Fairness in Socio-technical Systems: a Case Study of Wikipedia

Problems broadly known as algorithmic bias frequently occur in the context of complex socio-technical systems (STS), where observed biases may not be directly attributable to a single automated decision algorithm. As a first investigation of fairness in STS, we focus on the case of Wikipedia. We systematically review 75 papers describing different types of bias in Wikipedia, which we classify and relate to established notions of harm from algorithmic fairness research. By analysing causal relationships between the observed phenomena, we demonstrate the complexity of the socio-technical processes causing harm. Finally, we identify the normative expectations of fairness associated with the different problems and discuss the applicability of existing criteria proposed for machine learning-driven decision systems

An Epidemiologic Study of Maternal Deaths in the Population Covered by Kerman University of Medical Sciences, 2010-2012

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological process in any women's life, but in some cases it might be ended in maternal death tragedy. However, most cases of maternal deaths are preventable. Reviewing maternal death cases, for the purpose of identifying the related factors is beneficial for future planning. The aim of this study was to assess the current statuses of maternal death and its causing factors in hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all cases of maternal deaths during 2010 to 2012 were studied and a designed data entry form was completed for each case. Data analysis was done through SPSS17. Results: During the 3 years of study, 28 maternal deaths had occurred and the ratio of maternal death was calculated as 23.57 per 100000 live births. Preeclampsia was the most common direct cause and heart disease was the most common indirect cause of maternal deaths. Maternal deaths were related to shortcomings in all stages of before pregnancy, during pregnancy and post partum period. Conclusion: In order to minimize the number of maternal deaths, more attention should be paid to the quality of maternal care before pregnancy, during pregnancy and in post partum period. Keywords: Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Maternal Mortalit

The Backpropagation algorithm for a math student

A Deep Neural Network (DNN) is a composite function of vector-valued functions, and in order to train a DNN, it is necessary to calculate the gradient of the loss function with respect to all parameters. This calculation can be a non-trivial task because the loss function of a DNN is a composition of several nonlinear functions, each with numerous parameters. The Backpropagation (BP) algorithm leverages the composite structure of the DNN to efficiently compute the gradient. As a result, the number of layers in the network does not significantly impact the complexity of the calculation. The objective of this paper is to express the gradient of the loss function in terms of a matrix multiplication using the Jacobian operator. This can be achieved by considering the total derivative of each layer with respect to its parameters and expressing it as a Jacobian matrix. The gradient can then be represented as the matrix product of these Jacobian matrices. This approach is valid because the chain rule can be applied to a composition of vector-valued functions, and the use of Jacobian matrices allows for the incorporation of multiple inputs and outputs. By providing concise mathematical justifications, the results can be made understandable and useful to a broad audience from various disciplines.Comment: Accepted at the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) 202

Evaluation of the Young Children with Neurodevelopmental Disability: A Prospective Study at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Clinics

