An empirical evaluation of imbalanced data strategies from a practitioner's point of view

This research tested the following well known strategies to deal with binary imbalanced data on 82 different real life data sets (sampled to imbalance rates of 5%, 3%, 1%, and 0.1%): class weight, SMOTE, Underbagging, and a baseline (just the base classifier). As base classifiers we used SVM with RBF kernel, random forests, and gradient boosting machines and we measured the quality of the resulting classifier using 6 different metrics (Area under the curve, Accuracy, F-measure, G-mean, Matthew's correlation coefficient and Balanced accuracy). The best strategy strongly depends on the metric used to measure the quality of the classifier. For AUC and accuracy class weight and the baseline perform better; for F-measure and MCC, SMOTE performs better; and for G-mean and balanced accuracy, underbagging

Quantification of soluble fibre in feedstuffs for rabbits and evaluation of the interference between the determinations of soluble fibre and intestinal mucin.

This work compared the quantification of soluble fibre in feeds using different chemical and in vitro approaches, and studied the potential interference between soluble fibre and mucin determinations. Six ingredients: sugar beet pulp (SBP), SBP pectins, insoluble SBP, wheat straw, sunflower hulls and lignocellulose, and seven rabbit diets, differing in soluble fibre content, were evaluated. In experiment 1, ingredients and diets were analyzed for total dietary fibre (TDF), insoluble dietary fibre (IDF), soluble dietary fibre (SDF), aNDFom (corrected for protein, aNDFom-cp) and 2-step pepsin/pancreatin in vitro DM indigestibility (corrected for ash and protein, ivDMi2). Soluble fibre was estimated by difference using three procedures: TDF?IDF (SDFIDF), TDF?ivDMi2 (SDFivDMi2), and TDF?aNDFom-cp (SDFaNDFom-cp). Soluble fibre determined directly (SDF) or by difference as SDFivDMi2 were not different (109 g/kg DM, on average). However, when it was calculated as SDFaNDFom-cp the value was 40% higher (153 g/kg DM, P menor que 0.05), whereas SDFIDF (124 g/kg DM) did not differ from any of the other methods. The correlation between the four methods was high (r ? 0.96; P ? 0.001; n = 13), but it decreased or even disappeared when SBP pectins and SBP were excluded and a lower and more narrow range of variation of soluble fibre was used. In experiment 2, the ivDMi2 using crucibles (reference method) were compared to those made using individual or collective ankom bags in order to simplify the determination of SDFivDMi2. The ivDMi2 was not different when using crucibles or individual or collective ankom bags. In experiment 3, the potential interference between soluble fibre and intestinal mucin determinations was studied using rabbit intestinal raw mucus, digesta and SBP pectins, lignocelluloses and a rabbit diet. An interference was observed between the determinations of soluble fibre and crude mucin, as contents of TDF and apparent crude mucin were high in SBP pectins (994 and 709 g/kg DM) and rabbit intestinal raw mucus (571 and 739 g/kg DM). After a pectinase treatment, the coefficient of apparent mucin recovery of SBP pectins was close to zero, whereas that of rabbit mucus was not modified. An estimation of the crude mucin carbohydrates retained in digesta TDF is proposed to correct TDF and soluble fibre digestibility. In conclusion, the values of soluble fibre depend on the methodology used. The contamination of crude mucin with soluble fibre is avoided using pectinase

Localization of dexamethasone within dendritic core-multishell (CMS) nanoparticles and skin penetration properties studied by multi-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy

The skin and especially the stratum corneum (SC) act as a barrier and protect epidermal cells and thus the whole body against xenobiotica of the external environment. Topical skin treatment requires an efficient drug delivery system (DDS). Polymer-based nanocarriers represent novel transport vehicles for dermal application of drugs. In this study dendritic core-multishell (CMS) nanoparticles were investigated as promising candidates. CMS nanoparticles were loaded with a drug (analogue) and were applied to penetration studies of skin. We determined by dual-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) how dexamethasone (Dx) labelled with 3-carboxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (PCA) is associated with the CMS. The micro-environment of the drug loaded to CMS nanoparticles was investigated by pulsed high-field EPR at cryogenic temperature, making use of the fact that magnetic parameters (g-, A-matrices, and spin-lattice relaxation time) represent specific probes for the micro-environment. Additionally, the rotational correlation time of spin-labelled Dx was probed by continuous wave EPR at ambient temperature, which provides independent information on the drug environment. Furthermore, the penetration depth of Dx into the stratum corneum of porcine skin after different topical applications was investigated. The location of Dx in the CMS nanoparticles is revealed and the function of CMS as penetration enhancers for topical application is shown

