Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Two-Parameter Estimator for Beta Regression Model: Method, Simulation, and Application

The beta regression is a widely known statistical model when the response (or the dependent) variable has the form of fractions or percentages. In most of the situations in beta regression, the explanatory variables are related to each other which is commonly known as the multicollinearity problem. It is well-known that the multicollinearity problem affects severely the variance of maximum likelihood (ML) estimates. In this article, we developed a new biased estimator (called a two-parameter estimator) for the beta regression model to handle this problem and decrease the variance of the estimation. The properties of the proposed estimator are derived. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed estimator is compared with the ML estimator and other common biased (ridge, Liu, and Liu-type) estimators depending on the mean squared error criterion by making a Monte Carlo simulation study and through two real data applications. The results of the simulation and applications indicated that the proposed estimator outperformed ML, ridge, Liu, and Liu-type estimators.
Serum Vitamin D Levels Are Associated With Increased COVID-19 Severity and Mortality Independent of Whole-Body and Visceral Adiposity

Introduction Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global pandemic. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with susceptibility to infectious disease. In this study, the association between COVID-19 outcomes and vitamin D levels in patients attending a COVID-19 reference center in Mexico City are examined. Methods Consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated. All patients underwent clinical evaluation and follow-up, laboratory measurements and a thoracic computerized tomography, including the measurement of epicardial fat thickness. Low vitamin D was defined as levels <20 ng/ml (<50nmol/L) and deficient Vitamin D as a level ≤12 ng/ml (<30 nmol/L). Results Of the 551 patients included, low vitamin D levels were present in 45.6% and deficient levels in 10.9%. Deficient Vitamin D levels were associated with mortality (HR 2.11, 95%CI 1.24–3.58, p = 0.006) but not with critical COVID-19, adjusted for age, sex, body-mass index and epicardial fat. Using model-based causal mediation analyses the increased risk of COVID-19 mortality conferred by low vitamin D levels was partly mediated by its effect on D-dimer and cardiac ultrasensitive troponins. Notably, increased risk of COVID-19 mortality conferred by low vitamin D levels was independent of BMI and epicardial fat. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency (≤12 ng/ml or <30 nmol/L), is independently associated with COVID-19 mortality after adjustment for visceral fat (epicardial fat thickness). Low vitamin D may contribute to a pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic state, increasing the risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes.
Intensive Safety Monitoring of Rituximab (Biosimilar Novex® and the Innovator) in Pediatric Patients With Complex Diseases

Although rituximab is widely used off-label for complex pediatric diseases, safety reports are limited. We aimed to report evidence of its use in clinical practice, to describe the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADR) to rituximab biosimilar Novex® and innovator, and to identify risk factors for the development of ADR in a real-life follow-up cohort of pediatric patients with complex diseases. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, observational, single-centre study in patients that received rituximab for any complex disease, and as part of an intensive pharmacovigilance program. Demographic, pharmacological, clinical, and drug-related data were collected for all patients. ADR-free survival, including infusion-related reactions (IRR) and delayed ADR (dADR), was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Risk factors were evaluated by multivariable Cox regression models. In total, 77 patients (<19 y.o.) received 187 infusions of rituximab Novex® (n = 155) or innovator rituximab (n = 32) for neurologic (Neu), immune-hematologic-rheumatic (IHR), oncologic (O) diseases, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) or solid-organ transplantation (SOT). We recorded 29 IRR and 58 dADR that occurred in 27 (35.1%) and 29 (37.7%) patients, respectively. The respiratory tract was the most affected during IRR (29.6%) and hypogammaglobulinemia (37.9 %) was the most frequent dADR. First versus subsequent infusions (HR 5.4, CI95% 2.4–12.1, p<0.05), sex (boys vs. girls, HR 0.3, CI95% 0.1–0.8, and p<0.05), and diagnosis (Neu-IHR diseases vs. O-HSCT-SOT, HR 2.3, CI95% 1.02–5.4, and p < 0.05) were significantly associated with the development of IRR. For dADR, risk factors were diagnosis (Neu-IHR diseases vs. O-HSCT-SOT, HR 0.4, CI95% 0.2–0.9, and p < 0.05) and cumulative body surface area-normalized dosage (HR 1.0003, CI95% 1.0001–1.0006, and p < 0.05). The present is the largest real-world safety assessment of rituximab in Latin-American children with complex diseases supporting its use based on the overall acceptable safety. Identification of risk factors may contribute to optimization of off-label rituximab treatment in pediatrics.
Mapping the Plasticity of Morphology, Molecular Properties and Function in Mouse Primary Microglia

