bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Personalized Dynamic Pricing with Machine Learning: High-Dimensional Features and Heterogeneous Elasticity
Authors: Ban Gah-Yi , Keskin N. Bora 
Published: June 2021

We consider a seller who can dynamically adjust the price of a product at the individual customer level, by utilizing information about customers’ characteristics encoded as a d-dimensional feature vector. We assume a personalized demand model, parameters of which depend on s out of the d features. The seller initially does not know the relationship between the customer features and the product demand but learns this through sales observations over a selling horizon of T periods. We prove that the seller’s expected regret, that is, the revenue loss against a clairvoyant who knows the underlying demand relationship, is at least of order [Formula: see text] under any admissible policy. We then design a near-optimal pricing policy for a semiclairvoyant seller (who knows which s of the d features are in the demand model) who achieves an expected regret of order [Formula: see text]. We extend this policy to a more realistic setting, where the seller does not know the true demand predictors, and show that this policy has an expected regret of order [Formula: see text], which is also near-optimal. Finally, we test our theory on simulated data and on a data set from an online auto loan company in the United States. On both data sets, our experimentation-based pricing policy is superior to intuitive and/or widely-practiced customized pricing methods, such as myopic pricing and segment-then-optimize policies. Furthermore, our policy improves upon the loan company’s historical pricing decisions by 47% in expected revenue over a six-month period. This paper was accepted by Noah Gans, stochastic models and simulation.
Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics associated with dengue fever in 2011–2016 in Bang Phae district, Ratchaburi province, Thailand
Authors: Lim Jacqueline Kyungah , Chanthavanich Pornthep , Limkittikul Kriengsak , Lee Jung-Seok , Sirivichayakul Chukiat , Lee Kang Sung , Lim Sl-Ki , Yoon In-Kyu , Hattasingh Weerawan 
Published: June 2021

Background
Dengue is a major public health problem in Thailand, but data are often focused on certain dengue-endemic areas. Methods: To better understand dengue epidemiology and clinical characteristics in Thailand, a fever surveillance study was conducted among patients aged 1–55 years, who presented with non-localized febrile illness at Bang Phae Community Hospital in Ratchaburi province, Thailand from October 2011 to September 2016.

Results
Among 951 febrile episodes, 130 were dengue-confirmed. Individuals aged 10–14 years were mostly affected, followed by those 15–19 years-of-age, with about 15% of dengue-confirmed cases from adults 25 years and older. There were annual peaks of dengue occurrence between June-November. Most prevalent serotype in circulation was DENV-2 in 2012, DENV-3 in 2014, and DENV-4 & -3 in 2015. Among dengue cases, 65% were accurately detected using the dengue NS1 RDT. Detection rate was similar between secondary and primary dengue cases where 66% of secondary vs. 60% of primary dengue cases had positive results on the NS1 RDT. Among dengue cases, 66% were clinically diagnosed with suspected dengue or DHF, prior to lab confirmation. Dengue was positively associated with rash, headache, hematemesis and alterations to consciousness, when compared to non-dengue. Dengue patients were 10.6 times more likely to be hospitalized, compared to non-dengue cases. Among dengue cases, 95 were secondary and 35 were primary infections. There were 8 suspected DHF cases and all were identified to be secondary dengue. Secondary dengue cases were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized compared to primary dengue cases. Although the majority of our dengue-positive patients were secondary dengue cases, with few patients showing manifestations of DHF, our dengue cases were mostly mild disease. Even among children < 10 years-of-age, 61% had secondary infection and the rate of secondary infection increased with age.

