AUTOMATED INTERPRETATION OF THE BACKGROUND EEG USING FUZZY LOGIC

A new framework is described for managing uncertainty and for deahng with artefact corruption to introduce objectivity in the interpretation of the electroencephalogram (EEG). Conventionally, EEG interpretation is time consuming and subjective, and is known to show significant inter- and intra-personnel variation. A need thus exists to automate the interpretation of the EEG to provide a more consistent and efficient assessment. However, automated analysis of EEGs by computers is complicated by two major factors. The difficulty of adequately capturing in machine form, the skills and subjective expertise of the experienced electroencephalbgrapher, and the lack of a reliable means of dealing with the range of EEG artefacts (signal contamination). In this thesis, a new framework is described which introduces objectivity in two important outcomes of clinical evaluation of the EEG, namely, the clinical factual report and the clinical 'conclusion', by capturing the subjective expertise of the electroencephalographer and dealing with the problem of artefact corruption. The framework is separated into two stages .to assist piecewise optimisation and to cater for different requirements. The first stage, 'quantitative analysis', relies on novel digital signal processing algorithms and cluster analysis techniques to reduce data and identify and describe background activities in the EEG. To deal with artefact corruption, an artefact removal strategy, based on new reUable techniques for artefact identification is used to ensure that artefact-free activities only are used in the analysis. The outcome is a quantitative analysis, which efficiently describes the background activity in the record, and can support future clinical investigations in neurophysiology. In clinical practice, many of the EEG features are described by the clinicians in natural language terms, such as very high, extremely irregular, somewhat abnormal etc. The second stage of the framework, 'qualitative analysis', captures the subjectivity and linguistic uncertainty expressed.by the clinical experts, using novel, intelligent models, based on fuzzy logic, to provide an analysis closely comparable to the clinical interpretation made in practice. The outcome of this stage is an EEG report with qualitative descriptions to complement the quantitative analysis. The system was evaluated using EEG records from 1 patient with Alzheimer's disease and 2 age-matched normal controls for the factual report, and 3 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 7 age-matched nonnal controls for the 'conclusion'. Good agreement was found between factual reports produced by the system and factual reports produced by qualified clinicians. Further, the 'conclusion' produced by the system achieved 100% discrimination between the two subject groups. After a thorough evaluation, the system should significantly aid the process of EEG interpretation and diagnosis

Medical Ideas In English Poetry To The End Of The Seventeenth Century

Conventional historical research by the study of prose medical texts (often in Latin) will provide an index of the depth of the professional knowledge available to the contemporary physician, but examination of lyrical and dramatic poetry provides a measure of the diffusion of this knowledge into the laity. Absolute certainty in Galenic humoral theory comes through in the verses of Chaucer and poets of the later mediaeval period: as poetry is traced through to the seventeenth century, however, scepticism grows and gives way to disbelief, culminating in the Comedy of Humours genre which actively ridicules it. A similar trend can be traced with respect to astrological medicine: the science of iatromathematica (astrological , medicine) was a cornerstone of mediaeval medicine. Seventeenth century astronomical discoveries mentioned in poetry intended for the educated layman underline the current uncertain status of astrology. The concept of moral retribution as a cause for disease was suggested in fifteenth and sixteenth century poetry. Even by the end of the seventeenth century, the abundant poetical references to syphilis and smallpox indicate that the literate layman was very slow to accept the germ theory advanced by Fracastorius in the mid 1.6th century. Although by the late 1600s, the concept of the circulation of blood had found its way into English poetry, the study of these verses give evidence of the initial chill response to Harvey's ideas in the years immediately after 1628. Certain medical topics are mentioned in the contemporary poetry and meanings can be drawn from this, both pragmatic and allegorical: poetry gives us a clear view of current ideas about the human body and in particular its important relationship to the rest of the universe

Fetal movement in the rabbit and its relationship to ossification

The purpose of this study was to investigate in the rabbit, the possibility of a relationship between fetal movement and the development of ossification. Fetal movements were investigated in a number of ways. After maternal cervical dislocation Movements were studied for as long as the fetuses responded to stimulation (except at ages after day 25 when 45 minutes was considered sufficient) after being exposed by hysterotomy. Movements both in and out of the amniotic sac were recorded by cine-photography. Two types of movements were studied: spontaneous and reflex (after surface stimulation). At least two litters were studied for each day of gestation from day 14 to day 30. [Continues.

Hydrological impacts of floodplain restoration: a case study of the River Cherwell, UK

International audienceThis paper investigates the impacts on floods of hypothetical changes to river channel geometry by construction or removal of embankments to prevent water spreading onto the floodplain at high flows. A numerical model is applied to the River Cherwell between Oxford and Banbury to simulate changes to flood hydrographs. Embanking the river increases the peak flows downstream by 50-150%. Restoring the river channel through the floodplain to pre-engineered dimensions reduces peak flow by around 10-15% and increases peak water levels within the floodplain by 0.5-1.6 m. These results suggest that floodplain rehabilitation, in terms of embankment removal or returning the channel to pre-engineered dimensions, can be a valuable part of the flood management strategy of a catchment. Both measures lead to increased inundation of the floodplain, which can be positive for ecological restoration. Keywords: floodplains, hydrological impacts, rehabilitation, flood frequenc

Decline in an Atlantic Puffin population : evaluation of magnitude and mechanisms

Funding: This study was funded annually by Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust (www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk) with contributions from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (jncc.defra.gov.uk). Funding was received from these two sources by Fair Isle Bird Observatory from 1986 to 2013. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust supplied guidance on study design, data collection, analyses, preparation of the manuscript and the decision to publish.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Exploring the impact of Osteogenesis Imperfecta on families: A mixed-methods systematic review

Background: Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic condition whose key characteristic is increased bone fragility. OI has the potential to impact upon all family members, making it important to consider the challenges families face, how they cope and their support needs as the affected individual moves from childhood through to adult life. / Objective: To conduct a mixed-methods systematic review investigating the experiences of families when a family member is affected with OI. / Methods: A systematic search of seven electronic databases, relevant patient organisation websites and reference lists was conducted. Data extraction was performed for all studies that met the eligibility and quality criteria. Results were synthesised following the principles of thematic analysis. / Results: One mixed-method, six qualitative and six quantitative studies were included in the review. Three overarching themes were identified through thematic analysis: Impact of OI on the psychosocial wellbeing of families, impact on family life and evolving roles and relationships. Fear of fractures and the uncertainty of when the next fracture will occur are key issues that permeate all areas of family life and impact upon all family members. / Conclusion: The experiences, coping strategies and support needs of families affected by OI were highly variable and changed over time. Future research should address the need for adaptive health and education interventions that support all family members

Evaluating train protection systems

This paper arose from the work carried out for the Cullen/Uff Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems. It is concerned with the problem of evaluating the benefits of safety enhancements in order to avoid rare, but catastrophic accidents, and the role of Operations Research in the process. The problems include both input values and representation of outcomes. A key input is the value of life. This paper briefly discusses why the value of life might vary from incident to incident and reviews alternative estimates before producing a 'best estimate' for rail. When the occurrence of an event is uncertain, the normal method is to apply a single 'expected' value. This paper argues that a more effective method of representing such situations is through Monte-Carlo simulation and demonstrates the use of the methodology on a case study of the decision as to whether or not advanced train protection (ATP) should have been installed on a route to the west of London. This paper suggests that the output is more informative than traditional cost-benefit appraisals or engineering event tree approaches. It also shows that, unlike the results from utilizing the traditional approach, the value of ATP on this route would be positive over 50% of the time

Characterization of the cyclic behavior of dry masonry joints

Dry masonry mechanics received little attention from research community, when compared with resources invested in traditional (mortar joint) masonry. Nevertheless, a large number of historical stone constructions use dry masonry joints, while, in constructions originally built with weak lime mortar, mortar deterioration leads to a behavior similar to dry masonry. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of the behavior of dry masonry joints under cyclic loading, which is a key aspect for seismic actions. The work focuses on the characterization of Coulomb failure criterion and the load-displacement behavior of dry masonry joints under cyclic loading, including aspects as surface roughness, dilatancy and inelastic behavior. A displacement controlled test set-up using masonry couplets is used for this purpose. Besides providing a basis for understanding the behavior of masonry joints in tension, the experiments contribute also to the definition and parameterization of advanced non-linear numeric models