bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cyclic and multilevel causation in evolutionary processes
Authors: Warrell Jonathan , Gerstein Mark 
Published: September 2020

AbstractMany models of evolution are implicitly causal processes. Features such as causal feedback between evolutionary variables and evolutionary processes acting at multiple levels, though, mean that conventional causal models miss important phenomena. We develop here a general theoretical framework for analyzing evolutionary processes drawing on recent approaches to causal modeling developed in the machine-learning literature, which have extended Pearls do-calculus to incorporate cyclic causal interactions and multilevel causation. We also develop information-theoretic notions necessary to analyze causal information dynamics in our framework, introducing a causal generalization of the Partial Information Decomposition framework. We show how our causal framework helps to clarify conceptual issues in the contexts of complex trait analysis and cancer genetics, including assigning variation in an observed trait to genetic, epigenetic and environmental sources in the presence of epigenetic and environmental feedback processes, and variation in fitness to mutation processes in cancer using a multilevel causal model respectively, as well as relating causally-induced to observed variation in these variables via information theoretic bounds. In the process, we introduce a general class of multilevel causal evolutionary processes which connect evolutionary processes at multiple levels via coarse-graining relationships. Further, we show how a range of fitness models can be formulated in our framework, as well as a causal analog of Prices equation (generalizing the probabilistic Rice equation), clarifying the relationships between realized/probabilistic fitness and direct/indirect selection. Finally, we consider the potential relevance of our framework to foundational issues in biology and evolution, including supervenience, multilevel selection and individuality. Particularly, we argue that our class of multilevel causal evolutionary processes, in conjunction with a minimum description length principle, provides a conceptual framework in which identification of multiple levels of selection may be reduced to a model selection problem.
Female Audit Partners and Extended Audit Reporting: UK Evidence
Authors: Abdelfattah Tarek , Elmahgoub Mohamed , Elamer Ahmed A. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis study investigates whether audit partner gender is associated with the extent of auditor disclosure and the communication style regarding risks of material misstatements that are classified as key audit matters (KAMs). Using a sample of UK firms during the 2013–2017 period, our results suggest that female audit partners are more likely than male audit partners to disclose more KAMs with more details after controlling for both client and audit firm attributes. Furthermore, female audit partners are found to use a less optimistic tone and provide less readable audit reports, compared to their male counterparts, suggesting that behavioural variances between female and male audit partners may have significant implications on their writing style. Therefore, this study offers new insights on the role of audit partner gender in extended audit reporting. Our findings have important implications for audit firms, investors, policymakers and governments in relation to the development, implementation and enforcement of gender diversity.
Testing machine learning based systems: a systematic mapping
Authors: Riccio Vincenzo , Jahangirova Gunel , Stocco Andrea , Humbatova Nargiz , Weiss Michael , Tonella Paolo 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Context:
A Machine Learning based System (MLS) is a software system including one or more components that learn how to perform a task from a given data set. The increasing adoption of MLSs in safety critical domains such as autonomous driving, healthcare, and finance has fostered much attention towards the quality assurance of such systems. Despite the advances in software testing, MLSs bring novel and unprecedented challenges, since their behaviour is defined jointly by the code that implements them and the data used for training them.

Objective:
To identify the existing solutions for functional testing of MLSs, and classify them from three different perspectives: (1) the context of the problem they address, (2) their features, and (3) their empirical evaluation. To report demographic information about the ongoing research. To identify open challenges for future research.

Method:
We conducted a systematic mapping study about testing techniques for MLSs driven by 33 research questions. We followed existing guidelines when defining our research protocol so as to increase the repeatability and reliability of our results.

Results:
We identified 70 relevant primary studies, mostly published in the last years. We identified 11 problems addressed in the literature. We investigated multiple aspects of the testing approaches, such as the used/proposed adequacy criteria, the algorithms for test input generation, and the test oracles.