Conclusion
While the majority of dengue-confirmed cases were children, almost three-quarters of dengue-confirmed cases in this study were secondary dengue. Our study results consistent with previous data from the country confirm the hyperendemic transmission of DENV in Thailand, even in the non-epidemic years. With various interventions becoming available for dengue prevention and control, including dengue vaccines, decision-making on future implementation strategies should be based on such burden of disease data.
Long-term outcomes of ivermectin-albendazole versus albendazole alone against soil-transmitted helminths: Results from randomized controlled trials in Lao PDR and Pemba Island, Tanzania
Authors: Keller Ladina , Welsche Sophie , Patel Chandni , Sayasone Somphou , Ali Said M. , Ame Shaali M. , Hattendorf Jan , Hürlimann Eveline , Keiser Jennifer 
Published: June 2021

Background
Preventive chemotherapy is the cornerstone of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) control. Long-term outcomes and adequate treatment frequency of the recently recommended albendazole-ivermectin have not been studied to date.

Methodology/principal findings
Double-blind randomized controlled trials were conducted in Lao PDR, Pemba Island, Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire between 2018 and 2020 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ivermectin-albendazole versus albendazole-placebo in Trichuris trichiura-infected individuals aged 6 to 60. In the framework of this study, in Lao PDR 466 and 413 participants and on Pemba Island, 558 and 515 participants were followed-up six and 12 months post-treatment, respectively. From each participant at least one stool sample was processed for Kato-Katz diagnosis and cure rates (CRs), egg reduction rates (ERRs) and apparent reinfection rates were calculated. If found helminth-positive at six months, participants were re-treated according to their allocated treatment.
Long-term outcomes against T. trichiura based on CRs and ERRs of ivermectin-albendazole compared to albendazole were significantly higher at six months in Lao PDR (CR, 65.8 vs 13.4%, difference; 52.4; 95% CI 45.0–60.0; ERRs, 99.0 vs 79.6, difference 19.4; 95% CI 14.4–24.4) and Pemba Island (CR, 17.8 vs 1.4%, difference; 16.4; 95% CI 11.6–21.0; ERRs, 84.9 vs 21.2, difference 63.8; 95% CI 50.6–76.9) and also at 12 months in Lao PDR (CR, 74.0 vs 23.4%, difference; 50.6; 95% CI 42.6–61.0; ERRs, 99.6 vs 91.3, difference 8.3; 95% CI 5.7–10.8) and Pemba Island (CR, 19.5 vs 3.4%, difference; 16.1; 95% CI 10.7–21.5; ERRs, 92.9 vs 53.6, difference 39.3; 95% CI 31.2–47.4) respectively.
Apparent reinfection rates with T. trichiura were considerably higher on Pemba Island (100.0%, 95% CI, 29.2–100.0) than in Lao PDR (10.0%, 95% CI, 0.2–44.5) at 12 months post-treatment for participants treated with albendazole alone.

Conclusions/significance
The long-term outcomes against T. trichiura of ivermectin-albendazole are superior to albendazole in terms of CRs and ERRs and in reducing infection intensities. Our results will help to guide decisions on how to best use ivermectin-albendazole in the context of large-scale PC programs tailored to the local context to sustainably control STH infections.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov registered with clinicaltrials.gov, reference: NCT03527732, date assigned: 17 May 2018.
Implications of power imbalance in antenatal care seeking among pregnant adolescents in rural Tanzania: A qualitative study
Authors: Mweteni Wemaeli , Kabirigi Julieth , Matovelo Dismas , Laisser Rose , Yohani Victoria , Shabani Girles , Shayo Prosper , Brenner Jennifer , Chaput Katie 
Published: June 2021

Background
Adolescent girls (10–19 years) are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from pregnancy and childbirth complications, compared with older mothers. Low and middle-income countries, including Tanzania, bear the largest proportion of adolescent perinatal deaths. Few adolescent girls in Tanzania access antenatal care at health facilities, the reasons for which are poorly understood.

Methods
We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis study of the experiences of pregnant adolescents with accessing antenatal care in Misungwi district, Tanzania. We recruited 22 pregnant or parenting adolescent girls using purposive sampling, and conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) about antenatal care experiences. IDI data were triangulated with data from eight focus group discussions (FGDs) involving young fathers and elder men/women, and nine key informant interviews (KIIs) conducted with local health care providers. FGDs, KIIs and IDIs were transcribed verbatim in Swahili. Transcripts were then translated to English and analysed using emergent thematic analysis.

