MCTS self-paced training kit (exam 70-680) configuring Windows 7

CERN Document Server

McLean, Ian

2010-01-01

NOTE: The most recent printings of this title incorporate corrections to errors found in the earlier printings. This Self-Paced Training Kit is designed to help maximize your performance on 70-680, the required exam for the Microsoft® Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): Windows 7, Configuration certification.This 2-in-1 kit includes the official Microsoft study guide, plus practice tests on CD to help you assess your skills. It comes packed with the tools and features exam candidates want most-including in-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content; rigorous, objective-by-obj

Breath pacing system and method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2016-01-01

To provide a breath pacing system and a corresponding method for pacing the respiratory activity of a subject that provide the possibility to adapt the output signal to the respiration characteristics of the subject automatically and effectively a breath pacing system (10) for pacing the respiratory

Development of a methodology for classifying software errors

Science.gov (United States)

Gerhart, S. L.

1976-01-01

A mathematical formalization of the intuition behind classification of software errors is devised and then extended to a classification discipline: Every classification scheme should have an easily discernible mathematical structure and certain properties of the scheme should be decidable (although whether or not these properties hold is relative to the intended use of the scheme). Classification of errors then becomes an iterative process of generalization from actual errors to terms defining the errors together with adjustment of definitions according to the classification discipline. Alternatively, whenever possible, small scale models may be built to give more substance to the definitions. The classification discipline and the difficulties of definition are illustrated by examples of classification schemes from the literature and a new study of observed errors in published papers of programming methodologies.

Hemispheric Asymmetries in the Activation and Monitoring of Memory Errors

Science.gov (United States)

Giammattei, Jeannette; Arndt, Jason

2012-01-01

Previous research on the lateralization of memory errors suggests that the right hemisphere's tendency to produce more memory errors than the left hemisphere reflects hemispheric differences in semantic activation. However, all prior research that has examined the lateralization of memory errors has used self-paced recognition judgments. Because…

Assimilation of a knowledge base and physical models to reduce errors in passive-microwave classifications of sea ice

Science.gov (United States)

Maslanik, J. A.; Key, J.

1992-01-01

An expert system framework has been developed to classify sea ice types using satellite passive microwave data, an operational classification algorithm, spatial and temporal information, ice types estimated from a dynamic-thermodynamic model, output from a neural network that detects the onset of melt, and knowledge about season and region. The rule base imposes boundary conditions upon the ice classification, modifies parameters in the ice algorithm, determines a `confidence' measure for the classified data, and under certain conditions, replaces the algorithm output with model output. Results demonstrate the potential power of such a system for minimizing overall error in the classification and for providing non-expert data users with a means of assessing the usefulness of the classification results for their applications.

One-Class Classification-Based Real-Time Activity Error Detection in Smart Homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Barnan; Cook, Diane J; Krishnan, Narayanan C; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen

2016-08-01

Caring for individuals with dementia is frequently associated with extreme physical and emotional stress, which often leads to depression. Smart home technology and advances in machine learning techniques can provide innovative solutions to reduce caregiver burden. One key service that caregivers provide is prompting individuals with memory limitations to initiate and complete daily activities. We hypothesize that sensor technologies combined with machine learning techniques can automate the process of providing reminder-based interventions. The first step towards automated interventions is to detect when an individual faces difficulty with activities. We propose machine learning approaches based on one-class classification that learn normal activity patterns. When we apply these classifiers to activity patterns that were not seen before, the classifiers are able to detect activity errors, which represent potential prompt situations. We validate our approaches on smart home sensor data obtained from older adult participants, some of whom faced difficulties performing routine activities and thus committed errors.

Pacing stress echocardiography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agrusta Marco

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High-rate pacing is a valid stress test to be used in conjunction with echocardiography; it is independent of physical exercise and does not require drug administration. There are two main applications of pacing stress in the echo lab: the noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease through induction of a regional transient dysfunction; and the assessment of contractile reserve through peak systolic pressure/ end-systolic volume relationship at increasing heart rates to assess global left ventricular contractility. Methods The pathophysiologic rationale of pacing stress for noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease is obvious, with the stress determined by a controlled increase in heart rate, which is a major determinant of myocardial oxygen demand, and thereby tachycardia may exceed a fixed coronary flow reserve in the presence of hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease. The use of pacing stress echo to assess left ventricular contractile reserve is less established, but promising. Positive inotropic interventions are mirrored by smaller end-systolic volumes and higher end-systolic pressures. An increased heart rate progressively increases the force of ventricular contraction (Bowditch treppe or staircase phenomenon. To build the force-frequency relationship, the force is determined at different heart rate steps as the ratio of the systolic pressure (cuff sphygmomanometer/end-systolic volume index (biplane Simpson rule. The heart rate is determined from ECG. Conclusion Two-dimensional echocardiography during pacing is a useful tool in the detection of coronary artery disease. Because of its safety and ease of repeatability noninvasive pacing stress echo can be the first-line stress test in patients with permanent pacemaker. The force-frequency can be defined as up- sloping (normal when the peak stress pacing systolic pressure/end-systolic volume index is higher than baseline and intermediate stress

PACE Status Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

M., Zimring,; Hoffman, I.; Fuller, M.

2010-08-11

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (the government-sponsored enterprises - GSEs). On July 6, 2010, FHFA and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) concluded that Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs 'present significant safety and soundness concerns' to the housing finance industry. This statement came after a year of discussions with state and federal agencies in which PACE, a novel mechanism for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, has gone from receiving support from the White House, canonization as one of Scientific American's 'World Changing Ideas' and legislative adoption in 24 states to questionable relevance, at least in the residential sector. Whether PACE resumes its expansion as an innovative tool for financing energy efficiency and clean generation depends on outcomes in each of the three branches of government - discussions on a PACE pilot phase among federal agencies, litigation in federal court, and legislation in Congress - all highly uncertain. This policy brief addresses the practical impacts of these possible outcomes on existing and emerging PACE programs across the United States and potential paths forward.

Bachmann's Bundle Pacing not Only Improves Interatrial Conduction but Also Reduces the Need for Ventricular Pacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Sławuta, Agnieszka; Kliś, Magdalena; Skoczyński, Przemysław; Bańkowski, Tomasz; Moszczyńska-Stulin, Joanna; Gajek, Jacek

2016-01-01

Patients treated for sick sinus syndrome may have interatrial conduction disorder leading to atrial fibrillation. This study was aimed to assess the influence of the atrial pacing site on interatrial and atrioventricular conduction as well as the percentage of ventricular pacing in patients with sick sinus syndrome implanted with atrioventricular pacemaker. The study population: 96 patients (58 females, 38 males) aged 74.1 ± 11.8 years were divided in two groups: Group 1 (n = 44) with right atrial appendage pacing and group 2 (n = 52) with Bachmann's area pacing. We assessed the differences in atrioventricular conduction in sinus rhythm and atrial 60 and 90 bpm pacing, P-wave duration and percentage of ventricular pacing. No differences in baseline P-wave duration in sinus rhythm between the groups (102.4 ± 17 ms vs. 104.1 ± 26 ms, p = ns.) were noted. Atrial pacing 60 bpm resulted in longer P-wave in group 1 vs. group 2 (138.3 ± 21 vs. 106.1 ± 15 ms, p < 0.01). The differences between atrioventricular conduction time during sinus rhythm and atrial pacing at 60 and 90 bpm were significantly longer in patients with right atrial appendage vs. Bachmann's pacing (44.1 ± 17 vs. 9.2 ± 7 ms p < 0.01 and 69.2 ± 31 vs. 21.4 ± 12 ms p < 0.05, respectively). The percentage of ventricular pacing was higher in group 1 (21 vs. 4%, p < 0.01). Bachmann's bundle pacing decreases interatrial and atrioventricular conduction delay. Moreover, the frequency-dependent atrioventricular conduction lengthening is much less pronounced during Bachmann's bundle pacing. Right atrial appendage pacing in sick sinus syndrome patients promotes a higher percentage of ventricular pacing.