An epidemiologic study of 389 children with epilepsy in southern Iran

How to Cite this Article: Inaloo S, Katibeh P. An epidemiologic study of 389 children with epilepsy in southern Iran.Iranian Journal of Child Neurology2011;5(4):15-20Objective Approximately 4% of the world's population experience one or more febrile seizures during their lifetime, and 0.5-1% of the population has active epilepsy.Less than one-third of the reported seizures are categorized as epilepsy. The cause of established epilepsy is important in determining the treatment and prognosis.Materials & Methods We studied 389 cases of documented epilepsy in children aged 2 months to 18 years who visited the hospital for neurologic examination during 2005-2010.Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was performed for categorical variables.Results The most common age for the first seizure was below 2 years, and the most common type of epilepsy was generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Electroencephalography (EEG) showed an epileptic pattern in 60%, 29.8%, and 51% of the patients with idiopathic, symptomatic, and cryptogenic epilepsy, respectively. This pattern was significantly different among these 3 categories of epilepsy.Conclusion The most common type of seizure was cryptogenic; however, in most industrialized countries, idiopathic epilepsies were more frequent. With respect to the age and sex of patients, the prevalence of epilepsy in southern Iran is not so much different from that of patients in other parts of the world. As to generalized or partial epilepsy, there are different reports from different part ofthe world; however, generalized tonic-clonic seizures were more common in our area.References Hauser, Hesdorffer DC. Epilepsy, frequency, causes and consequences. New WA York, NY: Demos Publications;1990.P.1–51.Jallon P. Epilepsy in developing countries. Epilepsia 1997; 38: 1143-51.King M, Newton M, Jackson G, Fitt G, Mitchell L, Silvapulle M, Berkovic S. Epileptology of the first-seizure presentation: a clinical, electroencephalographic, and magnetic resonance imaging study of 300 consecutive patients. The Lancet 1998; 352: 1007-1011.Sridharan S. Epidemiology of epilepsy. Current Science 2002;82:664-70Martin JB, Jacqueline AF. Management of epilepsy in adolescents and adults. Lanset 2000; 356: 323-29.Chang BS, Lowenstein DH. Epilepsy. N Engl J Med 2003; 349: 1257-66.Guerrini R. Epilepsy in children. Lancet 2006; 367:499- 524.Mohammadi MR, Ghanizadeh A, Davidian H, Mohammadi M, Norouzian M. Prevalence of epilepsy and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders in Iran. Seizure 2006;15(7):476-82.Luengo A, Parra J, Colas J, Ramos F, Carreras T, Fernández-Pozos MJ. Prevalence of Epilepsy in Northeast Madrid. J Neurol 2001; 248: 762-767.Sridharan R. Epidemiology of epilepsy.Curr Sci 2002; 82(6):664-70.Najib Kh, Fallahzadeh E, Fallahzadeh MH. Disease spectrum and mortality in hospitalized children of southern Iran. Iran J Pediatr 2007; 17(3):359-363.Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League against Epilepsy. Proposal for revised clinical and electrographic classification of epileptic seizures. Epilepsia 1981; 22: 489–501.Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy. Proposal for revised classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes. Epilepsia 1989;30: 389–99.Kramer U, Nevo Y, Neufeld MY, Fatal A, Leitner Y, Harel S. Epidemiology of epilepsy in childhood: A cohort of 440 consecutive patients. Pediat Neurol 1998; 18 :46-5.Olafsson E, Ludvigsson P, Gudmundsson G, Hesdorffer D, Kjartansson O, Hauser WA. Incidence of unprovoked seizures and epilepsy in Iceland and assessment of the epilepsy syndrome classification: a prospective study. Lancet Neurol 2005;4:627-34.Hauser, W. A. The Prevalence and Incidence of Convulsive Disorders in Children. Epilepsia 1994; 35: S1-S6.Kochen S, Melcon MO. Prognosis of epilepsy in a community based study: 8 years of follow up in an Argentine community. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica 2005; 112: 370-374.Hauser WA, Kurland LT. epidemiology of epilepsy in Rochester, Minnesota 1936 through 1967.Epilepsia 1983;24:502-14. Preux PM, Druet-Cabanac M. Epidemiology and etiology of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa. The Lancet Neurol 2005; 4: 21-31.Olafsson E, Hauser W A, Ludvigsson P , Gudmundsson G. Incidence of Epilepsy in Rural Iceland: A Population- Based Study. Epilepsia 1996; 37: 951–955.Joensen P. Prevalence, incidence, and classification of epilepsy in the Faroes. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica1986;74:150–155.Granieri E, Rosati G, Tola R, Pavoni M, Paolino E, Pinna L, Monetti V C. A Descriptive Study of Epilepsy in the District of Copparo, Italy, 1964-1978. Epilepsia 1983; 24:502–514.Nash TE, Del Brutto, Butman JA Corona T, Delgado- Escueta A, Duron RM ,et al. Calcific neurocysticercosis and epileptogenesis. Neurology 2004; 62: 1934-38. Sillanpaa M, Jalava M, Kaleva O, Shinnar S. Long-term prognosis of seizures with onset in childhood. N Engl J Med 1998; 338:1715-22.O’Dell C, Shinnar S. Initiation and discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs. Neurol Clin 2001 ;19(2):289-311.Medina MT, Durón RM, Martínez L, Osorio JR, Estrada AL, Zúniga C, et al. Prevalence, incidence, and etiology of epilepsies in rural Honduras: the SalamáStudy. Epilepsia 2005 Jan;46(1):124-31.Sander JWAS. Some aspects of prognosis in the epilepsies:a review. Epilepsia1993;34:1007-16.Berg AT, Shinnar S, Levy SR, Testa FM, Smith-Rapaport S, Beckerman B. Defining early seizure outcomes inpediatric epilepsy: the good, the bad and the in-between.Epilepsy Res 2001 Jan;43(1):75-84. King M, Newton M, Jackson G, Fitt G, Mitchell L, Silvapulle M, et al. Epileptology of the first-seizure presentation: a clinical, electroencephalographic, and magnetic resonance imaging study of 300 consecutive patients. The Lancet 1998; 352: 1007-1011.Duncan JS. Imaging and Epilepsy. Brain 1997; 120: 339- 77.Lhatoo S D,Sander JWAS. The Epidemiology of Epilepsy and Learning Disability. Epilepsia 2001; 42: 6–9.Aicardi J. Epileptic syndromes in childhood. Epilepsia 1988; 29(suppl 3):551 - 5.Stafstrom CE, Patxot CE, Gilmore HE, et al. Seizures in children with Down’s syndrome: etiology, characteristics and outcome. Dev Med Child Neurol 1991; 33:191 – 200

