bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Disease Detection Analytics: A Simple Linear Convex Programming Algorithm for Breast Cancer and Diabetes Incidence Decisions
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Somnath , Samaddar Subhashish , Solis Adriano O. , Roy Asim 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTIn the last couple of decades, data analytics‐based pattern classification methods for disease detection have gained much traction in healthcare research and applications. The current study builds linear programming (LP) models for detecting disease incidence. We propose sequential steps of a convex programming algorithm to construct decision boundary functions to classify patterns in disease detection data. We compare the performance of our LP‐based classifier with others (neural network, decision tree, k‐nearest‐neighbor, logistic regression, naïve‐Bayes, and support‐vector‐machine) on four datasets: two different ones for breast cancer, and one each for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Statistical tests reveal that the LP classifier did significantly better than the other methods in five out of eight false‐positive and false‐negative test cases. There is not a statistically significant difference in performance in the remaining three tests between the LP classifier and the best alternative method. Most importantly, the LP classifier has significantly superior performance in both diabetes detection and diabetic retinopathy data. The success of the proposed LP classifier results from avoiding “modeling noise” and “memorization of training data.” We recommend that our proposed LP classifier be among the set of classifiers for use in disease detection analytics.
Postictal clinical and electroencephalographic activity following intracranially recorded bilateral tonic–clonic seizures
Authors: Bateman Lisa M. , Mendiratta Anil , Liou Jyun‐You , Smith Elliot J. , Bazil Carl W. , Choi Hyunmi , McKhann Guy M. , Pack Alison , Srinivasan Shraddha , Schevon Catherine A. 
Published: December 2018

SummaryObjectiveThe dynamics of the postictal period, which may demonstrate such dramatic clinical phenomena as focal neurological deficits, prolonged coma and immobility, and even sudden death, are poorly understood. We sought to classify and characterize postictal phases of bilateral tonic–clonic seizures based on electroencephalographic (EEG) criteria and associated clinical features.MethodsWe performed a detailed electroclinical evaluation of the postictal period in a series of 31 bilateral tonic–clonic seizures in 16 patients undergoing epilepsy surgery evaluations for focal pharmacoresistant epilepsy with intracranial electrodes and time‐locked video.ResultsThe postictal EEG demonstrated three clearly differentiated phases as follows: attenuation, a burst‐attenuation pattern, and a return to continuous background, with abrupt, synchronized transitions between phases. Postictal attenuation was common, occurring in 84% of seizures in 94% of patients in this study. There was increased power in gamma frequencies (>25 Hz) during postictal attenuation periods relative to preictal baseline in 88% of seizures demonstrating the attenuation pattern (n = 25 seizures, P < 0.002). Such increases were seen in >90% of channels in 13 seizures (52%) and <10% of channels in three seizures (12%). Postictal immobility was seen in 87% of seizures, with either a flaccid (58%) or rigid/dystonic (29%) appearance. Clinical motor manifestations, including focal dystonic posturing, automatisms, head and eye deviation, and myoclonic jerking, continued or emerged within the first minute following seizure termination in 48% of seizures, regardless of EEG appearance.SignificanceIntracranial postictal attenuation, which may be diffuse or focal, is so common that it should be regarded as a ubiquitous feature of bilateral tonic‐clonic seizures, rather than an unusual event. The prominence of high‐frequency activity coupled with emerging clinical features, including rigid immobility and semiologies such as automatisms, during the postictal period supports the presence of ongoing seizure‐related neuronal activity in unrecorded brain regions.
Spontaneous adverse event notifications by patients subsequent to the marketing of a new formulation of Levothyrox® amidst a drug media crisis: atypical profile as compared with other drugs
Authors: Viard Delphine , Parassol‐Girard Nadège , Romani Serena , Van Obberghen Elise , Rocher Fanny , Berriri Sofia , Drici Milou‐Daniel 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSince patients may report spontaneously adverse events associated with their medications, such notifications are constantly on the rise. In 2017, an unexpected rise of notifications associated with the marketing of a new formula of Levothyrox, differing from the 30‐year‐old drug only by minor elements, occurred in France amidst widespread media coverage. Not much, if any, scientific or pharmacological rationale was identified to explain that signal. This led us to focus on the profile and the clinical characteristics of these notifications and compare them to those associated with other drugs. We gathered all the spontaneous drug adverse event notifications associated with either Levothyrox® or other drugs, that we received from patients in 2017, in the sanitary territory of ~2.3 M people we surveyed. Each notification was assessed by a multidisciplinary team. We compared the number of notifications, the number of symptoms described and their clinical characteristics. A total of 1 544 patient notifications were evaluated: 1 372 cases totaling 7 342 adverse events concerned Levothyrox® new formula, as compared with 172 cases reporting 528 adverse events for all other drugs. The number of symptoms reported per notification was significantly higher for Levothyrox® (5.4) than for other drugs (3.1, P < 0.001). Symptoms associated with Levothyrox® belonged to more System Organ Classes and were often unrelated to the disease or treatment, as compared with those associated with other drugs. The distribution of the cases according to the number of symptoms described was starkly different, the Levothyrox® distribution being unimodal. Health authorities must address this issue as such large atypical reporting disproportionally affects the European pharmacovigilance database.