Results
Four main themes emerged: 1) Lack of maternal personal autonomy, 2) Stigma and judgment, 3) Vulnerability to violence and abuse, and 4) Knowledge about antenatal care, and highlighted the complex power imbalance that underlies barriers and facilitators to care access at the individual, family/interpersonal, community, and health-systems levels, faced by pregnant adolescents in rural Tanzania.

Conclusion
Adolescent antenatal care-seeking is compromised by a complex power imbalance that involves financial dependence, lack of choice, lack of personal autonomy in decision making, experiences of social stigma, judgement, violence and abuse. Multi-level interventions are needed to empower adolescent girls, and to address policies and social constructs that may act as barriers, thereby, potentially reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in Tanzania.
Anticholinergic burden: First comprehensive analysis using claims data shows large variation by age and sex
Authors: Reinold Jonas , Braitmaier Malte , Riedel Oliver , Haug Ulrike 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
The cumulative effect of medication inhibiting acetylcholine activity—also known as anticholinergic burden (AB)—can lead to functional and cognitive decline, falls, and death. Given that studies on the population prevalence of AB are rare, we aimed to describe it in a large and unselected population sample.

Methods
Using the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD) with claims data from ~20% of the German population we analyzed outpatient drug dispensations in 2016. Based on the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale, we classified persons into four categories and determined the cumulative AB as continuous variable.

Results
Among 16,470,946 persons (54% female), the prevalence of clinically relevant AB (ACB≥3) was 10% (women) and 7% (men). Below age 40 it was highest in persons ≤18 years (6% both sexes). At older ages (50–59 vs. 90–99 years), prevalence of ACB≥3 increased from 7% to 26% (men) and from 10% to 32% (women). Medication classes contributing to the cumulative AB differed by age: antihistamines, antibiotics, glucocorticoids (≤19 years), antidepressants (20–49 years), antidepressants, cardiovascular medication, antidiabetics (50–64 years), and additionally medication for urinary incontinence/overactive bladder (≥65 years). Medication dispensed by general physicians contributed most to the cumulative AB.

Conclusion
Although a clinically relevant AB is particularly common in older persons, prevalence in younger age groups was up to 7%. Given the risks associated with AB in older persons, targeted interventions at the prescriber level are needed. Furthermore, risks associated with AB in younger persons should be explored.
Determinants of maternal high-risk fertility behaviors and its correlation with child stunting and anemia in the East Africa region: A pooled analysis of nine East African countries
Authors: Tamirat Koku Sisay , Tesema Getayeneh Antehunegn , Tessema Zemenu Tadesse 
Published: June 2021

Background
In low-income nations, high-risk fertility behavior is a prevalent public health concern that can be ascribed to unmet family planning needs, child marriage, and a weak health system. As a result, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence high-risk fertility behavior and its impact on child stunting and anemia.

Method
This study relied on secondary data sources from recent demography and health surveys of nine east African countries. Relevant data were extracted from Kids Record (KR) files and appended for the final analysis; 31,873 mother-child pairs were included in the final analysis. The mixed-effect logistic regression model (fixed and random effects) was used to describe the determinants of high-risk fertility behavior (HRFB) and its correlation with child stunting and anemia.

Result
According to the pooled study about 57.6% (95% CI: 57.7 to 58.2) of women had at least one high-risk fertility behavior, with major disparities found across countries and women’s residences. Women who lived in rural areas, had healthcare access challenges, had a history of abortion, lived in better socio-economic conditions, and had antenatal care follow-up were more likely to engage in high-risk fertility practices. Consequently, Young maternal age at first birth (<18), narrow birth intervals, and high birth orders were HRFBs associated with an increased occurrences of child stunting and anemia.

