Two Minimal Clinically Important Difference (2MCID) : A New Twist on an Old Concept

This work is open access licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Peer reviewe

Generative Neural Network-Based Defense Methods Against Cyberattacks for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

The rapid advancement of communication and artificial intelligence technologies is propelling the development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), revolutionizing the transportation landscape. However, increased connectivity and automation also present heightened potential for cyber threats. Recently, the emergence of generative neural networks (NNs) has unveiled a myriad of opportunities for complementing CAV applications, including generative NN-based cybersecurity measures to protect the CAVs in a transportation cyber-physical system (TCPS) from known and unknown cyberattacks. The goal of this dissertation is to explore the utility of the generative NNs for devising cyberattack detection and mitigation strategies for CAVs. To this end, the author developed (i) a hybrid quantum-classical restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM)-based framework for in-vehicle network intrusion detection for connected vehicles and (ii) a generative adversarial network (GAN)-based defense method for the traffic sign classification system within the perception module of autonomous vehicles. The author evaluated the hybrid quantum-classical RBM-based intrusion detection framework on three separate real-world Fuzzy attack datasets and compared its performance with a similar but classical-only approach (i.e., a classical computer-based data preprocessing and RBM training). The results showed that the hybrid quantum-classical RBM-based intrusion detection framework achieved an average intrusion detection accuracy of 98%, whereas the classical-only approach achieved an average accuracy of 90%. For the second study, the author evaluated the GAN-based adversarial defense method for traffic sign classification against different white-box adversarial attacks, such as the fast gradient sign method, the DeepFool, the Carlini and Wagner, and the projected gradient descent attacks. The author compared the performance of the GAN-based defense method with several traditional benchmark defense methods, such as Gaussian augmentation, JPEG compression, feature squeezing, and spatial smoothing. The findings indicated that the GAN-based adversarial defense method for traffic sign classification outperformed all the benchmark defense methods under all the white-box adversarial attacks the author considered for evaluation. Thus, the contribution of this dissertation lies in utilizing the generative ability of existing generative NNs to develop novel high-performing cyberattack detection and mitigation strategies that are feasible to deploy in CAVs in a TCPS environment

Theoretical Development and Numerical Validation of an Asymmetric Linear Bilateral Control Model For an Automated Truck Platoon

In this study, the author theoretically develops and numerically validates an asymmetric linear bilateral control model (LBCM) for an automated truck platoon, in which the motion information (i.e., position and speed) from the immediate leading truck and the immediate following truck are weighted differently. The novelty of the asymmetric LBCM is that using this model, all the follower trucks in a platoon can adjust their acceleration and deceleration to closely follow a constant desired time headway at all times to improve platoon operational efficiency while maintaining local and string stability. The author theoretically proves the local stability of the asymmetric LBCM using the condition for asymptotic stability of a linear time-invariant system and derives the condition for string stability using a space headway error attenuation approach. Then, the author evaluates the efficacy of the asymmetric LBCM by simulating a closely coupled cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) platoon of fully automated trucks in various non-linear acceleration and deceleration states. To evaluate the platoon operational efficiency of the asymmetric LBCM, the author compares the performance of the asymmetric LBCM to a baseline model, i.e., the symmetric LBCM, for three different time headway settings, i.e., 0.6 sec, 0.8 sec, and 1.1 sec. Analyses indicate that the asymmetric LBCM yields lower sum of squared time headway error and sum of squared speed error compared to the baseline model considered in this study. These findings demonstrate the potential of the asymmetric LBCM in improving platoon operational efficiency and stability of an automated truck platoon

Validation of community pharmacy : confirming the effectiveness of a pharmacist in a community setting

Validation of community pharmacy is a concept we coined to define the process carried out to demonstrate that the services provided by a community pharmacist are needed by the community. One method to undertake such a process was developed. This method involves the use of a series of Validation Tools which are measurement tools with which to monitor the standards of the service provided by a community pharmacist. Five Validation Tools were developed and subsequently the validity and reliability of these tools were tested. The developed Validation Tools were found to be valid and reliable methods which can be confidently used by community pharmacists to confirm the impact of their services on patient care.peer-reviewe

