Data Anonymization: K-anonymity Sensitivity Analysis

These days the digitization process is everywhere, spreading also across central governments and local authorities. It is hoped that, using open government data for scientific research purposes, the public good and social justice might be enhanced. Taking into account the European General Data Protection Regulation recently adopted, the big challenge in Portugal and other European countries, is how to provide the right balance between personal data privacy and data value for research. This work presents a sensitivity study of data anonymization procedure applied to a real open government data available from the Brazilian higher education evaluation system. The ARX k-anonymization algorithm, with and without generalization of some research value variables, was performed. The analysis of the amount of data / information lost and the risk of re-identification suggest that the anonymization process may lead to the under-representation of minorities and sociodemographic disadvantaged groups. It will enable scientists to improve the balance among risk, data usability, and contributions for the public good policies and practices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Social Competencies and Social Skills of Adolescent Females With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders diagnosed in children and adolescents in the United States, many of whom experience peer rejection and are at risk for subsequent employment difficulties, depression and anxiety, school failure, and substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the social skills and social competence of females with and without ADHD in 6th and 12th grades. The theoretical foundation for this study was Barkley’s theory of ADHD. Facebook, Qualtrics, and Prolific were used to recruit 80 parents, who were placed into four groups based on the self-reported ADHD diagnosis and grade level of their children. Participants completed a survey containing items from the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale, the Social Skills Improvement System–Rating Scale, and the Home and Community Social Behavior Scales. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the level of social skills and social competence of the four groups as a function of age and ADHD diagnosis. The results indicated a significant difference in the levels of social skills and social competence between adolescent females without ADHD in the 12th grade and adolescent females with ADHD in the 6th grade; however, there was not a significant difference found in these levels when comparing the females with ADHD with their peers. This study furthers knowledge of social competence and social skills, specifically in adolescent females with ADHD. The positive social change implications of this study are improved understanding of the social skill and competence deficit experienced by adolescent females with ADHD provide clinicians to the ability develop interventions to address deficiencies in the experienced in these areas

Brr6 drives the Schizosaccharomyces pombe spindle pole body nuclear envelope insertion/extrusion cycle

Insertion into and release of the cytoplasmic domain of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe spindle pole body from a nuclear envelope fenestra during mitosis requires Brr6

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Authorized Grocery, Convenience, Dollar, and Restaurant or Delivery Service Settings Are Associated With Increased Obesity Prevalence in Virginia

Purpose: United States Department of Agriculture Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants use SNAP-authorized stores for dietary purchases. Relationships between obesity prevalence and access to grocery and varied nontraditional (eg, dollar, drug, and convenience) SNAP settings are underexplored. This research aimed to determine the association of a full range of SNAP-authorized stores with obesity prevalence in Virginia. Design: The SNAP Retailer Locator was used to cross-sectionally identify authorized stores, and county health ranking information was applied based on store location. Setting: Virginia, United States. Sample: The SNAP-authorized stores, classified among store categories: grocery or supermarket; drug; mass merchandiser; supercenter; convenience; dollar; club; other; nonfood store; farmers markets; and independent grocery stores. Measures: County-level obesity prevalence with income and rurality as potential confounders. Analysis: Multiple linear regression was used to determine associations between county-level adult obesity prevalence and available SNAP-authorized store formats ( P \u3c .05 a priori). Results: Store format was a predictor of obesity prevalence in Virginia in simple and adjusted models ( R 2 = 0.035, P \u3c .0001 and R 2 = 0.434, P \u3c .0001, respectively). Grocery store or supermarket access was associated with obesity. The SNAP-authorized convenience, dollar, and nonfood stores were associated with a 0.3, 0.5, and 1.3 increase in county obesity prevalence, respectively ( P \u3c .05). Conclusions: Research, practice, and health policy approaches to improve grocery, convenience, dollar, and restaurant or delivery service settings may favorably influence community obesity prevalence in Virginia

Habitat conditions, nature value, economic value and useful of rush communities in flooded areas

