Contextual normalization applied to aircraft gas turbine engine diagnosis

Diagnosing faults in aircraft gas turbine engines is a complex problem. It involves several tasks, including rapid and accurate interpretation of patterns in engine sensor data. We have investigated contextual normalization for the development of a software tool to help engine repair technicians with interpretation of sensor data. Contextual normalization is a new strategy for employing machine learning. It handles variation in data that is due to contextual factors, rather than the health of the engine. It does this by normalizing the data in a context-sensitive manner. This learning strategy was developed and tested using 242 observations of an aircraft gas turbine engine in a test cell, where each observation consists of roughly 12,000 numbers, gathered over a 12 second interval. There were eight classes of observations: seven deliberately implanted classes of faults and a healthy class. We compared two approaches to implementing our learning strategy: linear regression and instance-based learning. We have three main results. (1) For the given problem, instance-based learning works better than linear regression. (2) For this problem, contextual normalization works better than other common forms of normalization. (3) The algorithms described here can be the basis for a useful software tool for assisting technicians with the interpretation of sensor data

Conduct Symptoms and Emotion Recognition in Adolescent Boys with Externalization Problems

Background. In adults with antisocial personality disorder, marked alterations in the recognition of facial affect were described. Less consistent data are available on the emotion recognition in adolescents with externalization problems. The aim of the present study was to assess the relation between the recognition of emotions and conduct symptoms in adolescent boys with externalization problems. Methods. Adolescent boys with externalization problems referred to Vadaskert Child Psychiatry Hospital participated in the study after informed consent (N=114, 11–17 years, mean = 13.4). The conduct problems scale of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (parent and self-report) was used. The performance in a facial emotion recognition test was assessed. Results. Conduct problems score (parent and self-report) was inversely correlated with the overall emotion recognition. In the self-report, conduct problems score was inversely correlated with the recognition of anger, fear, and sadness. Adolescents with high conduct problems scores were significantly worse in the recognition of fear, sadness, and overall recognition than adolescents with low conduct scores, irrespective of age and IQ. Conclusions. Our results suggest that impaired emotion recognition is dimensionally related to conduct problems and might have importance in the development of antisocial behavior

Auswirkungen der Applikation von mit Trichoderma harzianum inokulierter Knochenkohle auf die mikrobielle Biomasse, Enzymaktivitäten und die Zusammensetzung der organischen Substanz des Bodens

Knochenmehl kann als Abprodukt der Tierproduktion thermisch aufbereitet werden, um die Verbreitung von pathogenen Mikroorganismen zu verhindern. Die entstehende Knochenkohle kann anschließend zur P-Düngung eingesetzt werden. Eine Inokulation mit Trichoderma harzianum kann die Nährstoffmobilisierung beschleunigen. In einem 8-wöchigen Inkubationsversuch mit drei Böden aus landwirtschaftlicher bzw. forstwirtschaftlicher Nutzung wurde die Wirkung einer Knochenkohle-Applikation (1% w/w) mit und ohne Inokulation mit Trichoderma harzianum (10^6 Konidien/g Knochenkohle) auf die mikrobielle Biomasse, die ß-Glucosidaseaktivität, die Phosphataseaktivität und die Zusammensetzung der organischen Substanz der Böden untersucht. Aufgrund ihrer hohen P- und Ca-Gehalte (192 g kg-1 und 288 g kg-1) verbessert die Knochenkohle die Nährstoffversorgung und hebt den pH-Wert saurer Böden. Die Kombination mit Trichoderma harzianum beeinflusste die Wirkung der Knochenkohle auf den Gehalt des Bodens an P in der mikrobiellen Biomasse. In dem Boden mit dem geringsten Gehalt an organischer Substanz (28,6 g SOM kg-1), wurde der Gehalt an P in der mikrobiellen Biomasse durch die Inokulation erhöht, in den beiden übrigen Böden dagegen geringfügig reduziert. Die Unterschiede in der Zusammensetzungen der organischen Substanz der Böden ermöglichen die Erklärung der Unterschiede in der mikrobiellen P-Umsetzung in den Behandlungsvarianten über die Verknüpfung mit dem Kohlenstoffkreislauf der Böden

Sleep and epilepsy: A snapshot of knowledge and future research lines

Sleep and epilepsy have a reciprocal relationship, and have been recognized as bedfellows since antiquity. However, research on this topic has made a big step forward only in recent years. In this narrative review we summarize the most stimulating discoveries and insights reached by the “European school.” In particular, different aspects concerning the sleep–epilepsy interactions are analysed: (a) the effects of sleep on epilepsy; (b) the effects of epilepsy on sleep structure; (c) the relationship between epilepsy, sleep and epileptogenesis; (d) the impact of epileptic activity during sleep on cognition; (e) the relationship between epilepsy and the circadian rhythm; (f) the history and features of sleep hypermotor epilepsy and its differential diagnosis; (g) the relationship between epilepsy and sleep disorders