Microglia exert diverse functions by responding in diverse ways to different stimuli, yet little is known about the plasticity of various phenotypes that microglia display. We used interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 to induce different phenotypes in mouse primary microglia. RNA sequencing was used to identify genes differentially expressed in response to stimulation, and the different stimulated populations were compared in terms of morphology, proliferative capacity, phagocytic ability and neurotoxicity. IFN-γ induced an “immunodefensive” phenotype characterizing both induction of filopodia and upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor α. Microglia with this phenotype mediated an acute inflammatory response accompanied by excellent proliferative capacity and neurotoxicity, and remained susceptible to remodeling for up to 48 h after initial stimulation. IL-4 induced an enduring “neuroimmunoregulatory” phenotype involving induction of lamellipodium and persistent upregulation of arginase (Arg)-1 and YM-1 expression. Microglia with this phenotype remained susceptible to remodeling for up to 24 h after initial stimulation. IL-10 induced an “immunosuppressive” phenotype involving induction of ameba-like morphology and upregulation of transforming growth factor β and IL-10 as well as inhibition of inflammation. This phenotype was accompanied by inhibition of self-proliferation, while its morphology, molecular properties and function were the least susceptible to remodeling. IFN-γ, IL-4, or IL-10 appear to induce substantially different phenotypes in microglia. The immunodefensive microglia induced by IFN-γ showed remarkable plasticity, which may help repair CNS inflammation damage under pathological condition. Chronic activation with IL-10 decreases microglial plasticity, which may help protect the brain form the immune response. Our research justifies and guides further studies into the molecular pathways that operate in each phenotype to help multitasking microglia regulate homeostasis in the brain.
Minimal Residual Disease Assessment in Multiple Myeloma Patients: Minimal Disease With Maximal Implications

Multiple Myeloma (MM), the second most common hematologic malignancy, has been the target of many therapeutic advances over the past two decades. The introduction of novel agents, such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, and monoclonal antibodies, along with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the current standard of care, has increased the median survival of myeloma patients significantly. Nevertheless, a curative treatment option continues to elude us, and MM remains an incurable disease, with patients relapsing even after achieving deep conventionally defined responses, underscoring the need for the development of sensitive methods that will allow for proper identification and management of the patients with a higher probability of relapse. Accurate detection of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) from a bone marrow biopsy represents a relatively new approach of evaluating response to treatment with data showing clear benefit from obtaining MRD(-) status at any point of the disease course. As life expectancy for patients with MM continues to increase and deep responses are starting to become the norm, establishing and refining the role of MRD in the disease course is more relevant than ever. This review examines the different methods used to detect MRD and discusses future considerations regarding the implementation in day-to-day clinical practice and as a prospective primary endpoint for clinical trials.
Brain Imaging Changes and Related Risk Factors of Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Heart Failure

Background/Aims To explore the imaging changes and related risk factors of heart failure (HF) patients with cognitive impairment (CI). Methods A literature search was systematically carried out in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library. In this systematic review, important relevant information was extracted according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality was assessed by three scales according to the different study types. Results Finally, 66 studies were included, involving 33,579 patients. In the imaging changes, the severity of medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) and the decrease of gray Matter (GM) volume were closely related to the cognitive decline. The reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) may be correlated with CI. However, the change of white matter (WM) volume was possibly independent of CI in HF patients. Specific risk factors were analyzed, and the data indicated that the increased levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)/N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and the comorbidities of HF, including atrial fibrillation (AF), diabetes mellitus (DM) and anemia were definitely correlated with CI in patients with HF, respectively. Certain studies had also obtained independent correlation results. Body mass index (BMI), depression and sleep disorder exhibited a tendency to be associated with CI. Low ejection fraction (EF) value (<30%) was inclined to be associated with the decline in cognitive function. However, no significant differences were noted between heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in cognitive scores. Conclusion BNP/NT-proBNP and the comorbidities of HF including AF, DM and anemia were inextricably correlated with CI in patients with HF, respectively. These parameters were independent factors. The severity of MTA, GM volume, BMI index, depression, sleep disorder, and low EF value (<30%) have a disposition to associated with CI. The reduction in the CBF volume may be related to CI, whereas the WM volume may not be associated with CI in HF patients. The present systematic review provides an important basis for the prevention and treatment of CI following HF.
Development of a Sex-Specific Risk Scoring System for the Prediction of Cognitively Normal People to Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment (SRSS-CNMCI)