Phytosociological and habitat studies of rush communities were conducted in the Noteć Bystra and Noteć Leniwa river valley in the years 2010–2014. These communities are of varied nature value and form valuable ecosystems of high landscape value. Their development, floristic diversity, nature and agricultural value are connected primarily with their moisture content, resulting from the habitat mosaic and land use intensity. The calculated floristic diversity index (H’) ranged from 1.2 to 2.7, while valuation results provided by the method proposed by Oświt showed that communities with moderately high and high nature value predominate in the area. Most examined communities are of poor and mediocre economic and utility value, as evidenced by the calculated fodder value score FVS=1.7–4.1

Comparing Parental Report to Standardized Assessment Scores in Communication

Background: Parent report is an important method of gathering developmental history in the evaluation of autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, diagnosis is thought to be more reliable and valid when using both parent report and evaluation findings. However, parent report may lack objectivity which is relevant when the child is being formally assessed for a developmental disability. Objectives: It is hypothesized that parents will rate their children as being more proficient in communication skills on a parent-report measure than results indicate on the Verbal Skills scale of a cognitive functioning assessment. This discrepancy is expected based on the unique relationship between parents and their children and the resulting difference in communication parents have with their children compared to an individual with whom the children are less familiar. Methods: Participants included 41 children (Males n=31, Females n=10) evaluated at a community-based developmental assessment clinic. Ages of participants ranged from 30 to 72 months (µ= 51.1 months) and they were assessed using the Vineland, Second Edition, Parent/Caregiver Rating Form (Vineland-II) and the Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition, Early Years Battery (DAS-II). The sample consisted of 35.1% Caucasian, 40.5% Hispanic, 21.6% Asian Americans, and 2.7% biracial participants. All participants were at-risk for autism spectrum disorder, as determined by a phone screening method. However, not all participants were ultimately diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Results: As hypothesized, there was not a correlation (r= .294, p= .073) found between the subjects on the DAS-II Verbal Skills scale and the Vineland-2 Communication domain. Conclusions: These results suggest that parents/caregivers may unintentionally inflate Vineland-II Communication scores due to the unique relationship between parents and their children. Additionally, the resulting difference in communication parents have with their children compared to an individual with whom the child is less familiar (e.g., the examiner) may serve to inflate scores. Such findings are crucial as they can help to determine how different sources of information should be considered in the evaluation process

Walory przyrodnicze i wartość gospodarcza łąk śródleśnych w dolinie rzeki Bukówka

Mid-forest meadows have a high natural value, due to preserving unique meadow and ecotone biotopes, similar to the natural state. Due to their dissimilarity, they also had a considerable effect on the functioning of forest ecosystems they border. The aim of the study conducted in 2006-2010 in the Bukówka river valley was to assess the natural values of mid-forest meadows with the Oświt method [2000] based on 140 phytosociological records, to estimate the economic value by evaluating dry matter yield and to calculate the fodder value of sward. Richness and floristic diversity of mid-forest meadows was observed, resulting mainly from the mosaic character of habitats and intensity of use. The studied communities from the classes Phragmitetea, Potametea, Lemnetea, as well as Molinio-Arrhenatheretea generally presented a poor quality, due to a very late time of cutting and excessive moisture of most habitats.Łąki śródleśne ze względu na zachowanie unikalnych biotopów łąkowych i ekotonowych, zbliżonych do stanu naturalnego, mają cenne walory przyrodnicze. Poprzez swoją odmienność wydatnie wpływają też na funkcjonowanie ekosystemów leśnych, z którymi sąsiadują. Celem badań wykonanych w latach 2006-2010 w dolinie rzeki Bukówka była ocena walorów przyrodniczych łąk śródleśnych metodą Oświta [2000] na podstawie 140 zdjęć fitosocjologicznych, określenie wartości gospodarczej przez oszacowanie plonu suchej masy oraz wyliczenie wartości użytkowej runi. Stwierdzono bogactwo i różnorodność florystyczną łąk śródleśnych, wynikającą głównie z mozaikowatości siedlisk i intensywności użytkowania. Wyróżnione zbiorowiska z klasy Phragmitetea, Potametea, Lemnetea, a także Molinio-Arrhenatheretea na ogół przedstawiały mierną jakość, ze względu na bardzo późny termin koszenia i nadmierne uwilgotnienie większości siedlisk