SOME REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING ASSOCIATIVE RULES ON THE EXAMPLE OF PATIENT'S PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Охарактеризовано правила побудови асоціативних правил. Позначено об'єкти, що складають досліджуваний набір. Побудовано асоціативні правила для призначення аналізів пацієнту. Наведено найпоширеніші терміни інтелектуального аналізу даних. Розглянуто множину транзакцій, які доступні для медичного аналізу пацієнта. Описано послідовність об'єктів та задане відношення порядку. Зазначено мінімальне значення підтримки множини та відсіяно асоціативні правила на основі цього значення. Охарактеризовано величини корисності асоціативних правил, за допомогою яких встановлюється важливість того чи іншого асоціативного правила. Виявлено, що правильна оцінка корисності асоціативного правила впливає на об'єм та швидкодію доступу до інформації. Введено унікальний ідентифікатор для досліджуваного набору аналізів пацієнта. Означено додаткові чисельні атрибути досліджуваних об'єктів. Охарактеризовано транзакції, що містять додаткові атрибути та операції не лише наявності, а також порівняння. Встановлено відмінність між асоціативними правилами та секвенційним аналізом. Оцінено вплив побудови асоціативних правил під час дослідження предметної області та інтелектуального аналізу даних. Отримані результати буде використано у подальших дослідженнях у цій предметній області.Охарактеризованы правила построения ассоциативных правил. Обозначены объекты, составляющие исследуемый набор. Построены ассоциативные правила для назначения анализов пациенту. Приведены наиболее распространенные термины интеллектуального анализа данных. Рассмотрено множество транзакций, которые доступны для медицинского анализа пациента. Описана последовательность объектов и заданное отношение порядка. Указано минимальное значение поддержки множества и отсеяны ассоциативные правила на основе этого значения. Охарактеризованы величины полезности ассоциативных правил, с помощью которых устанавливается важность того или иного ассоциативного правила. Выявлено, что правильная оценка полезности ассоциативного правила влияет на объем и быстродействие доступа к информации. Введен уникальный идентификатор для исследуемого набора анализов пациента. Отмечены дополнительные многочисленные атрибуты исследуемых объектов. Охарактеризованы транзакции, которые содержат дополнительные атрибуты и операции не только наличия, а также сравнения. Установлено различие между ассоциативными правилами и секвенциальным анализом. Оценено влияние построения ассоциативных правил при исследовании предметной области и интеллектуальном анализе данных. Полученные результаты будут использованы в дальнейших исследованиях в данной предметной области.The authors have investigated one of the important sections of the data mining process. The concept of bioinformatics is considered. The objects included in the study set are defined. The object of the study is the patient's physical parameter and the value of this indicator. The set of transactions, the information about which is available for analysis, is defined. It describes the value of the support for the studied sets, as well as the minimum support is set. We have described and characterized sequences of investigated objects. Various types of sequences are described, including cycles and without cycles. The support for the sequence of investigated objects as the ratio of the number of transactions, which includes the studied sequences, to the total number of transactions is characterized. Examples of sequence analysis and ordering in this subject area are given. A unique identifier has been entered for each patient. The hierarchical structure is described on the example of the patient's physical characteristics. The advantages and disadvantages of using the hierarchical structure are presented. We have proved that the use of this method allows more flexible analysis and additional knowledge. Additional numerical attributes of the investigated objects are described. The main stages of the formation and presentation of associative rules are described. We have defined such types of associative rules as useful, trivial and obscure ones. The associative rules for the studied set of patient's physical indicators are derived. The values of the utility of associative rules, such as support, reliability, improvement, etc. are indicated. We have also characterized the rules for selection and filtering associative rules. Moreover, the authors have introduced more complex comparisons in the conditional part of the associative rule. We used regulations for constructing associative rules and sequencing analysis when conducting the study. These results will be used in further research to identify the patterns of symptoms and diagnoses of the patient

Interregional compensatory mechanisms of motor functioning in progressing preclinical neurodegeneration.