Objective We aimed to develop a sex-specific risk scoring system, abbreviated as SRSS-CNMCI, for the prediction of the conversion of cognitively normal (CN) people into patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to provide a reliable tool for the prevention of MCI. Methods CN at baseline participants 61–90 years of age were selected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database with at least one follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the major risk factors associated with the conversion from CN to MCI and to develop the SRSS-CNMCI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine risk cutoff points corresponding to an optimal prediction. The results were externally validated, including evaluation of the discrimination and calibration in the Harvard Aging Brain Study (HABS) database. Results A total of 471 participants, including 240 female (51%) and 231 male participants (49%) aged from 61 to 90 years, were included in the study cohort. The final multivariable models and the SRSS-CNMCI included age, APOE e4, mini mental state examination (MMSE) and clinical dementia rating (CDR). The C-statistics of the SRSS-CNMCI were 0.902 in the female subgroup and 0.911 in the male subgroup. The cutoff point of high and low risks was 33% in the female subgroup, indicating that more than 33% female participants were considered to have a high risk, and more than 9% participants were considered to have a high risk in the male subgroup. The SRSS-CNMCI performed well in the external cohort: the C-statistics were 0.950 in the female subgroup and 0.965 in the male subgroup. Conclusion The SRSS-CNMCI performs well in various cohorts and provides an accurate prediction and a generalization.
Handling Parents' Concerns Regarding the Behavioural Treatment of Infant Sleep Disturbance

Infant sleep disturbance (ISD) is widespread and troublesome. Although effective management techniques have been established, some lay and professional authors have expressed concern about these interventions. These concerns are sometimes shared by parents who seek professional advice while feeling ambivalent about undertaking treatment. These concerns include (a) that ISD is normal and inevitable, (b) that it results from unnatural or artificial cultural practices, (c) the belief that ISD expresses a need state, and (d) the belief that the use of extinction is harmful. These concerns are examined and the management of ISD by extinction and its alternatives are considered in the light of the ethics of professional practice. It is concluded that these concerns are best answered within the context of a professional relationship based on a partnership and the sharing of expertise with parents.
Creating the Socio-technical Context Needed to Derive Benefits from Big Data Initiatives in Healthcare

The application of big data in healthcare typifies a complex socio-technical system. However, although research and practice have advanced the technical aspects of big data, comparable advancements in the social aspects (i.e., human and structural aspects) are lagging. Literature, especially on socio-technical theory, suggests that organizations may only derive benefits from big data initiatives when technical initiatives are adequately complemented by social interventions. Thus, seeing that big data is receiving considerable attention in healthcare, researchers have called for further research into the social aspects of the application of big data in healthcare. Adopting a socio-technical perspective, and drawing on a systematic review of 67 articles, this study responds to the calls by collating recommendations that are necessary to establish the socio-technical context required to derive benefits from big data initiatives in healthcare. It further synthesizes the recommendations into a set of heuristics and a model to guide managerial efforts 1 Lumor et al.: Creating the Socio-technical Context for Big Data Benefits in Healthcare Published by AIS Electronic Library (AISeL), 2021 © Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, 2021 33(2), 3-58 Lumor et al.: Creating the Socio-Technical Context Needed to Derive Benefits from Big Data Initiatives in Healthcare 4 and research. The practical implications, areas for further research, and the limitation of this study are discussed. This study contributes to the discourse on establishing the socio-technical context needed to derive benefits from big data initiatives in healthcare.
A Survey of AIOps Methods for Failure Management

Modern society is increasingly moving toward complex and distributed computing systems. The increase in scale and complexity of these systems challenges O&M teams that perform daily monitoring and repair operations, in contrast with the increasing demand for reliability and scalability of modern applications. For this reason, the study of automated and intelligent monitoring systems has recently sparked much interest across applied IT industry and academia. Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps) has been proposed to tackle modern IT administration challenges thanks to Machine Learning, AI, and Big Data. However, AIOps as a research topic is still largely unstructured and unexplored, due to missing conventions in categorizing contributions for their data requirements, target goals, and components. In this work, we focus on AIOps for Failure Management (FM), characterizing and describing 5 different categories and 14 subcategories of contributions, based on their time intervention window and the target problem being solved. We review 100 FM solutions, focusing on applicability requirements and the quantitative results achieved, to facilitate an effective application of AIOps solutions. Finally, we discuss current development problems in the areas covered by AIOps and delineate possible future trends for AI-based failure management.
Nature and Purpose of Conceptual Frameworks in Design Science

Conceptual frameworks have played significant roles in diverse patterns of inquiry and have significant uses in design science research. However, there is a lack of shared understanding regarding the use of conceptual frameworks in design science. This study addresses the following question: what is the nature and purpose of conceptual frameworks in design science? The question is answered through the literature review method, which is guided by a taxonomy of research question construction in design science. The results highlight at which research stages conceptual frameworks are used, and what purposes they support. From the review, we develop a decision model for using conceptual frameworks in design science.
Crowdwork as an Elevator of Human Capital. A sustainable human development perspective

