Mean Field Voter Model of Election to the House of Representatives in Japan

In this study, we propose a mechanical model of a plurality election based on a mean field voter model. We assume that there are three candidates in each electoral district, i.e., one from the ruling party, one from the main opposition party, and one from other political parties. The voters are classified as fixed supporters and herding (floating) voters with ratios of $1-p$ and $p$, respectively. Fixed supporters make decisions based on their information and herding voters make the same choice as another randomly selected voter. The equilibrium vote-share probability density of herding voters follows a Dirichlet distribution. We estimate the composition of fixed supporters in each electoral district and $p$ using data from elections to the House of Representatives in Japan (43rd to 47th). The spatial inhomogeneity of fixed supporters explains the long-range spatial and temporal correlations. The estimated values of $p$ are close to the estimates obtained from a survey.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Evidence for an Association Between Hearing Impairment and Disrupted Sleep: Scoping Review

Purpose: Hearing impairment (HI) is the most common sensory impairment and may negatively impact sleep through reduced auditory input. Factors associated with HI, such as anxiety regarding communication in daily life, may also adversely impact an individual’s sleep. Here, research on the relationship between HI and sleep disruption was catalogued using scoping review methodology. Methods: A systematic strategy was employed to search various electronic databases. This review is reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Scoping Review Extension (PRISMA-ScR). Results: Sixteen records met inclusion criteria. Studies have investigated sleep in HI as a primary aim in noise exposed workers or large surveys in older participants. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies report alterations to sleep architecture of potential neuroplastic origins. Studies reporting sleep as a secondary aim generally report poorer in sleep in HI participants. Conclusions: This scoping review has catalogued evidence that altered or negatively impacted sleep may be associated with HI. Potential confounding factors, mechanisms, and considerations for future research are discussed

Comparison of high versus low frequency cerebral physiology for cerebrovascular reactivity assessment in traumatic brain injury: a multi-center pilot study

Current accepted cerebrovascular reactivity indices suffer from the need of high frequency data capture and export for post-acquisition processing. The role for minute-by-minute data in cerebrovascular reactivity monitoring remains uncertain. The goal was to explore the statistical time-series relationships between intra-cranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pressure reactivity index (PRx) using both 10-s and minute data update frequency in TBI. Prospective data from 31 patients from 3 centers with moderate/severe TBI and high-frequency archived physiology were reviewed. Both 10-s by 10-s and minute-by-minute mean values were derived for ICP and MAP for each patient. Similarly, PRx was derived using 30 consecutive 10-s data points, updated every minute. While long-PRx (L-PRx) was derived via similar methodology using minute-by-minute data, with L-PRx derived using various window lengths (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 min; denoted L-PRx_5, etc.). Time-series autoregressive integrative moving average (ARIMA) and vector autoregressive integrative moving average (VARIMA) models were created to analyze the relationship of these parameters over time. ARIMA modelling, Granger causality testing and VARIMA impulse response function (IRF) plotting demonstrated that similar information is carried in minute mean ICP and MAP data, compared to 10-s mean slow-wave ICP and MAP data. Shorter window L-PRx variants, such as L-PRx_5, appear to have a similar ARIMA structure, have a linear association with PRx and display moderate-to-strong correlations (r ~ 0.700, p Peer reviewe

Clinically relevant long-term reliability of contralateral suppression of click evoked otoacoustic emissions

Background: Contralateral suppression of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) are a potentially useful clinical tool. Recent studies have provided descriptions of the reliability of contralateral suppression of CEOAEs. These were limited in terms of their clinical relevance as they utilised custom-built measurement systems or were conducted by a single tester over a short time period. Further, in the main previous studies reported only group data. The present study addresses these limitations by reporting individual and group data collected by two testers, using standard clinical equipment over longer time periods. Materials and methods: Contralateral suppression of CEOAEs was recorded from 12 ears using the ILO 292 system. Clicks and contralateral broadband noise (BBN) were presented at 60 dB p.e. SPL and 65 dB SPL respectively. Global and best ½-octave band suppression values (in dB) were measured on four separate occasions by two testers spanning an average time period of 35.5 days. Reliability was assessed via the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the standard error of measurement (SEm). Multilevel regression analysis was used to explore potential causes of variation in suppression. Results: Global suppression reliability was shown to be worse than previous reports, with only fair to good reliability observed. ICC and SEm values were 0.57 and 0.47 dB respectively. Corresponding values for best ½-octave band suppression were 0.49 and 0.64 dB. Further analysis revealed no significant effect on contralateral suppression for a range of variables tested. Substantial variation (up to 2 dB) in contralateral suppression between test sessions was seen for individual subjects. Conclusions: Findings suggest that contralateral suppression of CEOAEs, measured by separate testers using standard clinical equipment is not reliable over long time periods

Clinically relevant long-term reliability of contralateral suppression of click evoked otoacoustic emissions

Background: Contralateral suppression of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) are a potentially useful clinical tool. Recent studies have provided descriptions of the reliability of contralateral suppression of CEOAEs. These were limited in terms of their clinical relevance as they utilised custom-built measurement systems or were conducted by a single tester over a short time period. Further, in the main previous studies reported only group data. The present study addresses these limitations by reporting individual and group data collected by two testers, using standard clinical equipment over longer time periods. Materials and methods: Contralateral suppression of CEOAEs was recorded from 12 ears using the ILO 292 system. Clicks and contralateral broadband noise (BBN) were presented at 60 dB p.e. SPL and 65 dB SPL respectively. Global and best ½-octave band suppression values (in dB) were measured on four separate occasions by two testers spanning an average time period of 35.5 days. Reliability was assessed via the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the standard error of measurement (SEm). Multilevel regression analysis was used to explore potential causes of variation in suppression. Results: Global suppression reliability was shown to be worse than previous reports, with only fair to good reliability observed. ICC and SEm values were 0.57 and 0.47 dB respectively. Corresponding values for best ½-octave band suppression were 0.49 and 0.64 dB. Further analysis revealed no significant effect on contralateral suppression for a range of variables tested. Substantial variation (up to 2 dB) in contralateral suppression between test sessions was seen for individual subjects. Conclusions: Findings suggest that contralateral suppression of CEOAEs, measured by separate testers using standard clinical equipment is not reliable over long time periods

Systematic review of outcome domains and instruments used in designs of clinical trials for interventions that seek to restore bilateral and binaural hearing in adults with unilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (‘single-sided deafness’)

Background: This systematic review aimed to identify, compare and contrast outcome domains and outcome instruments reported in studies investigating interventions that seek to restore bilateral (two-sided) and/or binaural (both ears) hearing in adults with Single Sided Deafness (SSD). Findings can inform the development of evidence-based guidance to facilitate design decisions for confirmatory trials.Methods: Records were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, CENTRAL, WHO ICTRP and the NIHR UK clinical trials gateway. The search included records published from 1946 to March 2020. Included studies were those: a) recruiting adults aged 18 years or older diagnosed with SSD of average threshold severity worse than 70 dB HL in the worse-hearing ear and normal (or near-normal) hearing in the better-hearing ear, b) evaluating interventions to restore bilateral and/or binaural hearing, and c) enrolling those adults in a controlled trial, before-and-after study, or cross-over study. Studies that fell just short of the participant eligibility criteria were included in a separate sensitivity analysis. Results: Ninety-six studies were included (72 full inclusion, 24 sensitivity analysis). For fully-included studies, 37 exclusively evaluated interventions to re-establish bilateral hearing and 29 exclusively evaluated interventions to restore binaural hearing. Overall, 520 outcome domains were identified (350 primary and 170 secondary). Speech-related outcome domains were the most common (74% of studies), followed by spatial-related domains (60% of studies). A total of 344 unique outcome instruments were reported. Speech-related outcome domains were measured by 73 different instruments and spatial-related domains by 43 different instruments. There was considerable variability in duration of follow-up, ranging from acute (baseline) testing to 10 years after the intervention. The sensitivity analysis identified no additional outcome domains.Conclusions: This review identified large variability in the reporting of outcome domains and instruments in studies evaluating the therapeutic benefits and harms of SSD interventions. Reports frequently omitted information on what domains the study intended to assess, and on what instruments were used to measure which domains.PROSPERO Registration: The systematic review protocol is registered on PROSPERO (International ProspectiveRegister of Systematic Reviews): Registration Number CRD42018084274. Registered on 13th of March 2018, last revised on 7th of May 2019