Graph Concatenation for Quantum Codes

Graphs are closely related to quantum error-correcting codes: every stabilizer code is locally equivalent to a graph code, and every codeword stabilized code can be described by a graph and a classical code. For the construction of good quantum codes of relatively large block length, concatenated quantum codes and their generalizations play an important role. We develop a systematic method for constructing concatenated quantum codes based on "graph concatenation", where graphs representing the inner and outer codes are concatenated via a simple graph operation called "generalized local complementation." Our method applies to both binary and non-binary concatenated quantum codes as well as their generalizations.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures. Figures of concatenated [[5,1,3]] and [[7,1,3]] are added. Submitted to JM

Malaria epidemiology in central Myanmar: identification of a multi-species asymptomatic reservoir of infection.

BACKGROUND: The spread of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is a global health concern. Myanmar stands at the frontier of artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum. Myanmar also has the highest reported malaria burden in Southeast Asia; it is integral in the World Health Organization's plan to eliminate malaria in Southeast Asia, yet few epidemiological data exist for the general population in Myanmar. METHODS: This cross-sectional, probability household survey was conducted in Phyu township, Bago Region (central Myanmar), during the wet season of 2013. Interviewers collected clinical and behavioural data, recorded tympanic temperature and obtained dried blood spots for malaria PCR and serology. Plasmodium falciparum positive samples were tested for genetic mutations in the K13 region that may confer artemisinin resistance. Estimated type-specific malaria PCR prevalence and seroprevalence were calculated, with regression analysis to identify risk factors for seropositivity to P. falciparum. Data were weighted to account for unequal selection probabilities. RESULTS: 1638 participants were sampled (500 households). Weighted PCR prevalence was low (n = 41, 2.5%) and most cases were afebrile (93%). Plasmodium falciparum was the most common species (n = 19. 1.1%) and five (26%) P. falciparum samples harboured K13 mutations. Plasmodium knowlesi was detected in 1.0% (n = 16) and Plasmodium vivax was detected in 0.4% (n = 7). Seroprevalence was 9.4% for P. falciparum and 3.1% for P. vivax. Seroconversion to P. falciparum was 0.003/year in the whole population, but 16-fold higher in men over 23 years old (LR test p = 0.016). DISCUSSION: This is the first population-based seroprevalence study from central Myanmar. Low overall prevalence was discovered. However, these data suggest endemic transmission continues, probably associated with behavioural risk factors amongst working-age men. Genetic mutations associated with P. falciparum artemisinin resistance, the presence of P. knowlesi and discrete demographic risk groups present opportunities and challenges for malaria control. Responses targeted to working-age men, capable of detecting sub-clinical infections, and considering all species will facilitate malaria elimination in this setting

Identification of Zoonotic Genotypes of Giardia duodenalis

Giardia duodenalis, originally regarded as a commensal organism, is the etiologic agent of giardiasis, a gastrointestinal disease of humans and animals. Giardiasis causes major public and veterinary health concerns worldwide. Transmission is either direct, through the faecal-oral route, or indirect, through ingestion of contaminated water or food. Genetic characterization of G. duodenalis isolates has revealed the existence of seven groups (assemblages A to G) which differ in their host distribution. Assemblages A and B are found in humans and in many other mammals, but the role of animals in the epidemiology of human infection is still unclear, despite the fact that the zoonotic potential of Giardia was recognised by the WHO some 30 years ago. Here, we performed an extensive genetic characterization of 978 human and 1440 animal isolates, which together comprise 3886 sequences from 4 genetic loci. The data were assembled into a molecular epidemiological database developed by a European network of public and veterinary health Institutions. Genotyping was performed at different levels of resolution (single and multiple loci on the same dataset). The zoonotic potential of both assemblages A and B is evident when studied at the level of assemblages, sub-assemblages, and even at each single locus. However, when genotypes are defined using a multi-locus sequence typing scheme, only 2 multi-locus genotypes (MLG) of assemblage A and none of assemblage B appear to have a zoonotic potential. Surprisingly, mixtures of genotypes in individual isolates were repeatedly observed. Possible explanations are the uptake of genetically different Giardia cysts by a host, or subsequent infection of an already infected host, likely without overt symptoms, with a different Giardia species, which may cause disease. Other explanations for mixed genotypes, particularly for assemblage B, are substantial allelic sequence heterogeneity and/or genetic recombination. Although the zoonotic potential of G. duodenalis is evident, evidence on the contribution and frequency is (still) lacking. This newly developed molecular database has the potential to tackle intricate epidemiological questions concerning protozoan diseases