New classification of operators' human errors at overseas nuclear power plants and preparation of easy-to-use case sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takagawa, Kenichi

2004-01-01

At nuclear power plants, plant operators examine other human error cases, including those that occurred at other plants, so that they can learn from such experiences and avoid making similar errors again. Although there is little data available on errors made at domestic plants, nuclear operators in foreign countries are reporting even minor irregularities and signs of faults, and a large amount of data on human errors at overseas plants could be collected and examined. However, these overseas data have not been used effectively because most of them are poorly organized or not properly classified and are often hard to understand. Accordingly, we carried out a study on the cases of human errors at overseas power plants in order to help plant personnel clearly understand overseas experiences and avoid repeating similar errors, The study produced the following results, which were put to use at nuclear power plants and other facilities. (1) ''One-Point-Advice'' refers to a practice where a leader gives pieces of advice to his team of operators in order to prevent human errors before starting work. Based on this practice and those used in the aviation industry, we have developed a new method of classifying human errors that consists of four basic actions and three applied actions. (2) We used this new classification method to classify human errors made by operators at overseas nuclear power plants. The results show that the most frequent errors caused not by operators themselves but due to insufficient team monitoring, for which superiors and/or their colleagues were responsible. We therefore analyzed and classified possible factors contributing to insufficient team monitoring, and demonstrated that the frequent errors have also occurred at domestic power plants. (3) Using the new classification formula, we prepared a human error case sheets that is easy for plant personnel to understand. The sheets are designed to make data more understandable and easier to remember

Modeling parameters that characterize pacing of elite female 800-m freestyle swimmers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipińska, Patrycja; Allen, Sian V; Hopkins, Will G

2016-01-01

Pacing offers a potential avenue for enhancement of endurance performance. We report here a novel method for characterizing pacing in 800-m freestyle swimming. Websites provided 50-m lap and race times for 192 swims of 20 elite female swimmers between 2000 and 2013. Pacing for each swim was characterized with five parameters derived from a linear model: linear and quadratic coefficients for effect of lap number, reductions from predicted time for first and last laps, and lap-time variability (standard error of the estimate). Race-to-race consistency of the parameters was expressed as intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The average swim was a shallow negative quadratic with slowest time in the eleventh lap. First and last laps were faster by 6.4% and 3.6%, and lap-time variability was ±0.64%. Consistency between swimmers ranged from low-moderate for the linear and quadratic parameters (ICC = 0.29 and 0.36) to high for the last-lap parameter (ICC = 0.62), while consistency for race time was very high (ICC = 0.80). Only ~15% of swimmers had enough swims (~15 or more) to provide reasonable evidence of optimum parameter values in plots of race time vs. each parameter. The modest consistency of most of the pacing parameters and lack of relationships between parameters and performance suggest that swimmers usually compensated for changes in one parameter with changes in another. In conclusion, pacing in 800-m elite female swimmers can be characterized with five parameters, but identifying an optimal pacing profile is generally impractical.

Five-way Smoking Status Classification Using Text Hot-Spot Identification and Error-correcting Output Codes

OpenAIRE

Cohen, Aaron M.

2008-01-01

We participated in the i2b2 smoking status classification challenge task. The purpose of this task was to evaluate the ability of systems to automatically identify patient smoking status from discharge summaries. Our submission included several techniques that we compared and studied, including hot-spot identification, zero-vector filtering, inverse class frequency weighting, error-correcting output codes, and post-processing rules. We evaluated our approaches using the same methods as the i2...

The Managed Ventricular pacing versus VVI 40 Pacing (MVP) Trial: clinical background, rationale, design, and implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Michael O; Ellenbogen, Kenneth A; Miller, Elaine Hogan; Sherfesee, Lou; Sheldon, Todd; Whellan, David

2006-12-01

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality among appropriately selected patients who have had or are at risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia. Right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing has been implicated in worsening heart failure and death. The optimal pacemaker mode for bradycardia support while minimizing unnecessary and potentially harmful RVA pacing has not been determined. The Managed Ventricular pacing vs. VVI 40 Pacing Trial (MVP) is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, single-blind, parallel, controlled clinical trial designed to establish whether atrial-based dual-chamber managed ventricular pacing mode (MVP) is equivalent or superior to back-up only ventricular pacing (VVI 40) among patients with standard indications for ICD therapy and no indication for bradycardia pacing. The MVP Trial is designed with 80% power to detect a 10% reduction in the primary endpoint of new or worsening heart failure or all-cause mortality in the MVP-treated group. Approximately 1,000 patients at 80 centers in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, and Israel will be randomized to MVP or VVI 40 pacing after successful implantation of a dual-chamber ICD. Heart failure therapies will be optimized in accordance with evidence-based guidelines. Prespecified secondary endpoints will include ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, new indication for bradycardia pacing, health-related quality of life, and cost effectiveness. Enrollment began in October 2004 and concluded in April 2006. The study will be terminated upon recommendation of the Data Monitoring Committee or when the last patient enrolled and surviving has reached a minimum 2 years of follow-up. The MVP Trial will meet the clinical need for carefully designed prospective studies to define the benefits of atrial-based dual-chamber minimal ventricular pacing versus single-chamber ventricular pacing in conventional ICD patients.

Risk perception influences athletic pacing strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Micklewright, Dominic; Parry, David; Robinson, Tracy; Deacon, Greg; Renfree, Andrew; St Clair Gibson, Alan; Matthews, William J

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to examine risk taking and risk perception associations with perceived exertion, pacing, and performance in athletes. Two experiments were conducted in which risk perception was assessed using the domain-specific risk taking (DOSPERT) scale in 20 novice cyclists (experiment 1) and 32 experienced ultramarathon runners (experiment 2). In experiment 1, participants predicted their pace and then performed a 5-km maximum effort cycling time trial on a calibrated Kingcycle mounted bicycle. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded every kilometer. In experiment 2, each participant predicted their split times before running a 100-km ultramarathon. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded at seven checkpoints. In both experiments, higher and lower risk perception groups were created using median split of DOSPERT scores. In experiment 1, pace during the first kilometer was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(18) = 2.0, P = 0.03) and faster among higher risk takers compared with lower risk takers (t(18) = 2.2, P = 0.02). Actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first kilometer in both the higher risk perceivers (t(9) = -4.2, P = 0.001) and lower risk perceivers (t(9) = -1.8, P = 0.049). In experiment 2, pace during the first 36 km was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(16) = 2.0, P = 0.03). Irrespective of risk perception group, actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first 18 km (t(16) = 8.9, P risk perception groups. Initial pace is associated with an individual's perception of risk, with low perceptions of risk being associated with a faster starting pace. Large differences between predicted and actual pace suggest that the performance template lacks accuracy, perhaps indicating greater reliance on momentary pacing decisions rather than preplanned strategy.

Impact of errors in recorded compressed breast thickness measurements on volumetric density classification using volpara v1.5.0 software.

Science.gov (United States)

Waade, Gunvor Gipling; Highnam, Ralph; Hauge, Ingrid H R; McEntee, Mark F; Hofvind, Solveig; Denton, Erika; Kelly, Judith; Sarwar, Jasmine J; Hogg, Peter

2016-06-01

Mammographic density has been demonstrated to predict breast cancer risk. It has been proposed that it could be used for stratifying screening pathways and recommending additional imaging. Volumetric density tools use the recorded compressed breast thickness (CBT) of the breast measured at the x-ray unit in their calculation; however, the accuracy of the recorded thickness can vary. The aim of this study was to investigate whether inaccuracies in recorded CBT impact upon volumetric density classification and to examine whether the current quality control (QC) standard is sufficient for assessing mammographic density. Raw data from 52 digital screening mammograms were included in the study. For each image, the clinically recorded CBT was artificially increased and decreased in increments of 1 mm to simulate measurement error, until ±15% from the recorded CBT was reached. New images were created for each 1 mm step in thickness resulting in a total of 974 images which then had volpara density grade (VDG) and volumetric density percentage assigned. A change in VDG was observed in 38.5% (n = 20) of mammograms when applying ±15% error to the recorded CBT and 11.5% (n = 6) was within the QC standard prescribed error of ±5 mm. The current QC standard of ±5 mm error in recorded CBT creates the potential for error in mammographic density measurement. This may lead to inaccurate classification of mammographic density. The current QC standard for assessing mammographic density should be reconsidered.

Noninvasive reconstruction of the three-dimensional ventricular activation sequence during pacing and ventricular tachycardia in the canine heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chengzong; Pogwizd, Steven M; Killingsworth, Cheryl R; He, Bin

2012-01-01

Single-beat imaging of myocardial activation promises to aid in both cardiovascular research and clinical medicine. In the present study we validate a three-dimensional (3D) cardiac electrical imaging (3DCEI) technique with the aid of simultaneous 3D intracardiac mapping to assess its capability to localize endocardial and epicardial initiation sites and image global activation sequences during pacing and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the canine heart. Body surface potentials were measured simultaneously with bipolar electrical recordings in a closed-chest condition in healthy canines. Computed tomography images were obtained after the mapping study to construct realistic geometry models. Data analysis was performed on paced rhythms and VTs induced by norepinephrine (NE). The noninvasively reconstructed activation sequence was in good agreement with the simultaneous measurements from 3D cardiac mapping with a correlation coefficient of 0.74 ± 0.06, a relative error of 0.29 ± 0.05, and a root mean square error of 9 ± 3 ms averaged over 460 paced beats and 96 ectopic beats including premature ventricular complexes, couplets, and nonsustained monomorphic VTs and polymorphic VTs. Endocardial and epicardial origins of paced beats were successfully predicted in 72% and 86% of cases, respectively, during left ventricular pacing. The NE-induced ectopic beats initiated in the subendocardium by a focal mechanism. Sites of initial activation were estimated to be ∼7 mm from the measured initiation sites for both the paced beats and ectopic beats. For the polymorphic VTs, beat-to-beat dynamic shifts of initiation site and activation pattern were characterized by the reconstruction. The present results suggest that 3DCEI can noninvasively image the 3D activation sequence and localize the origin of activation of paced beats and NE-induced VTs in the canine heart with good accuracy. This 3DCEI technique offers the potential to aid interventional therapeutic procedures for

42 CFR 460.60 - PACE organizational structure.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false PACE organizational structure. 460.60 Section 460... ELDERLY (PACE) PACE Administrative Requirements § 460.60 PACE organizational structure. (a) A PACE organization must be, or be a distinct part of, one of the following: (1) An entity of city, county, State, or...

