A fair and interpretable network for clinical risk prediction: a regularized multi-view multi-task learning approach.

In healthcare domain, complication risk profiling which can be seen as multiple clinical risk prediction tasks is challenging due to the complex interaction between heterogeneous clinical entities. With the availability of real-world data, many deep learning methods are proposed for complication risk profiling. However, the existing methods face three open challenges. First, they leverage clinical data from a single view and then lead to suboptimal models. Second, most existing methods lack an effective mechanism to interpret predictions. Third, models learned from clinical data may have inherent pre-existing biases and exhibit discrimination against certain social groups. We then propose a multi-view multi-task network (MuViTaNet) to tackle these issues. MuViTaNet complements patient representation by using a multi-view encoder to exploit more information. Moreover, it uses a multi-task learning to generate more generalized representations using both labeled and unlabeled datasets. Last, a fairness variant (F-MuViTaNet) is proposed to mitigate the unfairness issues and promote healthcare equity. The experiments show that MuViTaNet outperforms existing methods for cardiac complication profiling. Its architecture also provides an effective mechanism for interpreting the predictions, which helps clinicians discover the underlying mechanism triggering the complication onsets. F-MuViTaNet can also effectively mitigate the unfairness with only negligible impact on accuracy.

Factors, components and dynamics: investigation of journal self-citation and citation by equal opportunity model.

The effectivity of journal impact factor (JIF) is questioned in evaluating academic players. Coercive self-citation was widely criticized and Clarivate annually suppressed journals with high journal self-citation (JSC) rates. Recently, some journals significantly increased their articles but their JIFs and JSC rates were diversified which lacks reasonable explanations. Here, we revealed the complexities of the dynamical interactions among different influence factors and different components of journal citation. Journal citation frequencies have strong correlations with JSC rates regarding citable items, significant correlations with numbers of journals' articles and negative significant correlations with JSC rates regarding total citations. Journal citation consists of JSC, intradisciplinary non-JSC and interdisciplinary non-JSC. JSC has the quickest dynamic and interdisciplinary non-JSC has the slowest dynamic while most journals are more cited by interdisciplinary citations. Journal citation is initially decided by the number of citable items. Journal's share (citing articles) in related disciplines influence JSC and intradisciplinary non-JSC positively and negatively, respectively. Multiple citations promoted by the increase in articles, the skewness of the topic profile, preference-related self-citation and anomalous self-citation are of benefit to citation. The complex dynamical interactions result in increment effects of the number of articles acting on JIF, which is stronger for JSC and citable items. The increase in articles also promotes intradisciplinary non-JSC when the journal's shares in related disciplines are low. This process will be reversed after the journal's shares become high enough which may finally decrease its impact factor. It is quicker for the journal with a stronger intradisciplinary citation. The calculational results of the average JIFs of selected journals agree with the statistical results. In addition, we can explain the related situations of some journals. Finally, we suggested that the JSC rate in terms of citable items should be considered for judging the level of JSC.

Actitud del Profesorado Universitario Hacia la Inclusión Educativa: una Revisión Sistemática / Attitude of University Teachers Towards Educational Inclusion: A Systematic Review

RESUMEN La actitud docente es determinante cuando se pretenden desarrollar espacios educativos inclusivos y atender a la diversidad. El objetivo de la presente revisión sistemática es analizar los estudios efectuados sobre la actitud del profesorado universitario hacia la inclusión educativa. Se incluyeron 15 artículos los cuales evidencian que en España se han realizado una mayor cantidad de investigaciones acerca del tema. Además, la perspectiva de inclusión planteada considera principalmente al alumnado en situación de discapacidad. También, se revela que el profesorado no está preparado para generar una enseñanza inclusiva. Referente a las actitudes, las investigaciones muestran hallazgos negativos y una resistencia por la implementación de adaptaciones curriculares. Los principales desafíos se encuentran relacionados con la preparación docente y la motivación por la constante capacitación. En conclusión, es necesario que los programas de formación de profesores consideren la inclusión educativa como una dimensión esencial que posibilite a los docentes exteriorizar actitudes positivas durante el quehacer pedagógico en las instituciones de Educación Superior.

