Third-party responses to injustice: a review on the preference for compensation

People are often confronted with injustice that is done to others. In such cases, observers (i.e. third-parties) of injustice can restore justice by punishing the perpetrator, as shown by a vast amount of research. However, this focus on punishment has led to the neglect of another behavioural option: compensation of the victim. The current review focuses on this latter behavioural option. More specifically, it is argued that third-parties are more compensation-oriented than previous literature appears to demonstrate. To support this argument, previous research is discussed and the factors that might explain observers’ preference for compensation are outlined. To conclude, suggestions for future research are presented.Criminal Justice: Legitimacy, accountability, and effectivit

Supporting end-user understanding of classification errors: Visualization and usability issues

Classifiers are applied in many domains where classification errors have significant implications. However, end-users may not always understand the errors and their impact, as error visualizations are typically designed for experts and for improving classifiers. We discuss the specific needs of classifiers’ end-users and a simplified visualization, called Classee, designed to address them. We evaluate this design with users from three levels of expertise, and compare it with ROC curves and confusion matrices. We identify key difficulties with understanding the classification errors, and how visualizations addressed or aggravated them. The main issues concerned confusions of the actual and predicted classes (e.g., confusion of False Positives and False Negatives). The machine learning terminology, complexity of ROC curves, and symmetry of confusion matrices aggravated the confusions. The Classee visualization reduced the difficulties by using several visual features to clarify the actual and predicted classes, and more tangible metrics and representation. Our results contribute to supporting end-users’ understanding of classification errors, and informed decisions when choosing or tuning classifiers

Detection and characterization of the hepatitis C virus

The term hepatitis literally means 'inflammation of the liver', Hepatitis can be caused by toxic substances. metabolic disorders or viral infections. Most clinical hepatitis cases have a viral etiology. Viral hepatitis appears to be an ancient disease (Deinhardt, 1991) and has been recognized as infectious since centuries. Evaluation of hepatitis outbreaks led to the hypothesis that more than one type of viral hepatitis existed. Initially, two different forms of viral infectious agents were identified (Krugman et aI., 1962, 1967). Hepatitis A virus (HA V) is orally transntitted and bas a short incubation period. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transntitred parenterally and has a long incubation period. HA V contains a single stranded RNA genome and belongs to the Picornaviridae, whereas the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) contains a partially double stranded DNA genome and is classified as a Hepadnavirus (Tiollais et aI., 1985). In the early 1980s, an RNA virus designated as hepatitis Delta (Rizetto, 1983) was recognized. This defective hepatotropic virus requires helper functions provided by HBV or another Hepadnavirus (Wang et aI., 1986). After the discovery of hepatitis A and B viruses as etiological agents for viral hepatitis, sensitive serologic assays were developed to diagnose the presence of these viruses

Helicobacter Genotyping and Detection in Peroperative Lavage Fluid in Patients with Perforated Peptic Ulcer

Introduction and Objectives Certain Helicobacter pylori genotypes are associated with peptic ulcer disease; however, little is known about associations between the H. pylori genotype and perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate which genotypes are present in patients with PPU and which genotype is dominant in this population. The secondary aim was to study the possibility of determining the H. pylori status in a way other than by biopsy. Materials and Methods Serum samples, gastric tissue biopsies, lavage fluid, and fluid from the nasogastric tube were collec

Collective Resistance in Microbial Communities by Intracellular Antibiotic Deactivation.

The structure and composition of bacterial communities can compromise antibiotic efficacy. For example, the secretion of β-lactamase by individual bacteria provides passive resistance for all residents within a polymicrobial environment. Here, we uncover that collective resistance can also develop via intracellular antibiotic deactivation. Real-time luminescence measurements and single-cell analysis demonstrate that the opportunistic human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae grows in medium supplemented with chloramphenicol (Cm) when resistant bacteria expressing Cm acetyltransferase (CAT) are present. We show that CAT processes Cm intracellularly but not extracellularly. In a mouse pneumonia model, more susceptible pneumococci survive Cm treatment when coinfected with a CAT-expressing strain. Mathematical modeling predicts that stable coexistence is only possible when antibiotic resistance comes at a fitness cost. Strikingly, CAT-expressing pneumococci in mouse lungs were outcompeted by susceptible cells even during Cm treatment. Our results highlight the importance of the microbial context during infectious disease as a potential complicating factor to antibiotic therapy

Once Nocturia, Always Nocturia? Natural History of Nocturia in Older Men Based on Frequency-Volume Charts:The Krimpen Study

Purpose: Nocturia is a highly prevalent and bothersome symptom that might (spontaneously) resolve. However, longitudinal data are not available on the incidence and resolution of nocturia assessed with frequency-volume charts. In this study we determined the prevalence, incidence and resolution rates of nocturia assessed by frequency-volume charts, and compared nocturnal voiding frequency over time as assessed by frequency-volume charts and questionnaires. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal, population based study was conducted among 1,688 men 50 to 78 years old with followup rounds at 2.1, 4.2 and 6.5 years. Nocturnal voiding frequency was determined with frequency-volume charts and, for comparison purposes, with a question from the International Prostate Symptom Score. Nocturia was defined as nocturnal voiding frequency 2 or greater. Prevalence, incidence and resolution rates were also determined. Results: At the 2.1-year followup the incidence rate was 23.9% and the resolution rate was 36.7%. The incidence rate was highest in the oldest group (70 to 78 years) and lowest in the youngest (50 to 54 years), whereas the resolution rate was highest in the group 55 to 59 years old and lowest in the oldest group. Because of the high resolution rate, no reliable incidence rates can be calculated. Despite fluctuation, the prevalence of nocturia increased with age and over time (from 34.4% to 44.7% for the total group, p <0.05). Men who had a frequency-volume chart-nocturnal voiding frequency less than International Prostate Symptom Score-nocturnal voiding frequency (6% of the population) more often had this later on. Conclusions: In this population frequency-volume chart assessed nocturia shows considerable fluctuation. Nevertheless, prevalence increases over time and with increasing age. Men who once had frequency-volume chart-nocturnal voiding frequency less than International Prostate Symptom Score-nocturnal voiding frequency are more likely to have this again. Therefore, frequency-volume charts as well as the International Prostate Symptom Score should be used when evaluating nocturia

Особливості розв’язку задач параметричної ідентифікації динамічних систем в умовах інтервальної невизначеності

Розглянуто задачу параметричної ідентифікації лінійних динамічних систем методами аналізу інтервальних даних. Показано, що у випадку врахування початкових інтервальних наближень дискретних значень прогнозованої характеристики дана задача є задачею розв’язування інтервальної системи нелінійних алгебричних рівнянь. Досліджено особливості формування та властивості розв’язку таких систем.Рассмотрена задача параметрической идентификации линейных динамических систем методами анализа интервальных данных. Показано, что в случае учета начальных интервальных приближений дискретных значений прогнозированной характеристики, данная задача есть задачей решения интервальной системы нелинейных алгебраических уравнений; исследованы особенности формирования и свойства решения таких систем.The problem of parameter identification of linear dynamic systems by methods of analysis of interval data is considered. It is shown that in the case of taking into account the initial interval approximations of discrete values of the predicted characteristics, this problem is the problem of solving interval system of nonlinear algebraic equations