Waveform prototype-based feature learning for automatic detection of the early repolarization pattern in ECG signals

Objective: Our aim was to develop an automated detection method, for prescreening purposes, of early repolarization (ER) pattern with slur/notch configuration in electrocardiogram (ECG) signals using a waveform prototype-based feature vector for supervised classification. Approach: The feature vectors consist of fragments of the ECG signal where the ER pattern is located, instead of abstract descriptive variables of ECG waveforms. The tested classifiers included linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbor algorithm, and support vector machine (SVM). Main results: SVM showed the best performance in Friedman tests in our test data including 5676 subjects representing 45408 leads. Accuracies of the different classifiers showed results well over 90%, indicating that the waveform prototype-based feature vector is an effective representation of the differences between ECG signals with and without the ER pattern. The accuracy of inferior ER was 92.74% and 92.21% for lateral ER. The sensitivity achieved was 91.80% and specificity was 92.73%. Significance: The algorithm presented here showed good performance results, indicating that it could be used as a prescreening tool of ER, and it provides an additional identification of critical cases based on the distances to the classifier decision boundary, which are close to the 0.1 mV threshold and are difficult to label.Peer reviewe

Waveform prototype-based feature learning for automatic detection of the early repolarization pattern in ECG signals

Objective: Our aim was to develop an automated detection method, for prescreening purposes, of early repolarization (ER) pattern with slur/notch configuration in electrocardiogram (ECG) signals using a waveform prototype-based feature vector for supervised classification. Approach: The feature vectors consist of fragments of the ECG signal where the ER pattern is located, instead of abstract descriptive variables of ECG waveforms. The tested classifiers included linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbor algorithm, and support vector machine (SVM). Main results: SVM showed the best performance in Friedman tests in our test data including 5676 subjects representing 45408 leads. Accuracies of the different classifiers showed results well over 90%, indicating that the waveform prototype-based feature vector is an effective representation of the differences between ECG signals with and without the ER pattern. The accuracy of inferior ER was 92.74% and 92.21% for lateral ER. The sensitivity achieved was 91.80% and specificity was 92.73%. Significance: The algorithm presented here showed good performance results, indicating that it could be used as a prescreening tool of ER, and it provides an additional identification of critical cases based on the distances to the classifier decision boundary, which are close to the 0.1 mV threshold and are difficult to label.Peer reviewe

Triacylglycerol Fatty Acid Composition in Diet-Induced Weight Loss in Subjects with Abnormal Glucose Metabolism – the GENOBIN Study

BACKGROUND: The effect of weight loss on different plasma lipid subclasses at the molecular level is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine whether a diet-induced weight reduction result in changes in the extended plasma lipid profiles (lipidome) in subjects with features of metabolic syndrome in a 33-week intervention. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plasma samples of 9 subjects in the weight reduction group and 10 subjects in the control group were analyzed using mass spectrometry based lipidomic and fatty acid analyses. Body weight decreased in the weight reduction group by 7.8+/-2.9% (p<0.01). Most of the serum triacylglycerols and phosphatidylcholines were reduced. The decrease in triacylglycerols affected predominantly the saturated short chain fatty acids. This decrease of saturated short chain fatty acid containing triacylglycerols correlated with the increase of insulin sensitivity. However, levels of several longer chain fatty acids, including arachidonic and docosahexanoic acid, were not affected by weight loss. Levels of other lipids known to be associated with obesity such as sphingolipids and lysophosphatidylcholines were not altered by weight reduction. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Diet-induced weight loss caused significant changes in global lipid profiles in subjects with abnormal glucose metabolism. The observed changes may affect insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in these subjects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00621205

Whole Grain Products, Fish and Bilberries Alter Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in a Randomized, Controlled Trial: The Sysdimet Study