MONAI: An open-source framework for deep learning in healthcare

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a tremendous impact across most areas of science. Applications of AI in healthcare have the potential to improve our ability to detect, diagnose, prognose, and intervene on human disease. For AI models to be used clinically, they need to be made safe, reproducible and robust, and the underlying software framework must be aware of the particularities (e.g. geometry, physiology, physics) of medical data being processed. This work introduces MONAI, a freely available, community-supported, and consortium-led PyTorch-based framework for deep learning in healthcare. MONAI extends PyTorch to support medical data, with a particular focus on imaging, and provide purpose-specific AI model architectures, transformations and utilities that streamline the development and deployment of medical AI models. MONAI follows best practices for software-development, providing an easy-to-use, robust, well-documented, and well-tested software framework. MONAI preserves the simple, additive, and compositional approach of its underlying PyTorch libraries. MONAI is being used by and receiving contributions from research, clinical and industrial teams from around the world, who are pursuing applications spanning nearly every aspect of healthcare.Comment: www.monai.i

Reliability and validity of the Infant and Toddler Quality of Life Questionnaire (ITQOL) in a general population and respiratory disease sample

Objective: To evaluate feasibility, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent and discriminative validity of the Infant and Toddler Quality of Life Questionnaire (ITQOL) for parents of pre-school children with 12 scales (103-items) covering physical and psychosocial domains and impact of child health on parents, in comparison with the TNO-AZL Pre-school Children Quality of Life Questionnaire (TAPQOL). Methods: Parents of children from a random general population sample (2 months-4 years old; n = 500) and of an outpatient clinic sample of children with respiratory disease (5 months-51/2 years old; n = 217) were mailed ITQOL and TAPQOL questionnaires; a retest was sent after two weeks. Results: Feasibility: The response was ≥80% with few missing and non-unique ITQOL-answers (25% at maximum score). Internal consistency: All Cronbach's α >0.70. Test-retest Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were moderate or adequate (≥0.50; p < 0.01) for 10 ITQOL-scales. Validity: ITQOL-scales, with a few exceptions, correlated better with predefined parallel TAPQOL scales than with non-parallel scales. Five to eight ITQOL-scales discriminated clearly between children with few and with many parent-reported chronic conditions, between children with and without doctor-diagnosed respiratory disease and with a low and a high parent-reported medical consumption (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study supported the evidence that the ITQOL is a feasible instrument with adequate psychometric properties. The study provided reference ITQOL scores for gender/age subgroups. We recommend repeated evaluations of the ITQOL in varied populations, especially among very young children, including repeated assessments of test-retest characteristics and evaluations of responsiveness to change. We recommend developing and evaluating a shortened ITQOL version

Early detection and counselling intervention of asthma symptoms in preschool children: study design of a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background. Prevention of childhood asthma is an important public health objective. This study evaluates the effectiveness of early detection of preschool children with asthma symptoms, followed by a counselling intervention at preventive child health centres. Early detection and counselling is expected to reduce the prevalence of asthma symptoms and improve health-related quality of life at age 6 years. Methods/design. This cluster randomised controlled trial was embedded within the Rotterdam population-based prospective cohort study Generation R in which 7893 children (born between April 2002 and January 2006) participated in the postnatal phase. Sixteen child health centres are involved, randomised into 8 intervention and 8 control centres. Since June 2005, an early detection tool has been applied at age 14, 24, 36 and 45 months at the intervention centres. Children who met the intervention criteria received counselling intervention (personal advice to parents to prevent smoke exposure of the child, and/or referral to the general practitioner or asthma nurse). The primary outcome was asthma diagnosis at age 6 years. Secondary outcomes included frequency and severity of asthma symptoms, health-related quality of life, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and airway resistance at age 6 years. Analysis was according to the intention-to-treat principle. Data collection will be completed end 2011. Discussion. This study among preschool children provides insight into the effectiveness of early detection of asthma symptoms followed by a counselling intervention at preventive child health centres. Trial registration. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15790308