Conclusions:
The most active research areas in MLS testing address automated scenario/input generation and test oracle creation. MLS testing is a rapidly growing and developing research area, with many open challenges, such as the generation of realistic inputs and the definition of reliable evaluation metrics and benchmarks.
Analysing the socio-technical transition to conservation agriculture in Uganda through the lens of the multi-level perspective
Authors: Kaweesa Sara Helen , Bilali Hamid El , Loiskandl Willibald 
Published: September 2020

AbstractConservation agriculture (CA) is based on three principles, namely minimum tillage, crop rotations and maintaining a soil cover. The research used the multi-Level perspective on socio-technical transitions to analyse the dynamics of CA in Uganda. The analysis of the CA niche is structured along the socio-technical regimes and explores the impact of the transition. Data were gathered from Alebtong, Dokolo and Lira districts in mid-Northern Uganda. The results indicate a steady transition towards CA that can be supported to eventually scale up. The legitimisation process of CA transition involved wider implementation by farmers on their fields, validation through adoption by the wider communities and at the national level. The process seeks policy and institutional promotion, more scientific publications of local research findings, validation by legal standards and judicial reasoning, raising civic awareness, stakeholder dialogue and mobilisation of political will to advance the purposes of CA in contrast to conventional agriculture. CA caused changes in practices, perceptions and motivation among the niche actors with respect to agricultural sustainability. However, scaling up could further be enhanced when market policies, credit and financial environment are reconciled.
Diabetes-related cardiovascular and economic burden in patients hospitalized for heart failure in the US: a recent temporal trend analysis from the National Inpatient Sample
Authors: Mekhaimar Menatalla , Dargham Soha , El-Shazly Mohamed , Al Suwaidi Jassim , Jneid Hani , Abi Khalil Charbel 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe aimed to study the cardiovascular and economic burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) in the US and to assess the recent temporal trend. Data from the National Inpatient Sample were analyzed between 2005 and 2014. The prevalence of DM increased from 40.4 to 46.5% in patients hospitalized for HF. In patients with HF and DM, mean (SD) age slightly decreased from 71 (13) to 70 (13) years, in which 47.5% were males in 2005 as compared with 52% in 2014 (p trend < 0.001 for both). Surprisingly, the presence of DM was associated with lower in-hospital mortality risk, even after adjustment for confounders (adjusted OR = 0.844 (95% CI [0.828–0.860]). Crude mortality gradually decreased from 2.7% in 2005 to 2.4% in 2014 but was still lower than that of non-diabetes patients’ mortality on a yearly comparison basis. Hospitalization for HF also decreased from 211 to 188/100,000 hospitalizations. However, median (IQR) LoS slightly increased from 4 (2–6) to 4 (3–7) days, so did total charges/stay that jumped from 15,704 to 26,858 USD (adjusted for inflation, p trend < 0.001 for both). In total, the prevalence of DM is gradually increasing in HF. However, the temporal trend shows that hospitalization and in-hospital mortality are on a descending slope at a cost of an increasing yearly expenditure and length of stay, even to a larger extent than in patient without DM.
Floquet Multipliers of a Periodic Solution Under State-Dependent Delay
Authors: Mur Voigt Therese , Walther Hans-Otto 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe consider a periodic function $$p:{\mathbb {R}}\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$$

p
:
R
→
R

of minimal period 4 which satisfies a family of delay differential equations $$\begin{aligned} x'(t)=g(x(t-d_{\Delta }(x_t))),\quad \Delta \in {\mathbb {R}}, \end{aligned}$$

x
′

(
t
)

=
g

(
x

(
t
-

d
Δ

(

x
t

)

)

)

,

Δ
∈
R
,

with a continuously differentiable function $$g:{\mathbb {R}}\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$$

g
:
R
→
R

and delay functionals $$\begin{aligned} d_{\Delta }:C([-2,0],{\mathbb {R}})\rightarrow (0,2). \end{aligned}$$

d
Δ

:
C

(

[
-
2
,
0
]

,
R
)

→

(
0
,
2
)

.

