Sentimentator : Gamifying Fine-grained Sentiment Annotation

Peer reviewe

Creating a Dataset for Multilingual Fine-grained Emotion-detection Using Gamification-based Annotation

This paper introduces a gamified framework for fine-grained sentiment analysis and emotion detection. We present a flexible tool, Sentimentator, that can be used for efficient annotation based on crowd sourcing and a selfperpetuating gold standard. We also present a novel dataset with multi-dimensional annotations of emotions and sentiments in movie subtitles that enables research on sentiment preservation across languages and the creation of robust multilingual emotion detection tools. The tools and datasets are public and opensource and can easily be extended and applied for various purposes.Peer reviewe

The influence of color on snake detection in visual search in human children

It is well known that adult humans detect snakes as targets more quickly than flowers as the targets and that how rapidly they detect a snake picture does not differ whether the images are in color or gray-scale, whereas they find a flower picture more rapidly when the images are in color than when the images are gray-scale. In the present study, a total of 111 children were presented with 3-by-3 matrices of images of snakes and flowers in either color or gray-scale displays. Unlike the adults reported on previously, the present participants responded to the target faster when it was in color than when it was gray-scale, whether the target was a snake or a flower, regardless of their age. When detecting snakes, human children appear to selectively attend to their color, which would contribute to the detection being more rapidly at the expense of its precision

Prenatal Vitamin D Levels in Maternal Sera and Offspring Specific Learning Disorders

Recent evidence has suggested potential harmful effects of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on offspring brain development, for example, elevated risks for neuropsychiatric disorders. Findings on general cognition and academic achievement are mixed, and no studies have examined the effect of prenatal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels on diagnosed specific learning disorders, which was the aim of this study. We examined a nested case–control sample from the source cohort of all singleton-born children in Finland between 1996 and 1997 (n = 115,730). A total of 1607 cases with specific learning disorders (mean age at diagnosis: 9.9 years) and 1607 matched controls were identified from Finnish nationwide registers. Maternal 25(OH)D levels were analyzed from serum samples collected during the first trimester of pregnancy and stored in a national biobank. Conditional logistic regression was used to test the association between maternal 25(OH)D and offspring specific learning disorders. There were no significant associations between maternal 25(OH)D levels and specific learning disorders when vitamin D was examined as a log-transformed continuous variable (adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82–1.18, p = 0.84) or as a categorical variable (25(OH)D 50 nmol/L), nor when it was divided into quintiles (adjusted OR for the lowest quintile 1.00, 95% CI 0.78–1.28, p = 0.99 compared to the highest quintile). This study found no association between low maternal 25(OH)D in early pregnancy and offspring specific learning disorders

Prenatal Vitamin D Levels in Maternal Sera and Offspring Specific Learning Disorders

Recent evidence has suggested potential harmful effects of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on offspring brain development, for example, elevated risks for neuropsychiatric disorders. Findings on general cognition and academic achievement are mixed, and no studies have examined the effect of prenatal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels on diagnosed specific learning disorders, which was the aim of this study. We examined a nested case–control sample from the source cohort of all singleton-born children in Finland between 1996 and 1997 (n = 115,730). A total of 1607 cases with specific learning disorders (mean age at diagnosis: 9.9 years) and 1607 matched controls were identified from Finnish nationwide registers. Maternal 25(OH)D levels were analyzed from serum samples collected during the first trimester of pregnancy and stored in a national biobank. Conditional logistic regression was used to test the association between maternal 25(OH)D and offspring specific learning disorders. There were no significant associations between maternal 25(OH)D levels and specific learning disorders when vitamin D was examined as a log-transformed continuous variable (adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82–1.18, p = 0.84) or as a categorical variable (25(OH)D 50 nmol/L), nor when it was divided into quintiles (adjusted OR for the lowest quintile 1.00, 95% CI 0.78–1.28, p = 0.99 compared to the highest quintile). This study found no association between low maternal 25(OH)D in early pregnancy and offspring specific learning disorders

The sarcopenia and physical frailty in older people : multi-component treatment strategies (SPRINTT) project: description and feasibility of a nutrition intervention in community-dwelling older Europeans

Background The "Sarcopenia and Physical Frailty in Older People: Multicomponent Treatment Strategies" (SPRINTT) project sponsored a multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) with the objective to determine the effect of physical activity and nutrition intervention for prevention of mobility disability in community-dwelling frail older Europeans. We describe here the design and feasibility of the SPRINTT nutrition intervention, including techniques used by nutrition interventionists to identify those at risk of malnutrition and to carry out the nutrition intervention. Methods SPRINTT RCT recruited older adults (>= 70 years) from 11 European countries. Eligible participants (n = 1517) had functional limitations measured with Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB score 3-9) and low muscle mass as determined by DXA scans, but were able to walk 400 m without assistance within 15 min. Participants were followed up for up to 3 years. The nutrition intervention was carried out mainly by individual nutrition counseling. Nutrition goals included achieving a daily protein intake of 1.0-1.2 g/kg body weight, energy intake of 25-30 kcal/kg of body weight/day, and serum vitamin D concentration >= 75 mmol/L. Survey on the method strategies and feasibility of the nutrition intervention was sent to all nutrition interventionists of the 16 SPRINTT study sites. Results Nutrition interventionists from all study sites responded to the survey. All responders found that the SPRINTT nutrition intervention was feasible for the target population, and it was well received by the majority. The identification of participants at nutritional risk was accomplished by combining information from interviews, questionnaires, clinical and laboratory data. Although the nutrition intervention was mainly carried out using individual nutritional counselling, other assisting methods were used as appropriate. Conclusion The SPRINTT nutrition intervention was feasible and able to adapt flexibly to varying needs of this heterogeneous population. The procedures adopted to identify older adults at risk of malnutrition and to design the appropriate intervention may serve as a model to deliver nutrition intervention for community-dwelling older people with mobility limitations. Aim To describe the methods and feasibility of the nutritional intervention carried out within the SPRINTT Randomized cotrolled trial. We also illustrate how nutrition interventionists identified participants at risk of malnutrition and the lessons learnt from the nutrition intervention. Findings SPRINTT nutrition intervention was well-received by the majority of the participants. It was mainly carried out using tailored nutrition counselling, but also other means of delivering the intervention were successfully used. Compared with a standard nutrition prescription, an individualized protocol to diagnose malnutrition and follow-up by tailored nutrition counselling helped achieve nutritional targets more effectively in spite of diversity of population in nutritional habits and in some cases reluctance to accept changes. Message The SPRINTT nutrition intervention was feasible and allowed flexibility to the varying needs and cultural differences of this heterogeneous population of frail, older Europeans. It may serve as a model to educate and improve nutrition among community-dwelling older people at risk of mobility limitations.Peer reviewe

Emotion based attentional priority for storage in visual short-term memory

A plethora of research demonstrates that the processing of emotional faces is prioritised over non-emotive stimuli when cognitive resources are limited (this is known as ‘emotional superiority’). However, there is debate as to whether competition for processing resources results in emotional superiority per se, or more specifically, threat superiority. Therefore, to investigate prioritisation of emotional stimuli for storage in visual short-term memory (VSTM), we devised an original VSTM report procedure using schematic (angry, happy, neutral) faces in which processing competition was manipulated. In Experiment 1, display exposure time was manipulated to create competition between stimuli. Participants (n = 20) had to recall a probed stimulus from a set size of four under high (150 ms array exposure duration) and low (400 ms array exposure duration) perceptual processing competition. For the high competition condition (i.e. 150 ms exposure), results revealed an emotional superiority effect per se. In Experiment 2 (n = 20), we increased competition by manipulating set size (three versus five stimuli), whilst maintaining a constrained array exposure duration of 150 ms. Here, for the five-stimulus set size (i.e. maximal competition) only threat superiority emerged. These findings demonstrate attentional prioritisation for storage in VSTM for emotional faces. We argue that task demands modulated the availability of processing resources and consequently the relative magnitude of the emotional/threat superiority effect, with only threatening stimuli prioritised for storage in VSTM under more demanding processing conditions. Our results are discussed in light of models and theories of visual selection, and not only combine the two strands of research (i.e. visual selection and emotion), but highlight a critical factor in the processing of emotional stimuli is availability of processing resources, which is further constrained by task demands

Monetary value of informal caregiving in dementia from a societal perspective

Peer reviewe

Legislative strengthening meets party support in international assistance: a closer relationship?

Recent reports recommend that international efforts to help strengthen legislatures in emerging democracies should work more closely with support for building stronger political parties and competitive party systems. This article locates the recommendations within international assistance more generally and reviews the arguments. It explores problems that must be addressed if the recommendations are to be implemented effectively. The article argues that an alternative, issue-based approach to strengthening legislatures and closer links with civil society could gain more traction. However, that is directed more centrally at promoting good governance for the purpose of furthering development than at democratisation goals sought by party aid and legislative strengtheners in the democracy assistance industry