Eagle Aero Sport: Student-Built Aircraft

Eagle Aero Sport (EAS) is the first student operated aircraft build team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Our team allows students to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of aircraft production such as; aircraft riveting and assembling, engineering, management of production operations, accounting, finance, marketing, and team building skills. After intensive research and consulting sessions with the Experimental Aircraft Association, our airplane of choice is the Vans RV-12. EAS plans to modify this airplane in order to add real time flight test instrumentation for research. One of these instruments is an integrated Alpha Beta and pitot static sensor designed by students. Presently, the build progress is at about 40% completion with the fuselage and the empennage partly finished. The RV-12 build is currently predicted to be finished by December 2016. EAS implements OSHA standards and mandates that all build teams are led by a certified A&P Mechanic to ensure that the build process is done as safely as possible. Once complete, EAS will have the opportunity to conduct novel research in regards to airframe structural analysis and fatigue, aerodynamic flow characteristic around airframe including vorticity shedding, and other flight test studies. Some of the research will be sent to the Van’s Aircraft company for their own benefit. Most of the research will be used in classrooms here at Embry-Riddle. The research and information gathered by the EAS team is a rare asset that can be utilized by students to enhance Embry-Riddle’s curricula. Poster Presentation and Demostration Invited Oral Presentatio

Eagle Aero Sport: Student-Built Aircraft

Eagle Aero Sport (EAS) is the first student operated aircraft build team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Our team allows students to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of aircraft production such as; aircraft riveting and assembling, engineering, management of production operations, accounting, finance, marketing, and team building skills. After intensive research and consulting sessions with the Experimental Aircraft Association, our airplane of choice is the Vans RV-12. EAS plans to modify this airplane in order to add real time flight test instrumentation for research. One of these instruments is an integrated Alpha Beta and pitot static sensor designed by students. Presently, the build progress is at about 40% completion with the fuselage and the empennage partly finished. The RV-12 build is currently predicted to be finished by December 2016. EAS implements OSHA standards and mandates that all build teams are led by a certified A&P Mechanic to ensure that the build process is done as safely as possible. Once complete, EAS will have the opportunity to conduct novel research in regards to airframe structural analysis and fatigue, aerodynamic flow characteristic around airframe including vorticity shedding, and other flight test studies. Some of the research will be sent to the Van’s Aircraft company for their own benefit. Most of the research will be used in classrooms here at Embry-Riddle. The research and information gathered by the EAS team is a rare asset that can be utilized by students to enhance Embry-Riddle’s curricula. Poster Presentation and Demostration Invited Oral Presentation EAGLE PRIZE AWAR

Smart microgrid energy market : evaluating distributed ledger technologies for remote and constrained microgrid deployments

The increasing strain on ageing generation infrastructure has seen more frequent instances of scheduled and unscheduled blackouts, rising reliability on fossil fuel based energy alternatives and a slow down in efforts towards achieving universal access to electrical energy in South Africa. To try and relieve the burden on the National Grid and still progress electrification activities, the smart microgrid model and secure energy trade paradigm is considered—enabled by the Industrial IoT (IIoT) and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs). Given the high availability requirements of microgrid operations, the limited resources available on IIoT devices and the high processing and energy requirements of DLT operations, this work aims to determine the effect of native DLT algorithms when implemented on IIoT edge devices to assess the suitability of DLTs as a mechanism to establish a secure, energy trading market for the Internet of Energy. Metrics such as the node transaction time, operating temperature, power consumption, processor and memory usage are considered towards determining possible interference on the edge node operation. In addition, the cost and time required for mining operations associated with the DLT-enabled node are determined in an effort to predict the cost to end users—in terms of fees payable and mobile data costs—as well as predicting the microgrid’s growth and potential blockchain network slowdown.This article is an expansion upon the following conference publication: Ledwaba, L.P.I.; Hancke, G.P.; Isaac, S.J.; Venter, H.S. Developing a Secure, Smart Microgrid Energy Market using Distributed Ledger Technologies. In Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE 17th International Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN), Helsinki, Finland, 22–25 July 2019; pp. 1725–1728, doi:10.1109/INDIN41052.2019.8972018.The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the City University of Hong Kong Project CityU.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/electronicsam2022Computer Scienc