From an Art to a Science: Features and Methodology in Computational Authorship Identification

Nearly thirty years ago, the United States Supreme Court revaluated the criteria for accepting forensic science and expert testimony, challenging Forensic Linguistics to assert itself as a reputable science. Much work has been produced in the interim to that end, but much still needs to be accomplished to satisfy the judicial standards. Computational linguistics has the potential to provide that necessary analytical framework. This paper’s intent is two-fold. First, there are two competing theories on the proper features necessary to identify an unknown author. Four features were drawn from the syntactic computational linguistics tradition and four from computational stylometry to measure their predictive ability. Second, two classification models were chosen for comparison: linear discriminant analysis and logistic regression. A combination of syntactic leaf node frequency and stylometric punctuation characters and NOT contraction variation assessed with logistic regression provided the most accurate predictions

Gastrointestinal ultrasonography of the dog: a review of 265 cases (1996-1998)

The findings of ultrasonography of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of 265 dogs with GI disorders were analysed retrospectively. The sonographic changes associated with various inflammatory and neoplastic conditions and mechanical obstruction of the GI system were recorded and discussed. Sonographic alterations of the pancreas and the tissues adjacent to the GI tract were also included in the study. Ultrasonographic alterations of the GI tract were classified into three main categories: thickening of the GI wall, changes in peristalsis and dilation of the lumen. Localised thickening of the GI wall with disruption of its structure was caused by both neoplastic diseases and by inflammatory disorders. However, diffuse thickening with retained wall structure was generally associated with inflammatory diseases. The criteria previously established for the ultrasonographic diagnosis of intestinal obstruction were successfully applied to a large number of GI disorders. Pancreatitis was most often associated with hyperechoic mesentery and hypoechoic pancreas mass, but similar alterations were encountered in some cases of gastric or duodenal ulceration. Except in cases of invaginations and intestinal obstructions, the observed ultrasonographic changes were not specific enough for a definitive diagnosis. Nevertheless, ultrasonography proved to be a valuable technique in the diagnostic process of GI disorders of the dog

Endocardiális myocardiális pacemaker elektródák hatása a szívizomzatra = The influence of myocardial pacemaker electrodes to the heart musculature

Huszonkét 3-4 hónapos, sertésbe összesen 28 pacemaker elektródát ültettünk be. A kísérleti állatokat 3 hónapon keresztül tartottuk. A kísérlet során az állatok több mint felében tapasztaltunk súlyos fokú komplikáció kialakulását, így végül 10 állatba beültetett 13 elektróda elektromos adatait tudtuk feldolgozni. Nem találtunk szignifikáns különbséget sem a kétféle fixációjú ingerelt elektróda jelnagysága, sem küszöb ingerlési potenciálja között. Nem volt szignifikáns különbség az aktív fixációjú endocardiális ingerelt és ingerlés nélküli elektródák ellenállásában, küszöb ingerlési potenciáljában, ill. jelnagyságában sem. Szöveti reakciókat 20 sertésből származó szívizom mintákon vizsgáltuk. A vizsgált elváltozások előfordulásában sem a pacemaker elektróda típusa, sem az ingerlő feszültség nem volt meghatározó. A nem ingerelt elektródák végénél és környezetükben sokszor az ingereltekével azonos reakciók jelentek meg. Így azt a következtetést vontuk le, hogy a pacemaker elektródák körül kialakuló reakcióban az elektródavégek elektromos tulajdonságainak nincs meghatározó szerepe. Mostani vizsgálatainkban nem tudtunk a bekövetkező szövettani reakció mértéke és az elektróda elektromos paramétereinek megváltozása között sem összefüggést találni. Kutatásunk során vizsgáltuk a setések más cardiovascularis paramétereit, továbbá a cardialis memória előfordulását is. Leírtuk a pacemaker beültetések komplikációit és ezek megelőzésének lehetőségeit is. | Pacemaker implantations were performed in twenty-two 3-4 months old swine. The animals were kept for 3 months. Severe complications were met in more than half of the experimental animals, thus 13 electrodes from 10 animals were ready for electronic testing at the end of the study. We didn't find significant difference between the threshold potential and the mean signal amplitude of the active (screw in) and passive fixated endomyocardial electrodes. Similarly, no significant differences were found between the threshold potential, mean signal amplitude and impedance of the paced and non-paced screw in electrodes. Histological samples were obtained from twenty pacemaker implanted swine. There was no association between the observed histological lesions and the electrode types or the pacing voltages. Similar histological lesions were found around the tip of paced and non-paced screw-in endomyocardial electrodes. Therefore we suggest that the histological lesions are determined almost exclusively by the electrode material and not by the fixation type or pacing parameters. We couldn't find association between the different histological lesions and the measured electrode parameters during this study. We also investigated and described other cardiovascular parameters of the pig and the occurrence of cardiac memory during pacing. We analyzed the possible causes and prevention of pacemaker implantation complication in this species

