Ignoring improper data in decision support system for medical applications

A Decision Support System for Medical Applications was designed by applying the rough set theory to generate rules from the collected data. The data are kept in a table representing information system. There are some improper data in information systems and their removal can improve the quality of the retrieved information. By improper data we can understand such objects that disturb rules generation. They can be erroneous or corrupted or just exceptions. It is possible to find an algorithm of improper data removal to optimize the quality of information derived from decision tables. The improper data can be verified by checking whether some indicators of classification quality were improved after removal of the data. Some suggestions of identifying improper data are presented in the paper. In medical applications the improper data cannot be neglected

EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF HOUSEHOLD DRINKING WATER FILTRATION

The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of household drinking water filtration. This article demonstrates the possibilities of using study on the reaction of ascorbic acid degradation in aqueous solutions to develop a new method for determining the effectiveness of household drinking water filtration. Based on the measurements of absorbance of ascorbic acid a new parameters WCW (Coeffi cient of Water Purity) and SF (Filtration Degree) were defined. Correlations between the SF and the amount of filtered water (filter usage) were investigated. With the filter usage decreasing effectiveness of calcium ions removal and drop of differences in conductivity between the tap and filtered water were observed. SF decreases proportionally to the filter usage and therefore the proposed method can be an effective tool to determine the effectiveness of domestic water filters

Evaluation of the rectal V30 parameter in patients diagnosed with postoperative endometrial cancer

Background: The present paper reports on analysis of 184 patients who were diagnosed with endometrial cancer. The main objective of this study was to address parameter Vrec(30Gy) which determines a volume of the rectum irradiated with a dose of 30 Gy during radiotherapy. Materials and methods: All patients were irradiated with an IMRT technique on linear accelerators. The planning target volume (PTV) contour was determined by a radiation oncologist. The clinical target volume (CTV) was drawn on CT images obtained in a prone position. For statistical analysis, appropriate tests (e.g. the Shapiro-Wilk, Wilcoxon) were used. Results and discussion: The performed analysis showed that the recommended condition for Vrec(30Gy) is met only in 3% of patients and the observed median value exceeds 90%. The obtained results were compared with the studies in which the Vrec(30Gy) values were related to various radiotherapy techniques. Conclusions: The analysis showed that the condition for Vrec(30Gy) is satisfied in the case of only 3% of patients. Due to the difficulty with meeting the condition, it should be reconsidered based on real results.

Correlation of retinopathy of prematurity with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are diseases that occur only in preterm infants. The etiology of these disorders is multifactorial; however, it is believed that some of the factors in children presenting with BPD affect both the initiation and severity of ROP. The aim of the study was to evaluate the degree of clinical severity of ROP in infants with BPD compared to those without BPD

Influence of Freeze-Dried Diet on Oral Hygiene Indicators in Strict Isolation Condition of an Analog Space Mission

Analog space missions were created to study the human factor in extraordinary conditions that would occur in future space habitats. Isolation has been shown to cause stress and disrupt individuals’ daily routine, which can also affect their oral hygiene and lead to an increased risk of dental caries and gingivitis. The astronauts’ specific freeze-dried diet is associated with “lazy” chewing, potential dehydration and vitamin A deficiency, which may adversely affect their saliva. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the freeze-dried diet on selected oral hygiene indicators in analog astronauts (AA) enduring strict isolation conditions during six consecutive analog space missions at the LunAres Research Station. During the experiment the oral hygiene and gingival inflammation status measurements were conducted on the group of AAs at the beginning and at the end of each mission. Measurements included four oral hygiene indicators: API, sOHI, PI by Silness and Loe and GBI by Ainamo and Bay. Each AA’s individual scores were noted and analyzed. Statistically significant reduction in the amount of plaque and intensity of gingival bleeding was observed over the course of the study, which could indicate positive results of applied oral hygiene procedures despite unfavorable dietary and stressful isolation conditions