Classifying running-related injuries based upon etiology, with emphasis on volume and pace

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, R.O.; Nohr, Ellen Aagaard; Rasmussen, Sten

2013-01-01

Many researchers acknowledge the importance of "training errors" as the main cause of running-related injuries. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to present a theoretical framework for the assumption that some running-related injuries among rear-foot strikers develop due to rapidly...... changing running volume, while others develop due to rapidly changing running pace....

Direct His bundle pacing post AVN ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lakshmanadoss, Umashankar; Aggarwal, Ashim; Huang, David T; Daubert, James P; Shah, Abrar

2009-08-01

Atrioventricular nodal (AVN) ablation with concomitant pacemaker implantation is one of the strategies that reduce symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the long-term adverse effects of right ventricular (RV) apical pacing have led to the search for alternating sites of pacing. Biventricular pacing produces a significant improvement in functional capacity over RV pacing in patients undergoing AVN ablation. Another alternative site for pacing is direct His bundle to reduce the adverse outcome of RV pacing. Here, we present a case of direct His bundle pacing using steerable lead delivery system in a patient with symptomatic paroxysmal AF with concurrent AVN ablation.

Impact of pacing modality and biventricular pacing on cardiac output and coronary conduit flow in the post-cardiotomy patient.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Healy, David G

2012-02-03

We have previously demonstrated the role of univentricular pacing modalities in influencing coronary conduit flow in the immediate post-operative period in the cardiac surgery patient. We wanted to determine the mechanism of this improved coronary conduit and, in addition, to explore the possible benefits with biventricular pacing. Sixteen patients undergoing first time elective coronary artery bypass grafting who required pacing following surgery were recruited. Comparison of cardiac output and coronary conduit flow was performed between VVI and DDD pacing with a single right ventricular lead and biventricular pacing lead placement. Cardiac output was measured using arterial pulse waveform analysis while conduit flow was measured using ultrasonic transit time methodology. Cardiac output was greatest with DDD pacing using right ventricular lead placement only [DDD-univentricular 5.42 l (0.7), DDD-biventricular 5.33 l (0.8), VVI-univentricular 4.71 l (0.8), VVI-biventricular 4.68 l (0.6)]. DDD-univentricular pacing was significantly better than VVI-univentricular (P=0.023) and VVI-biventricular pacing (P=0.001) but there was no significant advantage to DDD-biventricular pacing (P=0.45). In relation to coronary conduit flow, DDD pacing again had the highest flow [DDD-univentricular 55 ml\\/min (24), DDD-biventricular 52 ml\\/min (25), VVI-univentricular 47 ml\\/min (23), VVI-biventricular 50 ml\\/min (26)]. DDD-univentricular pacing was significantly better than VVI-univentricular (P=0.006) pacing but not significantly different to VVI-biventricular pacing (P=0.109) or DDD-biventricular pacing (P=0.171). Pacing with a DDD modality offers the optimal coronary conduit flow by maximising cardiac output. Biventricular lead placement offered no significant benefit to coronary conduit flow or cardiac output.

Cardiac pacing in heart failure patients with left bundle branch block: impact of pacing site for optimizing left ventricular resynchronization.

Science.gov (United States)

Pappone, C; Rosanio, S; Oreto, G; Tocchi, M; Gulletta, S; Salvati, A; Dicandia, C; Santinelli, V; Mazzone, P; Veglia, F; Ding, J; Sallusti, L; Spinelli, J; Vicedomini, G

2000-07-01

Acute left ventricular pacing has been associated with hemodynamic improvement in patients with congestive heart failure and wide QRS complex. We hypothesized that pacing two left ventricular sites simultaneously would produce faster activation and better systolic function than single-site pacing. We selected 14 heart failure patients (NYHA functional class III or IV) in normal sinus rhythm with left bundle branch block and QRS > 150 ms. An 8F dual micromanometer catheter was placed in the aorta for measuring +dP/dt (mmHg/s), aortic pulse pressure (mmHg), and end-diastolic pressure (mmHg). Pacing leads were positioned via coronary veins at the posterior base and lateral wall. Patients were acutely paced VDD at the posterior base, lateral wall, and both sites (dual-site) with 5 atrioventricular delays (from 8 ms to PR -30 ms). Pacing sequences were executed in randomized order using a custom external computer (FlexStim, Guidant CRM). Dual-site pacing increased peak +dP/dt significantly more than posterior base and lateral wall pacing. Dual-site and posterior base pacing raised aortic pulse pressure significantly more than lateral wall pacing. Dual-site pacing shortened QRS duration by 22 %, whereas posterior base and lateral wall pacing increased it by 2 and 12%, respectively (p = 0.006). In heart failure patients with left bundle branch block, dual-site pacing improves systolic function more than single-site stimulation. Improved ventricular activation synchrony, expressed by paced QRS narrowing, may account for the additional benefit of dual- vs single-site pacing in enhancing contractility. This novel approach deserves consideration for future heart failure pacing studies.

Antiarrhythmic properties of atrial pacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kliś, Magdalena; Sławuta, Agnieszka; Gajek, Jacek

2017-01-01

Bradycardia, atrial stretch and dilatation, autonomic nervous system disorders, and the presence of triggers such as atrial premature contractions, are factors which predispose a person to paroxysmal AF. Atrial pacing not only eliminates bradycardia but also prevents atrial premature contractions and dispersion of refractoriness, which are a substrate for atrial fibrillation. As the prolonged duration of atrial activation during pacing, especially from locations changing the physiological pattern of this activation (right atrium lateral wall, right atrium appendage), negatively influences both a mechanical and an electrical function of the atria, the atrial pacing site affects an atrial arrhythmogenesis. A conventional atrial lead location in the right atrium appendage causes non-physiological activation propagation, resulting in a prolongation of the activation time of both atria. This location is optimal according to a passive fixation of the atrial lead but the available contemporary active fixation leads could potentially be located in any area of the atrium. There is growing evidence of the benefit of pacing, imitating the physiological propagation of impulses within the atria. It seems that the Bachmann's bundle pacing is the best pacing site within the atria, not only positively influencing the atrial mechanical function but also best fulfilling the so-called atrial resynchronization function, in particular in patients with interatrial conduction delay. It can be effectively achieved using only one atrial electrode, and the slight shortening of atrioventricular conduction provides an additional benefit of this atrial pacing site.

Issues surrounding the classification of accounting information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huibrecht Van der Poll

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The act of classifying information created by accounting practices is ubiquitous in the accounting process; from recording to reporting, it has almost become second nature. The classification has to correspond to the requirements and demands of the changing environment in which it is practised. Evidence suggests that the current classification of items in financial statements is not keeping pace with the needs of users and the new financial constructs generated by the industry. This study addresses the issue of classification in two ways: by means of a critical analysis of classification theory and practices and by means of a questionnaire that was developed and sent to compilers and users of financial statements. A new classification framework for accounting information in the balance sheet and income statement is proposed.

Optogenetic pacing in Drosophila melanogaster

Science.gov (United States)

Alex, Aneesh; Li, Airong; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Zhou, Chao

2015-01-01

Electrical stimulation is currently the gold standard for cardiac pacing. However, it is invasive and nonspecific for cardiac tissues. We recently developed a noninvasive cardiac pacing technique using optogenetic tools, which are widely used in neuroscience. Optogenetic pacing of the heart provides high spatial and temporal precisions, is specific for cardiac tissues, avoids artifacts associated with electrical stimulation, and therefore promises to be a powerful tool in basic cardiac research. We demonstrated optogenetic control of heart rhythm in a well-established model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. We developed transgenic flies expressing a light-gated cation channel, channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), specifically in their hearts and demonstrated successful optogenetic pacing of ChR2-expressing Drosophila at different developmental stages, including the larva, pupa, and adult stages. A high-speed and ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence microscopy imaging system that is capable of providing images at a rate of 130 frames/s with axial and transverse resolutions of 1.5 and 3.9 μm, respectively, was used to noninvasively monitor Drosophila cardiac function and its response to pacing stimulation. The development of a noninvasive integrated optical pacing and imaging system provides a novel platform for performing research studies in developmental cardiology. PMID:26601299

Temporary pacing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.J. Workman

1983-09-01

Full Text Available Artificial cardiac pacing, the use of electrical stimuli to cause contraction of heart muscle, is a sophisticated therapeutic and diagnostic tool. Its rapid technologic improvement since first developed in the late 1930’s by Hyman, has made it possible not only to avoid certain cases of death due to heart block, but also to extend and improve the quality of life. Pacemaker therapy is generally used to treat heart rate or rhythm disturbances, being either tachy- or bradyarrhythmias that produce a detrimental drop in cardiac output. Of the many different types of pacemakers and electrodes currently available, ventricular demand pacing is the most commonly used.

