Framework of fully integrated hybrid systems

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00521-011-0672-9A framework of fully integrated hybrid systems (HSs) is proposed for the development and management of HS which involve databases, advanced user interfaces, symbolic systems, and artificial neural networks. This framework provides a common input–output interface among those HS modules developed on the framework, with a completely two-directional flow control and a highly parallel processing. This integration framework facilitates the incorporation of heterogeneous modules, together with their subsequent management and updating

Study of classical conditioning in Aplysia through the implementation of computational models of its learning circuit

“This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence on 04 Jul 2007, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/DOI:10.1080/09528130601052177.”The learning phenomenon can be analysed at various levels, but in this paper we treat a specific paradigm of artificial intelligence, i.e. artificial neural networks (ANNs), whose main virtue is their capacity to seek unified and mutually satisfactory solutions which are relevant to biological and psychological models. Many of the procedures and methods proposed previously have used biological and/or psychological principles, models, and data; here, we focus on models which look for a greater degree of coherence. Therefore we analyse and compare all aspects of the Gluck–Thompson and Hawkins ANN models. A multithread computer model is developed for analysis of these models in order to study simple learning phenomena in a marine invertebrate (Aplysia californica) and to check their applicability to research in psychology and neurobiology. The predictive capacities of the models differs significantly: the Hawkins model provides a better analysis of the behavioural repertory of Aplysia on both the associative and the non-associative learning level. The scope of the ANN modelling technique is broadened by integration with neurobiological and behavioural models of associative learning, allowing enhancement of some architectures and procedures that are currently being used

Ultrashort pulsed laser conditioning of human enamel: in vitro study of the influence of geometrical processing parameters on shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets

[Abstract] The surfaces of 63 extracted premolar teeth were processed with intense ultrashort laser pulses (λ = 795 nm; pulse duration, 120 fs; repetition rate, 1 kHz) to produce cross patterns with different pitches (s) in the micrometer range in order to evaluate the influence of such microstructures on the shear bond strengths of orthodontic brackets to enamel. The samples were classified in nine groups corresponding to the control group (raw samples) and eight different laser-processed groups (cross patterns with s increasing from 15 to 180 μm). Brackets were luted with TransbondTM XT adhesive resin to all the samples; after 72 h, they all were submitted to strength test in a universal testing machine. Additionally, a third of the samples underwent morphological analysis of the debonded surface by means of scanning electron microscope microscopy and an analysis of the failure mode based on the adhesive remnant index. The results showed that enamel microstructuring with ultrashort laser pulses remarkably increase the bond strength of brackets. Dense cross patterns (s  90 μm) give rise to smaller improvements of the bond strength. A strong correlation of this behavior with the predominant failure mode in both scenarios was found. So far, the best compromise between suitable adhesive efficiency, processing time minimization, and enamel surface preservation suggests the performance of cross patterns with pitches in the order of 90 μm.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; CSD2007-00013Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; FIS2009-0952Castilla y León. Junta; SA086A12-

Artificial Neural Networks Manipulation Server: Research on the Integration of Databases and Artificial Neural Networks

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s005210200011This paper proposes a new whole and distributed integration approach between Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Databases (DBs) taking into account the different stages of the former’s lifecycle (training, test and running). The integration architecture which has been developed consists of an ANN Manipulation Server (AMS) based on a client-server approach, which improves the ANNs’ manipulation and experimentation capabilities considerably, and also those of their training and test sets, together with their modular reuse among possibly remote applications. Moreover, the chances of integrating ANNs and DBs are analysed, proposing a new level of integration which improves the integration features considerably. This level has not been contemplated yet at full reach in any of the commercial or experimental tools analysed up to the present date. Finally, the application of the integration architecture which has been developed to the specific domain of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) is studied. Thus, the versatility and efficacy of that architecture for developing ANNs is tested. The enormous complexity of the functioning of the patterns which rule the environment’s behaviour, and the great number of variables involved, make it the ideal domain for experimenting on the application of ANNs together with DBs

Influence of Ideational Praxis on the Development of Play and Adaptive Behavior of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Analysis

[Abstract] Background: Traditionally, assessment of praxis skills in children with ASD has focused on the evaluation of aspects related to the planning and execution of actions. This study aimed to evaluate the ideational abilities of children with ASD and analyze possible relationships with the development of play and adaptive behaviors. Methods: 40 children between 4 to 6 years (TD = 20; ASD = 20) were evaluated with the Test of Ideational Praxis, the Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale, and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System II. Results: Statistically significant relationships were obtained between ideational praxis and play skills development (r = 0.649; p = 0.01), adaptive leisure behavior (r = 0.338; p = 0.04) and social adaptive behavior (r = 0.319; p = 0.04). Results of multiple linear regression models found a linear relationship between ideational praxis and play development (p = 0.005) and adaptive leisure skills (p = 0.004), but not with social interaction skills (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Objective evaluation with a specific ideational praxis assessment facilitates understanding of the ideational abilities and widens understanding of praxis skills and their impact on play and adaptive behaviors in children with ASD