Understanding brain reserve in preclinical stages of neurodegenerative disorders allows determination of which brain regions contribute to normal functioning despite accelerated neuronal loss. Besides the recruitment of additional regions, a reorganisation and shift of relevance between normally engaged regions are a suggested key mechanism. Thus, network analysis methods seem critical for investigation of changes in directed causal interactions between such candidate brain regions. To identify core compensatory regions, fifteen preclinical patients carrying the genetic mutation leading to Huntington's disease and twelve controls underwent fMRI scanning. They accomplished an auditory paced finger sequence tapping task, which challenged cognitive as well as executive aspects of motor functioning by varying speed and complexity of movements. To investigate causal interactions among brain regions a single Dynamic Causal Model (DCM) was constructed and fitted to the data from each subject. The DCM parameters were analysed using statistical methods to assess group differences in connectivity, and the relationship between connectivity patterns and predicted years to clinical onset was assessed in gene carriers. In preclinical patients, we found indications for neural reserve mechanisms predominantly driven by bilateral dorsal premotor cortex, which increasingly activated superior parietal cortices the closer individuals were to estimated clinical onset. This compensatory mechanism was restricted to complex movements characterised by high cognitive demand. Additionally, we identified task-induced connectivity changes in both groups of subjects towards pre- and caudal supplementary motor areas, which were linked to either faster or more complex task conditions. Interestingly, coupling of dorsal premotor cortex and supplementary motor area was more negative in controls compared to gene mutation carriers. Furthermore, changes in the connectivity pattern of gene carriers allowed prediction of the years to estimated disease onset in individuals. Our study characterises the connectivity pattern of core cortical regions maintaining motor function in relation to varying task demand. We identified connections of bilateral dorsal premotor cortex as critical for compensation as well as task-dependent recruitment of pre- and caudal supplementary motor area. The latter finding nicely mirrors a previously published general linear model-based analysis of the same data. Such knowledge about disease specific inter-regional effective connectivity may help identify foci for interventions based on transcranial magnetic stimulation designed to stimulate functioning and also to predict their impact on other regions in motor-associated networks

Analysis of the effectiveness of an instructional strategy to teach selected problem-solving skills to nursing students

The purpose of this research was to determine if selected problem-solving skills of freshmen nursing students in an associate-degree nursing program could be enhanced by an instructional strategy that combined simulated patient encounters with two types of feedback obtained from experienced nurses. The skills were: (1) the detection, encoding, and retrieval of cues and (2) the generation of tentative problem formulations. Six videotaped simulations of nurse-patient encounters were shown to a group of experienced nurses, who were asked to write tentative problem formulations with relevant cues and summarizing assessments of the situations. Data of the nurses\u27 information processing activities while performing the simulation exercises were additionally collected and analyzed. The results of this analysis were used to develop an instructional package that was tested on a sample of freshmen nursing students.;The sample was randomly assigned to three groups: two treatment groups and a posttest-only control group. The following were hypothesized: (1) that the selected problem-solving skills of the treatment groups would be significantly improved by the instructional strategy, and (2) that the skills would be more greatly enhanced in the treatment group which received outcome and process feedback from the experienced nurses than in the treatment group which received outcome feedback only.;The results of the analysis of covariance supported the first hypothesis but not the second hypothesis. It was found that the mean of the group receiving outcome feedback was significantly higher than the control group, but that there was no difference in the means of the control group and the treatment group which received both outcome and process feedback.;Limitations of the study were related to the samples used; i.e., the number of experienced nurses was small and the sample of students was drawn from an existing nursing program. Implications for future research included: (1) other applications and modifications of the components of the instructional strategy; (2) variation of the types of simulation; (3) further research into problem-solving processes and outcomes of experienced nurses

An overview of decision table literature 1982-1995.

This report gives an overview of the literature on decision tables over the past 15 years. As much as possible, for each reference, an author supplied abstract, a number of keywords and a classification are provided. In some cases own comments are added. The purpose of these comments is to show where, how and why decision tables are used. The literature is classified according to application area, theoretical versus practical character, year of publication, country or origin (not necessarily country of publication) and the language of the document. After a description of the scope of the interview, classification results and the classification by topic are presented. The main body of the paper is the ordered list of publications with abstract, classification and comments.