Self-Paced Prioritized Curriculum Learning With Coverage Penalty in Deep Reinforcement Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhipeng; Dong, Daoyi; Li, Huaxiong; Chen, Chunlin; Zhipeng Ren; Daoyi Dong; Huaxiong Li; Chunlin Chen; Dong, Daoyi; Li, Huaxiong; Chen, Chunlin; Ren, Zhipeng

2018-06-01

In this paper, a new training paradigm is proposed for deep reinforcement learning using self-paced prioritized curriculum learning with coverage penalty. The proposed deep curriculum reinforcement learning (DCRL) takes the most advantage of experience replay by adaptively selecting appropriate transitions from replay memory based on the complexity of each transition. The criteria of complexity in DCRL consist of self-paced priority as well as coverage penalty. The self-paced priority reflects the relationship between the temporal-difference error and the difficulty of the current curriculum for sample efficiency. The coverage penalty is taken into account for sample diversity. With comparison to deep Q network (DQN) and prioritized experience replay (PER) methods, the DCRL algorithm is evaluated on Atari 2600 games, and the experimental results show that DCRL outperforms DQN and PER on most of these games. More results further show that the proposed curriculum training paradigm of DCRL is also applicable and effective for other memory-based deep reinforcement learning approaches, such as double DQN and dueling network. All the experimental results demonstrate that DCRL can achieve improved training efficiency and robustness for deep reinforcement learning.

Noninvasive imaging of three-dimensional cardiac activation sequence during pacing and ventricular tachycardia.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chengzong; Pogwizd, Steven M; Killingsworth, Cheryl R; He, Bin

2011-08-01

Imaging cardiac excitation within ventricular myocardium is important in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and might help improve our understanding of arrhythmia mechanisms. This study sought to rigorously assess the imaging performance of a 3-dimensional (3D) cardiac electrical imaging (3DCEI) technique with the aid of 3D intracardiac mapping from up to 216 intramural sites during paced rhythm and norepinephrine (NE)-induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the rabbit heart. Body surface potentials and intramural bipolar electrical recordings were simultaneously measured in a closed-chest condition in 13 healthy rabbits. Single-site pacing and dual-site pacing were performed from ventricular walls and septum. VTs and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were induced by intravenous NE. Computed tomography images were obtained to construct geometry models. The noninvasively imaged activation sequence correlated well with invasively measured counterpart, with a correlation coefficient of 0.72 ± 0.04, and a relative error of 0.30 ± 0.02 averaged over 520 paced beats as well as 73 NE-induced PVCs and VT beats. All PVCs and VT beats initiated in the subendocardium by a nonreentrant mechanism. The averaged distance from the imaged site of initial activation to the pacing site or site of arrhythmias determined from intracardiac mapping was ∼5 mm. For dual-site pacing, the double origins were identified when they were located at contralateral sides of ventricles or at the lateral wall and the apex. 3DCEI can noninvasively delineate important features of focal or multifocal ventricular excitation. It offers the potential to aid in localizing the origins and imaging activation sequences of ventricular arrhythmias, and to provide noninvasive assessment of the underlying arrhythmia mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a new cause classification method considering plant ageing and human errors for adverse events which occurred in nuclear power plants and some results of its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Takamasa

2007-01-01

The adverse events which occurred in nuclear power plants are analyzed to prevent similar events, and in the analysis of each event, the cause of the event is classified by a cause classification method. This paper shows a new cause classification method which is improved in several points as follows: (1) the whole causes are systematically classified into three major categories such as machine system, operation system and plant outside causes, (2) the causes of the operation system are classified into several management errors normally performed in a nuclear power plant, (3) the content of ageing is defined in detail for their further analysis, (4) human errors are divided and defined by the error stage, (5) human errors can be related to background factors, and so on. This new method is applied to the adverse events which occurred in domestic and overseas nuclear power plants in 2005. From these results, it is clarified that operation system errors account for about 60% of the whole causes, of which approximately 60% are maintenance errors, about 40% are worker's human errors, and that the prevention of maintenance errors, especially worker's human errors is crucial. (author)

Voltage and pace-capture mapping of linear ablation lesions overestimates chronic ablation gap size.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Louisa; Harrison, James; Chubb, Henry; Whitaker, John; Mukherjee, Rahul K; Bloch, Lars Ølgaard; Andersen, Niels Peter; Dam, Høgni; Jensen, Henrik K; Niederer, Steven; Wright, Matthew; O'Neill, Mark; Williams, Steven E

2018-04-26

Conducting gaps in lesion sets are a major reason for failure of ablation procedures. Voltage mapping and pace-capture have been proposed for intra-procedural identification of gaps. We aimed to compare gap size measured acutely and chronically post-ablation to macroscopic gap size in a porcine model. Intercaval linear ablation was performed in eight Göttingen minipigs with a deliberate gap of ∼5 mm left in the ablation line. Gap size was measured by interpolating ablation contact force values between ablation tags and thresholding at a low force cut-off of 5 g. Bipolar voltage mapping and pace-capture mapping along the length of the line were performed immediately, and at 2 months, post-ablation. Animals were euthanized and gap sizes were measured macroscopically. Voltage thresholds to define scar were determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis as voltage, pace-capture, and ablation contact force maps. All modalities overestimated chronic gap size, by 1.4 ± 2.0 mm (ablation contact force map), 5.1 ± 3.4 mm (pace-capture), and 9.5 ± 3.8 mm (voltage mapping). Error on ablation contact force map gap measurements were significantly less than for voltage mapping (P = 0.003, Tukey's multiple comparisons test). Chronically, voltage mapping and pace-capture mapping overestimated macroscopic gap size by 11.9 ± 3.7 and 9.8 ± 3.5 mm, respectively. Bipolar voltage and pace-capture mapping overestimate the size of chronic gap formation in linear ablation lesions. The most accurate estimation of chronic gap size was achieved by analysis of catheter-myocardium contact force during ablation.

Recent developments in cardiac pacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodak, D J

1995-10-01

Indications for cardiac pacing continue to expand. Pacing to improve functional capacity, which is now common, relies on careful patient selection and technical improvements, such as complex software algorithms and diagnostic capabilities.

Classifying running-related injuries based upon etiology, with emphasis on volume and pace

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus Oestergaard; Nohr, Ellen Aagaard; Rasmussen, Sten

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many researchers acknowledge the importance of "training errors" as the main cause of running-related injuries. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to present a theoretical framework for the assumption that some running-related injuries among rear-foot strikers...... of patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, and patellar tendinopathy, while change in running pace may be associated with the development of achilles tendinopathy, gastrocnemius injuries, and plantar fasciitis. DISCUSSIONRELATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: If this assertion is correct, bias may...... develop due to rapidly changing running volume, while others develop due to rapidly changing running pace. DESCRIPTION OF TOPIC WITH RELATED EVIDENCE: Evidence from clinical and experimental studies is presented to support the assertion that rapid change in running volume may lead to the development...

Hemodynamic stress testing using pacing tachycardia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKay, R.G.; Grossman, W.

1986-01-01

A trial pacing was first introduced in 1967 by Sowton and co-workers as a stress test which could be used in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to evaluate patients with schemic heart disease. Sowton noted that artificially increasing the heart rate by pacing the right atrium could usually induce angina in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease. Since Sowton's original description, numerous investigators have described characteristic pacing-induced electrocardiographic changes, derangements of myocardial lactate metabolism, hemodynamic abnormalities, regional wall abnormalities, and defects in thallium scintigraphy. Although agreement on the overall usefulness of atrial pacing has not been uniform, it is clear that the technique can safely and reliably induce ischemia in most patients with coronary artery disease and that information obtained during the pacing-induced ischemic state can often be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient's underlying disease

Positive pacing in elite IRONMAN triathletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Angehrn, Nicole; Rüst, Christoph A.; Nikolaidis, Pantelis T.; Rosemann, Thomas; Knechtle, Beat

2016-12-31

Pacing is known to influence athletic performance. For the Ironman triathlon program, a positive pacing strategy, i.e., the continuous decrease of speed over time was recommended. By analyzing split times, we assessed the pacing strategies of the top 100 finishers of the cycling part of 13 Ironman races and of the running part of 11 Ironman races taking place in 2014. Furthermore, sex-associated differences in performance and pacing strategies were calculated. We analyzed 7,687 cycling and 11,894 running split times of 1,392 triathletes (1,263 men, 129 women). Changes in speed were assessed using mixed-effects regression analyses. A continuous decrease in speed was observed during cycling in 10/13 races, and during running in 11/11 races. In 6/13 races, women decreased their speed during cycling significantly more than men. The running part showed no significant difference of changes in speed between the sexes. In summary, in the Ironman races evaluated, a positive pacing strategy was adopted in most races. Women were slower than men in 6/13 cycling races, but there was no difference between men and women in the run splits. Women used the same pacing strategy as men.

Pitch Based Sound Classification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Andreas Brinch; Hansen, Lars Kai; Kjems, U

2006-01-01

A sound classification model is presented that can classify signals into music, noise and speech. The model extracts the pitch of the signal using the harmonic product spectrum. Based on the pitch estimate and a pitch error measure, features are created and used in a probabilistic model with soft......-max output function. Both linear and quadratic inputs are used. The model is trained on 2 hours of sound and tested on publicly available data. A test classification error below 0.05 with 1 s classification windows is achieved. Further more it is shown that linear input performs as well as a quadratic......, and that even though classification gets marginally better, not much is achieved by increasing the window size beyond 1 s....

Alternative right ventricular pacing sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Łuciuk, Dariusz; Łuciuk, Marek; Gajek, Jacek

2015-01-01

The main adverse effect of chronic stimulation is stimulation-induced heart failure in case of ventricular contraction dyssynchrony. Because of this fact, new techniques of stimulation should be considered to optimize electrotherapy. One of these methods is pacing from alternative right ventricular sites. The purpose of this article is to review currently accumulated data about alternative sites of cardiac pacing. Medline and PubMed bases were used to search English and Polish reports published recently. Recent studies report a deleterious effect of long term apical pacing. It is suggested that permanent apical stimulation, by omitting physiological conduction pattern with His-Purkinie network, may lead to electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony of heart muscle contraction. In the long term this pathological situation can lead to severe heart failure and death. Because of this, scientists began to search for some alternative sites of cardiac pacing to reduce the deleterious effect of stimulation. Based on current accumulated data, it is suggested that the right ventricular outflow tract, right ventricular septum, direct His-bundle or biventricular pacing are better alternatives due to more physiological electrical impulse propagation within the heart and the reduction of the dyssynchrony effect. These methods should preserve a better left ventricular function and prevent the development of heart failure in permanent paced patients. As there is still not enough, long-term, randomized, prospective, cross-over and multicenter studies, further research is required to validate the benefits of using this kind of therapy. The article should pay attention to new sites of cardiac stimulation as a better and safer method of treatment.

How do we perceive activity pacing in rheumatology care?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cuperus, N.; Vliet Vlieland, T.; Brodin, N.

2015-01-01

goals of activity pacing, behaviours of activity pacing (the actions people take to meet the goal of activity pacing), strategies to change behaviour in activity pacing (for example goal setting) and contextual factors that should be acknowledged when instructing activity pacing. Besides, topics......-management programs. However, despite its wide endorsement in clinical practice, to date activity pacing is still a poorly understood concept. Objectives: To achieve consensus by means of an international Delphi exercise on the most important aspects of activity pacing as an intervention within non...... for future research on activity pacing were formulated and prioritized. Results: Of the 60 panelists, nearly two third (63%) completed all four Delphi rounds. The panel prioritized 9 goals, 11 behaviours, 9 strategies to change behaviour and 10 contextual factors of activity pacing. These items were...

Haemodynamic effects of dual-chamber pacing versus ventricular pacing during a walk test in patients with depressed or normal left ventricular function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferro, Adele; Salvatore, Marco; Cuocolo, Alberto [University Federico II, Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimages of the National Council of Research, Naples (Italy); Duilio, Carlo; Santomauro, Maurizio [University Federico II, Department of Clinical Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences, Naples (Italy)

2005-09-01

Dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing provides haemodynamic benefits compared with ventricular pacing at rest, but it is unclear whether this also holds true during physical exercise in patients with heart failure. This study assessed the haemodynamic response to a walk test during dual-chamber pacing and ventricular pacing in patients with depressed or normal left ventricular (LV) function. Twelve patients with an LV ejection fraction <50% and 11 patients with an LV ejection fraction {>=}50% underwent two randomised 6-min walk tests under dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing and ventricular pacing at a fixed rate of 70 beats/min. All patients had a dual-chamber pacemaker implanted for complete heart block. LV function was monitored by a radionuclide ambulatory system. In patients with depressed LV function, the change from dual-chamber pacing to ventricular pacing induced a decrease in end-systolic volume at the peak of the walk test (P<0.05), with no difference in end-diastolic volume. As a consequence, higher increases in LV ejection fraction (P<0.0001) and stroke volume (P<0.01) were observed during ventricular pacing. No difference in cardiac output was found between the two pacing modes. In patients with normal LV function, the change from dual-chamber pacing to ventricular pacing induced a significant decrease in cardiac output (P<0.005 at rest and P<0.05 at the peak of the walk test). Compared with dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing, ventricular pacing improves cardiac function and does not affect cardiac output during physical activity in patients with depressed LV function, whereas it impairs cardiac output in those with normal function. (orig.)

Haemodynamic effects of dual-chamber pacing versus ventricular pacing during a walk test in patients with depressed or normal left ventricular function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferro, Adele; Salvatore, Marco; Cuocolo, Alberto; Duilio, Carlo; Santomauro, Maurizio

2005-01-01

Dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing provides haemodynamic benefits compared with ventricular pacing at rest, but it is unclear whether this also holds true during physical exercise in patients with heart failure. This study assessed the haemodynamic response to a walk test during dual-chamber pacing and ventricular pacing in patients with depressed or normal left ventricular (LV) function. Twelve patients with an LV ejection fraction <50% and 11 patients with an LV ejection fraction ≥50% underwent two randomised 6-min walk tests under dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing and ventricular pacing at a fixed rate of 70 beats/min. All patients had a dual-chamber pacemaker implanted for complete heart block. LV function was monitored by a radionuclide ambulatory system. In patients with depressed LV function, the change from dual-chamber pacing to ventricular pacing induced a decrease in end-systolic volume at the peak of the walk test (P<0.05), with no difference in end-diastolic volume. As a consequence, higher increases in LV ejection fraction (P<0.0001) and stroke volume (P<0.01) were observed during ventricular pacing. No difference in cardiac output was found between the two pacing modes. In patients with normal LV function, the change from dual-chamber pacing to ventricular pacing induced a significant decrease in cardiac output (P<0.005 at rest and P<0.05 at the peak of the walk test). Compared with dual-chamber rate-modulated pacing, ventricular pacing improves cardiac function and does not affect cardiac output during physical activity in patients with depressed LV function, whereas it impairs cardiac output in those with normal function. (orig.)

Temporary emergency pacing-an orphan in district hospitals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjesdal, Knut; Johansen, Jens Brock; Gadler, Fredrik

2012-01-01

This editorial discusses a report on the 1 year experience with temporary pacing, especially in the emergency setting, in several Norwegian district hospitals. The vast majority of the patients received transvenous temporary pacing, and the majority of leads were placed by noncardiologists....... The procedure times were long and complications were frequent. The organization of emergency pacing is discussed, and we suggest that unless qualified physicians can establish transvenous pacing, the patients who need that should be transferred with transcutaneous pacing as back-up during transport...

A comparison of single-lead atrial pacing with dual-chamber pacing in sick sinus syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Thomsen, Poul Erik B; Højberg, Søren

2011-01-01

In patients with sick sinus syndrome, bradycardia can be treated with a single-lead pacemaker or a dual-chamber pacemaker. Previous trials have revealed that pacing modes preserving atrio-ventricular synchrony are superior to single-lead ventricular pacing, but it remains unclear if there is any ...

Five-way smoking status classification using text hot-spot identification and error-correcting output codes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Aaron M

2008-01-01

We participated in the i2b2 smoking status classification challenge task. The purpose of this task was to evaluate the ability of systems to automatically identify patient smoking status from discharge summaries. Our submission included several techniques that we compared and studied, including hot-spot identification, zero-vector filtering, inverse class frequency weighting, error-correcting output codes, and post-processing rules. We evaluated our approaches using the same methods as the i2b2 task organizers, using micro- and macro-averaged F1 as the primary performance metric. Our best performing system achieved a micro-F1 of 0.9000 on the test collection, equivalent to the best performing system submitted to the i2b2 challenge. Hot-spot identification, zero-vector filtering, classifier weighting, and error correcting output coding contributed additively to increased performance, with hot-spot identification having by far the largest positive effect. High performance on automatic identification of patient smoking status from discharge summaries is achievable with the efficient and straightforward machine learning techniques studied here.

Fully Convolutional Networks for Ground Classification from LIDAR Point Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Rizaldy, A.; Persello, C.; Gevaert, C. M.; Oude Elberink, S. J.