Efficacy and harms of tocilizumab for the treatment of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction We systematically assessed benefits and harms of tocilizumab (TCZ), which is an antibody blocking IL-6 receptors, in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods Five electronic databases and two preprint webpages were searched until March 4, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) cohorts assessing TCZ effects in hospitalized, COVID-19 adult patients were included. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, clinical worsening, clinical improvement, need for mechanical ventilation, and adverse events (AE). Inverse variance random-effects meta-analyses were performed with quality of evidence (QoE) evaluated using GRADE methodology. Results Nine RCTs (n = 7,021) and nine IPTW cohorts (n = 7,796) were included. TCZ significantly reduced all-cause mortality in RCTs (RR 0.89, 95%CI 0.81–0.98, p = 0.03; moderate QoE) and non-significantly in cohorts (RR 0.67, 95%CI 0.44–1.02, p = 0.08; very low QoE) vs. control (standard of care [SOC] or placebo). TCZ significantly reduced the need for mechanical ventilation (RR 0.80, 95%CI 0.71–0.90, p = 0.001; moderate QoE) and length of stay (MD -1.92 days, 95%CI -3.46 to -0.38, p = 0.01; low QoE) vs. control in RCTs. There was no significant difference in clinical improvement or worsening between treatments. AEs, severe AEs, bleeding and thrombotic events were similar between arms in RCTs, but there was higher neutropenia risk with TCZ (very low QoE). Subgroup analyses by disease severity or risk of bias (RoB) were consistent with main analyses. Quality of evidence was moderate to very low in both RCTs and cohorts. Conclusions In comparison to SOC or placebo, TCZ reduced all-cause mortality in all studies and reduced mechanical ventilation and length of stay in RCTs in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Other clinical outcomes were not significantly impacted. TCZ did not have effect on AEs, except a significant increased neutropenia risk in RCTs. TCZ has a potential role in the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Revisión por pare

Utilidad de cinco tejidos para discriminar variantes somáticas y germinales en neoplasias mieloides

CO-091 Introducción: Los síndromes hereditarios están adquiriendo una gran importancia en el panorama de las hemopatías malignas. De hecho, la revisión de 2016 de la OMS ha incluido una sección sobre predisposición germinal a neoplasias mieloides (NM). Distinguir entre una neoplasia mieloide de predisposición hereditaria (NMPH) de una NM esporádica es crucial por su impacto en el seguimiento de estos pacientes, así como en el de sus familiares sanos. La generalización de técnicas como la NGS en el estudio inicial de pacientes con NM ha puesto de manifiesto que un porcentaje no desdeñable de pacientes podrían tener variantes de origen germinal. Sin embargo, para su diagnóstico, se precisa de la confirmación de la naturaleza de la variante en un tejido no hematopoyético, sin que exista un consenso sobre el tejido a utilizar. Métodos: Nos propusimos evaluar cinco tejidos (fibroblastos de médula ósea, fibroblastos de piel, folículos pilosos, frotis bucal y células CD3+) en cuanto a su capacidad de discriminar si las variantes sospechosas eran de origen somático o germinal. El estudio se realizó en una cohorte de 299 pacientes a los que en algún momento del curso de la enfermedad se les hizo un panel de NGS Pan-Mieloide (PMP, 48 genes), que incluye 22 genes descritos en la literatura como relacionados con NMPH, incluyendo los recomendados por la OMS (ANKRD26, CEBPA, DDX41, ETV6, GATA2, RUNX1). De los 299 pacientes, 100 portaban variantes en algunos de esos 22 genes, que presentaban una frecuencia alélica (VAF) ~ 50%. Recolectamos un total de 21 muestras de tejidos ..

A multi-analysis approach for space–time and economic evaluation of risks related with livestock diseases: The example of FMD in Peru

This study presents a multi-disciplinary decision-support tool, which integrates geo-statistics, social network analysis (SNA), spatial-stochastic spread model, economic analysis and mapping/visualization capabilities for the evaluation of the sanitary and socio-economic impact of livestock diseases under diverse epidemiologic scenarios. We illustrate the applicability of this tool using foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Peru as an example. The approach consisted on a flexible, multistep process that may be easily adapted based on data availability. The first module (mI) uses a geo-statistical approach for the estimation (if needed) of the distribution and abundance of susceptible population (in the example here, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and camelids) at farm-level in the region or country of interest (Peru). The second module (mII) applies SNA for evaluating the farm-to-farm contact patterns and for exploring the structure and frequency of between-farm animal movements as a proxy for potential disease introduction or spread. The third module (mIII) integrates mI-II outputs into a spatial-stochastic model that simulates within- and between-farm FMD-transmission. The economic module (mIV) connects outputs from mI-III to provide an estimate of associated direct and indirect costs. A visualization module (mV) is also implemented to graph and map the outputs of module I-IV. After 1000 simulated epidemics, the mean (95% probability interval) number of outbreaks, infected animals, epidemic duration, and direct costs were 37 (1, 1164), 2152 (1, 13, 250), 63 days (0, 442), and US$ 1.2 million (1072, 9.5 million), respectively. Spread of disease was primarily local (&lt;4.5km), but geolocation and type of index farm strongly influenced the extent and spatial patterns of an epidemic. The approach is intended to support decisions in the last phase of the FMD eradication program in Peru, in particular to inform and support the implementation of risk-based surveillance and livestock insurance systems that may help to prevent and control potential FMD virus incursions into Peru.</p