Validating tools for the monitoring of community pharmacy services

Aim: To develop and validate tools with which to monitor the standards of professional services normally provided by community pharmacists and which measure the impact of their intervention on patient care.Design: Five tools based on a quantitative measurement system were established and their validity evaluated by psychometric testing.Subjects and settings: A group of 10 community pharmacies from 184 pharmacies in Malta were selected by stratified random sampling.Outcome measures: Applicability and practicality of the tools to be used by the direct method of observation in community pharmacies, face and content validity, inter-rater reliability.Results: Raters said that they did not find difficulty documenting activities of any pharmacist using the tools. The level of agreement among the panel members examining the tools for face and content validity (review of measuring insistent to ensure that it measures what it is intended to measure) was high (Kendall coefficient of concordance 0.80) were high for all five tools.Conclusions: The five tools are user-friendly, valid and reliable, and can be used by community pharmacists to confirm the needs of their professional service and its impact on patient care.peer-reviewe

The impact of patients' chronic disease on family quality of life : an experience from 26 specialties

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have assessed family quality of life in individual disease areas and specialties. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of disease on family members of patients over a wide range of specialties and identify key impact areas. This information is essential in order to reveal the extent of this impact and to allow strategies to be developed to support the family members of patients with chronic disease. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 133 family members of mostly chronically ill patients from 26 medical specialties. Family members were invited to discuss all areas of their lives that had been affected by having an unwell relative. Thematic analysis was carried out using NVivo9® software. RESULTS: Most family members were female (61%), the partner or spouse of the patient (56%), or the parent (22%). Their mean age was 56.1 years (range: 21-85 years) and the mean duration of the patient's disease was 8.9 years (range: 1 month to 60 years). Ten key themes of family quality of life were identified from interviews. The median number of themes reported by family members was six (range: 1-10). The key themes included: emotional impact (mentioned by 92% of subjects), daily activities (91%), family relationships (69%), sleep and health (67%), holidays (62%), involvement in medical care and support given to family members (61%), work and study (52%), financial impact (51%), social life (37%), and time planning (14%). Relationships between the themes were identified. CONCLUSION: This large scale multi-specialty study has demonstrated the significant, yet similar, impact that illness can have on the quality of life of patients' family members. Family quality of life is a previously neglected area of health care which needs to be addressed in order to provide appropriate support for the patient and the family unit.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Simulation of non-linear bearing forces for post-stability investigation

Different types of bearing designs were developed to improve dynamic properties of rotor-bearing systems. Elliptical bearings, multisleeve bearings, tilting pad and other designs such as herringbone groove were utilized to increase resistance to the onset of self excited vibrations. Experimental trials are costly, two alternative methods are used to gain a qualitative insight. The first one creates mathematical model and applies both a digital or an analog computer simulation. The second one investigates phenomena occurring on the laboratory rig with the bearing replaced by an electronic simulating device, working in a feedback loop, which produces forces,which are functions of journal displacement and velocity. The simulated hydrodynamic forces are produced according to assumed characteristics matched to the bearing type. The principal benefit of the analog simulation is that nonlinear characteristics of a subsystem are precisely identified and mathematical methods applied for a wide class of problems are checked on the experimental installation

Dissemination of metabolomics results: role of MetaboLights and COSMOS.

RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are.With ever-increasing amounts of metabolomics data produced each year, there is an even greater need to disseminate data and knowledge produced in a standard and reproducible way. To assist with this a general purpose, open source metabolomics repository, MetaboLights, was launched in 2012. To promote a community standard, initially culminated as metabolomics standards initiative (MSI), COordination of Standards in MetabOlomicS (COSMOS) was introduced. COSMOS aims to link life science e-infrastructures within the worldwide metabolomics community as well as develop and maintain open source exchange formats for raw and processed data, ensuring better flow of metabolomics information