Innovative teaching strategies within a nursing education model

Recent nursing literature has repeatedly proclaimed the need for creativity in nursing. The complexity of contemporary nursing practice as a result of the explosion of knowledge and technology, changing human values and diverse health care systems, requires an innovative and creative nurse who can adapt to change and provide holistic, individualised, context-specific patient care. Higher levels of cognitive thought, creative thinking and problem-solving skills have been stressed as desirable qualities of student nurses. It is suggested in the literature that the evolution of innovative strategies and the ways to implement them into nursing curricula be explored in order to assist and encourage students to develop these higher cognitive skills. From an analytical study of the literature which was undertaken with the aim of exploring the nature of creativity and the processes involved in creative thinking and learning, and of identifying innovative strategies particularly relevant to the teaching of nursing, it became apparent that the most significant determinants in teaching for creativity, are the learning enviromnent, the educator-student relationship, and the provision of a variety of teaching strategies, which are student-centred with a problem-solving focus. It was established that stimulation of both the left and right hemispheres of the brain is essential for the development of creative thinking skills. Based on the insights and knowledge gained in the study, a nursing education model for the fostering of creativity was developed. This model encompasses a wide variety of didactic considerations and is designed to stimulate whole brain learning. It is hoped that its use will be of value in the production of innovative and courageous nurse practitioners who will be better equipped to cope with the changes and challenges of their working environment and be able to provide context-specific nursing care.Health StudiesD. Litt. et Phil. (Nursing Science

Architecture for Adaptive Intelligent Systems

We identify a class of niches to be occupied by 'adaptive intelligent systems (AISs)'. In contrast with niches occupied by typical AI agents, AIS niches present situations that vary dynamically along several key dimensions: different combinations of required tasks, different configurations of available resources, contextual conditions ranging from benign to stressful, and different performance criteria. We present a small class hierarchy of AIS niches that exhibit these dimensions of variability and describe a particular AIS niche, ICU (intensive care unit) patient monitoring, which we use for illustration throughout the paper. We have designed and implemented an agent architecture that supports all of different kinds of adaptation by exploiting a single underlying theoretical concept: An agent dynamically constructs explicit control plans to guide its choices among situation-triggered behaviors. We illustrate the architecture and its support for adaptation with examples from Guardian, an experimental agent for ICU monitoring

A system to provide guidance to stroke patients during independent physiotherapy

Stroke is a serious disease that leaves many sufferers physically disabled. Treatment resources are limited, meaning stroke patients, are in many cases, discharged prior to reaching their full potential of physical recovery. The hypothesis of this research is that a system that enables regular guided and monitored therapeutic exercises in the home can provide a means for stroke patients to achieve a higher level of physical rehabilitation. This research is based on the design, build and testing of an experimental prototype system to allow this, with the aim of investigating the feasibility and potential value for such systems. Any system to assist rehabilitation in the home must clearly be low cost, safe and easy to use. The prototype system therefore aimed to achieve these features as well as focusing on the upper limb. Literature is reviewed in the fields of stroke, human anatomy and mechanisms, motor performance, feedback during motor learning, and existing systems and technology. Interviews are also conducted with stroke physiotherapists to gain input and feedback on concepts that were generated. Although systems exist with similar aims to those mentioned in the hypothesis, there are some areas where investigation is lacking. The prototype system measures movement using a novel combination of gyro sensors and flex sensors. The prototype system is designed with a focus on the method of interaction with patients and the provision of guidance and feedback that simulates that provided by a physiotherapist. The prototype system also provides a unique combination of quantitative information to patients of their personal improvements and graphical feedback of their movements and target movements. Finally, a novel categorisation of movement synergism (a form of movement coordination) is established and a novel method for detecting movement synergism is developed and tested. Performance of the prototype hardware is tested, and it is concluded that identified requirements have been met, although variability of recorded data is high. Tests also indicate that the prototype system is capable of detecting movement synergism. Finally, a controlled test involving healthy participants is performed to investigate the efficacy of the prototype as a whole. It was found that use of the prototype system resulted in a statistically significant improvement in conformance to target movements (ρ < 0.05). Findings are discussed in detail and the hypothesis is concluded as being supported overall. Recommendations for future research are made