Visual Analysis of Molecular Conformations by Means of a Dynamic Density Mixture Model

Purpose Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an intervention approach that can promote communication and language in children with multiple disabilities who are beginning communicators. While a wide range of AAC technologies are available, little is known about the comparative effects of specific technology options. Given that engagement can be low for beginning communicators with multiple disabilities, the current study provides initial information about the comparative effects of 2 AAC technology options—high-tech visual scene displays (VSDs) and low-tech isolated picture symbols—on engagement. Method Three elementary-age beginning communicators with multiple disabilities participated. The study used a single-subject, alternating treatment design with each technology serving as a condition. Participants interacted with their school speech-language pathologists using each of the 2 technologies across 5 sessions in a block randomized order. Results According to visual analysis and nonoverlap of all pairs calculations, all 3 participants demonstrated more engagement with the high-tech VSDs than the low-tech isolated picture symbols as measured by their seconds of gaze toward each technology option. Despite the difference in engagement observed, there was no clear difference across the 2 conditions in engagement toward the communication partner or use of the AAC. Conclusions Clinicians can consider measuring engagement when evaluating AAC technology options for children with multiple disabilities and should consider evaluating high-tech VSDs as 1 technology option for them. Future research must explore the extent to which differences in engagement to particular AAC technologies result in differences in communication and language learning over time as might be expected.

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A Pilot Study of Early Storybook Reading With Babies With Hearing Loss

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-l-17-0305 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (9) ◽

pp. 3397-3412

Author(s):

Michelle I. Brown ◽

David Trembath ◽

Marleen F. Westerveld ◽

Gail T. Gillon

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Visual Analysis ◽

Single Case ◽

Eye Contact ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Storybook Reading ◽

Book Selection ◽

Turn Taking ◽

Parent Child

Purpose This pilot study explored the effectiveness of an early storybook reading (ESR) intervention for parents with babies with hearing loss (HL) for improving (a) parents' book selection skills, (b) parent–child eye contact, and (c) parent–child turn-taking. Advancing research into ESR, this study examined whether the benefits from an ESR intervention reported for babies without HL were also observed in babies with HL. Method Four mother–baby dyads participated in a multiple baseline single-case experimental design across behaviors. Treatment effects for parents' book selection skills, parent–child eye contact, and parent–child turn-taking were examined using visual analysis and Tau-U analysis. Results Statistically significant increases, with large to very large effect sizes, were observed for all 4 participants for parent–child eye contact and parent–child turn-taking. Limited improvements with ceiling effects were observed for parents' book selection skills. Conclusion The findings provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of an ESR intervention for babies with HL for promoting parent–child interactions through eye contact and turn-taking.

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The association of Raynaud’s phenomenon/syndrome with scleroderma and Sjögren’s syndrome – a meta-analysis

VASA ◽

10.1024/0301-1526.37.s73.26 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 37 (Supplement 73) ◽

pp. 26-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Schlattmann ◽

Höhne ◽

Plümper ◽

Heidrich

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Sjögren’S Syndrome ◽

Mixture Model ◽

Sjögren's Syndrome ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sjogren’S Syndrome ◽

Sjogren's Syndrome ◽

Raynaud’S Syndrome ◽

Raynaud's Syndrome ◽

Sjögren‘S Syndrome

Background: In order to analyze the prevalence of Raynaud’s syndrome in diseases such as scleroderma and Sjögren’s syndrom – a meta-analysis of published data was performed. Methods: The PubMed data base of the National Library of Medicine was used for studies dealing with Raynaud’s syndrome and scleroderma or Raynaud’s syndroem and Sjögren’s syndrom respectively. The studies found provided data sufficient to estimate the prevalence of Raynaud’s syndrome. The statistical analysis was based on methods for a fixed effects meta-analysis and finite mixture model for proportions. Results: For scleroderma a pooled prevalence of 80.9% and 95% CI (0.78, 0.83) was obtained. A mixture model analysis found four latent classes. We identified a class with a very low prevalence of 11%, weighted with 0.15. On the other hand there is a class with a very high prevalence of 96%. Analysing the association with Sjögren’s syndrome, the pooled analysis leads to a prevalence of Raynaud’s syndrome of 32%, 95% CI(26.7%, 37.7%). A mixture model finds a solution with two latent classes. Here, 38% of the studies show a prevalence of 18.8% whereas 62% observe a prevalence of 38.3%. Conclusion: There is strong variability of studies reporting the prevalence of Raynaud’s syndrome in patients suffering from scleroderma or Sjögren’s syndrome. The available data are insufficient to perform a proper quantitative analysis of the association of Raynaud’s phenomenon with scleroderma or Sjögren’s syndrome. Properly planned and reported epidemiological studies are needed in order to perform a thorough quantitative analysis of risk factors for Raynaud’s syndrome.