Postsurgical pain outcome of vertical and transverse abdominal incision: Design of a randomized controlled equivalence trial [ISRCTN60734227]

BACKGROUND: There are two ways to open the abdominal cavity in elective general surgery: vertically or transversely. Various clinical studies and a meta-analysis have postulated that the transverse approach is superior to other approaches as regards complications. However, in a recent survey it was shown that 90 % of all abdominal incisions in visceral surgery are still vertical incisions. This discrepancy between existing recommendations of clinical trials and clinical practice could be explained by the lack of acceptance of these results due to a number of deficits in the study design and analysis, subsequent low internal validity, and therefore limited external generalisability. The objective of this study is to address the issue from the patient's perspective. METHODS: This is an intraoperatively randomized controlled observer and patient-blinded two-group parallel equivalence trial. The study setting is the Department of General-, Visceral-, Trauma Surgery and Outpatient Clinic of the University of Heidelberg, Medical School. A total of 172 patients of both genders, aged over 18 years who are scheduled for an elective abdominal operation and are eligible for either a transverse or vertical incision. To show equivalence of the two approaches or the superiority of one of them from the perspective of the patient, a primary endpoint is defined: the pain experienced by the patient (VAS 0–100) on day two after surgery and the amount of analgesic required (piritramide [mg/h]). A confidence interval approach will be used for analysis. A global α-Level of 0.05 and a power of 0.8 is guaranteed, resulting in a size of 86 patients for each group. Secondary endpoints are: time interval to open and close the abdomen, early-onset complications (frequency of burst abdomen, postoperative pulmonary complications, and wound infection) and late complications (frequency of incisional hernias). Different outcome variables will be ranked by patients and surgeons to assess the relevance of possible endpoints from the patients' and surgeons' perspective. CONCLUSION: This is a randomized controlled observer and patient-blinded two-group parallel trial to answer the question if the transverse abdominal incision is equivalent to the vertical one due to the described endpoints

The Nordic Subpopulation Research Programme: prediction of treatment outcome in patients with low back pain treated by chiropractors - does the psychological profile matter?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is clinically important to be able to select patients suitable for treatment and to be able to predict with some certainty the outcome for patients treated for low back pain (LBP). It is not known to what degree outcome among chiropractic patients is affected by psychological factors.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>To investigate if some demographic, psychological, and clinical variables can predict outcome with chiropractic care in patients with LBP.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective multi-center practice-based study was carried out, in which demographic, clinical and psychological information was collected at base-line. Outcome was established at the 4^thvisit and after three months. The predictive value was studied for all base-line variables, individually and in a multivariable analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In all, 55 of 99 invited chiropractors collected information on 731 patients. At the 4^thvisit data were available on 626 patients and on 464 patients after 3 months. Fee subsidization (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.9-5.5), total duration of pain in the past year (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.2), and general health (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.4) remained in the final model as predictors of treatment outcome at the 4^thvisit. The sensitivity was low (12%), whereas the specificity was high (97%). At the three months follow-up, duration of pain in the past year (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.4-3.1), and pain in other parts of the spine in the past year (OR1.6; 1.1-2.5) were independently associated with outcome. However, both the sensitivity and specificity were relatively low (60% and 50%). The addition of the psychological variables did not improve the models and none of the psychological variables remained significant in the final analyses. There was a positive gradient in relation to the number of positive predictor variables and outcome, both at the 4^thvisit and after 3 months.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Psychological factors were not found to be relevant in the prediction of treatment outcome in Swedish chiropractic patients with LBP.</p

Evidence for diagnosis of early chronic pancreatitis after three episodes of acute pancreatitis : a cross-sectional multicentre international study with experimental animal model

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an end-stage disease with no specific therapy; therefore, an early diagnosis is of crucial importance. In this study, data from 1315 and 318 patients were analysed from acute pancreatitis (AP) and CP registries, respectively. The population from the AP registry was divided into AP (n=983), recurrent AP (RAP, n=270) and CP (n=62) groups. The prevalence of CP in combination with AP, RAP2, RAP3, RAP4 and RAP5+was 0%, 1%, 16%, 50% and 47%, respectively, suggesting that three or more episodes of AP is a strong risk factor for CP. Laboratory, imaging and clinical biomarkers highlighted that patients with RAP3+do not show a significant difference between RAPs and CP. Data from CP registries showed 98% of patients had at least one AP and the average number of episodes was four. We mimicked the human RAPs in a mouse model and found that three or more episodes of AP cause early chronic-like morphological changes in the pancreas. We concluded that three or more attacks of AP with no morphological changes to the pancreas could be considered as early CP (ECP).The new diagnostic criteria for ECP allow the majority of CP patients to be diagnosed earlier. They can be used in hospitals with no additional costs in healthcare.Peer reviewe