Search results for "modelling."
showing 10 items of 1269 documents
Mid-term trends and recent birth-cohort-dependent changes in incidence rates of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Italy
2020
In Oceania, North America and north-western Europe, after decades of increase, cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) rates began to stabilise or decline before 2000. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the reversal of the incidence trend is extending to southern Europe. To obtain a formal confirmation, this nationwide study from Italy investigated the incidence trends by birth cohort. Twenty-one local cancer registries covering a population of 15 814 455 provided incidence data for primary CMM registered between 1994 and 2013. Trends in age-standardised rates were analysed using joinpoint regression models and age-period-cohort models. Age-standardised incidence showed a consistent increase throu…
Surrogate data analysis of sleep electroencephalograms reveals evidence for nonlinearity
1996
We tested the hypothesis of whether sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) signals of different time windows (164 s, 82 s, 41 s and 20.5 s) are in accordance with linear stochastic models. For this purpose we analyzed the all-night sleep electroencephalogram of a healthy subject and corresponding Gaussian-rescaled phase randomized surrogates with a battery of five non-linear measures. The following nonlinear measures were implemented: largest Lyapunov exponent L1, correlation dimension D2, and the Green-Savit measures delta 2, delta 4 and delta 6. The hypothesis of linear stochastic data was rejected with high statistical significance. L1 and D2 yielded the most pronounced effects, while the G…
Natural versus enriched food: Evidence from a laboratory experiment with chewing gum.
2019
Abstract The current study explored consumers' preferences for natural versus enriched foods and identified the underlying driving forces behind consumer interest towards both attributes. A laboratory experiment with 200 respondents was carried out, applying the incentive compatible Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism to measure consumers' willingness to pay for natural and enriched attributes of chewing gum. Empirical findings reveal that the two attributes are evaluated similarly by consumers. Furthermore, structural equation modelling identified a strong interdependence between the natural and the enriched attributes, suggesting they are complementary rather than substitutes/alternatives i…
Optimizing strategies for meningococcal C disease vaccination in Valencia (Spain)
2014
Background: Meningococcal C (MenC) conjugate vaccines have controlled invasive diseases associated with this serogroup in countries where they are included in National Immunization Programs and also in an extensive catch-up program involving subjects up to 20 years of age. Catch-up was important, not only because it prevented disease in adolescents and young adults at risk, but also because it decreased transmission of the bacteria, since it was in this age group where the organism was circulating. Our objective is to develop a new vaccination schedule to achieve maximum seroprotection in these groups. Methods: A recent study has provided detailed age-structured information on the seroprote…
Airway remodelling assessed by sputum and high resolution computed tomography in asthma and COPD
2004
It is not known whether sputum elastase, metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and tissue-inhibitor metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 are related to structural changes of the airways, as assessed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan. The relationships between these markers and the magnitude of structural changes of the airways in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were assessed. Induced sputum and HRCT scan were performed in 30 asthmatics (14 mild and 16 severe) and in 12 patients with COPD. A greater extent of HRCT scan abnormalities was found in COPD than in severe and mild asthmatics. HRCT scan abnormalities correlated with the degree of airway obstruction in COPD and in …
The use of prediction models of spontaneous pregnancy in in vitro fertilization units reveals differences between the expected results of public and …
2009
To evaluate the applicability of prediction models (PM) of spontaneous pregnancy (SP) in a population of infertile patients from a university-affiliated private assisted reproductive technology center (Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad) and in the reproductive medicine section of a public university hospital (La Fe), both belonging to the same city (Valencia, Spain) between January and December 2008. We calculated the probability of SP using the PM developed by Hunault et al. in our two populations, and observed an estimated probability of SP40% or the PM applicable in approximately 97% of the studied couples, and statistical differences between pregnancy probabilities in the two setting…
Disparities in nutritional adequacy of diets between different socioeconomic groups of Finnish adults
2022
Information on dietary adequacy is needed to assess food and nutrition security in a modern society, especially in the transition towards climate-friendly food systems. In this study, differences in the nutritional adequacy of diets among Finnish adults were evaluated in population groups of different education, income and urbanisation levels. The study used data from the FinDiet 2017 Survey (n = 1655, 18–74 years). Modelled usual intakes of foods and nutrients were evaluated relative to food-based dietary guidelines issued by the National Nutrition Council of Finland (FNNC) and with respect to nutrient adequacy following the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and FNNC. For about half of the …
Clinical and radiographic performance of self‐locking conical connection implants in the posterior mandible: Five‐year results of a two‐centre prospe…
2021
Abstract Objective This prospective study aims to assess the 5‐year clinical performance of implants with internal conical connection and platform‐switched abutments in the posterior mandible. Material and Methods Healthy adults missing at least two teeth in the posterior mandible and with a natural tooth mesial to the implant site received two or three adjacent implants. After a transmucosal healing period single crown restorations were cemented on platform‐switched abutments. Changes in marginal bone levels were investigated in standardized periapical radiographs from surgery and loading (baseline) to 60‐months post‐loading. Results Twenty‐four patients received 52 implants. Bone remodell…
Does self‐compassion help to deal with dietary lapses among overweight and obese adults who pursue weight‐loss goals?
2021
Objectives Self-compassion can facilitate self-improvement motivation. We examined the effects of self-compassion in response to dietary lapses on outcomes relevant to weight-loss strivings using a longitudinal design. The indirect effects of self-compassion via guilt and shame were also explored. Design An Ecological Momentary Assessment methodology was employed with a sample of adults who were overweight or obese attempting to lose weight via dietary restriction (N = 56; Mage = 34.88; SD = 13.93; MBMI = 32.50; SD = 6.88) and who responded to brief surveys sent to their mobile phones twice daily for two weeks. Methods Dietary temptations and lapses were assessed at each diary entry, and se…
The Artificial Society Analytics Platform
2020
Author's accepted manuscript Social simulation routinely involves the construction of artificial societies and agents within such societies. Currently there is insufficient discussion of best practices regarding the construction process. This chapter introduces the artificial society analytics platform (ASAP) as a way to spark discussion of best practices. ASAP is designed to be an extensible architecture capable of functioning as the core of many different types of inquiries into social dynamics. Here we describe ASAP, focusing on design decisions in several key areas, thereby exposing our assumptions and reasoning to critical scrutiny, hoping for discussion that can advance debate over be…