Customer profile classification using transactional data

Customer profiles are by definition made up of factual and transactional data. It is often the case that due to reasons such as high cost of data acquisition and/or protection, only the transactional data are available for data mining operations. Transactional data, however, tend to be highly sparse and skewed due to a large proportion of customers engaging in very few transactions. This can result in a bias in the prediction accuracy of classifiers built using them towards the larger proportion of customers with fewer transactions. This paper investigates an approach for accurately and confidently grouping and classifying customers in bins on the basis of the number of their transactions. The experiments we conducted on a highly sparse and skewed real-world transactional data show that our proposed approach can be used to identify a critical point at which customer profiles can be more confidently distinguished

Innovative Hybridisation of Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks in Detecting Marker Genes for Leukaemia Cancer

Methods for extracting marker genes that trigger the growth of cancerous cells from a high level of complexity microarrays are of much interest from the computing community. Through the identified genes, the pathology of cancerous cells can be revealed and early precaution can be taken to prevent further proliferation of cancerous cells. In this paper, we propose an innovative hybridised gene identification framework based on genetic algorithms and neural networks to identify marker genes for leukaemia disease. Our approach confirms that high classification accuracy does not ensure the optimal set of genes have been identified and our model delivers a more promising set of genes even with a lower classification accurac

Winners’ notes. Using Multi-Resolution Clustering for Music Genre Identification

Article describing a less technical version of our winning entry in the ISMIS 2011 Music Genre competitio

Microcephaly and macrocephaly. A study on anthropometric and clinical data from 308 subjects

Head circumference is the auxological parameter that most correlates with developmental anomalies in childhood. Head circumference (HC) two standard deviations (SD) below or above the mean defines microcephaly and macrocephaly, respectively. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore anthropometric parameters and clinical characteristics among subjects with abnormalities in HC who had been referred for developmental assessment. One hundred and sixty four subjects with microcephaly and 144 subjects with macrocephaly were enrolled from birth to 18 months of age. Head circumference at birth and the association with variables related to maternal health status, gestational age, growth pattern, brain imaging and clinical characteristics were analyzed. In some cases, an etiological diagnosis was made. In the two considered conditions, we found different anthropometric and clinical associations, some of which were statistically significant, with implications for ongoing neurodevelopmental surveillance

Determining physiological reaction probabilities to noise events during sleep

Some of the activations that occur during sleep, e.g. awakening reactions, can be considered adverse effects of noise events (e.g., airplane overflights or train passings) during the night. The occurrence of such reactions is an important indicator of the sleep disturbing potential of the particular noise stimulus and it is often desired to exactly quantify that potential in terms of a probability. Awakenings are considered the strongest form of reaction to noise stimuli during sleep and are one of the most often adopted criteria in night time noise protection concepts. However, the correct determination of noise induced awakening probability has given rise to debate in the scientific community in recent years. Because during every night's sleep, spontaneous awakenings can occur at any time, it remains unknown in principle, whether a particular awakening observed during the presence of a noise stimulus was induced by that stimulus or emerged spontaneously. Nevertheless, correctly determining the awakening probability in question is key when it comes to forecasting noise effects during the night. This article introduces two definitions of reaction probability, discusses their advantages and disadvantages, and develops a model of the influence of the time window duration in which reactions of sleepers are screened on the calculated reaction probabilit

canSAR: an updated cancer research and drug discovery knowledgebase.

canSAR (http://cansar.icr.ac.uk) is a publicly available, multidisciplinary, cancer-focused knowledgebase developed to support cancer translational research and drug discovery. canSAR integrates genomic, protein, pharmacological, drug and chemical data with structural biology, protein networks and druggability data. canSAR is widely used to rapidly access information and help interpret experimental data in a translational and drug discovery context. Here we describe major enhancements to canSAR including new data, improved search and browsing capabilities, new disease and cancer cell line summaries and new and enhanced batch analysis tools

Early intestinal perforation secondary to congenital mesenteric defects

Gastrointestinal perforation (GIP) in preterm neonates may be idiopathic, due to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), or mechanical obstruction. The predominant cause of GIP in the neonatal period is NEC. Differential diagnosis with congenital malformations, including mesenteric defects leading to internal hernias, is mandatory if the onset is early. We describe two newborns with trans-mesenteric herniation resulting in GIP, and we discuss the presence of possible additional risk factors such as prematurity and predisposing vascular disruption in connective tissue disorders (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), twinning, and use of assisted reproductive technologies. These cases prompted us to review our exploratory laparotomies performed for intestinal obstruction, complicated/or not with perforation, to identify the frequency of neonatal trans-mesenteric hernias in a referral hospital. The prevalence of GIP and of internal hernia was 25% and 3.3%, respectively. In conclusion, time-onset and particular conditions associated with GIP should lead to a high index of suspicion for internal hernias in order to achieve appropriate diagnosis and therapy

