Identifying data set specific duplicate patient records

posterProbabilistic models are commonly used in the identification of duplicate records. These methods are usually more accurate than deterministic methods, but are exponentially more computationally complex. Thus to make them computationally feasible, they rely on deterministic blocking strategies. This project investigates how machine learning methods can be used to automatically determine an optimal blocking strategy using duplicate records already identified

Ocularity and adaptation in a depth discrimination task

Depth perception and adaptation, as related to ocularity, are the topics of this experimental study. Subject samples consist of three groups- one binocular, one composed of unilaterally occluded binocular subjects, and one composed of two adapted monocular patients (one eye enucleated). Both speed and accuracy were measured using a modified Howard Dolman apparatus. Binocular individuals demonstrated significantly better performance than occluded binocular subjects in both accuracy and a measure of JND. There was no significant difference in speed of judgment between groups. Due to the small sample of adapted monocular subjects and their variable performance, no generalizations can be drawn from their results. Individual results are discussed as are implications for further research

Creation of an open source master person index from proprietary code: the open source "care data exchange" project

posterFrom 1998 to 2004 the ""Care Data Exchange"" (CDE) software was developed as a proprietary product by CareScience for the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF). In 2005 CHCF asked Forrester Research to study the feasibility of releasing the CDE software assets under a free, open source license. The Forrester report articulated relationships between proprietary and nonproprietary components in the CDE Information Architecture (CIA)

Understanding the profile of errors that cause duplicate entries in a patient registry

posterDuplicate records are detrimental to the cost-effective and efficient delivery of health care. Manually identifying and resolving duplicates can cost $60 per case. Patterns have been found in the types of errors that occur in patient registries, suggesting that undetected duplicate records may be similar to those already identified. At the University of Utah, records from all community clinics are merged with hospital records in the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). The Pedigree and Population Resource group at Huntsman Cancer Institute links demographic records from the EDW to the Utah Population Database (UPDB). In last year's linkage, 76,922 duplicate records were identified. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences between clinic and hospital records in the EDW with existing literature

Preserving academic poster content

posterPosters are an important way to share information between academia and industry. They are presented at national conferences, regional meetings, and even in university departments. There were almost 75,000 calls for poster submissions last year alone. Most posters are presented for only a few hours at a conference and may be difficult to translate into full papers. Posters are represented by abstracts submitted months before conferences. They may not accurately reflect poster content. A new method for preserving academic poster content is needed

Complex Transitions Between C3 and C4 Photosynthesis During the Evolution of Paniceae: A Phylogenetic Case Study Emphasizing the Position of Steinchisma Hians (Poaceae), A C3-C4 Intermediate

A two-tiered, nested molecular phylogenetic study of panicoid grasses to explore character state transitions between the C3 and C4 adaptive syndromes is presented. A broad survey of 92 panicoid species was sampled for the grass-specific insert sequence in the chloroplast RNA polymerase locus (rpoC2), combining published and unpublished sequences. This portion of the study also included an intensive phylogenetic investigation of one clade of seven species that included Steinchisma hians, which is notable for exhibiting intermediacy between the C3 and C4 photosynthetic types. Both rpoC2 data and previously published sequences of the F subunit of an NADH-dependent dehydrogenase were analyzed together for this small group. A rigorous phylogenetic investigation of S. hians and 13 other species of Panicoideae included in the broad survey was then performed with sequences of both rpoC2 and the externally transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal repeat. These 14 species were selected to maximize representation among photosynthetic subtypes. Combined analysis resolved single origins of two photosynthetic subtypes. A reversion of C4 to C3 photosynthesis during the evolution of the lineage that includes S. hians is identified. These and other recent results indicate that repeated reversions from C4 to C3 have occurred. The C3 species Panicum laxum has a strongly supported sister group relationship to S. hians (C3-C4). The most parsimonious interpretation is that S. hians represents an incipient reversal from C3 to C4 photosynthesis, beginning with the capacity to compartmentalize photorespiratory metabolism in the bundle sheath tissue

Phylogenetically Widespread Multiple Paternity in New World Natricine Snakes

We used microsatellite DNA markers to identify the extent to which multiple paternity within litters occurs among species of New World natricine snakes. We selected seven species to represent the three major clades of Natricinae and all three subclades of the gartersnake clade. Microsatellite DNA genotyping of dams and litters confirmed multiple paternity within litters of six species, including Thamnophis radix, T. sauritus, Storeria dekayi, S. occipitomaculata, Nerodia rhombifer, and Regina septemvittata. Multiple paternity was not evident in one litter of nine Thamnophis melanogaster. Together with published data documenting multiple paternity in T. bulteri, T. elegans, T. sirtalis, and N. sipedon, these results confirm the phylogenetically widespread occurrence of multiple paternity among New World natricines, emphasizing the need to consider phylogenetic (historical) explanations when analyzing snake mating systems

Bayesian peak-bagging of solar-like oscillators using MCMC: A comprehensive guide

Context: Asteroseismology has entered a new era with the advent of the NASA Kepler mission. Long and continuous photometric observations of unprecedented quality are now available which have stimulated the development of a number of suites of innovative analysis tools. Aims: The power spectra of solar-like oscillations are an inexhaustible source of information on stellar structure and evolution. Robust methods are hence needed in order to infer both individual oscillation mode parameters and parameters describing non-resonant features, thus making a seismic interpretation possible. Methods: We present a comprehensive guide to the implementation of a Bayesian peak-bagging tool that employs a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). Besides making it possible to incorporate relevant prior information through Bayes' theorem, this tool also allows one to obtain the marginal probability density function for each of the fitted parameters. We apply this tool to a couple of recent asteroseismic data sets, namely, to CoRoT observations of HD 49933 and to ground-based observations made during a campaign devoted to Procyon. Results: The developed method performs remarkably well at constraining not only in the traditional case of extracting oscillation frequencies, but also when pushing the limit where traditional methods have difficulties. Moreover it provides an rigorous way of comparing competing models, such as the ridge identifications, against the asteroseismic data.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Defining the cognitive phenotype of autism

Although much progress has been made in determining the cognitive profile of strengths and weaknesses that characterise individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), there remain a number of outstanding questions. These include how universal strengths and deficits are; whether cognitive subgroups exist; and how cognition is associated with core autistic behaviours, as well as associated psychopathology. Several methodological factors have contributed to these limitations in our knowledge, including: small sample sizes, a focus on single domains of cognition, and an absence of comprehensive behavioural phenotypic information. To attempt to overcome some of these limitations, we assessed a wide range of cognitive domains in a large sample (N = 100) of 14- to 16-year-old adolescents with ASDs who had been rigorously behaviourally characterised. In this review, we will use examples of some initial findings in the domains of perceptual processing, emotion processing and memory, both to outline different approaches we have taken to data analysis and to highlight the considerable challenges to better defining the cognitive phenotype(s) of ASDs. Enhanced knowledge of the cognitive phenotype may contribute to our understanding of the complex links between genes, brain and behaviour, as well as inform approaches to remediation