19683 research outputs found
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Identifying Correlated Functional Brain Network Patterns Associated with Touch Discrimination in Survivors of Stroke Using Automated Machine Learning
No full textAbstract: Stroke recovery is multifaceted and complex. Machine learning approaches have potential to identify patterns of brain activity associated with clinical outcomes, providing new insights into recovery. We aim to use machine learning to characterise the contribution of and potential interaction between resting state functional connectivity networks in predicting touch discrimination outcomes in a well-phenotyped, but small, stroke cohort. We interrogated and compared a suite of automated machine learning approaches to identify patterns of brain activity associated with clinical outcomes. Using feature reduction, the identification of combined ‘golden features’, and five-fold cross-validation, two golden features patterns emerged. These golden features identified patterns of resting state connectivity involving interactive relationships: 1. The difference between right insula and right superior temporal lobe correlation and left cerebellum and vermis correlation; 2. The ratio between right inferior temporal lobe and left cerebellum correlation and left frontal inferior operculum and left supplementary motor area correlation. Our findings demonstrate evidence of the potential for automated machine learning to provide new insights into brain network patterns and their interactions associated with the prediction of quantitative touch discrimination outcomes, through the automated identification of robust associations and golden feature brain patterns, even in a small cohort of stroke survivors. </p
Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches
No full textExtracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its ‘Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles’, which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly.</p
Disability Practice: Safeguarding Quality Service Delivery
No full textFirst Published online 07 Dec 2023</p
Doorknocks and dog bandanas: a new conception of field campaigning activities
No full textABSTRACT: Despite pundit claims that field campaigns contributed to the Australian Greens Party and independent candidates’ successes in the 2022 federal election, little is known about the activities conducted. The use and development of novel activities has been established, but what happens on the ground remains largely invisible. Comparing the results of semistructured interviews with participants from across the Australian Greens Party and the ‘teal’ independents (N = 73), this article develops a new understanding of the activities of field campaigning and illuminates the differences between independent and party campaigns. The Greens are shown to focus more on traditional voter contact activities, while the independent campaigns prioritise visibility and volunteer participation. From these results, this study establishes a new definition of field campaigning and clarifies the way in which institutional knowledge, or the lack thereof, shapes the conception and development of campaign activities.</p
A lineage perspective on hominin taxonomy and evolution
No full textAn uncritical reliance on the phylogenetic species concept has led paleoanthropologists to become increasingly typological in their delimitation of new species in the hominin fossil record. As a practical matter, this approach identifies species as diagnosably distinct groups of fossils that share a unique suite of morphological characters but, ontologically, a species is a metapopulation lineage segment that extends from initial divergence to eventual extinction or subsequent speciation. Working from first principles of species concept theory, it is clear that a reliance on morphological diagnosabilty will systematically overestimate species diversity in the fossil record; because morphology can evolve within a lineage segment, it follows that early and late populations of the same species can be diagnosably distinct from each other. We suggest that a combination of morphology and chronology provides a more robust test of the single-species null hypothesis than morphology alone
Fate, Desire, and Shame: Janda in Indonesian Pop Culture
No full textResearch on images of femininityin Indonesia has largely focused on either the image of femininity produced by the state or, relatively, high-brow cultural forms of femininity. However, popular culture produces images of females that often stand in contrast to such symbolism. This article contends that the janda, the divorcee or widow, one of the foremost images of femininity in popular music, drama, and literature, has been, for the most part, overlooked. Seen as sexually available and lascivious, the janda represents the “fallen woman”; an object of both fascination and pity. This article analyses the janda image as one of the foremost symbols in Indonesian popular culture. It is argued that the janda image must be analysed in relation to maiden and mother images. Furthermore, culturally specific ideas of desire, fate, and shame contextualise the janda image. As will become apparent, Indonesian popular culture is patriarchal, and a heterosexual male perspective frames much of the symbolism. This means that actual women live with the very real stigma of being a divorcee or a widowin Indonesia. In this study, we focus on the janda image and include discussion of how its representation has evolved to include a cosmopolitan ideal.</p
