A critical look at studies applying over-sampling on the TPEHGDB dataset

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among young children and has a large prevalence globally. Machine learning models, based on features extracted from clinical sources such as electronic patient files, yield promising results. In this study, we review similar studies that constructed predictive models based on a publicly available dataset, called the Term-Preterm EHG Database (TPEHGDB), which contains electrohysterogram signals on top of clinical data. These studies often report near-perfect prediction results, by applying over-sampling as a means of data augmentation. We reconstruct these results to show that they can only be achieved when data augmentation is applied on the entire dataset prior to partitioning into training and testing set. This results in (i) samples that are highly correlated to data points from the test set are introduced and added to the training set, and (ii) artificial samples that are highly correlated to points from the training set being added to the test set. Many previously reported results therefore carry little meaning in terms of the actual effectiveness of the model in making predictions on unseen data in a real-world setting. After focusing on the danger of applying over-sampling strategies before data partitioning, we present a realistic baseline for the TPEHGDB dataset and show how the predictive performance and clinical use can be improved by incorporating features from electrohysterogram sensors and by applying over-sampling on the training set

Identification of baryon resonances in central heavy-ion collisions at energies between 1 and 2 AGeV

The mass distributions of baryon resonances populated in near-central collisions of Au on Au and Ni on Ni are deduced by defolding the $p_t$ spectra of charged pions by a method which does not depend on a specific resonance shape. In addition the mass distributions of resonances are obtained from the invariant masses of $(p, \pi^{\pm})$ pairs. With both methods the deduced mass distributions are shifted by an average value of -60 MeV/c$^2$ relative to the mass distribution of the free $\Delta(1232)$ resonance, the distributions descent almost exponentially towards mass values of 2000 MeV/c^2. The observed differences between $(p, \pi^-)$ and $(p, \pi^+)$ pairs indicate a contribution of isospin $I = 1/2$ resonances. The attempt to consistently describe the deduced mass distributions and the reconstructed kinetic energy spectra of the resonances leads to new insights about the freeze out conditions, i.e. to rather low temperatures and large expansion velocities.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, Latex using documentstyle[12pt,a4,epsfig], to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Feature Analysis of Uterine Electrohystography Signal Using Dynamic Self-organised Multilayer Network Inspired by the Immune Algorithm

International audiencePremature birth is a significant worldwide problem. There is little understanding why premature births occur or the factors that contribute to its onset. However, it is generally agreed that early detection will help to mitigate the effects preterm birth has on the child and in some cases stop its onset. Research in mathematical modelling and information technology is beginning to produce some interesting results and is a line of enquiry that is likely to prove useful in the early prediction of premature births. This paper proposes a new approach which is based on a neural network architecture called Dynamic Self-organised Multilayer Network Inspired by the Immune Algorithm to analyse uterine electrohystography signals. The signals are pre-processed and features are extracted using the neural network and evaluated using the Mean Squared Error, Mean absolute error, and Normalized Mean Squared Error to rank their ability to discriminate between term and preterm records

Ethnomethodology in Italy

none1This article provides an overview on works that have come out in Italy in the field of ethnomethodology. General introductory works are considered first, with reference to their similarities and differences. Subsequently, the interpretations and discussions concerning the ethnomethodological perspective are briefly presented, and the limited amount of empirical investigations on ethnomethodological questions is mentioned. Garfinkel’s ethnomethodology has been the object of a few specific introductory and interpretative contributions. The relationship between ethnomethodology and sociolinguistics has been a further and distinct research theme. Discourse and conversational analysis as a research field of its own has elicited a remarkable flow of research, which is—in contrast to ethnomethodology—not only methodological and epistemological but empirical as well. In particular, a number of authors have studied asymmetrical conversational exchanges in the institutional context provided by an Italian Court of Justice. Conversational analysis also has been instrumental in studying the production of social identity. In the final discussion, some theoretical points Italian students of ethnomethodology and the related disciplines have raised and discussed are presented in a condensed form.Nome della rivista: Sociological TheoryS. SEGRESegre, Sandr

