Using graphical style and visibility constraints for a meaningful layout in visual programming interfaces

In the expanding field of visual applications, layout design and graphical editing tasks are crucial points. In this paper, we address the incorporation of AI aspects in the visual software design process and the automatic layout and beautification of informational graphics such as visual programs and chart diagrams. Since layout in dynamic settings frequently requires a direct manipulation responsiveness, an incremental redesign of the generated visual material is necessary. Following our previous work on constraint-based multimodal design, we show how powerful constraint processing techniques, such as constraint hierarchies and dynamic constraint satisfaction, can be applied to visual programming environments in order to maintain graphical style and consistency for a meaningful layout. We describe InLay, a system for constraint-based presenting and editing visual programs. Finally, we will have a short look at some extensions with regard to advanced interaction and visualization techniques

The clinical course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and its association to quality of life over time: longitudinal data from the INSIGHTS-IPF registry

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is profoundly impaired in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, data is limited regarding the course of QoL. We therefore analysed longitudinal data from the German INSIGHTS-IPF registry. Methods: Clinical status and QoL were assessed at enrollment and subsequently at 6- to 12-months intervals. A range of different QoL questionnaires including the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were used. Results: Data from 424 patients were included; 76.9% male; mean age 68.7 ± 9.1 years, mean FVC% predicted 75.9 ± 19.4, mean DLCO% predicted 36.1 ± 15.9. QoL worsened significantly during follow-up with higher total SGRQ scores (increased by 1.47 per year; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.76; p < 0.001) and higher UCSD-SOBQ scores and lower EQ-5D VAS and WHO-5 scores. An absolute decline in FVC% predicted of > 10% was associated with a significant deterioration in SGRQ (increasing by 9.08 units; 95% CI: 2.48 to 15.67; p = 0.007), while patients with stable or improved FVC had no significantly change in SGRQ. Patients with a > 10% decrease of DLCO % predicted also had a significant increase in SGRQ (+ 7.79 units; 95% CI: 0.85 to 14.73; p = 0.028), while SQRQ was almost stable in patients with stable or improved DLCO. Patients who died had a significant greater increase in SGRQ total scores (mean 11.8 ± 18.6) at their last follow-up visit prior to death compared to survivors (mean 4.2 ± 18.9; HR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.04; p < 0.001). All QoL scores across the follow-up period were significantly worse in hospitalised patients compared to non-hospitalised patients, with the worst scores reported in those hospitalised for acute exacerbations. Conclusions: QoL assessments in the INSIGHTS-IPF registry demonstrate a close relationship between QoL and clinically meaningful changes in lung function, comorbidities, disease duration and clinical course of IPF, including hospitalisation and mortality

Health related quality of life in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in clinical practice: insights-IPF registry

Background: The INSIGHTS-IPF registry provides one of the largest data sets of clinical data and self-reported patient related outcomes including health related quality of life (QoL) on patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aimed to describe associations of various QoL instruments between each other and with patient characteristics at baseline. Methods: Six hundred twenty-three IPF patients with available QoL data (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire SGRQ, UCSD Shortness-of-Breath Questionnaire SoB, EuroQol visual analogue scale and index EQ-5D, Well-being Index WHO-5) were analysed. Mean age was 69.6 +/- 8.7 years, 77% were males, mean disease duration 2.0 +/- 3.3 years, FVC pred was 67.5 +/- 17.8%, DLCO pred 35.6 +/- 17%. Results: Mean points were SGRQ total 48.3, UCSD SoB 47.8, EQ-5D VAS 66.8, and WHO-5 13.9. These instruments had a high or very high correlation (exception WHO-5 to EQ-5D VAS with moderate correlation). On bivariate analysis, QoL by SGRQ total was statistically significantly associated with clinical symptoms (NYHA;p < 0.001), number of comorbidities (p < 0.05), hospitalisation rate (p < 0.01) and disease severity (as measured by GAP score, CPI, FVC and 6-min walk test;p < 0.05 each). Multivariate analyses showed a significant association between QoL (by SGRQ total) and IPF duration, FVC, age, NYHA class and indication for long-term oxygen treatment. Conclusions: Overall, IPF patients under real-life conditions have lower QoL compared to those in clinical studies. There is a meaningful relationship between QoL and various patient characteristics

Constraint-Based Layout in Visual Program Design

this paper has been carried out in the PPP project which is supported by the German Ministry for Research and Technology under contract ITW 9400

Leveraging the GIDAS Database for the Criticality Analysis of Automated Driving Systems

