Incremental Entity Resolution from Linked Documents

In many government applications we often find that information about entities, such as persons, are available in disparate data sources such as passports, driving licences, bank accounts, and income tax records. Similar scenarios are commonplace in large enterprises having multiple customer, supplier, or partner databases. Each data source maintains different aspects of an entity, and resolving entities based on these attributes is a well-studied problem. However, in many cases documents in one source reference those in others; e.g., a person may provide his driving-licence number while applying for a passport, or vice-versa. These links define relationships between documents of the same entity (as opposed to inter-entity relationships, which are also often used for resolution). In this paper we describe an algorithm to cluster documents that are highly likely to belong to the same entity by exploiting inter-document references in addition to attribute similarity. Our technique uses a combination of iterative graph-traversal, locality-sensitive hashing, iterative match-merge, and graph-clustering to discover unique entities based on a document corpus. A unique feature of our technique is that new sets of documents can be added incrementally while having to re-resolve only a small subset of a previously resolved entity-document collection. We present performance and quality results on two data-sets: a real-world database of companies and a large synthetically generated `population' database. We also demonstrate benefit of using inter-document references for clustering in the form of enhanced recall of documents for resolution.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, patented wor

Predicting Remaining Useful Life using Time Series Embeddings based on Recurrent Neural Networks

We consider the problem of estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of a system or a machine from sensor data. Many approaches for RUL estimation based on sensor data make assumptions about how machines degrade. Additionally, sensor data from machines is noisy and often suffers from missing values in many practical settings. We propose Embed-RUL: a novel approach for RUL estimation from sensor data that does not rely on any degradation-trend assumptions, is robust to noise, and handles missing values. Embed-RUL utilizes a sequence-to-sequence model based on Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) to generate embeddings for multivariate time series subsequences. The embeddings for normal and degraded machines tend to be different, and are therefore found to be useful for RUL estimation. We show that the embeddings capture the overall pattern in the time series while filtering out the noise, so that the embeddings of two machines with similar operational behavior are close to each other, even when their sensor readings have significant and varying levels of noise content. We perform experiments on publicly available turbofan engine dataset and a proprietary real-world dataset, and demonstrate that Embed-RUL outperforms the previously reported state-of-the-art on several metrics.Comment: Presented at 2nd ML for PHM Workshop at SIGKDD 2017, Halifax, Canad

Economic Value Added (EVA) & Executive Compensation: In Theory and In Practice

This dissertation discusses about Economic value added with a little prominence to executive compensation which is detailed theoretically with a little emphasis on the success of EVA via case studies. Economic Value Added (EVA) got ample attention in recent years as a new type of performance measurement. Al Erhbar (The Real key to creating Wealth) states that EVA can offer a market aggressive improvement over the competitors. Moreover, EVA is today's hottest financial inspiration and is getting hotter day-by-day. Corporations are taking action to execute this initiative EVA to estimate and reward managers from all departments. The financial measures such as EVA is aware of this initiator; a company desires to embrace its people accountable for generating profits; though the jeopardy of exaggerating short-run profit wishes to be balanced by including the non-financial drivers of long-term financial wealth into the performance measurement and rewards system. The calculation for EVA with adjustments for contemporary accounting practice is the center for a better consideration of EVA. The success of EVA is flaunted for corporations that have implemented EVA with executive compensation an important part of EVA. At last, few case studies of the implementation process that took place at three companies adopting EVA will give an in-depth understanding of Economic value Added and executive incentive compensation

Methotrexate Induced Lung Injury in a Patient with Primary CNS Lymphoma: a Case Report

Methotrexate is an antimetabolite commonly used in clinical practice for a variety of indications ranging from rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue disorders to high dose regimens in many malignancies. This folate antagonist has got a spectrum of toxicities among which gastrointestinal effects predominate. Lung injury is a well described but rare event and has been reported most often in patients who have been on long term oral therapy for rheumatic disorders. Acute lung injury in a patient receiving a high dose regimen for haematological malignancies has not been reported previously. We present one such case of methotrexate related acute lung injury in a patient of primary CNS lymphoma receiving high dose methotrexate

