Effective weakly supervised semantic frame induction using expression sharing in hierarchical hidden Markov models

We present a framework for the induction of semantic frames from utterances in the context of an adaptive command-and-control interface. The system is trained on an individual user's utterances and the corresponding semantic frames representing controls. During training, no prior information on the alignment between utterance segments and frame slots and values is available. In addition, semantic frames in the training data can contain information that is not expressed in the utterances. To tackle this weakly supervised classification task, we propose a framework based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Structural modifications, resulting in a hierarchical HMM, and an extension called expression sharing are introduced to minimize the amount of training time and effort required for the user. The dataset used for the present study is PATCOR, which contains commands uttered in the context of a vocally guided card game, Patience. Experiments were carried out on orthographic and phonetic transcriptions of commands, segmented on different levels of n-gram granularity. The experimental results show positive effects of all the studied system extensions, with some effect differences between the different input representations. Moreover, evaluation experiments on held-out data with the optimal system configuration show that the extended system is able to achieve high accuracies with relatively small amounts of training data

Prospective Evaluation of Sleep Apnea as Manifestation of Heart Failure in Children

In adults with heart failure, central sleep apnea (CSA), often manifested as Cheyne–Stokes respiration, is common, and has been associated with adverse outcome. Heart failure in children is commonly caused by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). It is unknown whether children with heart failure secondary to DCM have CSA, and whether CSA is related to the severity of heart failure. In this prospective observational study, 37 patients (<18 year) with heart failure secondary to DCM were included. They underwent polysomnography, clinical and laboratory evaluation and echocardiographic assessment. After a median follow-up time of 2 years, eight patients underwent heart transplantation. CSA (apnea–hypopnea index [AHI] ≥1) was found in 19 % of the patients. AHI ranged from 1.2 to 4.5/h. The occurrence of CSA was not related to the severity of heart failure. Three older patients showed a breathing pattern mimicking Cheyne–Stokes respiration, two of whom required heart transplantation. CSA was found in 19 % of the children with heart failure secondary to DCM. No relation was found with the severity of heart failure. In a small subset of children with severe DCM, a pattern mimicking Cheyne–Stokes respiration was registered

Six-Minute Walk Test as a Predictor for Outcome in Children with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Chronic Stable Heart Failure

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is an important tool to predict prognosis in children and adults with heart failure. A much less sophisticated exercise test is the 6 min walk test, which has been shown an independent predictor for m

Development of a Generic Microfluidic Device for Simultaneous Detection of Antibodies and Nucleic Acids in Oral Fluids

A prototype dual-path microfluidic device (Rheonix CARD) capable of performing simultaneously screening (antigen or antibody) and confirmatory (nucleic acid) detection of pathogens is described. The device fully integrates sample processing, antigen or antibody detection, and nucleic acid amplification and detection, demonstrating rapid and inexpensive “sample-to-result” diagnosis with performance comparable to benchtop analysis. For the chip design, a modular approach was followed allowing the optimization of individual steps in the sample processing process. This modular design provides great versatility accommodating different disease targets independently of the production method. In the detection module, a lateral flow (LF) protocol utilizing upconverting phosphor (UCP) reporters was employed. The nucleic acid (NA) module incorporates a generic microtube containing dry reagents. Lateral flow strips and PCR primers determine the target or disease that is diagnosed. Diagnosis of HIV infection was used as a model to investigate the simultaneous detection of both human antibodies against the virus and viral RNA. The serological result is available in less than 30 min, and the confirmation by RNA amplification takes another 60 min. This approach combines a core serological portable diagnostic with a nucleic acid-based confirmatory test

A methodology for identifying high-need, high-cost patient personas for international comparisons.

ObjectiveTo establish a methodological approach to compare two high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patient personas internationally.Data sourcesLinked individual-level administrative data from the inpatient and outpatient sectors compiled by the International Collaborative on Costs, Outcomes, and Needs in Care (ICCONIC) across 11 countries: Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.Study designWe outline a methodological approach to identify HNHC patient types for international comparisons that reflect complex, priority populations defined by the National Academy of Medicine. We define two patient profiles using accessible patient-level datasets linked across different domains of care-hospital care, primary care, outpatient specialty care, post-acute rehabilitative care, long-term care, home-health care, and outpatient drugs. The personas include a frail older adult with a hip fracture with subsequent hip replacement and an older person with complex multimorbidity, including heart failure and diabetes. We demonstrate their comparability by examining the characteristics and clinical diagnoses captured across countries.Data collection/extraction methodsData collected by ICCONIC partners.Principal findingsAcross 11 countries, the identification of HNHC patient personas was feasible to examine variations in healthcare utilization, spending, and patient outcomes. The ability of countries to examine linked, individual-level data varied, with the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany able to comprehensively examine care across all seven domains, whereas other countries such as England, Switzerland, and New Zealand were more limited. All countries were able to identify a hip fracture persona and a heart failure persona. Patient characteristics were reassuringly similar across countries.ConclusionAlthough there are cross-country differences in the availability and structure of data sources, countries had the ability to effectively identify comparable HNHC personas for international study. This work serves as the methodological paper for six accompanying papers examining differences in spending, utilization, and outcomes for these personas across countries

Centriole movements in mammalian epithelial cells during cytokinesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In cytokinesis, when the cleavage furrow has been formed, the two centrioles in each daughter cell separate. It has been suggested that the centrioles facilitate and regulate cytokinesis to some extent. It has been postulated that termination of cytokinesis (abscission) depends on the migration of a centriole to the intercellular bridge and then back to the cell center. To investigate the involvement of centrioles in cytokinesis, we monitored the movements of centrioles in three mammalian epithelial cell lines, HeLa, MCF 10A, and the p53-deficient mouse mammary tumor cell line KP-7.7, by time-lapse imaging. Centrin1-EGFP and α-Tubulin-mCherry were co-expressed in the cells to visualize respectively the centrioles and microtubules.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report that separated centrioles that migrate from the cell pole are very mobile during cytokinesis and their movements can be characterized as 1) along the nuclear envelope, 2) irregular, and 3) along microtubules forming the spindle axis. Centriole movement towards the intercellular bridge was only seen occasionally and was highly cell-line dependent.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings show that centrioles are highly mobile during cytokinesis and suggest that the repositioning of a centriole to the intercellular bridge is not essential for controlling abscission. We suggest that centriole movements are microtubule dependent and that abscission is more dependent on other mechanisms than positioning of centrioles.</p

Status of the compactlight design study*

CompactLight (XLS) is an International Collaboration of 24 partners and 5 third parties, funded by the European Union through the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. The main goal of the project, which started in January 2018 with a duration of 36 months, is the design of an hard X-ray FEL facility beyond today’s state of the art, using the latest concepts for bright electron photo-injectors, high-gradient accelerating structures, and innovative short-period undulators. The specifications of the facility and the parameters of the future FEL are driven by the demands of potential users and the associated science cases. In this paper we will give an overview on the ongoing activities and the major results achieved until now

In Vivo Monitoring of mRNA Movement in Drosophila Body Wall Muscle Cells Reveals the Presence of Myofiber Domains

Background: In skeletal muscle each muscle cell, commonly called myofiber, is actually a large syncytium containing numerous nuclei. Experiments in fixed myofibers show that mRNAs remain localized around the nuclei in which they are produced. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study we generated transgenic flies that allowed us to investigate the movement of mRNAs in body wall myofibers of living Drosophila embryos. We determined the dynamic properties of GFP-tagged mRNAs using in vivo confocal imaging and photobleaching techniques and found that the GFP-tagged mRNAs are not free to move throughout myofibers. The restricted movement indicated that body wall myofibers consist of three domains. The exchange of mRNAs between the domains is relatively slow, but the GFP-tagged mRNAs move rapidly within these domains. One domain is located at the centre of the cell and is surrounded by nuclei while the other two domains are located at either end of the fiber. To move between these domains mRNAs have to travel past centrally located nuclei. Conclusions/Significance: These data suggest that the domains made visible in our experiments result from prolonged interactions with as yet undefined structures close to the nuclei that prevent GFP-tagged mRNAs from rapidly moving between the domains. This could be of significant importance for the treatment of myopathies using regenerative cellbase

Exercise capacity in children with isolated congenital complete atrioventricular block: does pacing make a difference?

Item does not contain fulltextThe management of patients with isolated congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB) has changed during the last decades. The current policy is to pace the majority of patients based on a variety of criteria, among which is limited exercise capacity. Data regarding exercise capacity in this population stems from previous publications reporting small case series of unpaced patients. Therefore, we have investigated the exercise capacity of a group of contemporary children with CCAVB. Sixteen children (mean age 11.5 +/- 4; seven boys, nine girls) with CCAVB were tested. In 13 patients, a median number of three pacemakers were implanted, whereas in three patients no pacemaker was given. All patients had an echocardiogram and completed a cardiopulmonary cycle exercise test. Exercise parameters were determined and compared with reference values obtained from healthy Dutch peers. The peak oxygen uptake/body mass was reduced to 34.4 +/- 9.5 ml kg(-1) min(-1) (79 +/- 24% of predicted) and the ventilatory threshold was reduced to 52 +/- 17% of peak oxygen uptake (78 +/- 21% of predicted), whereas the peak work load/body mass was 2.8 +/- 0.6 W/kg (91 +/- 24% of predicted), which was similar to controls. Importantly, 25% of the paced patients showed upper rate restriction by the pacemaker. In conclusion, children with CCAVB show a reduced peak oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold, whereas they show normal peak work rates. This indicates that they generate more energy during exercise from anaerobic energy sources. Paced children with CCAVB do not perform better than unpaced children.1 april 201