Принципы организации объектно-ориентированных систем обработки неформализованной информации

Рассматривается класс логико-аналитических систем, использующих специальные лингвистические процессоры и базы знаний (БЗ) для обработки потоков неформализованных документов с целью решения пользовательских задач. На первом этапе формализации текста документа извлекаются информационные объекты и связи, которые образуют структуры знаний и запоминаются в БЗ. На уровне БЗ организуются различные виды анализа и объектных поисков: поиск похожих объектов и ситуаций, поиск по связям и другие. Рассматриваются основные компоненты подобных систем, называемых объектно-ориентированными, их особенности при использовании в различных приложениях: при обработке криминальной информации, при автоматической формализации резюме (заявок на работу), в системах обработки СМИ с выделением террористических групп и их деяний.A class of the logical-analytical systems using special linguistic processors and knowledge bases is considered. Such systems are called object-oriented. These systems are employed for processing of the unstructured documents flow for the user problems decision. At the first stage the document text is formalized: information objects and links are extracted and transferred into the knowledge structures which are stored in the knowledge base (KB). At the level of KB various kinds of analysis and object search are organized: the search for similar objects and situations, the search on the basis of links and other types of search. The basic components of these systems, their main features and the particular use in different applications are considered.The system operation in the subject areas of criminal information processing, automatic formalization of summary texts (applications for work), mass media analysis for extracting information about terrorist formations and their activities are presented

The impact of bone mineral density and disc degeneration on shear strength and stiffness of the lumbar spine following laminectomy

Purpose Laminectomy is a standard surgical procedure for elderly patients with symptomatic degenerative lumbar stenosis. The procedure aims at decompression of the affected nerves, but it also causes a reduction of spinal shear strength and shear stiffness. The magnitude of this reduction and the influence of bone mineral density (BMD) and disc degeneration are unknown. We studied the influence of laminectomy, BMD, and disc degeneration on shear force to failure (SFF) and shear stiffness (SS). Methods Ten human cadaveric lumbar spines were obtained (mean age 72.1 years, range 53-89 years). Laminectomy was performed either on L2 or L4, equally divided within the group of ten spines. BMD was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Low BMD was defined as a BMD value below the median. Intervertebral discs were assessed for degeneration by MRI (Pfirrmann) and scaled in mild and severe degeneration groups. Motion segments L2-L3 and L4-L5 were isolated from each spine. SFF and SS were measured, while loading simultaneously with 1,600 N axial compression. Results Low BMD had a significant negative effect on SFF. In addition, a significant interaction between low BMD and laminectomy was found. In the high BMD group, SFF was 2,482 N (range 1,678-3,284) and decreased to 1,371 N (range 940-1,886) after laminectomy. In the low BMD group, SFF was 1,339 N (range 909-1,628) and decreased to 761 N (range 561-1,221). Disc degeneration did not affect SFF, nor did it interact with laminectomy. Neither low BMD nor the interaction of low BMD and laminectomy did affect SS. Degeneration and its interaction with laminectomy did not significantly affect SS. Conclusions In conclusion, low BMD significantly decreased SFF before and after lumbar laminectomy. Therefore, DXA assessment may be an important asset to preoperative screening. Lumbar disc degeneration did not affect shear properties of lumbar segments before or after laminectomy. © 2012 Springer-Verlag

Hematological Parameters Outperform Plasma Markers in Predicting Long-Term Mortality After Coronary Angiography

High-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) are predictors of coronary artery disease. Recently, routine hematological parameters emerged as mortality predictors. We examined the predictive value of hematological parameters (from the Utrecht Patient Oriented Database) and hsTnI and NT-pro-BNP for mortality in a coronary angiography population (Utrecht Coronary Biobank n = 1913). Using Cox regression, receiver operating characteristics, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and continuous net reclassification improvement (cNRI) analysis, we compared the predictive properties of hematological parameters with hsTnI and NT-pro-BNP for mortality. During a median follow-up duration of 1.8 years, 77 deaths occurred. A panel of 7 hematological parameters (leukocyte count, reticulocyte mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell [RBC] green (FL1) fluorescence, %neutrophils, %large [>120 fL] RBCs, %monocytes, and coefficient of variation of neutrophil complexity) was highly predictive. Added to clinical characteristics, hematological parameters (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.855, P < .001; IDI: 0.04, P = .02; cNRI: 0.41, P < .001) were better predictors than hsTnI (AUC: 0.818) or NT-pro-BNP (AUC: 0.834) alone or combined (AUC: 0.834). Hematological parameters may provide mortality risk information following coronary angiography and may be superior to hsTnI and/or NT-pro-BNP

Pathways through which health influences early retirement: a qualitative study

Background: Due to the aeging of the population, there is a societal need for workers to prolong their working lives. In the Netherlands, many employees still leave the workforce before the official retirement age of 65. Previous quantitative research showed that poor self-perceived health is a risk factor of (non-disability) early retirement. However, little is known on how poor health may lead to early retirement, and why poor health leads to early retirement in some employees, but not in others. Therefore, the present qualitative study aims to identify in which ways health influences early retirement. Methods. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 employees (60-64 years) who retired before the official retirement age of 65. Participants were selected from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, a summary was made including a timeline, and the interviews were open coded. Results: In 15 of the 30 persons, health played a role in early retirement. Both poor and good health influenced early retirement. For poor health, four pathways were identified. First, employees felt unable to work at all due to health problems. Second, health problems resulted in a self-perceived (future) decline in the ability to work, and employees chose to retire early. Third, employees with health problems were afraid of a further decline in health, and chose to retire early. Fourth, employees with poor health retired early because they felt pushed out by their employer, although they themselves did not experience a reduced work ability. A good health influenced early retirement, since persons wanted to enjoy life while their health still allowed to do so. The financial opportunity to retire sometimes triggered the influence of poor health on early retirement, and often triggered the influence of good health. Employees and employers barely discussed opportunities to prolong working life. Conclusions: Poor and good health influence early retirement via several different pathways. To prolong working life, a dialogue between employers and employees and tailored work-related interventions may be helpful

Impact of age norms and stereotypes on managers' hiring decisions of retirees

Purpose -Our study investigates the role of managers in the re-employment of early retirees and asks what the effect is of managers’ age norms and stereotypes on managers’ employment decisions. Design/methodology/approach- A combination of a factorial study and a survey was conducted. First, information on the age norms and stereotypes was collected. Secondly, profiles of hypothetical retired job applicants were presented to the employers, who were asked to make a specific hiring decision. The information collected during both studies was combined in the analysis and multilevel models were estimated. Findings -The results indicate that higher age norms result in a higher propensity to hire an early retiree. Stereotypes, by contrast, do not influence managers’ decisions. Early retirees’ chances for re-employment are also related to their own circumstances (physical appearance and relevant experience) and organisational forces, as they are hired when organisations face labour force shortages. Research limitation / implications – with the use of vignettes study we deal with hypothetical hiring situation. Originality value- Although the effect of age norms and age stereotypes has been often suggested, not much empirical evidence was presented to support this notion. Our study estimates the effect of age norms and stereotypes on hiring decision. key words: bridge employment; early retirees; age norms; age stereotypes; multilevel models.