How to Cite This Article: Fayyazi A, Kheizrian L, Kheradmand Z, Damadi S, Khajeh A. Evaluation of the Young Children with Neurodevelopmental Disability: A Prospective Study at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Clinics. Iran J Child Neurol. 2013 Winter; 7 (1):29-33. ObjectiveDevelopmental impairment is a common problem in children health that occurs in approximately 5–10% of the childhood population. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologic yield of subspecialists’ evaluation of young children with developmental disability.Materials & MethodsAll children aged between 2 months and 5 years referred over a 15-month period to Hamadan University of Medical Sciences subspecialty services for initial evaluation of a suspected developmental Disability, were enrolled in the present study. Diagnostic yield was determined after the completion of clinical assessments and laboratory tests requested by the evaluating physician.ResultsA total of 198 children (129 boys and 69 girls) were eligible for our study.108 children had global developmental delay and 90 children had isolated developmental delay. Approximately ¼ of all patients did not have any specific etiology for developmental disability. Cerebral palsy (CP) was the most common clinical syndrome in all patients (41.4%). Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (13.8%), brain dysgenesis (13%), genetic disorder (13%), and  neurodegenerative  diseases  (11%)  were  determined  in  more  than one half of all children with global developmental disability. in our study, “developmental speech delay” was the common cause of isolated speech delay.ConclusionDetermination of an underlying etiology is an essential part of specialty evaluation of young children with developmental disability. The results of this study were similar closely to the results of other studies. ReferencesBernard LM. Current Management in Child Neurology. 3rd ed. London: BC Decker Inc; 2005. pp. 3-8 and 246-50.Cleary M A, Green A. Developmental delay: when to suspect and how to investigate for an inborn error of metabolism. Arch Dis Child 2005;90(11):1128–32.Glascoe FP, Dworkin PH. Obstacles to effective developmental surveillance: errors in clinical reasoning. J Dev Behav Pediatrics 1993;14(5):344–9.Shaffer LG. American College of Medical Genetics guideline on the cytogenetic evaluation of the individual with developmental delay or mental retardation. Genet Med 2005;7:650-4.Nelson HD, Nygren P, Walker M, Panoscha R. Screening for Speech and Language Delay in Preschool Children: Systematic Evidence Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. Pediatrics 2006;117(2):e 297-319.Leung AK, Kao CP. Evaluation and Management of the Child with Speech Delay. Am Fam Physician 1999; 59(11):3121-28.Bosley A. Developmental delay versus developmental impairment. Arch Dis Child 2005; 90(8):875.Matson JL, Mahan S, LoVullo SV. Parent training: a review of methods for children with developmental disabilities. Res Dev Disabils 2009;30(5): 961–8.Shevell M, Ashwal S, Donley D, Flint J, Gingold M, Hirtz D, et al. Practice parameter: evaluation of the child with global developmentaldelay: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and The Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology 2003;60(3):367-80.McDonald L, Rennie A, Tolmie J, Galloway P, McWilliam R. Investigation of global developmental delay. Arch Dis Child 2006;91(8):701–5.Miller DT, Adam MP, Aradhya S, Biesecker LG, Brothman AR, Carter NP, et al. Consensus Statement: Chromosomal Microarrayc Is a First-Tier Clinical Diagnostic Test for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities or Congenital Anomalies. Am J Hum Genet 2010;86(5):749–64.Stankiewicz P, Beaude AL. Use of array CGH in the     evaluation of dysmorphology, malformations, developmental delay, and idiopathic mental retardation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2007;17(3):182-92.Sherr EH, Shevell MI. Global Developmental Delay and Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disability. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriro DM, Schor NF, editors. Swaiman’s Pediatric Neurology. 5th ed. China: Elsevier Saunders; 2012. p. 554-74.Shevel MI, Majnemer A, Rosenbawn P, Abrahamowiez M. Etiologic yield of subspecialists’ evaluation of young children with global developmental delay. J Pediatr 2000 May;136(5):593-8.Tikaria A, Kabara M, Gupta N, Sapra S, Balakrishnan P, Gulati S, et al. Aetiology of global developmental delay in young children: experience from a tertiary care center in India. Natl Med J India 2010;23(6):324-9.Aggarwal S, Bogula VR, Mandal K, Kumar R, Phadke SR. Aetiologic spectrum of mental retardation & developmental delay in India. Indian J Med Res 2012;136(3):436-44.  

Comparison of Intravenous Midazolam Drip with Intermittent Intravenous Diazepam in the Treatment of Refractory Serial Seizures in Children