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Supplemental Material for A Bayesian Latent-Mixture Model Analysis Shows That Informative Samples Reduce Base-Rate Neglect

Decision ◽

10.1037/dec0000024.supp ◽

2014 ◽

Keyword(s):

Mixture Model ◽

Model Analysis ◽

Base Rate ◽

Base Rate Neglect

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The impact of a mega-event on city branding: The European Capital of Culture 2010 and the image of Istanbul

BORDER CROSSING ◽

10.33182/bc.v3i1.524 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 29-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Evinç Doğan ◽

Ibrahim Sirkeci

Keyword(s):

Visual Analysis ◽

Place Branding ◽

World City ◽

City Branding ◽

City Image ◽

European Capital Of Culture ◽

National Boundaries ◽

Symbolic Production ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

This study examines the ways in which the city image of Istanbul is re-created through the mega-events within the context of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) 2010. Istanbul “took the stage” as one of the three ECoC cities (Essen for the Ruhr in Germany and Pécs in Hungary), where the urban spaces were projected as the theatre décor while residents and visitors became the spectators of the events. Organisers and agents of the ECoC 2010 seemed to rebrand Istanbul as a “world city” rather than a “European capital”. With a series of transnational connotations, this can be considered as part of an attempt to turn Istanbul to a global city. In this study we examine posters used during the ECoC 2010 to see whether this was evident in the promoted images of Istanbul. The research employs a hermeneutic approach in which representations, signs and language are the means of symbolic meaning, which is analysed through qualitative methods for the visual data (Visual Analysis Methods), namely Semiotics and Discourse Analysis. The analysed research material comes from a sample of posters released during the ECoC 2010 to promote 549 events throughout the year. Using stratified random sampling we have drawn 28 posters (5% of the total) reflecting the thematic groups of events in the ECoC 2010. Particular attention is also paid to the reflexivity of the researchers and researchers’ embeddedness to the object of research. The symbolic production and visual representation are therefore investigated firstly through the authoritative and historically constituted discourses in the making of Istanbul image and secondly through the orders of cultural consumption and mediatisation of culture through spectacular events. Hence enforcing a transnationalisation of the image of the city where the image appears to be almost stateless transcending the national boundaries. Findings and methodology used in this study can be useful in understanding similar cases and further research into the processes of city and place branding and image relationships.

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Peculiarities of seasonal changes of taxonomic structure and number of weevil-beetles (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) of herptobios in Kharkiv urbocenoses (Ukraine)

Ukrainian Entomological Journal ◽

10.15421/281905 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 25-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

N.A. Komaromi ◽

A.V. Putchkov ◽

V.Yu. Nazarenko

Keyword(s):

Early Summer ◽

Taxonomic Structure ◽

Dynamic Density ◽

Number Of Species ◽

Summer Maximum ◽

Minimal Quantity ◽

Slight Rise ◽

Suburban Forests ◽

The City ◽

Increased Activity

A total of 54 species in 35 genera of Curculionidae are registered in the urbocenoses of Kharkiv city. Only three species, Exomias pellucidus, Otiorhynchus raucus and Ot. ovatus, are recorded as dominants. Some other species (Urometopus nemorum, Sciaphobus squalidus and Glocianus punctiger) are sporadically noted in some sites as subdominants. The total number of species turned out to be higher in the herpetobios of plantings at periphery (31), slightly lower in private farmlands of the city (21), parks and plantings of the center (17 each), but minimal in suburban forests (11 species). The highest quantity of specimens were observed for the plantations of the center and margins of city: nevertheless, minimal quantity of specimens was registered at parks and woods. The maximum number of species (including all cenoses) was recorded from the end of April to first decade of May (28 species). From May to the end of June 15–18 species were registered. Ten species were recorded at July, and only six species at August. A slight rise was noted from the end of August to mid-September (11 species). In biotopes where Exomias pellucidus appeared to be the monodominant, the seasonal dynamic density of weevils reached a peak at late May or early June, but the significant decline was observed from early June to July. At the sites with several dominants, two or three peaks were registered: at spring (May) and at mid-summer (end of June or beginning of July). Furthermore, the number of weevils decreased gradually, but some species of Curculionidae were rather abundant even from the end of summer to September–October. The spring increase is reasoned by high density of species in the genus Otiorhynchus; the peak in early summer (maximum) is caused by the increased activity of majority of dominant species; the autumn peak is also caused by the high number of species of the genus Otiorhynchus. The level of sex index (by the example of E. pellucidus) differed significantly at all plots. It was higher for the plantations at the periphery of the city (0.70), and it was minimal at private farmlands (0.20). Relative conjugacy of sex index and dynamic density were not observed: the maximum abundances of quantity of Curculionidae were recorded 20–30 days earlier than the maximal numbers of the sex index.

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