The solution segment $$x_t$$

x
t

in Eq. (0.1) is given by $$x_t(s)=x(t+s)$$

x
t

(
s
)

=
x

(
t
+
s
)

. For every $$\Delta \in {\mathbb {R}}$$

Δ
∈
R

the solutions of Eq. (0.1) defines a semiflow of continuously differentiable solution operators $$S_{\Delta ,t}:x_0\mapsto x_t$$

S

Δ
,
t

:

x
0

↦

x
t

, $$t\ge 0$$

t
≥
0

, on a continuously differentiable submanifold $$X_{\Delta }$$

X
Δ

of the space $$C^1([-2,0],{\mathbb {R}})$$

C
1

(

[
-
2
,
0
]

,
R
)

, with codim $$X_{\Delta }=1$$

X
Δ

=
1

. At $$\Delta =0$$

Δ
=
0

the delay is constant, $$d_0(\phi )=1$$

d
0

(
ϕ
)

=
1

everywhere, and the orbit $${{\mathcal {O}}}=\{p_t:0\le t<4\}\subset X_0$$

O
=

{

p
t

:
0
≤
t
<
4
}

⊂

X
0

of the periodic solution is extremely stable in the sense that the spectrum of the monodromy operator $$M_0=DS_{0,4}(p_0)$$

M
0

=
D

S

0
,
4

(

p
0

)

is $$\sigma _0=\{0,1\}$$

σ
0

=

{
0
,
1
}

, with the eigenvalue 1 being simple. For $$|\Delta |\nearrow \infty $$

|
Δ
|
↗
∞

there is an increasing contribution of variable, state-dependent delay to the time lag $$d_{\Delta }(x_t)=1+\cdots $$

d
Δ

(

x
t

)

=
1
+
⋯

in Eq. (0.1). We study how the spectrum $$\sigma _{\Delta }$$

σ
Δ

of $$M_{\Delta }=DS_{\Delta ,4}(p_0)$$

M
Δ

=
D

S

Δ
,
4

(

p
0

)

changes if $$|\Delta |$$

|
Δ
|

grows from 0 to $$\infty $$
∞
. A main result is that at $$\Delta =0$$

Δ
=
0

an eigenvalue $$\Lambda (\Delta )<0$$

Λ
(
Δ
)
<
0

of $$M_{\Delta }$$

M
Δ

bifurcates from $$0\in \sigma _0$$

0
∈

σ
0

and decreases to $$-\infty $$

-
∞

as $$|\Delta |\nearrow \infty $$

|
Δ
|
↗
∞

. Moreover we verify the spectral hypotheses for a period doubling bifurcation from the periodic orbit $${{\mathcal {O}}}$$
O
at the critical parameter $$\Delta _{*}$$

Δ

∗

where $$\Lambda (\Delta _{*})=-1$$

Λ
(

Δ

∗

)
=
-
1

.
Brief Mating Behavior at Dawn and Dusk and Long Nocturnal Matings in the Butterfly Melanitis leda
Authors: Molleman Freerk , Halali Sridhar , Kodandaramaiah Ullasa 
Published: September 2020

AbstractInformation on the mating system of an insect species is necessary to gain insight into sexual selection and population structure. Male territoriality of the common evening brown butterflyMelanitis ledahas been studied in the wild, but other aspects of its mating system remain largely unknown. For a population ofM. ledain South India, we observed male-male and male-female interactions in captivity, measured mating duration and spermatophore mass, and also determined the degree of polyandry in the wild. We found that mating behavior takes place for short periods of time around dawn and dusk. Our observations corroborate that males compete in aerial combats (twirling) and interfere with mating pairs. In the morning, they may use shivering to warm up. Females can twirl with males and refuse mating by pointing their abdomens upwards or by flying away. Males court females by fluttering their wings while perched behind females, and then initiate copulation by curling their abdomens ca. 180 degrees sideways to make genital contact. While in the morning, matings lasted on average one hour and twenty-three minutes and never exceeded three hours, in the evening, matings could be of similar duration, but 42% of butterflies only separated when dawn was approaching. However, such long nocturnal matings did not result in heavier spermatophores. The first spermatophore of a male tended to be larger than subsequent spermatophores. Together with previous studies on this species, our findings suggest that males compete mainly through territorial defense (as reported before), courtship performance, and interference, and to a lesser extent by providing spermatophores, while females exert some control over the mating system by the timing of their receptivity and mate choice.
Complementing Agents with Cognitive Services: A Case Study in Healthcare
Authors: Montagna Sara , Mariani Stefano , Gamberini Emiliano , Ricci Alessandro , Zambonelli Franco 
Published: September 2020