Analisi delle sottopopolazioni linfocitarie nel trattamento cortisonico

Introduzione- Gli effetti dei glucocorticoidi sull’attività del sistema immunitario e linfocitario sono stati oggetto di studio da più di qualche decennio e sono largamente utilizzati nel trattamento di diverse patologie, anche in cui i processi infiammatori sono causati dall’attività monocitica/linfocitaria con meccanismi di tipo autoimmunitario cellulo-mediati e che causano il danno tessutale permanente (es.tiroidite, ecc.) (1, 4, 5). Seppure appare contraddittorio l’effetto sul sistema immunitario dei corticosteroidi a dosaggi fisiologici (3) rispetto a quelli farmacologici (immunosoppressivi), è noto che i deficit prolungati dell’asse Ipotalamo/ipofisario/corticosurrenalico oltre a produrre effetti endocrino-metabolici possono promuovere le patologie autoimmunitarie e allergiche (1, 4, 5). Dati più recenti indicano che gli effetti degli agonisti dei recettori per i corticosteroidi possono promuovere il differenziamento linfocitario verso il Th2 e T regolatorio e indurre la produzione di citochine immunosoppressive e/o modulatrici, quali IL10, IL4, IL1ra, oltre all'incremento dei fattori cellulari regolatori della pathway di NFkB, come IkBalfa e la deubiquitinasi A20 (3). Tale azione è avvalorata dalla azione degli antagonisti, i quali aumentano la comparsa di patologie autoimmunitarie. La capacità dei recettori specifici di rispondere agli ormoni steroidei, come quella dei recettori nucleari ai propri ligandi (es 1,25-Diidrossicolecalciferolo, acido all-trans-retinoico, PGJ2), potrebbe essere un importante elemento da considerare per un appropriato uso della terapia steroidea immunosoppressiva: la misura della mancata responsività potrebbe spiegare l'eventuale insuccesso della terapia (6) Metodi- Abbiamo analizzato mediante citofluorometria a flusso (FACS BD) le popolazioni linfo-monocitarie da sangue periferico in un gruppo di pazienti (n=8) affetti da patologia tiroidea con esoftalmo sotto trattamento con bolo endovena di cortisonico. Tale trattamento terapeutico consente di valutare la responsività steroidea attraverso il confronto delle popolazioni circolanti nel sangue periferico prima e dopo bolo (circa 3-4 ore). Gli stessi pazienti, sottoposti a sedute settimanali, sono stati osservati per tutto il periodo della terapia (circa 3 mesi). Inoltre, mediante retrotrascriptasi inversa dell’RNA dei PBMC ottenuti dai diversi prelievi e PCR quantitativa, è stata analizzata l’espressione genica dei fattori trascrizionali chiave nel differenziamento delle popolazioni linfocitarie (TBX21, FOXP3, GATA3, RORc) e le loro citochine effettrici (IFNgamma, IL2, IL4, TGFb1, IL10, IL17a, IL6). Risultati- Si osservava in tutti i soggetti una riduzione dei T CD4+ ed un aumento dei NK e NKT nel prelievo post bolo. Dopo il bolo, l’analisi dei T CD4+ CD25+ CD127 low evidenziava una riduzione significativa ed in alcuni pazienti essa diveniva stabile nel tempo. L’analisi dei fattori trascrizionali chiave del differenziamento delle popolazioni (TBX21, FOXP3, GATA3, RORc) evidenziava tali effetti nel corso del trattamento. Conclusione- Ulteriori studi dei cambiamenti stabili nella popolazione linfo-monocitaria, in rapporto ai risultati terapeutici, consentiranno di identificare i parametri vantaggiosi da misurare in corso di trattamento con agonisti corticosteroidei. 1) Glaser, R. and Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K. – Stress-Induced Immune Dysfunction: Implications for Health, Nature Reviews Immunology, 5:10-18, 2005. 2) Mittelstadt PR, Monteiro JP, Ashwell JD. Thymocyte responsiveness to endogenous glucocorticoids is required for immunological fitness. J Clin Invest. 2012 Jun 1. pii: 63067. 3) Rogatsky I, Ivashkiv LB. Glucocorticoid modulation of cytokine signaling. Tissue Antigens. 2006 Jul;68(1):1-12. 4) Webster JI, Stenberg EM Neural immune Interactions. In “Fundamental Immunology” Paul William E; 2008; cap 32:1031-1046 5) Flammer JR, Rogatsky I. Minireview: Glucocorticoids in autoimmunity: unexpected targets and mechanisms. Mol Endocrinol. 2011 Jul;25(7):1075-86. 6) De Iudicibus S, Franca R, Martelossi S, Ventura A, Decorti G. Molecular mechanism of glucocorticoid resistance in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Mar 7;17(9):1095-108

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with incident sustained tachyarrhythmias: A multicenter observational study

Introduction: Little is still known about the prognostic impact of incident arrhythmias in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and predictors of sustained tachyarrhythmias in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, and their potential association with disease severity and in-hospital mortality. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective multicenter observation study including consecutive patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 admitted to emergency department of ten Italian Hospitals from 15 February to 15 March 2020. The prevalence and the type of incident sustained arrhythmias have been collected. The correlation between the most prevalent arrhythmias and both baseline characteristics and the development of ARDS and in-hospital mortality has been evaluated. Results: 414 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (66.9 ± 15.0 years, 61.1% male) were included in the present study. During a median follow-up of 28 days (IQR: 12-45), the most frequent incident sustained arrhythmia was AF (N: 71; 17.1%), of which 50 (12.1%) were new-onset and 21 (5.1%) were recurrent, followed by VT (N: 14, 3.4%) and supraventricular arrhythmias (N: 5, 1.2%). Incident AF, both new-onset and recurrent, did not affect the risk of severe adverse events including ARDS and death during hospitalization; in contrast, incident VT significantly increased the risk of in-hospital mortality (RR: 2.55; P:.003). Conclusions: AF is the more frequent incident tachyarrhythmia; however, it not seems associated to ARDS development and death. On the other hand, incident VT is a not frequent but independent predictor of in-hospital mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients