Search Items Research Articles

«Andrò a cercare tra gli scaffali»: indagine conoscitiva sull’interazione lettore-catalogo nella Biblioteca Civica “Vincenzo Joppi” di Udine

Introduction. Users’ behaviour studies relevance shows a constantly increasing trend. Users’ behaviour is the research focus both in libraries and information sciences and in cataloguing. User studies in LIS were developed along four trends: user studies, information behaviour, information practice and information experience (Gonzales-Teruel 2018). With FRBR Report in 1998 and its four user tasks definition, a major shift toward users’ centrality came in cataloguing too. Relevance of user tasks is also underlined by the Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP). It confirms FRBR four functions and adds a new one: to navigate. The focus of this research is the effective interaction of users with the OPAC at the Biblioteca Civica Vincenzo Joppi”, Udine, Italy, with the aim of assessing both efficacy and efficiency of interactions, from the point of view both of the user and of the OPAC. Method: This paper draws on an original research, as data about a simple random sample of 36 readers were collected by means both of a survey by a questionnaire before and after the interactions and by OPAC transactions screen recordings. Data were collected in Udine public library, Biblioteca “Vincenzo Joppi”, Udine, Italy, between August and October 2017. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses were conducted on collected data about 130 searches (a process that ends with a positive or negative result) and 200 interactions (each of the search attempts). Results and Discussion: The contrast between use frequency and reader’s proficiency level shows that the more frequent the use, the higher the confidence level felt by reader. On the contrast, confidence level is not related to educational background. Nearly half of the interviewed (49%) search in the catalogue to fulfil personal information needs; any other information needs (teacher suggestions, friends’ advices, internet etc.) are less important. In nearly half of the interactions, the search field used is title; instead, percentage of searches by subject, by author’s surname or by author’s name and surname are all just slightly over 10%. Furthermore, data about search field support data about the two broad types of questions: 60% are known item searches, and just 40% are exploratory searches. The most preferred search approach is Google-like search (36%); advanced search (30%) is relevant, while basic search (12%) is less important. However, the most successful results are obtained by advanced search (67%), followed by basic search (56%) and google-like search (53%). An interesting difference emerges from the contrast between data collected from questionnaires and from direct observations of readers’ interactions with the OPAC: readers express approval or disapproval based on the final results of their overall research and not on single interactions, and take for granted that to achieve results one or more attempts could be needed. Final success depends mostly upon the kind of users’ starting question: known item searches are more successful than exploratory searches (60% versus 43%). Data As a result, data confirm that to perform exploratory searches readers need to be supported by a higher level of reference service. Data show that reasons for failure in searches rely on readers’ behaviour (56%) more than on library services (24%). For this reason, readers’ interactions with the OPAC could be improved by promoting information literacy for the readers.

Sleep alterations as a predictor of bipolar disorder among offspring of parents with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction Bipolar disorder (BD) has a high heritability rate. Current studies have been dedicated to identifying prodromes of BD in the offspring of parents with BD (BO) and the sleep patterns of these individuals have been considered important factors.Objective To describe changes in sleep parameters among offspring of parents with BD when compared to offspring of controls and to identify if changes in parameters and quality of sleep predict the onset of BD among these individuals.Methods PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase were systematically searched with no year or language restrictions, up to August 18, 2020. We searched for a combination of the following search items (“sleep*”) AND (“bipolar disorder*” OR “mania” OR “hypomania” OR “bipolar depression”) AND (“ultra-high risk” OR “high risk” OR “offspring” OR “first degree relatives”).Results A total of 10 studies were included in the systematic review and 4 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis showed that the BO had greater daytime sleepiness as compared to the offspring of control parents. The systematic review indicated that shorter sleep duration, sleep disorders, and other related features can differentiate the two groups. Finally, some sleep patterns such as decreased sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and overall sleep problems might be predictors for the development of BD.Conclusion Results from the meta-analysis indicated that BO had greater daytime sleepiness. Qualitative results showed that the offspring of parents with BD have an increased likelihood of experiencing an adverse sleep pattern.

Viscacha: luxury, fate and identification in Precolumbian Textiles

Since the sixteenth century, references by Spanish chroniclers to the use of chinchilla hair (Andean rodents of several species including viscacha) by Andean weavers indicate that the fine hair of these animals had been incorporated into textiles. Their fine soft hair, often mottled in color, has distinctive characteristics which vary and, as a result, make them difficult to identify. Some archaeological finds, primarily in Chile have reported viscacha skins and fur bags, but few if any reports have identified the presence of textiles or spun yarns that incorporate this special fiber. The depiction of the animal takes on special meaning in tapestries from the colonial era, though to date, its identification as a material component in these works has not been possible. A long-term project of several stages involved the search for potential items in museum collections of pre-Columbian textiles where viscacha hair might have been used. Collaboration with scientific study in the field of proteomics has enabled the establishment of protocols for species identification, enabling a more precise method to confirm their use. We are establishing the beginning of a group of textiles that have been positively identified, which will be presented in this paper. The special character of the fiber has been confirmed in ethnographic study where, even today, the fine hair is used in special ways, including the direction of spin of its yarns and its use as special amulets for luck in love and health. The illusive meaning of this animal, that lives in remote rocky areas, thriving in regions with little water, may play a role in its significance and efficacy as a conveyor of symbolic meaning can now be confirmed through its use and presence in ritual textiles of the Andean past.

The role of lumateperone in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder resulting in marked morbidity and mortality despite the optimal use of all currently available interventions. For this reason, the release of lumateperone (CaptylaR), also known as ITI-007, an orally administered, atypical antipsychotic provided a welcome novel tool for clinicians to utilize precision medicine to tailor an optimal treatment plan to the specific needs of each person with schizophrenia. To generate a foundation for clinicians to assess the risks and benefits of lumateperone in relation to other interventions for schizophrenia, we conducted a search of items for ‘ITI-007’ and ‘lumateperone’ on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and www.clinicaltrials.gov. We present a critical evaluation of the limited information about lumateperone for schizophrenia, its use approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Lumateperone merits consideration for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and for patients with schizophrenia who are vulnerable to developing metabolic dysfunction and movement disorders. On the other hand, lumateperone should not be used for (a) women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children, adolescents, and elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, (b) patients who are at risk for cerebrovascular diseases, (c) patients who use inducers and moderate or strong inhibitors of the cytochrome P450-3A4 (CYP3A4) isozyme, and (d) patients who use alcohol and other sedating agents. Clinical trials from multiple centers without financial conflicts of interest to market lumateperone are needed to directly compare and contrast lumateperone and other antipsychotic agents to generate trustworthy evidence to be assessed objectively by clinicians treating patients with schizophrenia. Future investigations will provide the foundations to identify the evidence for comprehensive evaluations of the role of lumateperone in the treatment of people with schizophrenia and other conditions.

Antimicrobial effects of platelet rich fibrin: A systematic review on current evidence of research

Background: Other than releasing a bunch of growth factors and molecules, platelet concentrates (PCs), especially platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has a potential role in antimicrobial activities. Aim: The aim of this present systematic review was to collect, evaluate, and compare the available evidence regarding the antimicrobial efficacy of all types of PRF and to highlight the underlying mechanisms along with their potential benefits based on their actions, investigated by clinical and in vitro studies. Materials and Methods: Systematic approach was followed in the selection of studies. A detailed search was done in electronic databases such as PUBMED/MEDLINE, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, and SCIENCE DIRECT using specific search items with language restricted to English. All in vitro studies and clinical studies which assessed the antimicrobial activity of PRF alone or along with antibiotics or a type of PRF were included in the study. Other studies which included antimicrobial effects of other forms of PCs such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet gel, and animal studies were all excluded from the study. Results: After the initial and final screening of articles, only eight met the required criteria, of which seven were in vitro studies and one was a clinical study. All the studies evaluated the efficacy of one or more forms of PRF either against bacterial pathogens or showed inhibition of growth in culture. Conclusion: Based on the systematic review, PRF possesses antimicrobial efficacy against pathogens and the exact mechanism of the antimicrobial efficacy needs further investigation. The enhanced property of PRF against pathogens might be due to the release of platelets and preparation protocols such as lesser time and centrifugal speed. Further, PRF should be considered to be used as local drug delivery system which will be a potential treatment against periodontopathogens in the future.

COVID-19: What Should the General Practitioner Know?

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 infection is currently the most significant public health challenge. Its presentation ranges from mild to severe respiratory failure and septic shock. Rapid transmission of the virus is dangerous with a high possibility of life-threatening complications. Lack of treatment standards for SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the current dilemma in clinical medicine.MethodsAn electronic literature search was done using PubMed to gather information on the pathogenesis, transmission of infection, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and therapeutic options for COVID-19. Search items included “SARS-CoV-2”, “COVID-19” and “coronavirus infection”.ResultsIn light of the current global crisis caused by SARS-CoV-2, the exchange of information within the scientific community should be quick and extremely transparent. Thus, this review presents the available information necessary for a general practitioner. Such presentation of data should allow the reader quick access to basic and crucial information related to epidemiology, viral transmission, clinical symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, and complications that may occur in the course of COVID-19.ConclusionRapidly increasing amounts of information about the diagnosis and treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 allow a better understanding of the etiology and course of the infection. In the current epidemiological situation, readily accessible information helps minimize the time to acquire knowledge and focus on prevention methods, diagnostic and treatment options. Thus, this review highlights key issues related to SARS-CoV-2 infection and contains the most useful data for daily medical practice.

Exercise and cancer protection: from ‘prevention’ to ‘therapeutics’?

Purpose The valuable impacts of exercise-intervention in diverse type of cancer patients were rationally well-prescribed, though many experimental and review researches already performed in this fields. Generally, cancer-related fatigue and pain remains one of the most prevalent problems for cancer populations. Therefore, exercise has become increasingly significant in cancer prevention and progression. The purpose of this recent study was to analyze the combined exercise program on cancer-related fatigue, pain, quality of life and cancer prognosis in diverse type of cancer patients. This study analyses the safety and feasibility of exercise intervention in diverse stages of cancer patients such as early stage, advanced stage and even metastatic periods in cancer populations. we also wanted to know the impacts of dose-response trial of aerobic and resistance exercise on quality of life in cancer survivors. Methods we conducted a comprehensive PubMed/MEDILINE electronic database from Jan 2015 to August 2020. The reference lists of eligible experimental research articles and relevant systemic review articles were checked. Inclusion criteria were adult cancer survivors from randomized controlled trials performing well-tailored exercise intervention programs to diverse type of cancer patients, Using predefined search items ‘exercise-intervention, cancer & immunology’. Based on reference search, more than 100 articles were identified whereas 30 research papers met the inclusion criteria and were well connected with exercise-intervention and cancer progression. we analyzed the connections between physical exercise and cancer intervention in the main text. Results Moderate to vigorous exercise (aerobic and resistance exercise) revealed to decreased level of cancer-related fatigue, pain, and cancer-related symptoms, however increased level of sleep quality, activities of daily living, exercise performance and health- related quality of life. Exercise intervention reduced pro-inflammatory markers and oxidative stress as well as insomnia, fatigue, pain symptoms whereas it enhanced the antioxidant systems and immune functions. In addition, home-based aerobic physical exercise might enhance muscular strength and quality of life in many types of cancer survivors. Psychological intervention also effective for reducing cancer-related fatigue and pain during and after cancer treatment. they might be the much better intervention than available pharmaceutical options. we believe that it is the related mechanisms of immune cell mobilization and activation such as NK cells which is induced by the activation of sympathetic system during and after physical exercise. Conclusion According to the aforementioned results, it was concluded that implementation of exercise intervention appear to be the best non-pharmaceutical interventions for cancer populations, and also revealed to be safe and feasible in early and advanced stages, although not in the metastatic periods. Sometimes, psychological intervention such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) might be useful in reducing anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain and enhancing quality of life, quality of sleep for cancer populations. we can conclude, exercise-intervention might not just be prevention effect but might be therapeutics, however more studies are urgently needed to confirm the exercise intervention on the NK-receptors activation and immune connection of cancer populations.

The Role of Ecb Speeches in Nowcasting German Gdp

The literature shows that the nowcasting models generally use structured data such as real, financial and survey indicators. Recent research has focused on finding the way how to use the unstructured data in the nowcasting models. The search items such as sentiments or emotions were gathered from internet platforms and used as unstructured data. In this study, it is analysed how the ECB presidents' speeches are included in the nowcasting model and to what degree they affect the quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) of Germany. First, ECB presidents' speeches are analysed to obtain the emotion indicators with assistance of the newly harmonised complex dictionary. These emotion indicators are next added to the unbalanced and mixed frequency data and the nowcasting model estimation for GDP is performed with these data using the expectation-maximisation algorithm in the dynamic factor model representation. Moreover, the news analysis is performed to show how the revisions in the real-time data, including emotion indicators, affect the nowcasts for the current and next quarter GDPs. Finally, a forecast scenario is performed to demonstrate the effects of emotion indicators in the nowcasting model of GDP which shows a slowdown for the last two years. In conclusion, it is suggested that ECB presidents' speeches may increase the performance of nowcasting models for the German GDP.

Joint analysis of mixed types of outcomes with latent variables

We propose a joint modeling approach to investigating the observed and latent risk factors of mixed types of outcomes. The proposed model comprises three parts. The first part is an exploratory factor analysis model that summarizes latent factors through multiple observed variables. The second part is a proportional hazards model that examines the observed and latent risk factors of multivariate time-to-event outcomes. The third part is a linear regression model that investigates the determinants of a continuous outcome. We develop a Bayesian approach coupled with MCMC methods to determine the number of latent factors, the association between latent and observed variables, and the important risk factors of different types of outcomes. A modified stochastic search item selection algorithm, which introduces normal-mixture-inverse gamma priors to factor loadings and regression coefficients, is developed for simultaneous model selection and parameter estimation. The proposed method is subjected to simulation studies for empirical performance assessment and then applied to a study concerning the risk factors of type 2 diabetes and the associated complications.

The Effects of Milk and Dairy Products on Sleep: A Systematic Review.

Several studies have assessed the effects of milk and dairy product intake on sleep quality and duration. Such investigations have varied in terms of their geographic locations, amounts of milk and dairy products, study participants (age, sex, race), and study designs. The present study aimed to summarize this literature and provide a unified view on whether the intake of milk and dairy products affects sleep quality. This systematic review was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following keywords were chosen as electronic database search items from MeSH (medical subject headings) terms and descriptors in health sciences (DeHS) lists: milk, yogurt, dairy product, cheese, sleep, human, observational study, and interventional study. As a result, a total of 14 studies published between 1972 and 2019 were included in this review, including eight randomized controlled trials, two experimental studies with cross-over designs, one longitudinal study, and three cross-sectional studies. Four studies targeted older adults, three included toddlers, two targeted children, and six enrolled adults inclusive of university students. Overall, these studies indicated that a well-balanced diet that includes milk and dairy products is effective in improving sleep quality, despite mixed results across studies attributable to differences in study populations and methods.

Surgical complications and re-operation rates in spinal metastases surgery: a systematic review.

The goal of this study was to review the incidence of complications and unplanned re-operations after surgery for metastatic spinal tumors. The spinal column is the most common osseous site for metastatic spread. The goals of the treatment of spinal metastases are largely palliative. The surgical aims include establishing a diagnosis, providing stability, relieving neurological compression and deterioration, decreasing pain and increasing patient independence. Patients with spinal metastases who undergo surgery are considered high risk, with higher morbidity and mortality rates. A systematic review was undertaken; PubMed and Embase databases were searched between (2010-2020) for relevant publications in English language with the following search items: metastasis OR metastases AND spine AND surgery AND complications OR revision. Using a standard PRISMA template, 2293 articles were identified. Full-text articles of interest were assessed for inclusion criteria of greater than 30 patients. A final number of 19 articles fully met the search criteria. Four were level II evidence, and the remaining were level III/IV. Surgical site infection 6.5% (135/2088) was reported as the main complication following surgery for spinal metastases followed by neurological deterioration 3.3% (53/1595) and instrumentation failure 2.0% (30/1501). Re-operation rate was 8.3% (54/651), with SSI (27.8%) being the most common reason for revision surgery. Patients with spinal metastases frequently present with complex therapeutic challenges requiring multidisciplinary team assessment. Surgical site infection (6.5%) was the main reason for a re-operation in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases.

Detecting Differential Item Functioning Using Multiple-Group Cognitive Diagnosis Models.

This study proposes a multiple-group cognitive diagnosis model to account for the fact that students in different groups may use distinct attributes or use the same attributes but in different manners (e.g., conjunctive, disjunctive, and compensatory) to solve problems. Based on the proposed model, this study systematically investigates the performance of the likelihood ratio (LR) test and Wald test in detecting differential item functioning (DIF). A forward anchor item search procedure was also proposed to identify a set of anchor items with invariant item parameters across groups. Results showed that the LR and Wald tests with the forward anchor item search algorithm produced better calibrated Type I error rates than the ordinary LR and Wald tests, especially when items were of low quality. A set of real data were also analyzed to illustrate the use of these DIF detection procedures.

White Matter Biomarkers- A Review

Biomarkers are indicators of a disease or the severity of a disease. For example, in the human body, antibodies can be termed as a biomarker. White matter is important to learn for understanding various topics such as the theory of mind, empathy, clinical disorders in terms of neuroscience. White matter can change depending upon traumatic experience. This research is seen as a scoping literature review. In seeking to identify the relevant literature from the past twenty years, we used common databases such as Pubmed, Google Scholars. Searches of the reference list from relevant review articles were also employed to identify further relevant studies. Search items included, 'white matter', 'biomarkers', 'white matter biomarkers', 'biomarkers used in neurology'. The obtained articles were later thoroughly read through and understood. A total of '45' articles have been selected and reviewed in this article. Biomarkers present in white matter help diagnose the various white matter related diseases which can help prevent further stages or increase of the disease. But accurate biomarkers for white matter disease are yet to be found. More research must be done in order to help prevent and treat white matter diseases. This study on white matter biomarkers still does not have an accurate answer and must be discovered in the future. There are many biomarkers that can serve for white matter, but none of them fulfils the desired features of a biomarker needed for diagnosing white matter diseases. Future studies are to be done for early prevention of diseases related to white matter and its complete use in humanity.

What is the role of working memory in hybrid search?: Evidence from the Contralateral Delay Activity

In Hybrid Search, observers search for any member of a set of targets held in memory. Current hybrid search models propose working memory (WM) serves to pass representations of attended items one at a time from early visual processes into long-term memory (LTM) for comparison to target representations (Drew, et al., 2015). Here, we sought to better understand the role of WM in hybrid search using an ERP component associated with WM load, the Contralateral Delay Activity (CDA). Participants (N=20) memorized setsizes (MSS) of 2 or 16 categorical targets (dogs, cats, tables, or dressers), counterbalanced across participants. Next, they passed a recognition memory test twice with >=80% accuracy. Then, for 700 trials (per MSS), participants were cued to attend to one lateralized search item and indicate if a target was present. The cued object was either a target (e.g., target cat), a non-target from the target category (e.g., non-target cat), a non-target from a similar category (e.g., dog), or a non-target from a dissimilar category (e.g., table). ERP waveforms were time-locked to search onset. Overall, CDA amplitude was larger for objects from the target category, which provides support for the idea that processing is terminated for irrelevant objects following initial object identification (Cunningham & Wolfe, 2014). For objects within the target category, CDA amplitude increased with MSS, suggesting LTM load-dependent WM involvement in hybrid search. Furthermore, N2pc amplitude increased as the non-targets became more similar to the object category, but only for MSS16. This suggests more non-targets with similar features were selected for further processing in memory at larger MSS. Together, these findings demonstrate WM plays a larger role in hybrid search than previously thought. Specifically, to identify objects within the target category, WM resources may be deployed to compare the target set held in LTM to the potential target.

A systematic review of physiological responses to odours with a focus on current methods used in event-related study designs

ObjectivesIn odour research, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the detailed understanding of the determinants and the magnitude of an odour's impact on human psychophysiology. Therefore, the present review aims to summarize current evidence on psychophysiological responses to olfactory events, to highlight diversity in research methods, and to provide recommendations for further research. Material and methodsPredefined search items were used for literature research in two databases, focussing on recent investigations of cardiac and electrodermal responses to short (<10 s) olfactory stimulations, combined with self-reports on odour experience, in a healthy population. The selected 27 publications were evaluated with regard to their methods and their findings on psychophysiological correlates of odour stimulation, following a conceptual scheme proposing mediating and moderating factors of physiological responses to odour stimuli. ResultsThe cardiac and electrodermal activity generally followed a discriminative pattern depending on the perceived pleasantness of an odour. Moreover, the trigeminal aspect of an odour stimulus became evident in electrodermal activity in several studies. Finally, for many of the here addressed potentially mediating and moderating variables, initial findings were obtained in some studies but these await corroboration by future research. With regard to the applied methodology, the reviewed studies were highly diverse, in terms of odour application, study design, and analysis of the time series data. ConclusionsFuture research is needed to advance our understanding of, and theoretical concepts beyond, psychophysiological responses to olfactory events, and to achieve experimentally validated methodological guidelines for psychophysiological measurements in olfaction research.

Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in primary aldosteronism after adrenalectomy: a meta-analysis of echocardiographic studies.

Available evidence on regression of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in patients with primary aldosteronism after unilateral adrenalectomy is scanty. We performed a systematic meta-analysis of echocardiographic studies to provide an updated and comprehensive information on this issue. The PubMed, OVID-MEDLINE and Cochrane library databases were analyzed to search English-language articles published from 1 January 1990 up to 30 June 2020. Studies were identified by using MeSH terms and crossing the following search items: 'primary aldosteronism' 'Conn's syndrome' 'adrenalectomy', with 'cardiac damage', 'hypertensive heart disease' 'left ventricular mass', 'left ventricular hypertrophy', 'left ventricular hypertrophy regression', 'echocardiography'. A total of 629 hypertensive patients with primary aldosteronism (mean age 49 years, 45% men) were included in 14 studies. Baseline and postintervention pooled mean LV mass/BSA values were 134 ± 4 and 108 ± 3 g/m2 [standard means difference (SMD) -0.42 ± 0.05, confidence interval (CI) -0.52/-0.32, P < 0.0001]; corresponding values for LV mass/h2.7 were 56 ± 2 and 49 ± 1 g/h2.7 (SMD -0.45 ± 0.06, CI -0.52/-0.36, P < 0.0001). Adrenalectomy, followed by a marked decrease in blood pressure, was associated with a decrease in relative wall thickness (SMD -0.17 ± 0.06, CI -0.31/-0.03, P < 0.01) as well as in the number of antihypertensive drugs (SMD -0.45 ± 0.04, CI -0.50-0.32, P < 0.0001). The present meta-analysis suggests that adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism exerts a beneficial effect on LV structure and geometry by reducing the burden of LV hypertrophy and LV concentric geometry.

Trajectory Based Location Prediction and Enriched Ontological User Profiles for Efficient Website Recommendation

The spread over of huge amount of information in the vast area of internet makes difficult for the users to obtain the search items that are relevant to them. The adoption of web usage mining helps to discover the accurate search results that satisfy their requirements. To fulfill their need, it is necessary to know their preferences of search at various contexts. In general, the user profiles are used to determine the taste of the users. The traditional method of user profiling does not provide a complete detail regarding their search. In addition, the search preference of the individuals varies in accordance with time and location. The user profiles do not update the dynamic location changes of the users. The traditional location based recommendation systems suggest the search results based on their location to compensate the dynamic preferences of the users. The drawbacks of the conventional systems are resolved by the Location and User Profile (LUP) based recommendation system. To attain a higher user satisfaction by providing accurate search results, a trajectory based location prediction and enriched ontological user profiles to recommend the appropriate websites to the users is proposed in this paper. In this article, we suggest a novel method for predicting the location of a user’s profile using Semantic Trajectory Pattern (STP), based on both the place and semantic features of user trajectories. Our prediction model ‘s central concept is based on a novel cluster-based prediction approach that evaluates the location of user search data based on the regular activities of related users in the same cluster, calculated by evaluating the typical behavior of users in semantic trajectories. The combination of location information along with enriched ontological user profiles improves the efficiency of the proposed web recommendation system. The experimental results are evaluated using recall, precision and F-measure metrics.

Examining and validating the factor structure of the cannabis-associated problems questionnaire

ABSTRACT Background The Marijuana Problems Scale (MPS), otherwise known as the Cannabis-Associated Problems Questionnaire (CAPQ), a self-report measure of consequences caused by cannabis consumption, has an unexplored factor structure. Methods We assessed the psychometric properties of the CAPQ using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results We identified four factors (diminished productivity, reduced self-concept, interpersonal and financial problems, and physical symptoms) from responses of 3,856 cannabis-using adults. The factors covaried with indices of cannabis use, including frequency, quantity, and average intoxication. Additionally, we validated the four-factor structure using a confirmatory factor analysis in a second sample of 654 adult cannabis users. This multidimensional model provided a reasonably adequate fit to this second data set across several fit indices. Conclusions Our findings validate a four-factor model of cannabis problems that covaries with use in theoretically sensible ways. A search for new items addressing negative self-concept and physical symptoms might help provide a more thorough assessment of ways that cannabis use can interfere with functioning.

Influences of luminance contrast and ambient lighting on visual context learning and retrieval

Invariant spatial context can guide attention and facilitate visual search, an effect referred to as “contextual cueing.” Most previous studies on contextual cueing were conducted under conditions of photopic vision and high search item to background luminance contrast, leaving open the question whether the learning and/or retrieval of context cues depends on luminance contrast and ambient lighting. Given this, we conducted three experiments (each contains two subexperiments) to compare contextual cueing under different combinations of luminance contrast (high/low) and ambient lighting (photopic/mesopic). With high-contrast displays, we found robust contextual cueing in both photopic and mesopic environments, but the acquired contextual cueing could not be transferred when the display contrast changed from high to low in the photopic environment. By contrast, with low-contrast displays, contextual facilitation manifested only in mesopic vision, and the acquired cues remained effective following a switch to high-contrast displays. This pattern suggests that, with low display contrast, contextual cueing benefited from a more global search mode, aided by the activation of the peripheral rod system in mesopic vision, but was impeded by a more local, fovea-centered search mode in photopic vision.

What Acoustic Studies Tell Us About Vowels in Developing and Disordered Speech.

Purpose Literature was reviewed on the development of vowels in children's speech and on vowel disorders in children and adults, with an emphasis on studies using acoustic methods. Method Searches were conducted with PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, HighWire Press, and legacy sources in retrieved articles. The primary search items included, but were not limited to, vowels, vowel development, vowel disorders, vowel formants, vowel therapy, vowel inherent spectral change, speech rhythm, and prosody. Results/Discussion The main conclusions reached in this review are that vowels are (a) important to speech intelligibility; (b) intrinsically dynamic; (c) refined in both perceptual and productive aspects beyond the age typically given for their phonetic mastery; (d) produced to compensate for articulatory and auditory perturbations; (e) influenced by language and dialect even in early childhood; (f) affected by a variety of speech, language, and hearing disorders in children and adults; (g) inadequately assessed by standardized articulation tests; and (h) characterized by at least three factors-articulatory configuration, extrinsic and intrinsic regulation of duration, and role in speech rhythm and prosody. Also discussed are stages in typical vowel ontogeny, acoustic characterization of rhotic vowels, a sensory-motor perspective on vowel production, and implications for clinical assessment of vowels.