A Novel Approach to Multimedia Ontology Engineering for Automated Reasoning over Audiovisual LOD Datasets

Multimedia reasoning, which is suitable for, among others, multimedia content analysis and high-level video scene interpretation, relies on the formal and comprehensive conceptualization of the represented knowledge domain. However, most multimedia ontologies are not exhaustive in terms of role definitions, and do not incorporate complex role inclusions and role interdependencies. In fact, most multimedia ontologies do not have a role box at all, and implement only a basic subset of the available logical constructors. Consequently, their application in multimedia reasoning is limited. To address the above issues, VidOnt, the very first multimedia ontology with SROIQ(D) expressivity and a DL-safe ruleset has been introduced for next-generation multimedia reasoning. In contrast to the common practice, the formal grounding has been set in one of the most expressive description logics, and the ontology validated with industry-leading reasoners, namely HermiT and FaCT++. This paper also presents best practices for developing multimedia ontologies, based on my ontology engineering approach

A Model for Integration and Interlinking of Idea Management Systems

This paper introduces the use of Semantic Web technologies for the Idea Management Systems as a gap closer between heterogeneous software and achieving interoperability. We present a model that proposes how and what kind of rich metadata annotations to apply in the domain of Idea Management Systems. In addition, as a part of our model, we present a Generic Idea and Innovation Management Ontology (GI2MO). The described model is backed by a set of use cases followed by evaluations that prove how Semantic Web can work as tool to create new opportunities and leverage the contemporary Idea Management legacy systems into the next level

A framework for designing cloud forensic‑enabled services (CFeS)

Cloud computing is used by consumers to access cloud services. Malicious actors exploit vulnerabilities of cloud services to attack consumers. The link between these two assumptions is the cloud service. Although cloud forensics assists in the direction of investigating and solving cloud-based cyber-crimes, in many cases the design and implementation of cloud services falls back. Software designers and engineers should focus their attention on the design and implementation of cloud services that can be investigated in a forensic sound manner. This paper presents a methodology that aims on assisting designers to design cloud forensic-enabled services. The methodology supports the design of cloud services by implementing a number of steps to make the services cloud forensic-enabled. It consists of a set of cloud forensic constraints, a modelling language expressed through a conceptual model and a process based on the concepts identified and presented in the model. The main advantage of the proposed methodology is the correlation of cloud services’ characteristics with the cloud investigation while providing software engineers the ability to design and implement cloud forensic-enabled services via the use of a set of predefined forensic related task

Juvenile Dermatomyositis: what comes next? Long-term outcomes in childhood myositis from a patient perspective

BACKGROUND: To describe long-term outcomes in JDM using patient questionnaires and link to longitudinal, prospectively collected data for each patient within the Juvenile Dermatomyositis Cohort and Biomarker Study, UK and Ireland (JDCBS) to determine outcome predictors.  METHODS: JDCBS participants aged ≥ 16y completed the SF36, HAQ and a questionnaire regarding current disease features, medications, education and employment. Data collected from the JDCBS included disease subtype, demographics, clinical and laboratory features. Intensity indices were calculated for physician VAS, modified skin DAS, CMAS and MMT8 by dividing area under the curve (AUC) from longitudinal score trajectories by duration of study follow-up (y). Relationships between questionnaire and JDCBS clinical / laboratory data were investigated fitting statistical models appropriate for cross sectional and longitudinal data. RESULTS: Of 190 questionnaires sent, 84 (44%) were returned. Average age of respondents was 20.6 years (SD 3.9), time since diagnosis was 12.4 years (SD 5.0), age at onset was 9.2 years (SD 4.3), female to male ratio 4.25:1. Forty-nine (59%) self-reported persistently active disease, 54 (65%) were still taking immunosuppressive medication. 14/32 at school/higher education reported myositis adversely affecting academic results. 18–24 year-olds were twice as likely to be unemployed compared the UK population (OR = 0.456, 95% CI 0.24, 0.84, p = 0.001). Participants ≥ 18 years were three times as likely to be living with a parent/guardian (OR = 3.39, p < 0.001). SF36 MCS and MMT8 intensity index scores were significantly correlated (ρ = 0.328, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: After 12.4 years, questionnaire responders reported self-perceived high rates of persistently active disease and medication use, reduced rates of employment and were more likely to live with a parent/guardian. Perceived persistently active muscle disease appeared to affect quality of life in these patients and was the most significant contributor to long-term outcomes. Our findings highlight the importance of including the patient perspective in the assessment of long term outcomes, so that that we can start to target initial management strategies more effectively based on a combination of clinical and patient-reported data

