Integrating Multiple Sources of Knowledge for the Intelligent Detection of Anomalous Sensory Data in a Mobile Robot

For service robots to expand in everyday scenarios they must be able to identify and manage abnormal situations intelligently. In this paper we work at a basic sensor level, by dealing with raw data produced by diverse devices subjected to some negative circumstances such as adverse environmental conditions or difficult to perceive objects. We have implemented a probabilistic Bayesian inference process for deducing whether the sensors are working nominally or not, which abnormal situation occurs, and even to correct their data. Our inference system works by integrating in a rigorous and homogeneous mathematical framework multiple sources and modalities of knowledge: human expert, external information systems, application-specific and temporal. The results on a real service robot navigating in a structured mixed indoor-outdoor environment demonstrate good detection capabilities and set a promising basis for improving robustness and safety in many common service tasks.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Towards effective and efficient COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria

Vaccines are prospective subverts in battling the COVID-19 virus ravaging the globe and the Nigerian cold-chain system needs a thorough overhaul in order to optimize vaccine distribution. This paper presents a situational analysis of the Nigerian cold chain system, the challenges and opportunities that exist. The problems plaguing the aforementioned system are diverse, ranging from lack of infrastructure, inadequate capacity and limited integration of recent technology to poor training of workers in the cold chain system and these problems are accentuated by the storage peculiarities of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. It also compares the capabilities of cold chain workers in the various geopolitical zones in Nigeria and gives a succinct insight into the situation of the cold chain system in neighbouring African countries. Additionally, measures to mitigate the devastating effects of the defective cold-chain system and facilitate effective and efficient distribution of the vaccines are also proffered and these measures include reorganization of the supply chain, training of vaccinators and technicians, accurate estimation of future needs and procurement of infrastructure to increase storage capacity and preserve the cold chain. Finally, it offers recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine procurement in consistence with our economic realities and distribution

The prognostic value of health-related quality-of-life data in predicting survival in glioblastoma cancer patients: results from an international randomised phase III EORTC Brain Tumour and Radiation Oncology Groups, and NCIC Clinical Trials Group study

This is one of the few studies that have explored the value of baseline symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in predicting survival in brain cancer patients. Baseline HRQOL scores (from the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the Brain Cancer Module (BN 20)) were examined in 490 newly diagnosed glioblastoma cancer patients for the relationship with overall survival by using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Refined techniques as the bootstrap re-sampling procedure and the computation of C-indexes and R2-coefficients were used to try and validate the model. Classical analysis controlled for major clinical prognostic factors selected cognitive functioning (P=0.0001), global health status (P=0.0055) and social functioning (P<0.0001) as statistically significant prognostic factors of survival. However, several issues question the validity of these findings. C-indexes and R2-coefficients, which are measures of the predictive ability of the models, did not exhibit major improvements when adding selected or all HRQOL scores to clinical factors. While classical techniques lead to positive results, more refined analyses suggest that baseline HRQOL scores add relatively little to clinical factors to predict survival. These results may have implications for future use of HRQOL as a prognostic factor in cancer patients

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TB/HIV CO-INFECTION AMONG DRUG SENSITIVE TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS MANAGED IN A SECONDARY HEALTH FACILITY IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Background: This study assessed factors associated with TB/HIV co-infection among TB patients managed in a secondary health facility in Lagos Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of treatment cards of patients seen at a secondary referral hospital between January 1 2014 and December 31 2014 was conducted. Treatment outcomes and factors associated with TB/HIV co-infection were assessed. Results: Of the 334 records of patients reviewed, the proportion of patients with TB/HIV co-infection was 21.6%. The odds of having TB/HIV co-infection was 2.7 times higher among patients above 40 years than patients less than 25 years (AOR 2.7 95% CI 1.1 – 6.5, p =0.030). In addition, the odds of having TB/HIV co-infection was 3.3 higher among extrapulmonary TB cases (AOR 3.3; 95% CI 1.2 – 9.5; p = 0.026) and 2.1 times higher among retreated patients (AOR 2.1; 95% CI 1.1 – 3.9; p = 0.017) than pulmonary TB and new patients respectively. The chance of having TB/HIV co-infection was 2.7-fold more in patients with poor treatment outcomes than patients with treatment success (AOR 2.7; 95%CI 1.3 – 5.4; p =0.006). Conclusion: TB/HIV co-infection rate was high in the study area. There is need to put measures in place to improve treatment outcomes of TB/HIV co-infected patients

Sterile neutrino dark matter as a consequence of nuMSM-induced lepton asymmetry

It has been pointed out in ref.[1] that in the nuMSM (Standard Model extended by three right-handed neutrinos with masses smaller than the electroweak scale), there is a corner in the parameter space where CP-violating resonant oscillations among the two heaviest right-handed neutrinos continue to operate below the freeze-out temperature of sphaleron transitions, leading to a lepton asymmetry which is considerably larger than the baryon asymmetry. Consequently, the lightest right-handed (``sterile'') neutrinos, which may serve as dark matter, are generated through an efficient resonant mechanism proposed by Shi and Fuller [2]. We re-compute the dark matter relic density and non-equilibrium momentum distribution function in this situation with quantum field theoretic methods and, confronting the results with existing astrophysical data, derive bounds on the properties of the lightest right-handed neutrinos. Our spectra can be used as an input for structure formation simulations in warm dark matter cosmologies, for a Lyman-alpha analysis of the dark matter distribution on small scales, and for studying the properties of haloes of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.Comment: 25 pages. v2: many clarifications and references added; published versio

Responsiveness of the EQ-5D in breast cancer patients in their first year after treatment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/aim</p> <p>The EQ-5D is a generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure that is used for the purpose of economic evaluations of health interventions. Therefore, it has to be responsive to meaningful changes in health in the patient population under investigation. The aim of this study was to investigate the responsiveness of the EQ-5D in breast cancer patients in their first year after treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The subscale global health of the disease-specific HRQoL measure EORTC QLQ-C30 was used as a reference instrument to determine meaningful changes in health and identify subgroups of patients: patients reporting a moderate-large deterioration, small deterioration, a small improvement, moderate-large improvement, or no change in health status. Responsiveness was evaluated by calculating standardized response means (SRMs) in the five subgroups of patients and performing analysis of variance procedures. The two HRQoL measures were filled out two weeks and one year after finalizing curative treatment for breast cancer (n = 192).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The EQ-5D was able to capture both improvements and deteriorations in HRQoL. SRMs of the EQ VAS and EQ-5D Index were close to zero in the subgroup reporting no change and increased and decreased adequately in the subgroups reporting small and moderate changes. Additional analysis of variance procedures showed that the EQ-5D was able to differentiate between subgroups of patients with no change and moderate-large deterioration or improvement in health.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The EQ-5D seems an appropriate measure for the purpose of economic evaluations of health intervention in breast cancer patients after treatment.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN74071417.</p

Vinorelbine/carboplatin vs gemcitabine/carboplatin in advanced NSCLC shows similar efficacy, but different impact of toxicity

This randomised phase III study in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients was conducted to compare vinorelbine/carboplatin (VC) and gemcitabine/carboplatin (GC) regarding efficacy, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and toxicity. Chemonaive patients with NSCLC stage IIIB/IV and WHO performance status 0–2 were eligible. No upper age limit was defined. Patients received vinorelbine 25 mg m−2 or gemcitabine 1000 mg m−2 on days 1 and 8 and carboplatin AUC4 on day 1 and three courses with 3-week cycles. HRQOL questionnaires were completed at baseline, before chemotherapy and every 8 weeks until 49 weeks. During 14 months, 432 patients were included (VC, n=218; GC, n=214). Median survival was 7.3 vs 6.4 months, 1-year survival 28 vs 30% and 2-year survival 7 vs 7% in the VC and GC arm, respectively (P=0.89). HRQOL, represented by global QOL, nausea/vomiting, dyspnoea and pain, showed no significant differences. More grade 3–4 anaemia (P<0.01), thrombocytopenia (P<0.01) and transfusions of blood (P<0.01) or platelets (P<0.01) were observed in the GC arm. There was more grade 3–4 leucopoenia (P<0.01) in the VC arm, but the rate of neutropenic infections was the same (P=0.87). In conclusion, overall survival and HRQOL are similar, while grade 3–4 toxicity requiring interventions are less frequent when VC is compared to GC in advanced NSCLC

Methodological considerations concerning the development of oral dental erosion indexes: literature survey, validity and reliability

Within the context of preventing non-communicable diseases, the World Health Report (2002) and the WHO Global Oral Health Program (2003) put forward a new strategy of disease prevention and health promotion. Greater emphasis is placed on developing global policies in oral health promotion and oral disease prevention. The Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index does not meet new challenges in the field of oral health. Dental erosion seems to be a growing problem, and in some countries, an increase in erosion of teeth is associated with an increase in the consumption of beverages containing acids. Therefore, within a revision of the WHO Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods, new oral disease patterns, e.g. dental erosion, have to be taken into account. Within the last 20 years, many studies on dental erosion have been carried out and published. There has been a rapid growth in the number of indexes quantifying dental erosion process in different age groups. However, these indexes are not comparable. This article discusses quality criteria which an index intended for assessing tooth erosion should possess