2018-05-01

Deep Learning has been massively used for image classification in recent years. The use of deep learning for ground classification from LIDAR point clouds has also been recently studied. However, point clouds need to be converted into an image in order to use Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). In state-of-the-art techniques, this conversion is slow because each point is converted into a separate image. This approach leads to highly redundant computation during conversion and classification. The goal of this study is to design a more efficient data conversion and ground classification. This goal is achieved by first converting the whole point cloud into a single image. The classification is then performed by a Fully Convolutional Network (FCN), a modified version of CNN designed for pixel-wise image classification. The proposed method is significantly faster than state-of-the-art techniques. On the ISPRS Filter Test dataset, it is 78 times faster for conversion and 16 times faster for classification. Our experimental analysis on the same dataset shows that the proposed method results in 5.22 % of total error, 4.10 % of type I error, and 15.07 % of type II error. Compared to the previous CNN-based technique and LAStools software, the proposed method reduces the total error and type I error (while type II error is slightly higher). The method was also tested on a very high point density LIDAR point clouds resulting in 4.02 % of total error, 2.15 % of type I error and 6.14 % of type II error.

Investigating the Effects of Concurrent Performance of Physical and Cognitive Demanding Task in Paced Assembly Lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shakil Ahmed Shaikh

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The study was undertaken to investigate the effects of pacing on aspects of performance at an assembly task and on the operators' responses related to work behaviour, perceived workload and perceived stress. A particular objective of the study was to investigate whether physical and cognitive demands may interact in their influences on these effects. An assembly task was simulated in the laboratory and the level of pacing imposed, work height and memory load within the task were all varied. The results showed that the type of pacing commonly imposed (as is common with a lean manufacturing Takt time system in industry can significantly affect both performance and perceived workload and stress. Physical demands (through work height affecting posture and mental demand (through memory load were also found to have significant effects, as would be expected from the many studies of these in the literature. More importantly, some interactions were found between pacing and work height in their effects on quality of assembly and the operator's own rating of performance, and between work height and memory load in their effects on errors. These findings will need to be taken into account by companies when implementing Takt time systems.

FULLY CONVOLUTIONAL NETWORKS FOR GROUND CLASSIFICATION FROM LIDAR POINT CLOUDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Rizaldy

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Deep Learning has been massively used for image classification in recent years. The use of deep learning for ground classification from LIDAR point clouds has also been recently studied. However, point clouds need to be converted into an image in order to use Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs. In state-of-the-art techniques, this conversion is slow because each point is converted into a separate image. This approach leads to highly redundant computation during conversion and classification. The goal of this study is to design a more efficient data conversion and ground classification. This goal is achieved by first converting the whole point cloud into a single image. The classification is then performed by a Fully Convolutional Network (FCN, a modified version of CNN designed for pixel-wise image classification. The proposed method is significantly faster than state-of-the-art techniques. On the ISPRS Filter Test dataset, it is 78 times faster for conversion and 16 times faster for classification. Our experimental analysis on the same dataset shows that the proposed method results in 5.22 % of total error, 4.10 % of type I error, and 15.07 % of type II error. Compared to the previous CNN-based technique and LAStools software, the proposed method reduces the total error and type I error (while type II error is slightly higher. The method was also tested on a very high point density LIDAR point clouds resulting in 4.02 % of total error, 2.15 % of type I error and 6.14 % of type II error.

Effect of short-term rapid ventricular pacing followed by pacing interruption on arterial blood pressure in healthy pigs and pigs with tachycardiomyopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Skrzypczak, P; Zyśko, D; Pasławska, U; Noszczyk-Nowak, A; Janiszewski, A; Gajek, J; Nicpoń, J; Kiczak, L; Bania, J; Zacharski, M; Tomaszek, A; Jankowska, E A; Ponikowski, P; Witkiewicz, W

2014-01-01

Ventricular tachycardia may lead to haemodynamic deterioration and, in the case of long term persistence, is associated with the development of tachycardiomyopathy. The effect of ventricular tachycardia on haemodynamics in individuals with tachycardiomyopathy, but being in sinus rhythm has not been studied. Rapid ventricular pacing is a model of ventricular tachycardia. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of rapid ventricular pacing on blood pressure in healthy animals and those with tachycardiomyopathy. A total of 66 animals were studied: 32 in the control group and 34 in the study group. The results of two groups of examinations were compared: the first performed in healthy animals (133 examinations) and the second performed in animals paced for at least one month (77 examinations). Blood pressure measurements were taken during chronic pacing--20 min after onset of general anaesthesia, in baseline conditions (20 min after pacing cessation or 20 min after onset of general anaesthesia in healthy animals) and immediately after short-term rapid pacing. In baseline conditions significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found in healthy animals than in those with tachycardiomyopathy. During an event of rapid ventricular pacing, a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found in both groups of animals. In the group of chronically paced animals the blood pressure was lower just after restarting ventricular pacing than during chronic pacing. Cardiovascular adaptation to ventricular tachycardia develops with the length of its duration. Relapse of ventricular tachycardia leads to a blood pressure decrease more pronounced than during chronic ventricular pacing.

Positive Pacing Strategies Are Utilized by Elite Male and Female Para-cyclists in Short Time Trials in the Velodrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Rachel L

2015-01-01

In para-cycling, competitors are classed based on functional impairment resulting in cyclists with neurological and locomotor impairments competing against each other. In Paralympic competition, classes are combined by using a factoring adjustment to race times to produce the overall medallists. Pacing in short-duration track cycling events is proposed to utilize an "all-out" strategy in able-bodied competition. However, pacing in para-cycling may vary depending on the level of impairment. Analysis of the pacing strategies employed by different classification groups may offer scope for optimal performance; therefore, this study investigated the pacing strategy adopted during the 1-km time trial (TT) and 500-m TT in elite C1 to C3 para-cyclists and able-bodied cyclists. Total times and intermediate split times (125-m intervals; measured to 0.001 s) were obtained from the C1-C3 men's 1-km TT (n = 28) and women's 500-m TT (n = 9) from the 2012 Paralympic Games and the men's 1-km TT (n = 19) and women's 500-m TT (n = 12) from the 2013 UCI World Track Championships from publically available video. Split times were expressed as actual time, factored time (for the para-cyclists) and as a percentage of total time. A two-way analysis of variance was used to investigate differences in split times between the different classifications and the able-bodied cyclists in the men's 1-km TT and between the para-cyclists and able-bodied cyclists in the women's 500-m TT. The importance of position at the first split was investigated with Kendall's Tau-b correlation. The first 125-m split time was the slowest for all cyclists, representing the acceleration phase from a standing start. C2 cyclists were slowest at this 125-m split, probably due to a combination of remaining seated in this acceleration phase and a high proportion of cyclists in this group being trans-femoral amputees. Not all cyclists used aero-bars, preferring to use drop, flat or bullhorn handlebars. Split times

Positive pacing strategies are utilised by elite male and female para-cyclists in short time trials in the velodrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Lindsey Wright

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In para-cycling, competitors are classed based on functional impairment resulting in cyclists with neurological and locomotor impairments competing against each other. In Paralympic competition, classes are combined by using a factoring adjustment to race times to produce the overall medallists. Pacing in short-duration track cycling events is proposed to utilise an all-out strategy in able-bodied competition. However, pacing in para-cycling may vary depending on the level of impairment. Analysis of the pacing strategies employed by different classification groups may offer scope for optimal performance; therefore, this study investigated the pacing strategy adopted during the 1-km time trial (TT and 500-m TT in elite C1 to C3 para-cyclists and able-bodied cyclists. Total times and intermediate split times (125-m intervals; measured to 0.001s were obtained from the C1-C3 men’s 1-km TT (n=28 and women’s 500-m TT (n=9 from the 2012 Paralympic Games and the men’s 1-km TT (n=19 and women’s 500-m TT (n=12 from the 2013 UCI World Track Championships from publically available video. Split times were expressed as actual time, factored time (for the para-cyclists and as a percentage of total time. A two-way analysis of variance was used to investigate differences in split times between the different classifications and the able-bodied cyclists in the men’s 1-km TT and between the para-cyclists and able-bodied cyclists in the women’s 500-m TT. The importance of position at the first split was investigated with Kendall’s Tau-b correlation. The first 125-m split time was the slowest for all cyclists, representing the acceleration phase from a standing start. C2 cyclists were slowest at this 125-m split, probably due to a combination of remaining seated in this acceleration phase and a high proportion of cyclists in this group being trans-femoral amputees. Not all cyclists used aero-bars, preferring to use drop, flat or bullhorn handlebars

ACCUWIND - Methods for classification of cup anemometers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahlberg, J.-Å.; Friis Pedersen, Troels; Busche, P.

2006-01-01

the errors associated with the use of cup anemometers, and to develop a classification system for quantification of systematic errors of cup anemometers. This classification system has now been implementedin the IEC 61400-12-1 standard on power performance measurements in annex I and J. The classification...... of cup anemometers requires general external climatic operational ranges to be applied for the analysis of systematic errors. A Class A categoryclassification is connected to reasonably flat sites, and another Class B category is connected to complex terrain, General classification indices are the result...... developed in the CLASSCUP projectand earlier. A number of approaches including the use of two cup anemometer models, two methods of torque coefficient measurement, two angular response measurements, and inclusion and exclusion of influence of friction have been implemented in theclassification process...