Due to the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, new dietary solutions are needed to help improve glucose and lipid metabolism in persons at high risk of developing the disease. Herein we investigated the effects of low-insulin-response grain products, fatty fish, and berries on glucose metabolism and plasma lipidomic profiles in persons with impaired glucose metabolism.Altogether 106 men and women with impaired glucose metabolism and with at least two other features of the metabolic syndrome were included in a 12-week parallel dietary intervention. The participants were randomized into three diet intervention groups: (1) whole grain and low postprandial insulin response grain products, fatty fish three times a week, and bilberries three portions per day (HealthyDiet group), (2) Whole grain enriched diet (WGED) group, which includes principally the same grain products as group (1), but with no change in fish or berry consumption, and (3) refined wheat breads (Control). Oral glucose tolerance, plasma fatty acids and lipidomic profiles were measured before and after the intervention. Self-reported compliance with the diets was good and the body weight remained constant. Within the HealthyDiet group two hour glucose concentration and area-under-the-curve for glucose decreased and plasma proportion of (n-3) long-chain PUFAs increased (False Discovery Rate p-values <0.05). Increases in eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid associated curvilinearly with the improved insulin secretion and glucose disposal. Among the 364 characterized lipids, 25 changed significantly in the HealthyDiet group, including multiple triglycerides incorporating the long chain (n-3) PUFA.The results suggest that the diet rich in whole grain and low insulin response grain products, bilberries, and fatty fish improve glucose metabolism and alter the lipidomic profile. Therefore, such a diet may have a beneficial effect in the efforts to prevent type 2 diabetes in high risk persons.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00573781

Luova musiikin tuottaminen musiikin opetuksessa ja opettajankoulutuksessa:suositus musiikkikasvattajien ja musiikkipedagogien koulutukseen

Tiivistelmä Musiikin opetuksessa soivat kaikissa oppilaitoksissa opiskelijoiden omat sävellykset ja improvisaatiot. Opetussuunnitelmien perusteet nostivat vuosina 2014–2018 säveltämisen, improvisoinnin ja luovan musiikin tekemisen kaikkien musiikin oppijoiden oikeudeksi kaikissa eri koulumuodoissa. Muutos haastoi kaikki opettajat: miten opettaa jotakin sellaista, mitä ei ehkä itse tunne osaavansa? Muutos haastoi paitsi opettajat uudistamaan opetustaan, myös musiikkialan opettajien koulutuksen. Olemme eri yliopistojen ja korkeakoulujen opettajankouluttajina koonneet Säveltämisen pedagogiikka eli Säpe-täydennyskoulutuksista suositukset säveltämisen ja luovan musiikin tuottamisen opettamiseen. Suositukset on kohdistettu erityisesti varhaiskasvattajien, luokan- ja musiikinopettajien sekä instrumenttipedagogien koulutukseen. Musiikkioppilaitoksissa voi olla myös säveltäminen omana oppiaineenaan. Sen opettaminen on rinnastettavissa muuhun erityistä ammatillista pätevyyttä edellyttävään opetukseen, esimerkiksi musiikkioppilaitosten tarjoamaan instrumenttiopetukseen. Suositukset on teemoiteltu oppijan oikeuksiksi, ja ne kattavat erilaiset musiikin opettamisen muodot ja musiikin genret. Oppijan oikeuksien toteutumista turvaa nämä suositukset huomioiva pedagoginen koulutus, jota musiikkikasvattajia ja musiikkipedagogeja kouluttavat korkeakoulut ja yliopistot tarjoavat. Julkaisu on tuotettu osana Säveltämisesen pedagogiikka eli Säpe-täydennyskoulutushanketta, jota rahoitti Opetushallitus. Koulutuksessa kehitettiin käytännön työkaluja säveltämisen ohjaamiseen digivälineillä. Hanketta toteutti Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu yhteistyössä Taideyliopiston Sibelius-Akatemian ja Helsingin yliopiston opettajankoulutusyksikön kanssa vuosina 2016–2021