Artificial Intelligence for Clinical Prediction: Exploring Key Domains and Essential Functions
No full textBackground: Clinical prediction is integral to modern healthcare, leveraging current and historical medical data to forecast health outcomes. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this field significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, disease prevention, and personalised care leading to better patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. Methods: This systematic review implemented a structured four-step methodology, including an extensive literature search in academic databases (PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar), applying specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction focusing on AI techniques and their applications in clinical prediction, and a thorough analysis of the collected information to understand AI's roles in enhancing clinical prediction. Results: Through the analysis of 74 experimental studies, eight key domains, where AI significantly enhances clinical prediction, were identified: (1) Diagnosis and early detection of disease; (2) Prognosis of disease course and outcomes; (3) Risk assessment of future disease; (4) Treatment response for personalised medicine; (5) Disease progression; (6) Readmission risks; (7) Complication risks; and (8) Mortality prediction. Oncology and radiology come on top of the specialties benefiting from AI in clinical prediction. Discussion: The review highlights AI's transformative impact across various clinical prediction domains, including its role in revolutionising diagnostics, improving prognosis accuracy, aiding in personalised medicine, and enhancing patient safety. AI-driven tools contribute significantly to the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery. Conclusion and recommendations: AI's integration in clinical prediction marks a substantial advancement in healthcare. Recommendations include enhancing data quality and accessibility, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, focusing on ethical AI practices, investing in AI education, expanding clinical trials, developing regulatory oversight, involving patients in the AI integration process, and continuous monitoring and improvement of AI systems
Mutually enhanced multi-view information learning for segmentation of lung tumor in CT images
No full textNo description supplied.</p
From significance testing to estimation and Open Science: How esci can help
No full textWe argue that researchers should test less, estimate more, and adopt Open Science practices. We outline some of the flaws of null hypothesis significance testing and take three approaches to demonstrating the unreliability of the p value. We explain some advantages of estimation and meta-analysis (“the new statistics”), especially as contributions to Open Science practices, which aim to increase the openness, integrity, and replicability of research. We then describe esci (estimation statistics with confidence intervals): a set of online simulations and an R package for estimation that integrates into jamovi and JASP. This software provides (a) online activities to sharpen understanding of statistical concepts (e.g., “The Dance of the Means”); (b) effects sizes and confidence intervals for a range of study designs, largely by using techniques recently developed by Bonett; (c) publication-ready visualisations that make uncertainty salient; and (d) the option to conduct strong, fair hypothesis evaluation through specification of an interval null. Although developed specifically to support undergraduate learning through the 2nd edition of our textbook, esci should prove a valuable tool for graduate students and researchers interested in adopting the estimation approach. Further information is at (https://thenewstatistics.com).</p
Social cognition interventions for patients with first-episode psychosis: A scoping review
No full textThis scoping review seeks to identify existing evidence of social cognition interventions for patients with first-episode psychosis. This review followed the five steps of Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework. Studies published between October 2002 and June 2023 were examined in the following six databases: PsycArticles, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, and Scopus. We also searched grey literature and references of included studies. Studies reporting on social cognition interventions for adults with first-episode psychosis were included. Review findings were synthesised employing the PAGER framework. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guideline was followed to prepare and report this manuscript. Twelve articles were included in this review. Most of the social cognition interventions were provided in out-patient clinics. Four studies provided board-based social cognition interventions, while the remaining eight studies introduced interventions to targeted domains of social cognition. All studies reported an improvement in patients' social functioning and social skills after receiving the intervention. Barriers and facilitators for patients with first-episode psychosis in receiving social cognition intervention were also summarised. Future studies could be conducted to explore the long-term effects of social cognition interventions, particularly for in-patient setting and the domain of social perception