MALFORMATIONS OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: GENERAL ISSUES

Malformations of the central nervous system (CNS) encompass a heterogeneous group of congenital anomalies that may be isolated or appear as part of a genetic syndrome. Advances in identifying the genetic etiology underlying many CNS malformation and syndromes have led to the current genetic-based classifications that allows us to better estimate prognosis and potential complications. Herein, we discuss the main genetic, clinical and radiological features and their implications for diagnostic testing and disease managemen

Transitional hemodynamics in infants of diabetic mothers by targeted neonatal echocardiography, electrocardiography and peripheral flow study

Objective: Metabolic alterations of intrauterine environment in diabetes mellitus (DM) lead to fetal cardiac dysfunctions that can persist after birth. The aim of the study was to assess the cardiovascular adaptation in infants born to diabetic mothers (IDM) with different degrees of glycometabolic control, in relation to revised guidelines for diagnosis of DM and quality improvements in neonatal care. Materials and methods: An observational case-control study was conducted on IDM with gestational, type 1 and type 2\ue2\u80\u89DM. Relevant maternal and neonatal anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data were analyzed. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic analyses, including structural and systo-diastolic evaluation, were performed. Results: In 68 IDM enrolled, we observed a lower incidence of negative perinatal outcome than expected. Comparing to non-IDM, they presented larger fetal shunts, higher pulmonary pressures, early and atrial wave velocities. At 72\ue2\u80\u89hours, kinesis and heart rate variability remained low. Cerebral blood flow velocities were higher. The most serious impairment of transition was in pregestational IDM. Conclusion: Maternal DM impaired neonatal transitional hemodynamics also in asymptomatic IDM with good glycometabolic control. These results confirm the need for an early cardiologic and cerebrovascular evaluation, to identify IDM with delayed maturation at risk of worse long-term metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodevelopmental outcome

Report and follow-up on two new patients with congenital mesoblastic nephroma

Background: Tumors are rare in neonatal age. Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is a usually benign renal tumor observed at birth, or in the first months of life. It may also be identified prenatally and associated with polyhydramnios leading to preterm delivery. Effective treatment is surgical in most cases, consisting in total nephrectomy. In literature, very few studies report on the neonatal management of such a rare disease, and even less are those describing its uncommon complications. Cases presentation: We report on two single-center newborns affected with CMN. The first patient is a preterm female baby, born at 30+ 1 weeks of gestation (WG) due to premature labor, with prenatal (25 WG) identification of an intra-abdominal fetal mass associated with polyhydramnios. Once obtained the clinical stability, weight gain, instrumental (computed tomography, CT, showing a 4.8 × 3.3 cm left renal neoformation) and histological/molecular characterization of the lesion (renal needle biopsy picture of classic CMN with ETV6-NTRK3 translocation), a left nephrectomy was performed at 5 weeks of chronological age. The following clinical course was complicated by intestinal obstruction due to bowel adherences formation, then by an enterocutaneous fistula, requiring multiple surgical approaches including transitory ileo- and colostomy, before the conclusive anastomoses intervention. The second patient is a 17-day-old male term baby, coming to our observation due to postnatal evidence of palpable left abdominal mass (soon defined through CT, showing a 7.5 × 6.5 cm neoformation in the left renal lodge), feeding difficulties and poor weight gain. An intravenous diuretic treatment was needed due to the developed hypertension and hypercalcemia, which regressed after the nephrectomy (histological diagnosis of cellular CMN with ETV6-NTRK3 fusion) performed at day 26. In neither case was chemotherapy added. Both patients have been included in multidisciplinary follow-up, they presently show regular growth and neuromotor development, normal renal function and no local/systemic recurrences or other gastrointestinal/urinary disorders. Conclusions: The finding of a fetal abdominal mass should prompt suspicion of CMN, especially if it is associated with polyhydramnios; it should also alert obstetricians and neonatologists to the risk of preterm delivery. Although being a usually benign condition, CMN may be associated with neonatal systemic-metabolic or postoperative complications. High-level surgical expertise, careful neonatological intensive care and histopathological/cytogenetic-molecular definition are the cornerstones for the optimal management of patients. This should also include an individualized follow-up, oriented to the early detection of any possible recurrences or associated anomalies and to a better quality of life of children and their families