Endommagement sous choc dans les métaux : mesure et prédiction

National audienceShocks by means of plate impact (Al/Cu and Al/Ta) and laser impact on Al and Ta are reproduced with a viscoplastic extension of the Gurson model. Introduction of viscosity in the model allows to account for impacts at different velocities. Damage levels in the targets are analysed through microtomography measurements at the ESRF. On a laser shock on Al, the pore volume distribution curve is of the power-law type at large volumes

Occurrence of mitral valve insufficiency in clinically healthy Beagle dogs

Chronic degenerative valve disease (CDVD) is the most common cardiac disease in dogs, usually resulting in mitral valve insufficiency (MVI). The goal of this study was to investigate the occurrence of MVI in clinically healthy Beagle populations. A total of 79 adult healthy Beagles (41 females and 38 males; age: 5.6 ± 2.7 years, range 1.4 to 11.7 years) were examined. The diagnosis of MVI was based on the detection of a systolic murmur heard above the mitral valve, and was confirmed by colour flow Doppler (CFD) echocardiography. Systolic mitral valve murmurs were detected in 20/79 dogs (25.3%), of them 11 males and 9 females with no statistically significant gender difference (P = 0.6059). The strength of the murmur on the semi-quantitative 0/6 scale yielded intensity grade 1/6 in 10 dogs, grade 2/6 in 4 dogs, and grade 3/6 in 6 dogs. Mild to moderate MVI was detected by CFD in all these 20 dogs with systolic murmurs. Of them, 17 dogs had mild and 3 demonstrated moderate MVI, showing 10–30% and 30–50% regurgitant jets compared to the size of the left atrium, respectively. The age of dogs with MVI was 7.1 ± 2.3 years, which was significantly different from that of dogs without MVI (5.1 ± 2.7 years, P = 0.0029). No significant differences in body weight (P = 0.1724) were found between dogs with MVI (13.8 ± 2.8 kg) and those without MVI (12.8 ± 3.0 kg). Mitral valve disease causing MVI is relatively common in Beagle dogs, just like in other small breed dogs reported in the literature

Reversible airway obstruction caused by changing the size and length of an endotracheal tube in a premature neonate with suspected tracheomalacia -A case report-

Tracheomalacia is a malformation of the tracheal membranosa. It is maintained during spontaneous breathing but can be altered by bronchoscopy or positive airway pressure. Tracheomalacia is associated with a high mortality and may cause prolonged intubation and ventilation. Here, the case of a 13-day-old infant with jejunoileal stenosis that had surgery is reported. During induction of general anesthesia, endotracheal intubation was attempted several times with different sized endotracheal tubes. Airway obstruction occurred after the endotracheal intubation. After the airway was maintained, the operation was completed. Tracheomalacia was diagnosed after otolaryngology evaluation postoperatively