How to Cite this Article: Fayyazi A, Karimzadeh P, Torabian S, Damadi S, Khaje A. Comparison of Intravenous Midazolam Drip with Intermittent Intravenous Diazepam in The Treatment of Refractory Serial Seizures in Children. Iran J Child Neurol 2012; 6(3): 15-19. ObjectiveSerial seizures occur commonly in inpatient epileptic children. This type ofseizure due to its characteristics has a significant impact on the patient’s health.Untreated serial seizures lead to status epilepticus; therefore, finding a moreeffective treatment for such patients is essential. This study was performed tocompare the outcome of intermittent intravenous diazepam in the pediatricneurology clinic and intravenous midazolam in the pediatric intensive care unit(PICU), in order to introduce an alternative treatment for serail seizures.Materials & MethodsIn this study, 38 inpatient children aged 6 mo-15 years with refractory serialseizures were treated by first line antiepileptic drugs and then randomlytreated with either intermittent intravenous diazepam in the neurology ward orintravenous midazolam in PICU.ResultsFourteen (70%) diazepam group patients and 13 (72.2%) midazolam grouppatients had good response to treatment, there was no significant differencebetween the two groups. Four midazolam group patients and two diazepamgroup patients needed mechanical ventilation and were intubated duringtreatment, with no significant difference between the two groups. Durationsof mechanical ventilation and PICU and hospital stay were not significantlydifferent between the two groups.ConclusionIntermittent intravenous diazepam is an effective alternative therapy formidazolam drip in the treatment of serial seizures due to similar therapeuticeffects and fewer side effects.ReferencesHaut SR. Seizure clustering. Epilepsy Behav 2006Feb;8(1):50-5.Caraballo RH, Cersosimo RO, Fejerman N. Benign focal seizures of adolescence: a prospective study. Epilepsia 2004 Dec;45(12):1600-3.Haut SR, Swick C, Freeman K, Spencer S. Seizureclustering during epilepsy monitoring. Epilepsia 2002 Jul;43(7):711-5.Yen DJ, Chen C, Shih YH, Guo YC, Liu LT, Yu HY,et al. Antiepileptic drug withdrawal in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing presurgical video-EEG monitoring. Epilepsia 2001 Feb;42(2):251-5.Rose AB, McCabe PH, Gilliam FG, Smith BJ, Boggs JG,Ficker DM et al. Occurrence of seizure clusters and status epilepticus during inpatient video-EEG monitoring.Neurology 2003 Mar;60(6):975-8.Newmark ME, Dubinsky S. The significance of seizure clustering: a review of 343 outpatients in an epilepsy clinic. In:Dreifuss FE, editor. Chronopharmacology intherapy of the epilepsies. New York: Raven Press; 1990.p. 89-103.Newmark ME, Penry JK. Catamenial epilepsy. In: Dam,Gram L, Penry JK. editors. Advances in epileptology:XII Epilepsy International Symposium.1980. p. 433-9.8. Bauer J, Burr W. Course of chronic focal epilepsy resistantto anticonvulsant treatment. Seizure 2001 Jun;10(4):239-46.9. Balish M, Albert PS, Theodore WH. Seizure frequencyin intractable partial epilepsy:a statistical analysis.Epilepsia 1991 Sep-Oct;32(5):642-9.Lombroso CT. Intermittent home treatment of status andclusters of seizures. Epilepsia 1989;30 (Suppl 2):S11-4.Mitchell WG. Status epilepticus and acute repetitiveseizures in children, adolescents and young adults:etiology, outcome and treatment. Epilepsia. 1996; 37(Suppl 1):S74-80.Haut SR, Shinnar S, Moshe SL, O’Dell C, Legatt AD.The association between seizure clustering and status epilepticus in patients with intractable complex partial seizures. Epilepsia. 1999 Dec;40(12):1832-4.Dreifuss FE, Rosman NP, Cloyd JC, Pellock JM,Kuzniecky RI, Lo WD et al. A comparison of rectaldiazepam gel and placebo for acute repetitive seizures.New Engl J Med. 1998 Jun;338(26):1869-75.Kriel RL, Cloyd JC, Hadsall RS, Carlson AM, Floren KL,Jones-Saete CM. Home use of rectal diazepam for clusterand prolonged seizures: efficacy, adverse reactions,quality of life, and cost analysis. Pediatr Neurol. 1991Jan-Feb;7(1):13-7.Ozdemir D, Gulezb P, Uranb N, Yendur G, Kavakli T,Aydin A. Efficacy of continuous midazolam infusion andmortality in childhood refractory generalized convulsive status epilepticus. Seizure. 2005 Mar;14(2) 129-32.16. Bhattacharyya M, Kalra V, Gulati S. Intranasal midazolam vs rectal diazepam in acute childhood seizures. PediatrNeurol. 2006 May;34(5):355-9.Lahat E, Goldman M, Barr J, Bistritzer T, BerkovitchM. Comparison of intranasal midazolam with intravenous diazepam for treating febrile seizures in children:prospective randomised study. BMJ. 2000Jul;321(7253):83-6.Hayashi K, Osawa M, Aihara M, Haginoya K, KatoI, Kaneko K et al; Research Committee on Clinical Evidence of Medical Treatment for Status Epilepticusin Childhood. Efficacy of intravenous midazolam forstatus epilepticus in childhood. Pediatr Neurol. 2007Jun;36(6):366-72.Scott RC, Besag FM, Neville BG. Buccal midazolam and rectal diazepam for treatment of prolonged seizures in childhood and adolescence: a randomised trial. Lancet.1999 Feb;353(9153):623-26

On the rank of the holomorphic solutions of PDE associated to directed graphs

Let $G$ be a directed graph with $m$ vertices and $n$ edges, $I(\textbf{B})$ the binomial ideal associated to the incidence matrix $\textbf{B}$ of the graph $G$, and $I_L$ the lattice ideal associated to the columns of the matrix $\textbf{B}$. Also let $\textbf{B}_i$ be a submatrix of $\textbf{B}$ after removing the $i$th column. In this paper it is determined that which minimal prime ideals of $I(\textbf{B}_i)$ are Andean or toral. Then we study the rank of the space of solutions of binomial $D$-module associated to $I(\textbf{B}_i)$ as $\textbf{A}$-graded ideal, where $\textbf{A}$ is a matrix that, $\textbf{A}\textbf{B}_i=0$. Afterwards, we define a miniaml cellular cycle and prove that for computing this rank it is enough to consider these components of $G$. We introduce some bounds for the number of the vertices of the convex hull generated by the columns of the matrix $\textbf{A}$. Finally an algorthim is introduced by which we can compute the volume of the convex hull corresponded to a cycles with $k$ diagonals, so by Theorem 2.1 the rank of $\frac{D}{H_{\textbf{A}}(I(\textbf{B}_i), \boldsymbol{\beta})}$ can be computed