ABSTRACT The teaching attitude is decisive when trying to develop inclusive educational spaces and attend to diversity. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the studies carried out on the attitude of university teachers towards educational inclusion. Fifteen articles were included, which show that in Spain a greater amount of research has been carried out on the subject. In addition, the perspective of the proposed inclusion mainly considers students in situation of disabilities. Also, it is revealed that teachers are not prepared to generate inclusive teaching. Regarding attitudes, research shows negative findings and resistance to the implementation of curricular adaptations. The main challenges are related to teacher preparation and motivation for constant training. In conclusion, it is necessary that teacher training programs consider educational inclusion as an essential dimension that enables teachers to express positive attitudes during pedagogical work in Higher Education institutions.

[More progress required to ensure the law of 2005 is respected]. / Encore des progrès à faire pour s'emparer de la loi de 2005.

Despite legal obligations, the employment rate among disabled workers in the public sector is still below the required 6%. However, the new social model introduced by the law of 11 February 2005 is based on the premise that "being in a situation of disability in a workplace does not mean being unfit to work". In fact, the notions of universal accessibility, environment, right to adaptations and social representations must be discussed in the area of occupational training.

Medical students' experiences with sexual discrimination and perceptions of equal opportunity: a pilot study in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Data is available on sexual discrimination and subjective perceptions of equal opportunity in medical education for many countries. Surveys focussing on sexual harassment have not yet been conducted at German medical schools. METHODS: A student initiative surveyed all medical students at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) using an anonymous online questionnaire on equal opportunity and sexual discrimination to identify potential problems in education. RESULTS: A total of 343 students (15%) participated in the survey. Over 50% reported having either witnessed sexual harassment or experienced it themselves. Female students indicated having experienced sexual harassment three times more often than their male peers; verbal forms of sexual discrimination predominate. These observations and experiences of sexual harassment demonstrated significant influences on many perceptions regarding equal opportunity and equal treatment in the MHH undergraduate medical education at MHH. CONCLUSION: This blind spot in medical education in the German-speaking countries should be scrutinized more closely. The experience of sexism in the context of undergraduate medical education, which has negative effects on students, should no longer be ignored in empirical education research.

Gender equity at scientific events.

Although the proportion of women in science, and in evolutionary biology in particular, has substantially increased over the last century, women remain underrepresented in academia, especially at senior levels. In addition, their scientific achievements do not always receive the same level of recognition as do men's, which can be reflected in a lower relative representation of women among invited speakers at conferences or specialized courses. Using announcements sent to the EvolDir mailing list between April 2016 and September 2017, and the symposium programs of three large evolutionary biology congresses held in summer 2017, we quantified the representation of women announced as invited speakers in conferences, congress symposia, and specialized courses. We compared the proportion of invited women to a baseline estimated using membership data of the associated scientific societies, and surveyed organizers to investigate their influence and that of potential gender-ratio guidelines on the proportion of invited women. We find that the average proportion of invited women is comparable (conferences), significantly lower (specialized courses), or significantly higher (congress symposia) than the current baseline (32% women). It is positively correlated to the proportion of women among the organizers, and it is on average higher for events whose organizers considered gender when choosing speakers than for those whose organizers did not. To investigate the impact of Equal Opportunity guidelines, we then collected longitudinal data on the proportion of invited women at two series of congresses, covering the 2001-2017 period. The proportion of invited women is higher when Equal Opportunity guidelines are announced. Encouraging women to sit on organizing committees of scientific events, and the establishment of visible Equal Opportunity guidelines, thus could be ways to ensure higher number of invited female speakers in the future. Our results suggest that change, if desired, requires deliberate actions.

The Role of Gender in Publication in The Journal of Pediatrics 2015-2016: Equal Reviews, Unequal Opportunities.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the gender of corresponding authors, reviewers, and editors led to differential publication recommendations and outcomes for original research articles and invited editorials submitted to The Journal of Pediatrics in 2015 and 2016. STUDY DESIGN: Names of corresponding authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial writers in The Journal of Pediatrics databases for 2015-2016 were analyzed to determine gender using computer algorithms and Internet searches. Reviewer recommendations and final editor dispositions were stratified by their gender and the gender of the corresponding authors. RESULTS: Of 3729 original manuscripts, 54.3% had female corresponding authors. Women were the associate editor (40.2% of submissions), guest editor (34.8%), or primary reviewer (37.4%), with no gender difference in editor or reviewer assignments for submissions by female vs male corresponding authors. There were no outcome differences by author gender for manuscripts overseen by female (P = .71) or male (P = .62) editors nor recommendation differences by female (P = .18) or male (P = .71) reviewers. Female editors had a lower acceptance rate overall than male editors (20.1% vs 25.6%; P < .001). Women were statistically less likely to accept and complete the invitation to peer review original articles (34.0%; 2295 of 6743) compared with men (40.0%; 3930 of 9823; P < .001). Women wrote 33 of 107 editorials (30.8%). CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in reviewer recommendations or editor decisions for original research articles based on corresponding author gender. However, women had fewer opportunities to serve as peer reviewers and editorial writers than would be expected given their representation as academic pediatric faculty.