Prevalence of anxiety disorders and subthreshold anxiety throughout later life: systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis compared prevalence rates for subthreshold anxiety and anxiety disorders in adults aged 55 degrees and examined if these rates were associated with age. A systematic search and screening procedure resulted in 46 included articles. First, prevalence rates for subthreshold anxiety and anxiety disorders were statistically compared. Subthreshold panic, generalized anxiety and specific phobia were significantly more prevalent than the corresponding clinical disorders. In general, subthreshold anxiety appeared to be at least similarly prevalent to anxiety disorders, although firm conclusions are precluded due to the small number of samples that could be included in the analyses and the large heterogeneity between the reported prevalence rates. Second, using subgroup analyses, pooled prevalence rates for four age groups of older adults (55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85 degrees) were compared. For specific phobia, the 75-84 and 85 degrees groups had significantly lower prevalence rates than the 55-64 and 65-74 groups. Posttraumatic stress disorder was significantly more prevalent in the 55-64 group than in the other age groups, and lowest in the 85 degrees group. No other significant differences between age groups were found. The association between later life subthreshold anxiety and age could not be examined due to a lack of reported information. The main limitation of this study is the small number of samples in the analyses, which limits their power and generalizability.Stress and Psychopatholog

Inequity in healthcare use among older people after 2008: The case of Southern European Countries

Despite the sizeable cuts in public healthcare spending, part of the austerity measures recently undertaken in Southern European countries, little attention has been devoted to monitoring distributional aspects of healthcare usage. This study aims at measuring socioeconomic inequities in primary and secondary healthcare experienced some time after the crisis onset in Italy, Spain and Portugal. The analysis, based on data drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), focuses on older people, who generally face significantly higher healthcare needs, and whose health appeared to have worsened in the aftermath of the crisis. The Horizontal Inequity indexes reveal remarkable socioeconomic inequities in older people’s access to secondary healthcare in all three countries. In Portugal, the one country facing most severe healthcare budget cuts and where user charges apply also to GP visits, even access to primary care exhibits a significant pro-rich concentration. If reducing inequities in older people’s access to healthcare remains a policy objective, austerity measures maybe pulling the Olive belt countries further way from achieving it

CD19+CD24hiCD38hi B Cells Are Expanded in Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Exhibit a Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype After Activation Through Toll-Like Receptor 7 and Interferon-α

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare form of childhood autoimmune myositis that presents with proximal muscle weakness and skin rash. B cells are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to investigate mechanisms driving B cell lymphocytosis and define pathological features of B cells in JDM patients. Patients were recruited through the UK JDM Cohort and Biomarker study. Peripheral blood B cell subpopulations were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. The results identified that immature transitional B cells were significantly expanded in active JDM, actively dividing, and correlated positively with disease activity. Protein and RNAseq analysis revealed high interferon alpha (IFNa) and TLR7-pathway signatures pre-treatment. Stimulation of B cells through TLR7/8 promoted both IL-10 and IL-6 production in controls but failed to induce IL-10 in JDM patient cells. Interrogation of the CD40-CD40L pathway (known to induce B cell IL-10 and IL-6) revealed similar expression of IL-10 and IL-6 in B cells cultured with CD40L from both JDM patients and controls. In conclusion, JDM patients with active disease have a significantly expanded immature transitional B cell population which correlated with the type I IFN signature. Activation through TLR7 and IFNa may drive the expansion of immature transitional B cells in JDM and skew the cells toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype