A Data-Driven Method for Selecting Optimal Models Based on Graphical Visualisation of Differences in Sequentially Fitted ROC Model Parameters

Differences in modelling techniques and model performance assessments typically impinge on the quality of knowledge extraction from data. We propose an algorithm for determining optimal patterns in data by separately training and testing three decision tree models in the Pima Indians Diabetes and the Bupa Liver Disorders datasets. Model performance is assessed using ROC curves and the Youden Index. Moving differences between sequential fitted parameters are then extracted, and their respective probability density estimations are used to track their variability using an iterative graphical data visualisation technique developed for this purpose. Our results show that the proposed strategy separates the groups more robustly than the plain ROC/Youden approach, eliminates obscurity, and minimizes over-fitting. Further, the algorithm can easily be understood by non-specialists and demonstrates multi-disciplinary compliance

Changes in structural network topology correlate with severity of hallucinatory behavior in Parkinson's disease

Inefficient integration between bottom-up visual input and higher order visual processing regions is implicated in visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we investigated white matter contributions to this perceptual imbalance hypothesis. Twenty-nine PD patients were assessed for hallucinatory behavior. Hallucination severity was correlated to connectivity strength of the network using the network-based statistic approach. The results showed that hallucination severity was associated with reduced connectivity within a subnetwork that included the majority of the diverse club. This network showed overall greater between-module scores compared with nodes not associated with hallucination severity. Reduced between-module connectivity in the lateral occipital cortex, insula, and pars orbitalis and decreased within-module connectivity in the prefrontal, somatosensory, and primary visual cortices were associated with hallucination severity. Conversely, hallucination severity was associated with increased between- and within-module connectivity in the orbitofrontal and temporal cortex, as well as regions comprising the dorsal attentional and default mode network. These results suggest that hallucination severity is associated with marked alterations in structural network topology with changes in participation along the perceptual hierarchy. This may result in the inefficient transfer of information that gives rise to hallucinations in PD. Author SummaryInefficient integration of information between external stimuli and internal perceptual predictions may lead to misperceptions or visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we show that hallucinatory behavior in PD patients is associated with marked alterations in structural network topology. Severity of hallucinatory behavior was associated with decreased connectivity in a large subnetwork that included the majority of the diverse club, nodes with a high number of between-module connections. Furthermore, changes in between-module connectivity were found across brain regions involved in visual processing, top-down prediction centers, and endogenous attention, including the occipital, orbitofrontal, and posterior cingulate cortex. Together, these findings suggest that impaired integration across different sides across different perceptual processing regions may result in inefficient transfer of information

Efficacite technique des producteurs de mais participant au warrantage dans le nord-est du Benin

Face au bradage massif des productions agroalimentaires en période de récolte, le warrantage a été promu pour faciliter l’accès des producteurs au crédit agricole, aux marchés des facteurs de production et de produits agricoles afin d’améliorer leur efficacité technique et leurs revenus agricoles. La présente étude vise à mesurer le niveau d’efficacité technique des producteurs de maïs participants et non participants au warrantage dans une région du Bénin et à déterminer les facteurs qui influencent cette efficacité. L'approche d'estimation en une seule étape de la frontière stochastique de production et du modèle qui détermine les facteurs d'inefficacité technique a été appliquée à un échantillon aléatoire stratifié de 314 producteurs de maïs dont 157 producteurs participants au warrantage. Les résultats ont montré que les producteurs n’opèrent pas tous sur la frontière de production. Le niveau moyen d’efficacité technique a été de 74 % avec 78 % pour les bénéficiaires et 70 % pour les non bénéficiaires. Le niveau actuel moyen de leur production annuelle qui est de 16 014 kg pourrait être encore amélioré de 33 % avec les mêmes ressources productives. L’accès au warrantage, le sexe, l’utilisation de la semence améliorée de maïs, l’appartenance à un groupement de producteurs hors warrantage et la possession d’un moyen d’information sont les facteurs qui influencent positivement l’efficacité technique des producteurs. Ainsi, il est important que l’évaluation de l’impact du warrantage soit réalisée afin d’améliorer sa promotion. English title: TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE PRODUCERS PARTICIPATING IN WARRANTAGE IN THE NORTHEASTERN OF BENIN Abstract Faced with the massive sell-off of agri-food production during the harvest period, warrantage was promoted to facilitate producers’ access to agricultural credit, production factors and agricultural products markets in order to improve their technical efficiency and farm income. This study aims to measure the level of technical efficiency of maize producers participating and not participating in warrantage in a region of Benin and to determine the factors that influence this efficiency. A one stage stochastic frontier production which incorporates a model for the technical ineffiency effects was applied to a stratified random sample of 314 maize producers, including 157 producers participating in warrantage. The results showed that the producers do not operate on the production frontier. The average level of technical efficiency is 74% with 78% for beneficiaries and 70% for non-beneficiaries. The current average level of their annual production, which is 16,014 kg, could be further improved by 33% with the same productive resources. Access to warrantage, gender, use of improved maize seed, membership in a non-warrantage producers’ group and possession of a means of information are the factors that positively influence the technical efficiency of producers. Thus, it is important that the impact of warrantage be evaluated in order to improve its promotion. Maize; technical efficiency; warrantage; stochastic production frontier; Beni

Estimation of Superoxide Dismutase, Matrix-metalloprotinase-9, and Interleukin -18 in Patients with Type Two Diabetes Mellitus

Antioxidant status imbalance and inflammatory process are cooperative events involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate     superoxide dismutase as a potential biomarkers of antioxidant imbalance, matrix-metaloprotinase-9,   and interleukin -18  as biomarkers of inflammation in serum and to estimate  the effects of other confounding factors  gender, age and finally measuring the relation among the interested biomarkers. This case - control study included 50 patients,   and   45 of  healthy subjects matched age –gender were also enrolled  in this study as a control group.    The   focused   parameters    were        measured   using      ELISA technique. There was  significant   reduction   in   the   serum   superoxide dismutase level and significant elevation in serum matrix- metaloptotinase-9 and interleukin -18 levels which have been   associated with diabetes.  This finding may explain the role of the defect in antioxidants status   leading to significant reduction in serum superoxide  dismutase  levels  associated with increased inflammatory process leading to significant elevations of a  matrix- metaloptotinase-9 and interleukin -18. These parameters  added a diagnostic information  and evaluated as potential tools for disease risk prediction.  Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Superoxide dismutase,   Matrix metaloptotinase-9 and Interleukin -18

Monitoring temporal changes in coastal mangroves to understand the impacts of climate change : Red Sea, Egypt

Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr Samira R Mansour for help in reviewing the paper. The present paper is not funded from any agency or organization, all work completed in the Suez Canal University, Ismailia Egypt. Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB). Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Electrochemical and Photovoltaic Properties of Electropolymerized Poly(thienyl-silole)s

Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties were studied of a series of donor−acceptor materials based on polythiophene modified with silole moieties. The materials were prepared by electrochemical anodic polymerization of 2,5-bis([2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)-1,1-dimethyl-3,4-diphenylsilole and 2,5-bis([2,2′-terthiophen]-5-yl)-1,1-dimethyl-3,4-diphenylsilole, as well as copolymerization of these monomers with 2,2′-bithiophene. Photocurrent measurements showed that introduction of silole resulted in a considerable enhancement of the photovoltaic properties of silole-containing materials and especially the fill factor. However, as demonstrated by Mott−Schottky measurements, electropolymerized silole-containing materials showed a substantial degree of disorder and high density of states in the midgap, which negatively affected their photovoltaic properties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and phase imaging revealed the presence of phase segregation and heterogeneity of the silole-containing materials. Interestingly, introduction of siloles suppressed the cathodic (n-type) doping typical for polythiophenes. This work demonstrates that siloles show great promise as electron-acceptor groups for all-organic solar cells; however, further work is required to optimize the properties and performance of poly(thienylsilole)-based materials

The influence of circulating anti-Müllerian hormone on ovarian responsiveness to ovulation induction with gonadotrophins in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a pilot study

Background Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are known to have elevated circulating Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which has been found to desensitize ovarian follicles to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of high circulating AMH on ovarian responsiveness to ovulation induction with gonadotrophins in PCOS women. Methods This prospective observational pilot study was conducted in two collaborating Fertility Centres in the UK and Egypt. The study included 20 consecutive anovulatory women with PCOS who underwent 34 cycles of human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) ovarian stimulation using chronic low-dose step up protocol. Blood samples were collected for the measurement of serum AMH concentrations in the early follicular (day 2-3) phase in all cycles of hMG treatment. The serum levels of AMH were compared between cycles with good vs. poor response. The good response rates and the total dose and duration of hMG treatment were compared between cycles with high vs. low serum AMH concentrations. Results Cycles with poor response (no or delayed ovulation requiring >20 days of hMG treatment) had significantly (p = .007) higher median{range} serum AMH concentration (6.5{3.2-13.4}ng/ml) compared to that (4.0{2.2-10.2}ng/ml) of cycles with good response (ovulation within 20 days of hMG treatment). ROC curve showed AMH to be a useful predictor of poor response to hMG stimulation (AUC, 0.772; P = 0.007). Using a cut-off level of 4.7 ng/ml, AMH had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 58% in predicting poor response. The good response rate was significantly (p  = 4.7 ng/ml (100% vs. 35%, respectively). All cycles with markedly raised serum AMH levels (> 10.2 ng/ml) were associated with poor response. Cycles with high AMH (> = 4.7 ng/ml) required significantly (p < .001) greater amounts (median {range}, 1087{450-1650}IU) and longer duration (20 {12-30}days) of hMG stimulation than cycles with lower AMH (525 {225-900}IU and 8{6-14}days). Conclusions PCOS women with markedly raised circulating AMH seem to be resistant to hMG ovulation induction and may require a higher starting dose

An adaptive measure of visuospatial impairment in dementia with Lewy bodies

Background: Background Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common cause of dementia with poor prognosis and high hospitalization rates. DLB is frequently misdiagnosed, with clinical features that overlap significantly with other diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Clinical instruments that discriminate and track the progression of cognitive impairment in DLB are needed. Objectives: Objectives The current study was designed to assess the utility of a mental rotation (MR) task for assessing visuospatial impairments in early DLB. Methods: Methods Accuracy of 22 DLB patients, 22 PD patients and 22 age-matched healthy controls in the MR task were compared at comparing shapes with 0°, 45° and 90° rotations. Results: Results Healthy controls and PD patients performed at similar levels while the DLB group were significantly impaired. Further, impairment in the visuospatial and executive function measures correlated with MR poor outcomes. Conclusion: Conclusion These findings support the MR task as an objective measure of visuospatial impairment with the ability to adjust difficulty to suit impairments in a DLB population. This would be a useful tool within clinical trials