AbstractPersonal Agents (PAs) have longly been explored as assistants to support users in their daily activities. Surprisingly, few works refer to the adoption of PAs in the healthcare domain, where they can assist physicians’ activities reducing medical errors. Although literature proposes different approaches for modelling and engineering PAs, none of them discusses how they can be integrated with cognitive services in order to empower their reasoning capabilities. In this paper we present an integration model, specifically devised for healthcare applications, that enhances Belief-Desire-Intention agents reasoning with advanced cognitive capabilities. As a case study, we adopt this integrated model in the critical care path of trauma resuscitation, stepping forward to the vision of Smart Hospitals.
Population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a novel vascular adhesion protein-1 inhibitor using a multiple-target mediated drug disposition model
Authors: Snelder Nelleke , Hoefman Sven , Garcia-Hernandez Alberto , Onkels Hartmut , Larsson Tobias E. , Bergmann Kirsten R. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractASP8232 is a novel inhibitor of vascular adhesion protein-1 that was under evaluation for reducing residual albuminuria in patients with diabetic kidney disease. To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of ASP8232 and its effect on vascular adhesion protein 1 (VAP-1) plasma activity and VAP-1 concentrations (pharmacodynamics, PD) in an integrated and quantitative manner, a target mediated drug disposition model was developed based on pooled data from four completed clinical trials with ASP8232 in healthy volunteers, and in patients with diabetic kidney disease and diabetic macular edema, respectively. In this model, the binding of ASP8232 to its soluble and membrane-bound target in the central and peripheral compartments were included. The model was able to adequately describe the non-linear PK and PD of ASP8232. The observed difference in PK between healthy volunteers and renally impaired patients could be explained by an effect of baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate on ASP8232 clearance and relative bioavailability. The relationship between ASP8232 concentration and VAP-1 inhibition was successfully established and can be applied to simulate drug exposure and degree of VAP-1 inhibition for any given dose of ASP8232 across the spectrum of renal function.
Changes in patient functioning and disability: results from a phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating galcanezumab for chronic migraine prevention (REGAIN)
Authors: Ford Janet , Tassorelli Cristina , Leroux Elizabeth , Wang Shufang , Ayer David , Nichols Russell , Detke Holland 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate secondary outcomes including changes in functioning and disability associated with galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to calcitonin gene-related peptide, in patients with chronic migraine.

Methods
Patients randomly received galcanezumab (120 mg n = 278, 240 mg n = 277) or placebo (n = 558) during 3 months of double-blind treatment, followed by a 9-month open-label extension. The Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire v2.1 (MSQv2.1) measured the impact of migraine on patient functioning. The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) quantified headache-related disability. Changes from baseline were analyzed with mixed model repeated measures or analysis of covariance.

Results
Total MSQ score at baseline was 44.88 ± 18.02 (mean ± SD), indicating significant functional impairment. At Month 3, least squares (LS) mean change ± SE in total MSQ for galcanezumab-treated patients were 20.51 ± 1.49 (120 mg) and 20.49 ± 1.49 (240 mg), both statistically significantly greater vs placebo-treated patients (14.55 ± 1.21; both P < 0.001). Total MIDAS score at baseline was 67.24 ± 57.31 (mean ± SD). At Month 3, LS mean change ± SE from baseline in total MIDAS for galcanezumab-treated patients was statistically significantly greater than placebo for 120 mg group (placebo: − 11.53 ± 3.38 vs 120 mg: − 20.27 ± 4.07; P < 0.05) but not for 240 mg group (− 17.02 ± 4.05). At Month 12, within-group mean changes from baseline for total MSQ (28.56 ± 1.19 previous placebo; 29.53 ± 1.51 previous 120 mg; 25.83 ± 1.49 previous 240 mg) and MIDAS scores (− 28.47 ± 2.95 previous placebo; − 31.47 ± 3.69 previous 120 mg; − 31.13 ± 3.62 previous 240 mg) were statistically significant (P < 0.001) for the open-label treatment population regardless of previous double-blind treatment assignment.