Work is a key element in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Crowdwork is a new way of working defined as a paid, digital platform-enabled form of work based on crowdsourcing model. Previous research on crowdwork narrowly considered its direct and immediate economic impact on individual workers overlooking its broader sustainable impact. This study goes a step further and adopts a wider sustainable development approach to examine the relationship between crowdwork and the sustainable development of the workers involved. It questions whether crowdwork contributes to the sustainable development of workers, and if so, how? An inductive research approach is adopted, and rich qualitative data was collected benefiting from a unique access to crowdworkers. The study reveals that crowdworkers develop three types of skills in the process of crowdwork namely; domain, platform and business skills. It highlights that these developed knowledge and skills are transferred from crowdworkers to other workers and other work settings. Furthermore, it traces and identifies the process through which crowdworkers develop and transfer these skills and knowledge and categorises it into three stages of Reactive Exploitation, Proactive Expansion, and Transfer. The study concludes that this process contributes to a more sustainable human resource development not only for the crowdworkers involved but for others as well contributing to the sustainable social and economic development.
Multidisciplinary management of orthodontic patients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Orthodontic patients may present with complex dentofacial problems that require treatment by more than one dental specialist as well as medical specialists. Such patients present not only with malocclusion but also dental caries, periodontal diseases, dental trauma, missing teeth, sleep apnoea among others. Multi-disciplinary management allows for effective and efficient comprehensive care. The aim of this study was to highlight the multidisciplinary care of orthodontic patients at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A 7-year retrospective study of patients who attended the Orthodontic Clinic in the Department of Child Dental Health, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Data collected from the patients’ files was analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Windows version 25.0. Results: A total of 200 patients with an age range of 4-44years comprising 80 (40%) males and 120 (60%) females were included in the study. The majority of patients, 145 (72.5%) had scaling and polishing performed by paediatric dentists whilst 53 (26.5%) adult patients were seen by a periodontologist. Eight (4%) had root canal therapy, composite and glass ionomer cement (GIC) restorations placement by a restorative dentist whilst 6 (3%) had teeth replaced by the prosthodontist. The patients were also co-managed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (28,14%), Ear Nose and Throat surgeons (3,1.5%), paediatricians (5, 2.5%) and neurosurgeons (2, 1%). Conclusion: Multidisciplinary management of our patients was by both medical and dental specialists particularly paediatric dentists and periodontists.
Microplastic Pollution in the Inlet and Outlet Networks of Rawa Jombor Reservoir: Accumulation in Aquatic Fauna, Interactions with Heavy Metals, and Health Risk Assessment

Streams are regarded as a pathway for spreading microplastics from land to various aquatic systems. The contamination of streams connected to the Rawa Jombor Reservoir may increase microplastic concentrations in the reservoir. The water coming out of the reservoir carries microplastics that spread out into the stream networks around the reservoir. Heavy metals have a high affinity for microplastics, increasing metal burdens on the surface of microplastics. The transfer of microplastics along the food chain leads to the possibility of increased adverse effects on organisms, mainly top predators. This research evaluated the accumulation and characterization of microplastics in water, sediment, and aquatic fauna (zooplankton, benthos, and fish); interactions with heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn); and health risk assessment. Microplastics were collected from six sampling locations. The density, type of polymers, and color of microplastics were analyzed, as well as heavy metal concentrations on the surface of microplastics and a health risk assessment. The results showed microplastic contamination at a moderate level. The accumulation of microplastics in aquatic fauna showed the same pattern as microplastics in the environment. Microplastic concentrations in aquatic fauna showed an increase through trophic transfer and indications of biomagnification. Heavy metals were adsorbed on the surface of microplastics in high concentrations. Based on the health risk assessment, microplastic contamination of fish at the inlet and outlet of the Rawa Jombor Reservoir is still safe, but further monitoring is needed because of the possible long-term health hazards that may arise.
How to Limit the Spillover from the 2021 Inflation Surge to Inflation Expectations?

By providing numerical inﬂation projections. Many central banks currently face inﬂation well above their targets and with that the challenge to prevent spillovers on inﬂation expectations. We study the eﬀect of diﬀerent communication about the 2021 inﬂation surge on German consumers’ inﬂation expectations using a randomized control trial. We show that information about rising inﬂation increases short- and long-term inﬂation expectations. This initial increase in expectations can be mitigated using information about inﬂation projections, where numerical information about professional forecasters’ projections seems to reduce inﬂation expectations by more than policymaker’s characterization of inﬂation as a temporary phenomenon.