A safe introduction of automated driving systems on urban roads requires a thorough understanding of the traffic conflicts and accidents. This understanding is paramount to constructively safeguard these systems, i.e., to design a system that exhibits an adequate performance even in critical situations. In this work, we present an approach to gather knowledge by analyzing the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS) database, which is representative of all German traffic accidents, along with the influencing factors that are hypothesized to be associated with increased criticality in relation to automated driving. In order to gain an insight into the risk associated with these factors in real-world accidents, we determine their presence in the database’s accident cases within a selected operational domain, enabled by translation from a natural language description to the database scheme employed by GIDAS. This initial catalog as well as the subsequent statistical considerations is motivated by analyzing the criticality for automated driving systems in urban areas. Based on this catalog, our work delineates a method for quantification of risk associated with such influencing factors in a given operational domain based on real-world accident data. This quantification can subsequently be used in decompositional, scenario-based risk assessment before system design and for the embedding safety argumentation. This paper, therefore, provides a blueprint of how the matured field of traffic accident research studies and its results, in particular accident databases, can be leveraged for risk assessment of the operational domain of automated driving systems

Survival and course of lung function in the presence or absence of antifibrotic treatment in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: long-term results of the INSIGHTS-IPF registry

Objective: There is a paucity of observational data on antifibrotic therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aimed to assess the course of disease of IPF patients with and without antifibrotic therapy under real-life conditions.Methods: We analysed data from a non-interventional, prospective cohort study of consecutively enrolled IPF patients from 20 interstitial lung disease expert centres in Germany. Data quality was ensured by automated plausibility checks, on-site monitoring, and source data verification. Propensity scores were applied to account for known differences in baseline characteristics between patients with and without antifibrotic therapy.Results: Among the 588 patients suitable for analysis, the mean +/- so age was 69.8 +/- 9.1 years, and 81.0% were male. The mean +/- so duration of disease since diagnosis was 1.8 +/- 3.4 years. The mean +/- SD value at baseline for forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity (D-LCO) were 68.6 +/- 18.8% predicted and 37.8 +/- 18.5% predicted, respectively. During a mean +/- so follow-up of 1.2 +/- 0.7 years, 194 (33.0%) patients died. The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 87% versus 46% and 62% versus 21%, respectively, for patients with versus without antifibrotic therapy. The risk of death was 37% lower in patients with antifibrotic therapy (hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.45; 0.87; p=0.005). The results were robust (and remained statistically significant) on multivariable analysis. Overall decline of FVC and D-LCO was slow and did not differ significantly between patients with or without antifibrotic therapy.Conclusions: Survival was significantly higher in IPF patients with antifibrotic therapy, but the course of lung function parameters was similar in patients with and without antifibrotic therapy. This su vests that in clinical practice, premature mortality of IPF patients eventually occurs despite stable measurements for FVC and D-LCO

Long-term safety and outcome of intravenous treprostinil via an implanted pump in pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND: We examined safety and long-term outcomes of intravenous treprostinil administered via the implantable LENUS Pro pump in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: Patients with PH undergoing pump implantation between December 2009 and October 2016 in German referral centers were retrospectively analyzed (end of follow-up: May 2017). The primary objective was to determine long-term safety of the implantable pump. Secondary end points were 3-year survival and prognostic relevance of pre-implantation hemodynamics. RESULTS: We monitored 129 patients (120 with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 1 with PH due to lung diseases, and 8 with inoperable chronic thromboembolic PH) for 260 patient-years (median follow-up, 19 months; interquartile range, 11-34 months). There were 82 complications/peri-procedural events in 60 patients; of these, 57 were serious adverse events (0.60 per 1,000 treatment-days), including 2 peri-procedural deaths due to right heart failure. The incidence of complications related to the pump, catheter, infection, and pump pocket per 1,000 treatment-days was 0.074, 0.264, 0.032 (3 local infections; no bloodstream infections), and 0.380, respectively. Three-year overall and transplant-free survival were 66.5% and 55.7%, respectively (39 patients died; 16 underwent lung transplantation). Baseline cardiac index independently predicted transplant-free survival (multivariate hazard ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-3.28; p = 0.019; n=95). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that intravenous treprostinil via the LENUS Pro pump in advanced PH is associated with a very low risk of bloodstream infections, but other serious adverse events may occur. Therefore, this therapy needs standardization and should be offered in specialized PH centers only. Further technical advances of the pump system and prospective studies are needed. (C) 2018 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved