients at first visit were classified as having a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), relapsing–remitting (RR), primary progressive (PP), progressive-relapsing (PR), or secondary progressive MS (SP). Demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed, with centers’ characteristics, geographic macro-ar…
Euler characteristic formulas for simplicial maps
2001
In this paper, various Euler characteristic formulas for simplicial maps are obtained, which generalize the Izumiya–Marar formula [ 14 ], the Banchoff triple point formula [ 3 ] and the formula due to Szucs for maps of surfaces into 3-space [ 27 ]. Moreover, we obtain new results about the Euler characteristics of the multiple point sets and the images of generic smooth maps and the numbers of their singularities.
Nonlinear analysis of classical phase-locked loops in signal's phase space
2014
Abstract Discovery of undesirable hidden oscillations, which cannot be found by the standard simulation, in phase-locked loop (PLL) showed the importance of consideration of nonlinear models and development of rigorous analytical methods for their analysis. In this paper for various signal waveforms, analytical computation of multiplier/mixer phase-detector characteristics is demonstrated, and nonlinear dynamical model of classical analog PLL is derived. Approaches to the rigorous nonlinear analysis of classical analog PLL are discussed.
Multiscale Particle Method in Solving Partial Differential Equations
2007
A novel approach to meshfree particle methods based on multiresolution analysis is presented. The aim is to obtain numerical solutions for partial differential equations by avoiding the mesh generation and by employing a set of particles arbitrarily placed in problem domain. The elimination of the mesh combined with the properties of dilation and translation of scaling and wavelets functions is particularly suitable for problems governed by hyperbolic partial differential equations with large deformations and high gradients.
Exploring the effect of absence selection on landslide susceptibility models: A case study in Sicily, Italy
2016
Abstract A statistical approach was employed to model the spatial distribution of rainfall-triggered landslides in two areas in Sicily (Italy) that occurred during the winter of 2004–2005. The investigated areas are located within the Belice River basin and extend for 38.5 and 10.3 km 2 , respectively. A landslide inventory was established for both areas using two Google Earth images taken on October 25th 2004 and on March 18th 2005, to map slope failures activated or reactivated during this interval. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to prepare 5 m grids of the dependent variables (absence/presence of landslide) and independent variables (lithology and 13 DEM-derivatives). Mul…
Mapping Susceptibility to Debris Flows Triggered by Tropical Storms: A Case Study of the San Vicente Volcano Area (El Salvador, CA)
2021
In this study, an inventory of storm-triggered debris flows performed in the area of the San Vicente volcano (El Salvador, CA) was used to calibrate predictive models and prepare a landslide susceptibility map. The storm event struck the area in November 2009 as the result of the simultaneous action of low-pressure system 96E and Hurricane Ida. Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) was employed to model the relationships between a set of environmental variables and the locations of the debris flows. Validation of the models was performed by splitting 100 random samples of event and non-event 10 m pixels into training and test subsets. The validation results revealed an excellent (…
Assessment of susceptibility to earth-flow landslide using logistic regression and multivariate adaptive regression splines: A case of the Belice Riv…
2015
Abstract In this paper, terrain susceptibility to earth-flow occurrence was evaluated by using geographic information systems (GIS) and two statistical methods: Logistic regression (LR) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS). LR has been already demonstrated to provide reliable predictions of earth-flow occurrence, whereas MARS, as far as we know, has never been used to generate earth-flow susceptibility models. The experiment was carried out in a basin of western Sicily (Italy), which extends for 51 km 2 and is severely affected by earth-flows. In total, we mapped 1376 earth-flows, covering an area of 4.59 km 2 . To explore the effect of pre-failure topography on earth-flow sp…
Influences on mutual fund performance: comparing US and Europe using qualitative comparative analysis
2019
This study examines the conditions that lead mutual funds to underperform or outperform competitors. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), we draw upon extensive research on fund returns to affirm and extend earlier discoveries. Fund performance (Morningstar ratings), features of the funds themselves, and characteristics of the fund managers are considered. Positive Morningstar star and analyst ratings are necessary conditions for funds to generate value (measured by Jensen’s alpha). Funds with low management fees and low ongoing fees have attractive Sharpe ratios and high returns. Likewise, large funds with good Morningstar ratings have good Sharpe ratios and returns, o…
Determining a healthy reference range and factors potentially influencing PRO-C3 – A biomarker of liver fibrosis
2021
Background & Aims Progressive fibrosis has been identified as the major predictor of mortality in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several biomarkers are currently being evaluated for their ability to substitute the liver biopsy as the reference standard. Recent clinical studies in NAFLD/NASH patients support the utility of PRO-C3, a marker of type III collagen formation, as a marker for the degree of fibrosis, disease activity, and effect of treatment. Here we establish the healthy reference range, optimal sample handling conditions for both short- and long-term serum storage, and robustness for the PRO-C3 assay. Methods PRO-C3 was measured in 269 healthy volunteers…
Chemical modification of halloysite nanotubes for controlled loading and release.
2020
Clay minerals have been used for medical purposes from ancient times. Among them, the halloysite nanotube, an aluminosilicate of the kaolin group, is an emerging nanomaterial which possesses peculiar chemical characteristics. By means of suitable modifications, such as supramolecular functionalization or covalent modifications, it is possible to obtain novel nanomaterials with tunable properties for several applications. In this context the covalent grafting of suitable organic moieties on the external surface or in the halloysite lumen has been exploited to improve the loading and release of several biologically active molecules. The resulting hybrid nanomaterials have been applied as drug…