Conclusion
This study revealed that the magnitude of high-risk fertility behavior was higher in east Africa region. The finding of this study underscores that interventions focused on health education and behavioral change of women, and improvement of maternal healthcare access would be helpful to avert risky fertility behaviors. In brief, encouraging contraceptive utilization and creating awareness about birth spacing among reproductive-age women would be more helpful. Meanwhile, frequent nutritional screening and early intervention of children born from women who had high-risk fertility characteristics are mandatory to reduce the burden of chronic malnutrition.
Characterizing the social media footprint of general surgery residency programs
Authors: White Erin M. , Rohde Stefanie C. , Ruzgar Nensi M. , Chan Shin Mei , Esposito Andrew C. , Oliveira Kristin D. , Yoo Peter S. 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundThe medical community has increasingly embraced social media for a variety of purposes, including trainee education, research dissemination, professional networking, and recruitment of trainees and faculty. Platform choice and usage patterns appear to vary by specialty and purpose, but few studies comprehensively assess programs’ social media presence. Prior studies assessed general surgery departments’ Twitter use but omitted additional social media platforms and residency-specific accounts.ObjectiveThis study sought to broadly characterize the social media footprint of U.S. general surgery residency programs.MethodsUsing a protocolized search of program websites, social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and internet search, cross-sectional data on social media usage in March 2020 were collected for programs, their affiliated departments, their program directors (PDs), and their assistant/associate PDs (APDs).Results318 general surgery residency programs, 313 PDs, and 296 APDs were identified. 47.2% of programs had surgery-specific accounts on ≥1 platform. 40.2% of PDs and APDs had ≥1 account on Twitter and/or LinkedIn. Program type was associated with social media adoption and Twitter utilization, with lower usage among university-affiliated and independent programs (p<0.01).ConclusionsMost general surgery residencies, especially non-university-based programs, lacked any department or residency accounts across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by March 2020. These findings highlight opportunities for increased social media engagement and act as a pre-pandemic baseline for future investigations of how the shift to virtual trainee education, recruitment, conferences, and clinical care affect social media use.
"Into the Unknown": Supervising Teacher Candidates During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Maher Steffany Comfort , Zollman Alan 
Published: June 2021

In mid-March, our public schools ended classroom instruction due to COVID-19. The timing of the suspension of face-to-face instruction was in the middle of the student teaching clinical experience for our secondary education teacher candidates. Without preparation, teacher candidates were to guide their middle and high school students through online learning. University faculty were experiencing a similar challenge — how to support and direct their teacher candidates in mid-experience.
This was a change in the logistics of teaching and in the focus of education. The first priority of the school was not high-stakes standardized testing, nor daily pacing guides, but rather the emotional and social health of students.
This change in the schools’ priorities fit well with the preparation of our teacher candidates at our Midwest regional teaching university. Our focus was to prepare teachers of students, not teachers of mathematics or English. While our secondary teacher candidates did not have all the tools and technology skills needed to switch to online teaching immediately, they did know it was the relationship with the learner that was most important.
The second change of the schools’ priorities was a time-allocation switch from mostly teaching to mostly planning, communicating, and supporting one another as teachers. Our teacher candidates already knew that effective communication makes everyone a better instructor and benefits student learning. In order to help our teacher candidates make this transition, we developed the Clinical Practice Interview Protocol and met with our candidates regularly online.
A third aspect was teacher candidates’ prior experience as students of online classes themselves. Many had taken several online or hybrid university courses and knew what worked well and what they needed to avoid as an online teacher.
In this reflective essay, we discuss how the university supervisor supported and facilitated our teacher candidates in preparing and implementing quality instruction.
Reinwardtia indica: phytochemical screening and evaluation of wound healing activity of the extracts in experimental model rats
Authors: Gurung Roshani , Koirala Niranjan , Gurung Paru , Tamang Bishnu Maya , Chettri Sarita , Basnet Bibek , Pandey Trishna , Nassan Mohamed A. , Alqarni Mohammed , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Adhikari Sundar 
Published: June 2021