原著

出生直後の普通および無菌モルモット,ならびに分娩前後のモルモットに異種蛋白を経口強制投与し,その腸管透過性,感作状態,母乳中への異種蛋白の移行および免疫原性に関して免疫学的諸反応で検討,また乳児突然死の発生機序を幼若モルモット気管感作(牛乳)法と気管内誘発注入により起こる臨床症状,アナフィラキシーショック後の血中抗牛乳抗体の変動,および呼吸器官の病理組織学的検討などを行なった。1. 出生直後の普通および無菌モルモットで異種抗毒素が経口投与後30分で血中に移行,また出生直後のウマ血清または牛乳の投与で0.5ヵ月後感作が成立していた。2. 分娩前後モルモットに異種抗毒素を経口投与し血中,母乳中に抗毒素蛋白の移行排出を認め,母乳中に移行した抗毒素ウマ血清あるいは牛乳で子モルモットが感作される。親モルモット,子モルモットでのウマ血清および牛乳の組合せ投与実験で,子モルモットは両抗原に感作される。3. 幼若モルモットの気管内微量牛乳注入後1.5ヵ月に感作成立を認め,誘発注入により臨床上アナフィラキシーショックが出現,その際抗牛乳抗体価は1/2〜1/4に減少した。肺の変化は機能的の無気肺像が特異所見であり,死因は内部窒息によるものと推定した。以上の結果から,乳児突然死は牛乳アレルギー状態における牛乳誤嚥誘発の上に成立するものを含むものと推定した。Immunogenicity of foreign protein was studied by forced oral administration in ordinary and germ-free newborn guinea pigs and to mother animals before and after delivery, examining its intestinal permeability, sensitization of babies, and transition into mother\u27s milk. The heterogeneous tetanus antitoxin passed into blood stream of newborns within 30 minutes after its oral administration, and sensitized the babies half a month after administration of horse serum or cow milk immediately after birth. Antitoxin protein transited to mother\u27s milk after its oral administration before or after delivery and sensitized the babies receiving the milk. Combined administration of two different proteins to mothers and newborns resulted in sensitization of baby animals with both antigens. Mechanisms of sudden death in infancy were examined by intratracheal administration of a very small amount of whole cow milk to baby guinea pigs which were easily sensitized and their antibody titers lowered to 1/2 to 1/4, causing severe anaphylactic shock in most cases. After this challenge, atelectasis of the lungs was found and this may lead to internal asphyxia causing death. Therefore, the sudden death in infancy may be due to miss-swallowing of cow milk into the trachea in milk-allergic condition

British Thoracic Society quality standards for the investigation and management of pulmonary nodules

IntroductionThe purpose of the quality standards document is to provide healthcare professionals, commissioners, service providers and patients with a guide to standards of care that should be met for the investigation and management of pulmonary nodules in the UK, together with measurable markers of good practice.MethodsDevelopment of British Thoracic Society (BTS) Quality Standards follows the BTS process of quality standard production based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence process manual for the development of quality standards.Results7 quality statements have been developed, each describing a key marker of high-quality, cost-effective care for the investigation and management of pulmonary nodules, and each statement is supported by quality measures that aim to improve the structure, process and outcomes of healthcare.DiscussionBTS Quality Standards for the investigation and management of pulmonary nodules form a key part of the range of supporting materials that the Society produces to assist in the dissemination and implementation of guideline recommendations.</jats:sec

Service Provider Perspectives on Exploring Social Determinants of Health Impacting Type 2 Diabetes Management for South Asian Adults in Peel Region, Canada

Background Individuals from South Asian communities are known to have a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) which is often attributed to individual lifestyle and behavioral factors. This focus on individual responsibility can position communities as complicit in their illness, compounding stigmatization and systemic discrimination. This manuscript explores the social determinants of health (SDOH) that influence health behaviors among South Asian adults with T2D from a service provider perspective. Methods Using a qualitative descriptive design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 community, social, and healthcare service providers. We used thematic analysis and the analytical concept of intersectionality to explore how different social locations and SDOH impact T2D management for South Asian adults. Results Three themes were identified including: 1) Managing challenges with settlement process, labour policies and job market disparities take priority over T2D management; 2) Poor working conditions and socioeconomic status reduce access to health care and medication; and 3) Social, economic, and cultural barriers to implementing diet and exercise recommendations. Discussion Service providers identified social, economic, and systemic factors as influencing the higher prevalence of T2D among South Asian individuals. They also spoke to their important roles in providing culturally appropriate supports to address SDOH and advocating for changes to policies and practices that reinforce systemic racism. Service providers suggested that more equitable employment policies and practices are needed in order to address the systemic factors that contribute to higher risk of T2D among South Asian adults in Peel

Lung cancer stage-shift following a symptom awareness campaign

Background: Lung cancer outcomes in the UK are worse than in many other developed nations. Symptom awareness campaigns aim to diagnose patients at an earlier stage to improve cancer outcomes. Methods: An early diagnosis campaign for lung cancer commenced in Leeds, UK in 2011 comprising public and primary-care facing components. Rates of community referral for chest X-ray and lung cancer stage (TNM seventh edition) at presentation were collected from 2008 to 2015. Linear trends were assessed by χ2 test for trend in proportions. Headline figures are presented for the 3 years pre-campaign (2008–2010) and the three most recent years for which data are available during the campaign (2013–2015). Findings: Community-ordered chest X-ray rates per year increased from 18 909 in 2008–2010 to 34 194 in 2013–2015 (80.8% increase). A significant stage shift towards earlier stage lung cancer was seen (χ2(1)=32.2, p<0.0001). There was an 8.8 percentage point increase in the proportion of patients diagnosed with stage I/II lung cancer (26.5% pre-campaign vs 35.3% during campaign) and a 9.3% reduction in the absolute number of patients diagnosed with stage III/IV disease (1254 pre-campaign vs 1137 during campaign). Interpretation: This is the largest described lung cancer stage-shift in association with a symptom awareness campaign. A causal link between the campaign and stage-shift cannot be proven but appears plausible. Limitations of the analysis include a lack of contemporary control population