Moving for a ‘better welfare’? The case of transnational Sudanese families
Authors: SERRA MINGOT ESTER , MAZZUCATO VALENTINA 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe burgeoning literature on welfare migration, or on the likelihood of migrants moving to countries with more generous welfare states, yields mixed results. In this article, we aim to disentangle what kinds of considerations underlie the decisions that migrants and their families make to address their social protection needs when they move to certain places. We explain how Sudanese extended families, with members scattered across multiple countries, draw on formal and informal institutions to meet their needs for social protection. Through a transnational approach, we analyse the mechanisms guiding the access, circulation and coordination of resources to cover different but related social protection domains. We contribute to current debates on transnational social protection by drawing on the life stories of members of a Sudanese transnational family and by expanding on the concept of ‘resource environment’. We based this article on 14 months of multi‐sited ethnographic fieldwork with Sudanese migrants and their families in the Netherlands, the UK and Sudan.
Les inégalités entre les sexes sur les marchés du travail européens: comparaison entre la situation des hommes et celle des femmes
Authors: CASTELLANO Rosalia , ROCCA Antonella 
Published: December 2018

RésuméMalgré l'explosion de l'activité féminine et les nouveaux débouchés qui s'offrent aux femmes depuis quelques décennies, les inégalités entre les sexes persistent à bien des égards sur les marchés du travail. Dans une analyse limitée aux salariés de l'Union européenne, les auteures s'interrogent sur la relation entre le degré d'inégalité et la santé économique du pays. Grâce à un indicateur synthétique, proposé dans l'une de leurs études précédentes, qu'elles mettent à jour et complètent par trois autres indices, elles analysent la situation sur le marché du travail des salariés hommes et femmes ainsi que les différentiels entre les sexes, faisant émerger des scénarios contrastés.
Les migrations internes et leur incidence sur l'accès au premier emploi: illustration par le cas ougandais
Authors: BOUTIN Delphine 
Published: December 2018

RésuméL'auteure étudie l'effet de la migration interne sur l'accès au premier emploi à partir d'un exemple ougandais, en comparant la durée de transition vers un premier emploi entre migrants et non‐migrants. Avec des modèles de Cox à hasards proportionnels, elle montre que l'insertion des migrants est plus rapide, à l'exception de la transition de l'école à l'emploi ou lorsque les individus ayant commencé à travailler enfants sont exclus. Un exercice de décomposition montre qu'il faut tenir compte de l'hétérogénéité parmi les migrants et met en évidence le rôle considérable de facteurs, observables ou non, relatifs à la région d'origine, au sexe et au niveau d'études.
Moral reasoning explained by personality traits and moral disengagement: A study among Dutch nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Authors: Kuilman Luppo , Jansen Gerard J. , Middel Berrie , Mulder Laetitia B. , Roodbol Petrie F. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimTo explore the direct and indirect effect of the personality meta‐traits ‘Stability’ and ‘Plasticity’ on moral reasoning among nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs).BackgroundMoral reasoning is influenced by being prone to moral disengagement and personality traits. Moral disengagement is observed among professionals in many fields, including healthcare providers. Moral disengagement is known to be provoked by environmental stressors and influenced by certain personality traits.DesignA cross‐sectional approach was used including self‐report questionnaires.MethodsA convenience sample of Dutch NPs (N = 67) and PAs (N = 88) was surveyed via online questionnaires between January and March 2015, using (a) the Defining Issues Test; (b) the BIG five inventory; and (c) the Moral Disengagement Scale. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for estimating the construct validity of two meta‐traits of personality and to test unidirectional influences on moral reasoning.ResultsOnly the Stability trait was a direct predictor of moral reasoning whereas both Stability and Plasticity were precursors of moral disengagement. Both personality meta‐traits had statistically significant indirect effects on moral reasoning through a low level of moral disengagement. The influence of both personality traits on the level of moral reasoning was increased by strong self‐censure on entering into morally disengaged interactions.ConclusionThe personality meta‐trait ‘Stability’ is an indicator of moral reasoning and is explained by a lower propensity to morally disengage among highly stable people. Although the meta‐trait Plasticity exerts an indirect effect through moral disengagement on moral reasoning, it is not a direct indicator of moral reasoning.