Fatigue Analysis of Bitumen Modified with Composite of Nano-SiO2 and Styrene Butadiene Styrene Polymer

Since fatigue cracking is caused in the middle-temperature conditions due to the stresses from heavy traffic and as the bitumen plays a very important role in controlling this failure, therefore, in recent years, the production of the modified bitumen that can give a good performance in the middle temperatures has always attracted the interest of researchers. One of these bitumen modifiers is the styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) polymer. Due to the phase separation of bitumen and polymer, aging and oxidation, this polymer may not exhibit expected field performance at middle temperatures. Therefore, in this research, it is attempted to analyze the middle-temperature performance using the combination of nano-SiO2 and SBS polymer in the bitumen modification. In this paper, the addition of SBS and nano-SiO2 to the base bitumen resulted in the reduction of the complex modulus, phase angle, storage modulus and loss modulus at middle temperatures, thereby improving the potential of fatigue failure resistance. In general, considering the requirement for the rotational viscosity value up to 3 Pa.s at 135 °C and also, regarding the economic issues in choosing a lower percentage, the combination of 4.5% SBS + 3% nano-SiO2 is selected as the optimal composite

Evaluation of Effective Factors on Home Delivery from Women Perspective under Health Comprehensive Services Centers of Kerman Medical Sciences University

Background & Objectives: Maternal mortality rate due to complications of pregnancy and delivery is one of the most important indicators of the development status of countries which has a direct relationship with delivery conditions. Preposition home delivery increase, this study has been done for the purpose of study of mothers views who are under Kerman Medical Sciences University for causes detecting of delivery at home. Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical one that was performed cross-sectionally on 503 mothers who are under comprehensive health service centers of Kerman University of Medical Sciences who were included in the study using convenience sampling method. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and were analyzed by descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression in SPSS software Results: The most causes of home delivery were the high cost of delivery at hospitals (71.4%) and family’s decision (33.4%). Unfavorable weather conditions (0.6%) had the least important role in home birth. The highest number of home births was related to non-Iranian population (98.4%). Based on the goodness of fit of logistic regression model, only the number of pregnancies and number of stillbirths had a significant effect on home birth. Conclusion: Since the high cost of delivery at hospital is the major reason preventing non-Iranian women from referring to the hospital, it is necessary to adopt new policies for admission of non-Iranian women in public hospitals and provide insurance to them so that they would be encouraged to have delivery at hospital. Key¬words: Home Birth, Effective factors, Women, Comprehensive Health Service Centers, Health Centers Citation: Tabasinezhad N, Safizadeh M, Hassanzadeh M, Salari S, Saber Mahani M, Damadi B. Evaluation of Effective Factors on Home Delivery from Women Perspective under Health Comprehensive Services Centers of Kerman Medical Sciences University. Journal of Health Based Research 2020; 6(1): 15-24. [In Persian

Meta-analysis of operative experiences of general surgery trainees during training

BACKGROUND: General surgical training curricula around the world set defined operative numbers to be achieved before completion of training. However, there are few studies reporting total operative experience in training. This systematic review aimed to quantify the published global operative experience at completion of training in general surgery. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched systematically for articles in any language relating to operative experience in trainees completing postgraduate general surgical training. Two reviewers independently assessed citations for inclusion using agreed criteria. Studies were assessed for quantitative data in addition to study design and purpose. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model of studies with appropriate data. RESULTS: The search resulted in 1979 titles for review. Of these, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion in the review and data from five studies were used in the meta-analysis. Studies with published data of operative experience at completion of surgical training originated from the USA (19), UK (2), the Netherlands (1), Spain (1) and Thailand (1). Mean total operative experience in training varied from 783 procedures in Thailand to 1915 in the UK. Meta-analysis produced a mean pooled estimate of 1366 (95 per cent c.i. 1026 to 1707) procedures per trainee at completion of training. There was marked heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 99.6 per cent). CONCLUSION: There is a lack of robust data describing the operative experiences of general surgical trainees outside the USA. The number of surgical procedures performed by general surgeons in training varies considerably across the world