Optogenetic pacing in Drosophila melanogaster (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Alex, Aneesh; Li, Airong; Men, Jing; Jerwick, Jason; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Zhou, Chao

2016-03-01

A non-invasive, contact-less cardiac pacing technology can be a powerful tool in basic cardiac research and in clinics. Currently, electrical pacing is the gold standard for cardiac pacing. Although highly effective in controlling the cardiac function, the invasive nature, non-specificity to cardiac tissues and possible tissue damage limits its capabilities. Optical pacing of heart is a promising alternative, which is non-invasive and more specific, has high spatial and temporal precision, and avoids shortcomings in electrical stimulation. Optical coherence tomography has been proved to be an effective technique in non-invasive imaging in vivo with ultrahigh resolution and imaging speed. In the last several years, non-invasive specific optical pacing in animal hearts has been reported in quail, zebrafish, and rabbit models. However， Drosophila Melanogaster, which is a significant model with orthologs of 75% of human disease genes, has rarely been studied concerning their optical pacing in heart. Here, we combined optogenetic control of Drosophila heartbeat with optical coherence microscopy (OCM) technique for the first time. The light-gated cation channel, channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) was specifically expressed by transgene as a pacemaker in drosophila heart. By stimulating the pacemaker with 472 nm pulsed laser light at different frequencies, we achieved non-invasive and more specific optical control of the Drosophila heart rhythm, which demonstrates the wide potential of optical pacing for studying cardiac dynamics and development. Imaging capability of our customized OCM system was also involved to observe the pacing effect visually. No tissue damage was found after long exposure to laser pulses, which proved the safety of optogenetic control of Drosophila heart.

The impact of weight classification on safety: timing steps to adapt to external constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, S.V.

2015-01-01

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate how weight classification influences safety by examining adults’ ability to meet a timing constraint: walking to the pace of an audio metronome. Methods: With a cross-sectional design, walking parameters were collected as 55 adults with normal (n=30) and overweight (n=25) body mass index scores walked to slow, normal, and fast audio metronome paces. Results: Between group comparisons showed that at the fast pace, those with overweight body mass index (BMI) had longer double limb support and stance times and slower cadences than the normal weight group (all psmetronome paces revealed that participants who were overweight had higher cadences at the slow and fast paces (all ps<0.05). Conclusions: Findings suggest that those with overweight BMI alter their gait to maintain biomechanical stability. Understanding how excess weight influences gait adaptation can inform interventions to improve safety for individuals with obesity. PMID:25730658

Global terrain classification using Multiple-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain (MERIT) to address susceptibility of landslides and other geohazards

Science.gov (United States)

Iwahashi, J.; Yamazaki, D.; Matsuoka, M.; Thamarux, P.; Herrick, J.; Yong, A.; Mital, U.

2017-12-01

A seamless model of landform classifications with regional accuracy will be a powerful platform for geophysical studies that forecast geologic hazards. Spatial variability as a function of landform on a global scale was captured in the automated classifications of Iwahashi and Pike (2007) and additional developments are presented here that incorporate more accurate depictions using higher-resolution elevation data than the original 1-km scale Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model (DEM). We create polygon-based terrain classifications globally by using the 280-m DEM interpolated from the Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain DEM (MERIT; Yamazaki et al., 2017). The multi-scale pixel-image analysis method, known as Multi-resolution Segmentation (Baatz and Schäpe, 2000), is first used to classify the terrains based on geometric signatures (slope and local convexity) calculated from the 280-m DEM. Next, we apply the machine learning method of "k-means clustering" to prepare the polygon-based classification at the globe-scale using slope, local convexity and surface texture. We then group the divisions with similar properties by hierarchical clustering and other statistical analyses using geological and geomorphological data of the area where landslides and earthquakes are frequent (e.g. Japan and California). We find the 280-m DEM resolution is only partially sufficient for classifying plains. We nevertheless observe that the categories correspond to reported landslide and liquefaction features at the global scale, suggesting that our model is an appropriate platform to forecast ground failure. To predict seismic amplification, we estimate site conditions using the time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the upper 30-m (VS30) measurements compiled by Yong et al. (2016) and the terrain model developed by Yong (2016; Y16). We plan to test our method on finer resolution DEMs and report our findings to obtain a more globally consistent terrain model as there

Noninvasive external cardiac pacing for thallium-201 scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldman, M.D.; Warren, S.E.; Gervino, E.V.

1988-01-01

Improvements in noninvasive external cardiac pacing have led to a technique with reliable electrical capture and tolerable patient discomfort. To assess the use of this modality of pacing in combination with thallium scintigraphy as a noninvasive pacing stress test, we applied simultaneous noninvasive cardiac pacing, hemodynamic monitoring, and thallium-201 scintigraphy in 14 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for chest pain syndromes. Two patients had normal coronary arteries, while the remaining 12 had significant coronary artery disease. Thallium scintigraphic responses to pacing were compared to routine exercise thallium stress testing in nine of these 14 patients. All patients were noninvasively paced to more than 85% of the age-predicted maximum heart rate. Twelve patients demonstrated reversible thallium defects, which corresponded in 11 cases to significant lesions seen on coronary angiography. Of nine patients who underwent both pacing and exercise thallium stress tests, comparable maximal rate-pressure products were achieved. Moreover, thallium imaging at peak pacing and during delayed views did not differ significantly from exercise thallium scintigraphy. A limiting factor associated with the technique was local patient discomfort, which occurred to some degree in all patients. We conclude that noninvasive external cardiac pacing together with thallium scintigraphy is capable of detecting significant coronary artery disease and may be comparable to routine exercise thallium stress testing. This new modality of stress testing could be useful in patients unable to undergo the exercise required for standard exercise tolerance testing, particularly if improvements in the technology can be found to reduce further the local discomfort

Development of Human Factor Management Requirements and Human Error Classification for the Prevention of Railway Accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwak, Sang Log; Park, Chan Woo; Shin, Seung Ryoung

2008-08-01

Railway accident analysis results show that accidents cased by human factors are not decreasing, whereas H/W related accidents are steadily decreasing. For the efficient management of human factors, many expertise on design, conditions, safety culture and staffing are required. But current safety management activities on safety critical works are focused on training, due to the limited resource and information. In order to improve railway safety, human factors management requirements for safety critical worker and human error classification is proposed in this report. For this accident analysis, status of safety measure on human factor, safety management system on safety critical worker, current safety planning is analysis

Pacing in Swimming: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

McGibbon, Katie E; Pyne, D B; Shephard, M E; Thompson, K G

2018-03-20

Pacing strategy, or how energy is distributed during exercise, can substantially impact athletic performance and is considered crucial for optimal performance in many sports. This is particularly true in swimming given the highly resistive properties of water and low mechanical efficiency of the swimming action. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the pacing strategies utilised by competitive swimmers in competition and their reproducibility, and to examine the impact of different pacing strategies on kinematic, metabolic and performance variables. This will provide valuable and practical information to coaches and sports science practitioners. The databases Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and PubMed were searched for published articles up to 1 August 2017. A total of 23 studies examining pool-based swimming competitions or experimental trials in English-language and peer-reviewed journals were included in this review. In short- and middle-distance swimming events maintenance of swimming velocity is critical, whereas in long-distance events a low lap-to-lap variability and the ability to produce an end spurt in the final lap(s) are key. The most effective strategy in the individual medley (IM) is to conserve energy during the butterfly leg to optimise performance in subsequent legs. The pacing profiles of senior swimmers remain relatively stable irrespective of opponents, competition stage or type, and performance time. Implementing event-specific pacing strategies should benefit the performance of competitive swimmers. Given differences between swimmers, there is a need for greater individualisation when considering pacing strategy selection across distances and strokes.

A neural network for noise correlation classification

Science.gov (United States)

Paitz, Patrick; Gokhberg, Alexey; Fichtner, Andreas

2018-02-01

We present an artificial neural network (ANN) for the classification of ambient seismic noise correlations into two categories, suitable and unsuitable for noise tomography. By using only a small manually classified data subset for network training, the ANN allows us to classify large data volumes with low human effort and to encode the valuable subjective experience of data analysts that cannot be captured by a deterministic algorithm. Based on a new feature extraction procedure that exploits the wavelet-like nature of seismic time-series, we efficiently reduce the dimensionality of noise correlation data, still keeping relevant features needed for automated classification. Using global- and regional-scale data sets, we show that classification errors of 20 per cent or less can be achieved when the network training is performed with as little as 3.5 per cent and 16 per cent of the data sets, respectively. Furthermore, the ANN trained on the regional data can be applied to the global data, and vice versa, without a significant increase of the classification error. An experiment where four students manually classified the data, revealed that the classification error they would assign to each other is substantially larger than the classification error of the ANN (>35 per cent). This indicates that reproducibility would be hampered more by human subjectivity than by imperfections of the ANN.