Optimization of extruder cooking conditions for the manufacture of fish feeds using response surface methodology
Authors: Irungu Francis Gichuho , Mutungi Christopher , Faraj Abdul , Affognon Hippolyte , Ekesi Sunday , Nakimbugwe Dorothy , Fiaboe Komi K. M. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractA composite blend consisting of sunflower cake, maize germ, wheat bran, fresh water shrimps and cassava flour was extruded using a single‐screw extruder to produce expanded fish feed pellets. The effects of temperature (80–120 °C), die diameter (2–4 mm), and feed pre‐conditioning time (50–150 s; steam 400 kPa) on properties of the pellets (expansion ratio, bulk density, floatability, durability, water absorption, water solubility, water stability, and in‐vitro protein digestibility) were investigated using response surface methodology. Regression equations describing the effect of each variable on the product responses were obtained. The pellets extruded using a factor combination of 120 °C extruder barrel temperature, 2 mm die diameter, and 100 s of feed pre‐conditioning time gave most desirable pellet floatability (100%), durability index (99%), expansion ratio (2.64), water absorption index (4.12), water solubility index (9.31), water stability (87%), bulk density (479 g/L), and in vitro protein digestibility (69.97%) with a composite desirability of 0.88.Practical applicationsExtrusion is a modern feed processing method whose use is fast gaining popularity among small feed processors in developing countries. However, extrusion is a process that involves many parameters that need to be optimized for desirable end properties. These findings guide fish feed manufacturers on the optimum conditions for single screw extruders for production of feeds with desirable properties especially for the fish types that are top feeders. In addition, the results offer important insights on how temperature, die diameter, and feed pre‐conditioning, may be manipulated to influence properties of extruded aquafeed when using simple low‐cost small‐scale extruders.
Novel prediction of heavy metal residues in fish using a low‐cost optical electronic tongue system based on colorimetric sensors array
Authors: Han Fangkai , Huang Xingyi , Teye Ernest 
Published: December 2018

AbstractFor simultaneous and quantitative prediction of three toxic heavy metal residues (Pb, Cd and Hg) in fish, the novel and low‐cost colorimetric sensors array was fabricated. Forty eight fish samples (Carassius carassius) retailed in Zhenjiang, China, were used. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed as the reference analytical method. The partial least square regression (PLS) and extreme learning machine (ELM) respectively were comparatively used for data modeling. Results showed that the ELM models built were better than the PLS models with correlation coefficient in the prediction set for Pb, Cd, and Hg as 0.854, 0.83, and 0.845 respectively; while, the corresponding root mean squares error were 0.102 mg/kg, 0.026 mg/kg, and 0.016 mg/kg respectively. This work demonstrates that the developed artifical gustatory system has a great potential in the simultaneous and quantitative prediction of heavy metal residues in fish and could be used perhaps for other fish products.Practical applicationsFish is an important food commodity worldwide. It is very vital to monitor heavy metals residues in raw fishes to guarantee food safety. Traditional analytical methods for heavy metals determination in fish are quite cumbersome and usually expensive. The novel low‐cost and simple colorimetric sensors array based on pyridylazo and porphyrin indicators has been developed in the present study. Results showed that, photoelectric electronic tongue based on colorimetric sensors coupled with extreme learning machine model has a great potential in the simultaneous and quantitative prediction of toxic heavy metal residues in fish.
Racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery‐related charges among women with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Authors: Akobirshoev I. , Mitra M. , Parish S. L. , Moore Simas T. A. , Dembo R. , Ncube C. N. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundWomen with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the USA are bearing children at increasing rates. However, very little is known whether racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery‐related charges exist in this population. This study investigated racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery‐related charges among women with IDD.MethodsThe study employed secondary analysis of the 2004–2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample, the largest all‐payer, publicly available US inpatient healthcare database. Hierarchical mixed‐effect logistic and linear regression models were used to compare the study outcomes.ResultsWe identified 2110 delivery‐associated hospitalisations among women with IDD including 1275 among non‐Hispanic White women, 527 among non‐Hispanic Black women and 308 among Hispanic women. We found significant disparities in stillbirth among non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic women with IDD compared with their non‐Hispanic White peers [odds ratio = 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16–5.28, P < 0.01 and odds ratio = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.08–5.92, P < 0.01, respectively]. There were no racial and ethnic disparities in caesarean delivery, preterm birth and small‐for‐gestational‐age neonates among women with IDD. The average labour and delivery‐related charges for non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women with IDD ($18 889 and $22 481, respectively) exceeded those for non‐Hispanic White women with IDD ($14 886) by $4003 and $7595 or by 27% and 51%, respectively. The significant racial and ethnic differences in charges persisted even after controlling for a range of individual‐level and institutional‐level characteristics and were 6% (ln(β) = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01–0.11, P < 0.05) and 9% (ln(β) = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03–0.14, P < 0.01) higher for non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women with IDD compared with non‐Hispanic White women with IDD.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the need for an integrated approach to the delivery of comprehensive perinatal services for racial and ethnic minority women with IDD to reduce their risk of having a stillbirth. Additionally, further research is needed to examine the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in hospital charges for labour and delivery admission among women with IDD and ascertain whether price discrimination exists based on patients' racial or ethnic identities.
