Knowledge Discovery Through Large-Scale Literature-Mining of Biological Text-Data

The aim of this study is to develop scalable and efficient literature-mining framework for knowledge discovery in the field of medical and biological sciences. Using this scalable framework, customized disease-disease interaction network can be constructed. Features of the proposed network that differentiate it from existing networks are its 1) flexibility in the level of abstraction, 2) broad coverage, and 3) domain specificity. Empirical results for two neurological diseases have shown the utility of the proposed framework. The second goal of this study is to design and implement a bottom-up information retrieval approach to facilitate literature-mining in the specialized field of medical genetics. Experimental results are being corroborated at the moment

Theory and Applications for Advanced Text Mining

Due to the growth of computer technologies and web technologies, we can easily collect and store large amounts of text data. We can believe that the data include useful knowledge. Text mining techniques have been studied aggressively in order to extract the knowledge from the data since late 1990s. Even if many important techniques have been developed, the text mining research field continues to expand for the needs arising from various application fields. This book is composed of 9 chapters introducing advanced text mining techniques. They are various techniques from relation extraction to under or less resourced language. I believe that this book will give new knowledge in the text mining field and help many readers open their new research fields

Illness, with particular focus on schistosomiasis, associated with recreational use of water by canoeists in the Msunduzi, Mngeni rivers in KwaZulu-Natal : issues and associated implications for other water users.

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.Water-related disease is a problem faced by many communities in the Mngeru and Msunduzi River valleys, both those living in a rural setting, and those within thedty bounds. Treatment and management of water-related diseases such as SchistosorrUasis and Hepatitis are, however, overshadowed by the priority management of more serious illnesses such as HIV/ AIDS, and are therefore at risk of spreading unchecked. These diseases, while not often fatal, have a high morbidity and place unnecessary burden on communities and individuals that could otherwise make a positive contribution to the social and economic structure of the country. The impacts of water-related disease are felt by all water-users, including those recreational users such as fishermen, swimmers and canoeists. Following a discussion of the issues and impacts of water-related disease at both a global and local scale, the research formulated a survey of the impact of water-related disease on canoeists training and racing on the Mngeni and Msunduzi Rivers as a starting point in determining the impacts on all communities using the resource. The methods employed were twofold, a Schistosoma haematobium infection- survey was conducted using urine samples; and a questionnaire-type survey of participants in the 2006 Dusi Canoe Marathon was conducted. The results of the Schistosomiasis survey revealed that 4.07% (20/491) of the respondents were positive in this survey. Analysis of the questionnaire filled in by all participants further revealed that 73% of respondents tested positive for Schistosomiasis infection at some point in their canoeing career. The post Dusi Marathon questionnaire survey was answered by 941 (54 %) participants. A total of 588 (63 %) reported experiencing illness as a result of taking part in the 2006 event. A further 362 individuals reported having experienced water-related illness on previous Dusi Marathons, indicating that 77% of the respondents have been ill on the Dusi in this and previous years' events. In addition, water quality samples were taken during the race and were shown to be significantly higher than the guidelines for safe recreational use of water resources. The results also showed a radical overnight change in the E.coli levels following a heavy rain event on the evening before the start of the race. The research revealed that there is a serious problem of water contamination and resultant spread of disease among canoeists using the rivers for recreational and professional sport. Contamination resulting from failure of sewage processing facilities during high rainfall events and industrial discharge into the river system results in excessive and unacceptable levels of E.coli and other water-related pathogens that are a severe health risk not only to canoeists but to all communities utilising this water resource

The Threat and Cascade Method of estuarine health assessment: a logical sequence from human impact to biological degradation via system physics and chemistry

A methodology for the comparative assessment of estuarine health over a range of systems is presented. It is based on the assumption that anthropogenic impact is the causative variable when considering negative impacts on estuarine health. The methodology follows a logical cascade of estuarine health assessment protocols. The first step in the Threat and Cascade Method (TaCM) incorporates socio-economic to produce a scaled indicator used to identify estuarine systems that are potentially threatened by anthropogenic inputs. The socio-economic algorithm incorporates the following variables: land cover, population density, per capita wealth, state of the estuarine mouth, abstracted mean annual runoff, encroachment of development, estuary use, and sewerage input. If the Socio-Economic Threat Index identifies the estuary as being threatened, then the second stage of the TaCM is initiated. This is an assessment of the system's physics and is accomplished by considering the following variables: residence time, estuary number (freshwater inflow/ tidal prism), coastal exchange, and the proportion of the time the estuary mouth is closed to the ocean. The Threat and Cascade Method assumes that an anthropogenically threatened system with a short residence time is less likely to be impacted on than a threatened system with a long residence time. If the Physical Threat Index identifies the estuary as being threatened, then the third stage of the TaCM is initiated. This involves assessing the chemistry and then the biology of the threatened estuarine system. The TaCM was tested using both local (South African) and international case studies. The results showed that the TaCM has the potential to become a universal methodology. The results also showed that the TaCM allows estuarine researchers and managers to rapidly assess the 'health' of a number of systems, as it mainly concentrates on estuaries that are likely to be impacted upon. The TaCM assessment identifies 'what' is causing the estuary's health to deteriorate, therefore identifying the problem areas that need to be addressed in order to mitigate the impacts on the estuary. This will allow managers to assess the success of remedial action on the estuary. The results also revealed that the TaCM could be used to predict what impact 'change' in the estuary catchment would have on an estuary's health