Ontology-based model abstraction

In recent years, there has been a growth in the use of reference conceptual models to capture information about complex and critical domains. However, as the complexity of domain increases, so does the size and complexity of the models that represent them. Over the years, different techniques for complexity management in large conceptual models have been developed. In particular, several authors have proposed different techniques for model abstraction. In this paper, we leverage on the ontologically well-founded semantics of the modeling language OntoUML to propose a novel approach for model abstraction in conceptual models. We provide a precise definition for a set of Graph-Rewriting rules that can automatically produce much-reduced versions of OntoUML models that concentrate the models’ information content around the ontologically essential types in that domain, i.e., the so-called Kinds. The approach has been implemented using a model-based editor and tested over a repository of OntoUML models

The game transfer phenomena scale: an instrument for investigating the nonvolitional effects of video game playing

A variety of instruments have been developed to assess different dimensions of playing videogames and its effects on cognitions, affect, and behaviors. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Game Transfer Phenomena Scale (GTPS) that assesses non-volitional phenomena experienced after playing videogames (i.e., altered perceptions, automatic mental processes, and involuntary behaviors). A total of 1,736 gamers participated in an online survey used as the basis for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm the factorial structure of the GTPS. The five-factor structure using the 20 indicators based on the analysis of gamers’ self-reports fitted the data well. Population cross-validity was also achieved and the positive associations between the session length and overall scores indicate the GTPS warranted criterion-related validity. Although the understanding of GTP is still in its infancy, the GTPS appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing non-volitional gaming-related phenomena. The GTPS can be used for understanding the phenomenology of post-effects of playing videogames

Like or dislike? Adolescents’ responses to personalized social network site advertising

Increasingly, personal data posted by users of social network sites (SNSs) can be used to personalize advertising. The present study investigates how adolescents respond to personalized ads in terms of attitude toward the ad, brand engagement and intention to forward, and whether privacy concerns moderate their responses. According to pretest results, a medium level of personalization was expected to be optimal in terms of advertising effectiveness. A within-subjects experiment involving 40 participants aged 14–18 years was performed. Three conditions of personalized advertising were designed with, respectively, low, medium, and high levels of personalization. The study found that the highest personalization condition generated the most positive response and that privacy concerns did not moderate the effects of personalization. The privacy paradox is discussed as an alternative explanation, along with other implications of the results

Dose response relationship between lithium serum levels during pregnancy and birth outcomes

Introduction: Lithium use during pregnancy reduces the risk of mood episodes in the perinatal period for women with bipolar disorder. Some previous studies found deleterious effects of intrauterine lithium exposure on birth outcomes, yet little is known about a dose response relationship. The current study investigated the influence of maternal lithium serum levels on birth outcomes. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included women with a bipolar spectrum disorder who were referred to a specialized psychiatric and obstetric outpatient clinic from 2003 to 2019 and used lithium during the entire pregnancy. For 101 pregnancies at least one lithium level during pregnancy was available. A weighted average lithium level was calculated for the entire pregnancy, as well as for each trimester. Detailed information on maternal, obstetric and neonatal outcomes were retrieved from the medical records. Linear and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between weighted average lithium level and pregnancy duration, birth weight percentiles, preterm birth and large for gestational age births (LGA). In subsequent exploratory analyses, we studied the role of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) as a mediator in the found associations. Results: The weighted average lithium serum level during pregnancy was negatively associated with pregnancy duration and positively with preterm birth, but not with birth weight percentile or LGA. In exploratory analyses, TSH and T4 did not mediate the association between average lithium serum level and pregnancy duration. Conclusion: The results of this cohort study during pregnancy indicate a dose response relationship between maternal lithium serum levels and pregnancy duration.</p