Conclusions
Galcanezumab-treated patients with chronic migraine reported statistically significant improvements in functioning and disability, representing a clinically significant change.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov registry: NCT02614261. Registered 25 November 2015.
Creating Organisational Strength from Operationalising Restrictions: Welfare Non-profit Organisations in the Russian Federation
Authors: Crotty Jo , Ljubownikow Sergej 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe work of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in non-democratic country contexts tends to be judged on their contribution to the democratisation process rather than the activities they undertake.
This neglects the potential impact NPOs have on societies within such contexts. In this study, we highlight that NPOs can influence public policy deployment in the Russian Federation even if they cannot affect public policy itself. By operationalising the very restrictions placed upon them, NPOs use their relationships with the state to effect change within their immediate environment and scope of their operational remit, even if they cannot hold authorities to account or influence policy development. The key to this is strong organising capabilities and engagement with the Russian public. We reflect on the implications of our findings to the understanding of civil society development and NPOs in Russia and in other similar non-democratic contexts.
Public Interest in Knee Replacement Fell during the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Google Trends Analysis
Authors: Landy David C. , Chalmers Brian P. , Utset-Ward Thomas J. , Ast Michael P. 
Published: September 2020

Background The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered medical practice and public behavior in the USA. In spring of 2020, elective surgery including most joint replacement was suspended and much of the public asked to stay at home. As elective surgery resumes, it is unknown how the public will respond. Questions/Purposes We sought to describe public interest in knee replacement during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Google Trends was used to obtain the daily number of searches for “knee replacement,” “coronavirus,” and “knee pain” from December 19, 2019, to May 14, 2020. The number is on a term-specific scale weighted to the highest number of daily searches for that term. Seven-day weighted averages were used to smooth the data. Results The number of daily searches for “knee replacement” was stable until around March 8, 2020, after which it decreased through late March, plateauing at less than half the number of searches. At the same time, searches for “coronavirus” spiked. By early May, searches for “knee replacement” had not meaningfully increased, though at the end of the search period the slope turned positive and coronavirus searches decreased. Searches for “knee pain” initially followed a similar pattern to “knee replacement,” though the decline was not as steep, and by late April searches for “knee pain” had meaningfully increased. Conclusion Public interest in knee replacement, assessed through internet search queries, decreased during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While interest in pain has returned, the continued decreased level of interest in surgery may represent a fear of surgery among the general public in the setting of COVID-19. Surgeons may wish to focus outreach and education efforts on the safety and efficacy of knee replacement.
Study of Structure and Properties of Fe-Based Amorphous Ribbons after Pulsed Laser Interference Heating
Authors: Czyż Olaf , Kusiński Jan , Radziszewska Agnieszka , Liao Zhongquan , Zschech Ehrenfried , Kąc Małgorzata , Ostrowski Roman 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe paper is devoted to the study of microstructural and magnetic properties of the Fe-based amorphous ribbons after interference pulsed laser heating. The ternary amorphous alloy FeSiB, as well as the multi-component alloys FeCuSiB and FeCuNbSiB, was subjected to laser pulses to induce crystallization in many microislands simultaneously. Structure and properties changes occurred in laser-heated dots. Detailed TEM analysis from a single dot shows the presence of FeSi(α) nanocrystals in the amorphous matrix. The FeSiB alloy is characterized after conventional crystallization by a dendritic structure; however, the alloys with copper as well copper and niobium additions are characterized by the formation of equiaxed crystals in the amorphous matrix. Amorphous alloys before and after the laser heating are soft magnetic; however, conventional crystallization leads to a deterioration of the soft magnetic properties of the material.