Ethical Reflections on the Equity of the Current Basic Health Insurance System Reform in China: A Case Study in Hunan Province.

China's current basic health insurance reform aims at promoting equity in the economic accessibility of health services for all citizens, to better ensure healthcare justice. Therefore, it is important to assess equity not only from a socioeconomic perspective but also from an ethical angle. This article investigates the basic health insurance system of Hunan Province in China by focusing on insurance types as well as their classification standards, mechanisms, and utilization according to local policy documents and data. This study demonstrates the reforming achievements and the inequity of institutional design according to two interrelated dimensions: equal opportunity of access to healthcare insurance and reducing inequality in insurance benefits. The article concludes that to achieve opportunity equity and outcome fairness, the reform should focus on designing the system to promote equity with respect to procedures and rules and to be more attentive to the interests of vulnerable groups and especially to rural residents.

Identifying unmet needs from the General Medical Council Gateways to the Professions guidance.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The General Medical Council (GMC) commissioned The RTK Ltd to conduct a research project to inform a revision of the Gateways to the Professions guidance (The Guidance). The Guidance supports medical education providers to ensure that disabled students and doctors in training (disabled learners) do not face unnecessary barriers to successful medical careers. The researchers consulted with medical schools, HEE Local Teams, deaneries and employers on their use of the current guidance and good practice. They also interviewed medical students to better understand their experiences of admissions procedures and the support they were able to access during their period of study. It was evident that the provision for disabled learners is varied; the research found no single established model of support. However, the interviews revealed some key principles of good practice and innovative suggestions for future provision. Medical education providers perceived a need for a revised version of The Guidance to reflect good practice and provide more specific advice to them as well as to leaners.

El conflicto trabajo-familia ante los derechos al cuidado de niños y niñas / The work-family conflict in relation to children's right to care / O conflito trabalho-família frente aos direitos ao cuidado das crianças

Este artículo está basado en una investigación documental en la que examinamos la tensión entre el proyecto de ampliar y asegurar los derechos para la infancia en Chile y el objetivo de lograr una mayor equidad socio-económica y de género. Los principios que orientan programas sociales para la primera infancia, suponen la disponibilidad de recursos familiares para sus objetivos -principalmente, el trabajo femenino no remunerado-. Argumentamos que el número creciente de mujeres que desean y necesitan entrar al mercado laboral implica dejar intacta la tensión trabajo-familia, especialmente para las madres, afectándose así la percepción de autoeficacia parental, y con ello, las posibilidades de los niños y niñas de recibir un cuidado apropiado. Concluimos justificando la necesidad de pensar los derechos de la infancia desde la perspectiva del concepto de co-responsabilidad.

This article is based on a literature review that examines the tension between the social goal of guaranteeing children's rights in Chile and the parallel project of achieving socio-economic and gender equality. The principles behind social programs for children do not consider that, in a context in which increasing numbers of women want and need to enter the labor force, the resources traditionally utilized by families to satisfy their children's needs (i.e., women's unpaid domestic and care work) should not be taken for granted. As a result, such programs leave the tension between paid employment and care work untouched, affecting parent's perceived self-efficacy and children's opportunities to receive proper care. The study concludes that to avoid this paradox it is necessary to re-think children's rights within the framework provided by the concept of co-responsibility.

O artigo apresenta uma pesquisa bibliográfica centrada na tensão entre o projeto de ampliar e garantir os direitos da infância no Chile e o objetivo de conseguir uma maior equidade socioeconômica e de gênero. Os princípios na base dos programas sociais para a infância, particularmente nas áreas de cuidado e educação, supõem a disponibilidade de recursos familiares para o cumprimento dos seus objetivos - principalmente, o trabalho feminino não remunerado. Considerando o desejo e a necessidade de muitas mulheres de entrarem no mercado laboral, isto significa deixar intacta a tensão trabalho-família, afetando a percepção de autoeficácia dos pais e as oportunidades das crianças de receberem cuidados adequados. Argumentamos que, para se sair desse paradoxo, é necessário repensar a questão dos direitos da infância desde a ótica prevista pelo conceito de corresponsabilidade.