Ultrasonography and surgery of canine biliary diseases

Findings of hepatic and gallbladder ultrasonography were analyzed in 12 dogs with gallbladder and/or extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction and compared with the results of exploratory laparotomy. Hepatic ultrasonography demonstrated normal liver in 2 dogs and hepatic abnormalities in 10 animals. The following ultrasonographic diagnoses were established compared to surgical findings: gallbladder obstruction caused by bile sludge (correct/incorrect: 1/2, surgical diagnosis: choleliths in one case), gallbladder obstruction caused by neoplasm (0/1, surgical diagnosis: mucocele), gallbladder and extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction due to choleliths (3/3), extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction caused by pancreatic mass (1/1) and small intestinal volvulus (1/1). Bile peritonitis caused by gallbladder rupture (4/4) was correctly diagnosed by ultrasound, aided with ultrasonographically-guided abdominocentesis and peritoneal fluid analysis. Rupture of the gallbladder should be suspected in the presence of a small, echogenic gallbladder or in the absence of the organ together with free abdominal fluid during ultrasonography. Laparotomy was correctly indicated by ultrasonography in all cases. However, the direct cause of obstruction could not be determined in 2 of the 12 dogs by ultrasonography alone

Intracoronary Injection of In Situ Forming Alginate Hydrogel Reverses Left Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction in Swine

ObjectivesThis study sought to determine whether alginate biomaterial can be delivered effectively into the infarcted myocardium by intracoronary injection to prevent left ventricular (LV) remodeling early after myocardial infarction (MI).BackgroundAlthough injectable biomaterials can improve infarct healing and repair, the feasibility and effectiveness of intracoronary injection have not been studied.MethodsWe prepared a calcium cross-linked alginate solution that undergoes liquid to gel phase transition after deposition in infarcted myocardium. Anterior MI was induced in swine by transient balloon occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery. At 4 days after MI, either alginate solution (2 or 4 ml) or saline was injected selectively into the infarct-related coronary artery. An additional group (n = 19) was treated with incremental volumes of biomaterial (1, 2, and 4 ml) or 2 ml saline and underwent serial echocardiography studies.ResultsExamination of hearts harvested after injection showed that the alginate crossed the infarcted leaky vessels and was deposited as hydrogel in the infarcted tissue. At 60 days, control swine experienced an increase in left ventricular (LV) diastolic area by 44%, LV systolic area by 45%, and LV mass by 35%. In contrast, intracoronary injection of alginate (2 and 4 ml) prevented and even reversed LV enlargement (p < 0.01). Post-mortem analysis showed that the biomaterial (2 ml) increased scar thickness by 53% compared with control (2.9 ± 0.1 mm vs. 1.9 ± 0.3 mm; p < 0.01) and was replaced by myofibroblasts and collagen.ConclusionsIntracoronary injection of alginate biomaterial is feasible, safe, and effective. Our findings suggest a new percutaneous intervention to improve infarct repair and prevent adverse remodeling after reperfused MI

Angiostrongylosis-related restrictive pneumopathy assessed by arterial blood gas analysis in a dog

Pulmonary angiostrongylosis was diagnosed by the Baermann method and larval identification from faecal and bronchoalveolar lavage samples in a five-month- old male mongrel dog with dyspnoea and cough. Arterial blood gas analysis indicated arterial hypoxaemia and restrictive pneumopathy. In addition to the palliative treatment, fenbendazole was administered (50 mg/kg/24 h per os) for 14 days. The respiratory signs subsided within a short time clinically, but serial arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated an ongoing ventilation disorder. Repeated haematology, thoracic radiography, bronchoscopy and blood gas analysis were performed to follow the course of the disease. The most severe eosinophilia was detected after the beginning of the anthelmintic therapy, and the arterial pO2 level was permanently low. Arterial blood gas analysis provided the most adequate information about the course of the pneumopathy and it greatly facilitated the patient’s medical management