The specificity of Burkholderia symbionts in the social amoeba farming symbiosis: Prevalence, species, genetic and phenotypic diversity
Authors: Haselkorn Tamara S. , DiSalvo Susanne , Miller Jacob W. , Bashir Usman , Brock Debra A. , Queller David C. , Strassmann Joan E. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe establishment of symbioses between eukaryotic hosts and bacterial symbionts in nature is a dynamic process. The formation of such relationships depends on the life history of both partners. Bacterial symbionts of amoebae may have unique evolutionary trajectories to the symbiont lifestyle, because bacteria are typically ingested as prey. To persist after ingestion, bacteria must first survive phagocytosis. In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, certain strains of Burkholderia bacteria are able to resist amoebal digestion and maintain a persistent relationship that includes carriage throughout the amoeba's social cycle that culminates in spore formation. Some Burkholderia strains allow their host to carry other bacteria, as food. This carried food is released in new environments in a trait called farming. To better understand the diversity and prevalence of Burkholderia symbionts and the traits they impart to their amoebae hosts, we first screened 700 natural isolates of D. discoideum and found 25% infected with Burkholderia. We next used a multilocus phylogenetic analysis and identified two independent transitions by Burkholderia to the symbiotic lifestyle. Finally, we tested the ability of 38 strains of Burkholderia from D. discoideum, as well as strains isolated from other sources, for traits relevant to symbiosis in D. discoideum. Only D. discoideum native isolates belonging to the Burkholderia agricolaris, B. hayleyella, and B. bonniea species were able to form persistent symbiotic associations with D. discoideum. The Burkholderia–Dictyostelium relationship provides a promising arena for further studies of the pathway to symbiosis in a unique system.
Developing a video‐based method to compare and adjust examiner effects in fully nested OSCEs
Authors: Yeates Peter , Cope Natalie , Hawarden Ashley , Bradshaw Hannah , McCray Gareth , Homer Matt 
Published: December 2018

BackgroundAlthough averaging across multiple examiners’ judgements reduces unwanted overall score variability in objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), designs involving several parallel circuits of the OSCE require that different examiner cohorts collectively judge performances to the same standard in order to avoid bias. Prior research suggests the potential for important examiner‐cohort effects in distributed or national examinations that could compromise fairness or patient safety, but despite their importance, these effects are rarely investigated because fully nested assessment designs make them very difficult to study. We describe initial use of a new method to measure and adjust for examiner‐cohort effects on students’ scores.MethodsWe developed video‐based examiner score comparison and adjustment (VESCA): volunteer students were filmed ‘live’ on 10 out of 12 OSCE stations. Following the examination, examiners additionally scored station‐specific common‐comparator videos, producing partial crossing between examiner cohorts. Many‐facet Rasch modelling and linear mixed modelling were used to estimate and adjust for examiner‐cohort effects on students’ scores.ResultsAfter accounting for students’ ability, examiner cohorts differed substantially in their stringency or leniency (maximal global score difference of 0.47 out of 7.0 [Cohen's d = 0.96]; maximal total percentage score difference of 5.7% [Cohen's d = 1.06] for the same student ability by different examiner cohorts). Corresponding adjustment of students’ global and total percentage scores altered the theoretical classification of 6.0% of students for both measures (either pass to fail or fail to pass), whereas 8.6–9.5% students’ scores were altered by at least 0.5 standard deviations of student ability.ConclusionsDespite typical reliability, the examiner cohort that students encountered had a potentially important influence on their score, emphasising the need for adequate sampling and examiner training. Development and validation of VESCA may offer a means to measure and adjust for potential systematic differences in scoring patterns that could exist between locations in distributed or national OSCE examinations, thereby ensuring equivalence and fairness.