Reinwardtia indica is traditionally used for wound healing. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the wound healing activity of leaves extracts of R. indica using the excision wound model in rats. The leaves of R. indica were collected from Gondrang, Chitwan, Nepal. Leaves were shade dried, extracted by double maceration and subjected to phytochemical screening. Then, the fusion method was used for the formulation of ointment and evaluated. Rats (n=24) were divided into four groups with 6 in each. Excision wound model was used, 2 cm diameter (314 mm2), 2 mm depth wound was created. The treatment was given daily topically to all groups and the % mean wound contraction rate was calculated on days 4, 8, 12 and 16. The result was analyzed statistically using Graph pad prism version 5. Phytochemical test revealed the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, tannin, phenol, terpenoid, carbohydrate, etc. All the evaluation parameters showed satisfactory results. The extract of R. indica ointment (2% w/w and 5% w/w) increased the wound contraction rate day by day. The % means wound contraction rate, on day 12, (80% and 88%), and on day 16, (97% and 100%) and statistically significant difference was at p<0.0001. The R. indica extract ointment showed an increased wound contraction rate. So, in further R. indica could be used for commercial production of wound healing ointment.
Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers: phytochemical composition, cytotoxicity, proximate analysis and their biological activities
Authors: Modi Bindu , Koirala Niranjan , Aryal Surya Prasad , Shrestha Jiban , Koirala Shishir , Upadhyaya Jitendra , Basnyat Ram Chandra , Nassan Mohamed A. , Alqarni Mohammed , Batiha Gaber El-Saber 
Published: June 2021

The present research work has been performed to evaluate the phenolic content, flavonoids content, and cytotoxicity of a multidimensional medicinal plant; Tinospora cordifolia and as well as to determine nutritive value by proximate analysis. The total phenolic and flavonoids contents of Tinospora cordifolia were found to be significantly greater in methanol extract as compared to corresponding hexane extract. Brine shrimp bioassay indicated Tinospora cordifolia is pharmacologically active. The percentage composition of different nutrition parameters namely moisture, total ash, crude fat, protein, fibre, carbohydrate, and vitamin C were assessed. The nutritive values of fresh and dried stem samples were evaluated as 156.44 Kcal/100g and 232.61 Kcal/100g respectively. From Gas column mass spectrometry analysis, it can be reported that inositol, 1-deoxy-, trans-sinapyl alcohol, n-hexadecanoic acid were present in the major amount in methanol stem extract. The findings from this study reveal Tinospora cordifolia contains an adequate amount of phenolic and flavonoids content, vital bioactive antioxidant compounds, and a good source of carbohydrates and fibers which potentially adds to the overall value of the plant.
Infini-Rien: Ist Pascals Wettargument formallogisch ungültig?
Authors: Hoffmann Christian 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
In the Infini-Rien fragment of his Pensées, Blaise Pascal develops an argument for the rationality of faith in God, which posthumously became known as Pascal’s Wager and at the same time represents a cornerstone of modern probability theory. While this betting argument has been the subject of much philosophical investigation, the contribution of this paper lies in the following: On the one hand, the bet is reconstructed in its basic features as well as its structure with the help of modern decision and probability theory tools. Thus, it is shown that Pascal’s betting argument, in distinction to Hacking 1972 for instance, has the form of an a fortiori argument. On the other hand, as far as objections to Pascal’s argument are concerned, it is true that the premises have often been called into doubt, more or less convincingly. On the other hand, this article is dedicated to the question, often emphatically – especially in Hacking 1972 – and perhaps carelessly affirmed in Pascal research, whether Pascal’s premises imply his conclusion at all.
Data-driven model predictive control: closed-loop guarantees and experimental results
Authors: Berberich Julian , Köhler Johannes , Müller Matthias A. , Allgöwer Frank 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
We provide a comprehensive review and practical implementation of a recently developed model predictive control (MPC) framework for controlling unknown systems using only measured data and no explicit model knowledge. Our approach relies on an implicit system parametrization from behavioral systems theory based on one measured input-output trajectory. The presented MPC schemes guarantee closed-loop stability for unknown linear time-invariant (LTI) systems, even if the data are affected by noise. Further, we extend this MPC framework to control unknown nonlinear systems by continuously updating the data-driven system representation using new measurements. The simple and intuitive applicability of our approach is demonstrated with a nonlinear four-tank system in simulation and in an experiment.