On regulations for 5G:micro licensing for locally operated networks

Abstract Future 5G networks aim at providing new high-quality wireless services to meet stringent and case-specific needs of various vertical sectors beyond traditional mobile broadband offerings. 5G is expected to disrupt the mobile communication business ecosystem and open the market to drastically new sharing based network operational models. 5G technical features of network slicing and small cell deployments in higher carrier frequencies will lower the investment barrier for new entrants to deploy local radio access networks and offer vertical specific services in specific areas and allow them lease the remaining required infrastructure on demand from mobile network operators (MNO) or infrastructure vendors. To realize the full vision of 5G to benefit the society and promote competition, innovation and emergence of new services when the 5G end-to-end network spans across different stakeholders administrative domains, the existing regulations governing the mobile communication business ecosystem are being refined. This paper provides a tutorial overview on how 5G innovations impact mobile communications and reviews the regulatory elements relevant to 5G development for locally deployed networks. This paper expands the recent micro licensing model for local spectrum authorization in future 5G systems and provides guidelines for the development of the key micro licensing elements. This local micro licensing model can open the mobile market by allowing different stakeholders to deploy local small cell networks with locally issued spectrum licenses ensuring pre-defined quality guarantees for the vertical sectors’ case specific needs

Effect of different ECG leads on estimated R–R intervals and heart rate variability parameters

Abstract Heart rate and heart rate variability parameters provide important information on sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of autonomous nervous system. These parameters are usually extracted from electrocardiograms often measured between two electrodes and called an ECG lead. Besides systems intended only for heart rate measurement, ECG measurement devices employ several well-known lead systems including the standard 12-lead system, EASI lead system and Mason-Likar systems. Therefore, the first step is to select the appropriate lead for heart rate variability analysis. The appropriate electrode locations for single-lead measurement systems or the preferred measurement lead in multi-lead measurement are choices that the user needs to make when the heart rate variability is of interest. However, it has not been addressed in the literature, if the lead selection has an effect on the obtained HRV parameters. In this work, we characterized the amount of deviation of heart rate and heart rate variability parameters extracted from nine ECG leads, six from EASI leads and three modified limb leads. The results showed a deviation of 2.04, 2.88, 2.06 and 3.45 ms in SDNN, rMSSD, SD1 and SD2, respectively. A relative difference up to 10% was observed in HRV parameters for single signal frames. Additionally, the discrimination of the R-peaks by amplitudes was evaluated. The A-S lead appeared to have the best performance in all the tests

Analysis of spectrum valuation elements for local 5G networks:case study of 3.5-GHz band

Abstract Radio spectrum is a scarce natural resource, whose efficient management calls for a thorough understanding of its value. A number of spectrum valuation approaches has emerged considering different elements, some with potentially high uncertainty as future profits, total cost of ownership and societal benefits. Spectrum valuation is important in regulators’ 5G spectrum decisions and will face a new situation, where location specific services and higher carrier frequencies give rise to local network operator models. This paper analyzes the existing spectrum management and spectrum valuation approaches and identifies key elements to consider, when defining and assessing the value of spectrum especially in the context of future local 5G networks. The growing pressure to open the mobile market for location and vertical specific 5G networks promotes new sharing-based spectrum access models, to allow the emergence of local 5G operators. We characterize the identified spectrum valuation elements in the context of these new local 5G networks from the perspectives of the different stakeholder roles including regulators, mobile network operators (MNOs) and entrant local 5G operators. We further present a spectrum valuation case study of the recent 5G spectrum decisions in the 3.5-GHz band in different countries

Analysis of spectrum valuation approaches:the viewpoint of local 5G networks in shared spectrum bands

Abstract Radio spectrum is a scarce natural resource, whose efficient management calls for a thorough understanding of its value. Quite a big number of approaches have emerged for spectrum valuation based on different elements, some with such potentially high uncertainty as future profits, total cost of ownership and societal benefits. Spectrum valuation will be important for the upcoming spectrum decisions by the regulators to deploy 5G networks but will face a new situation, where the use of higher carrier frequencies inherently limits network operations to local areas. This paper analyses the existing spectrum valuation approaches and identifies the key elements to consider, when defining and assessing the value of spectrum especially in the context of future local 5G networks. An important aspect is that the growing pressure to open the mobile market for location specific 5G networks has resulted in new sharing-based models for spectrum access, to allow the emergence of entrant local 5G operators to serve different verticals. We will therefore characterize the identified spectrum valuation elements in the new context of new local 5G networks operating in shared spectrum bands. Our approach considers spectrum valuation for 5G from the perspectives of the different stakeholder roles including regulators, mobile network operators (MNOs) and entrant local 5G operators