Soluções simples para armazenar hortaliças nos pontos de venda.

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Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller) compression due to "K" wood box closing.

Wood boxes kind ?k? are the most used in table tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller) commercialization in Brazil. Dueto the fruit accommodation process that occurs during the transport from the production place to the commercialization point, producers fill tomato boxes a little bit over its physical capacity, and they close it with wood strips fixed with nails. In order to prevent strips from cracking, it is common to keep them inside water before using, to increase flexibility

The determinants of full-service carriers airfares in European hub-to-hub markets

This paper explores the factors influencing the pricing behaviour of full-service carriers in European hub-to-hub markets. Drawing on a 2009 dataset containing route and airfare information, we establish an econometric model to estimate the impact of route structure, alliances, and market concentration on the pricing of European full-service carriers in these markets. The results suggest that alliances on routes connecting two primary hubs, airport concentration, market share inequality and competition from low-cost carriers influence average airfares of full-service carriers in the European hub-to-hub markets

Probing viscoelastic properties of a thin polymer film sheared between a beads layer and quartz crystal resonator

We report measurements of viscoelastic properties of thin polymer films of 10-100 nm at the MHz range. These thin films are confined between a quartz crystal resonator and a millimetric bead layer, producing an increase of both resonance frequency and dissipation of the quartz resonator. The shear modulus and dynamic viscosity of thin films extracted from these measurements are consistent with the bulk values of the polymer. This modified quartz resonator provides an easily realizable and effective tool for probing the rheological properties of thin films at ambient environment.Comment: submitted to ap

Determinação do potencial de armazenamento em cultivares de alho.

Com o objetivo de determinar o potencial de armazenamento de quatro cultivares de alho com e sem toalete, foi conduzido experimento no galpão de armazenamento do setor de Olericultura da Universidade Federal de Lavras (MG), em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso com quatro repetições, em parcelas subdivididas. Avaliou-se a perda de massa e o índice de chochamento das plantas. Concluiu-se que as perdas de massa ao final do armazenamento foram reduzidas à medida que se colheram bulbos mais desenvolvidos, em estádio avançado de maturação e que os bulbos armazenados sem a pratica de toalete foi fator determinante para a redução da porcentagem de bulbilhos chochos ao final de 180 dias de armazenamento.Suplemento 2. Edição dos Anais do 42 Congresso Brasileiro de Olericultura; 11 Congresso Latino Americano de Horticultura, Uberlândia, jul. 2002