The pace of aging: Intrinsic time scales in demography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Wrycza

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background: The pace of aging is a concept that captures the time-related aspect of aging. It formalizesthe idea of a characteristic life span or intrinsic population time scale. In the rapidly developing field of comparative biodemography, measures that account for inter-speciesdifferences in life span are needed to compare how species age. Objective: We aim to provide a mathematical foundation for the concept of pace. We derive desiredmathematical properties of pace measures and suggest candidates which satisfy these properties. Subsequently, we introduce the concept of pace-standardization, which reveals differences in demographic quantities that are not due to pace. Examples and consequences are discussed. Conclusions: Mean life span (i.e., life expectancy from birth or from maturity is intuitively appealing,theoretically justified, and the most appropriate measure of pace. Pace-standardizationprovides a serviceable method for comparative aging studies to explore differences indemographic patterns of aging across species, and it may considerably alter conclusionsabout the strength of aging.

ACCUWIND - Methods for classification of cup anemometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlberg, J.Aa.; Friis Pedersen, T.; Busche, P.

2006-05-15

Errors associated with the measurement of wind speed are the major sources of uncertainties in power performance testing of wind turbines. Field comparisons of well-calibrated anemometers show significant and not acceptable difference. The European CLASSCUP project posed the objectives to quantify the errors associated with the use of cup anemometers, and to develop a classification system for quantification of systematic errors of cup anemometers. This classification system has now been implemented in the IEC 61400-12-1 standard on power performance measurements in annex I and J. The classification of cup anemometers requires general external climatic operational ranges to be applied for the analysis of systematic errors. A Class A category classification is connected to reasonably flat sites, and another Class B category is connected to complex terrain, General classification indices are the result of assessment of systematic deviations. The present report focuses on methods that can be applied for assessment of such systematic deviations. A new alternative method for torque coefficient measurements at inclined flow have been developed, which have then been applied and compared to the existing methods developed in the CLASSCUP project and earlier. A number of approaches including the use of two cup anemometer models, two methods of torque coefficient measurement, two angular response measurements, and inclusion and exclusion of influence of friction have been implemented in the classification process in order to assess the robustness of methods. The results of the analysis are presented as classification indices, which are compared and discussed. (au)

Masked and unmasked error-related potentials during continuous control and feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes Dias, Catarina; Sburlea, Andreea I.; Müller-Putz, Gernot R.

2018-06-01

The detection of error-related potentials (ErrPs) in tasks with discrete feedback is well established in the brain–computer interface (BCI) field. However, the decoding of ErrPs in tasks with continuous feedback is still in its early stages. Objective. We developed a task in which subjects have continuous control of a cursor’s position by means of a joystick. The cursor’s position was shown to the participants in two different modalities of continuous feedback: normal and jittered. The jittered feedback was created to mimic the instability that could exist if participants controlled the trajectory directly with brain signals. Approach. This paper studies the electroencephalographic (EEG)—measurable signatures caused by a loss of control over the cursor’s trajectory, causing a target miss. Main results. In both feedback modalities, time-locked potentials revealed the typical frontal-central components of error-related potentials. Errors occurring during the jittered feedback (masked errors) were delayed in comparison to errors occurring during normal feedback (unmasked errors). Masked errors displayed lower peak amplitudes than unmasked errors. Time-locked classification analysis allowed a good distinction between correct and error classes (average Cohen-, average TPR  =  81.8% and average TNR  =  96.4%). Time-locked classification analysis between masked error and unmasked error classes revealed results at chance level (average Cohen-, average TPR  =  60.9% and average TNR  =  58.3%). Afterwards, we performed asynchronous detection of ErrPs, combining both masked and unmasked trials. The asynchronous detection of ErrPs in a simulated online scenario resulted in an average TNR of 84.0% and in an average TPR of 64.9%. Significance. The time-locked classification results suggest that the masked and unmasked errors were indistinguishable in terms of classification. The asynchronous classification results suggest that the

Managed ventricular pacing vs. conventional dual-chamber pacing for elective replacements: the PreFER MVP study: clinical background, rationale, and design.

Science.gov (United States)

Quesada, Aurelio; Botto, Gianluca; Erdogan, Ali; Kozak, Milan; Lercher, Peter; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Piot, Olivier; Ricci, Renato; Weiss, Christian; Becker, Daniel; Wetzels, Gwenn; De Roy, Luc

2008-03-01

Several clinical studies have shown that, in patients with intact atrioventricular (AV) conduction, unnecessary chronic right ventricular (RV) pacing can be detrimental. The managed ventricular pacing (MVP) algorithm is designed to give preference to spontaneous AV conduction, thus minimizing RV pacing. The clinical outcomes of MVP are being studied in several ongoing trials in patients undergoing a first device implantation, but it is unknown to what extent MVP is beneficial in patients with a history of ventricular pacing. The purpose of the Prefer for Elective Replacement MVP (PreFER MVP) study is to assess the superiority of the MVP algorithm to conventional pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator programming in terms of freedom from hospitalization for cardiovascular causes in a population of patients exposed to long periods of ventricular pacing. PreFER MVP is a prospective, 1:1 parallel, randomized (MVP ON/MVP OFF), single-blinded multi-centre trial. The study population consists of patients with more than 40% ventricular pacing documented with their previous device. Approximately, 600 patients will be randomized and followed for at least 24 months. The primary endpoint comprises cardiovascular hospitalization. The PreFER MVP trial is the first large prospective randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of MVP in patients with a history of RV pacing.

Noninvasive reconstruction of the three-dimensional ventricular activation sequence during pacing and ventricular tachycardia in the rabbit heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chengzong; Pogwizd, Steven M; Killingsworth, Cheryl R; He, Bin

2011-01-01

Ventricular arrhythmias represent one of leading causes for sudden cardiac death, a significant problem in public health. Noninvasive imaging of cardiac electric activities associated with ventricular arrhythmias plays an important role in better our understanding of the mechanisms and optimizing the treatment options. The present study aims to rigorously validate a novel three-dimensional (3-D) cardiac electrical imaging (3-DCEI) technique with the aid of 3-D intra-cardiac mapping during paced rhythm and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the rabbit heart. Body surface potentials and intramural bipolar electrical recordings were simultaneously measured in a closed-chest condition in thirteen healthy rabbits. Single-site pacing and dual-site pacing were performed from ventricular walls and septum. VTs and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were induced by intravenous norepinephrine (NE). The non-invasively imaged activation sequence correlated well with invasively measured counterparts, with a correlation coefficient of 0.72 and a relative error of 0.30 averaged over all paced beats and NE-induced PVCs and VT beats. The averaged distance from imaged site of initial activation to measured site determined from intra-cardiac mapping was ∼5mm. These promising results suggest that 3-DCEI is feasible to non-invasively localize the origins and image activation sequence of focal ventricular arrhythmias.

The pacing stress test: thallium-201 myocardial imaging after atrial pacing. Diagnostic value in detecting coronary artery disease compared with exercise testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, G.V.; Aroesty, J.M.; Parker, J.A.; McKay, R.G.; Silverman, K.J.; Als, A.V.; Come, P.C.; Kolodny, G.M.; Grossman, W.

1984-01-01

Many patients suspected of having coronary artery disease are unable to undergo adequate exercise testing. An alternate stress, pacing tachycardia, has been shown to produce electrocardiographic changes that are as sensitive and specific as those observed during exercise testing. To compare thallium-201 imaging after atrial pacing stress with thallium imaging after exercise stress, 22 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization were studied with both standard exercise thallium imaging and pacing thallium imaging. Positive ischemic electrocardiographic changes (greater than 1 mm ST segment depression) were noted in 11 of 16 patients with coronary artery disease during exercise, and in 15 of the 16 patients during atrial pacing. One of six patients with normal or trivial coronary artery disease had a positive electrocardiogram with each test. Exercise thallium imaging was positive in 13 of 16 patients with coronary artery disease compared with 15 of 16 patients during atrial pacing. Three of six patients without coronary artery disease had a positive scan with exercise testing, and two of these same patients developed a positive scan with atrial pacing. Of those patients with coronary artery disease and an abnormal scan, 85% showed redistribution with exercise testing compared with 87% during atrial pacing. Segment by segment comparison of thallium imaging after either atrial pacing or exercise showed that there was a good correlation of the location and severity of the thallium defects (r . 0.83, p . 0.0001, Spearman rank correlation). It is concluded that the location and presence of both fixed and transient thallium defects after atrial pacing are closely correlated with the findings after exercise testing

Development of a classification system for cup anemometers - CLASSCUP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis Pedersen, Troels

2003-01-01

the objectives to quantify the errors associated with the use of cup anemometers, and to determine the requirements for an optimum design of a cup anemometer, and to develop a classification system forquantification of systematic errors of cup anemometers. The present report describes this proposed...... classification system. A classification method for cup anemometers has been developed, which proposes general external operational ranges to be used. Anormal category range connected to ideal sites of the IEC power performance standard was made, and another extended category range for complex terrain...... was proposed. General classification indices were proposed for all types of cup anemometers. As a resultof the classification, the cup anemometer will be assigned to a certain class: 0.5, 1, 2, 3 or 5 with corresponding intrinsic errors (%) as a vector instrument (3D) or as a horizontal instrument (2D...

Web Tools: Keeping Learners on Pace

Science.gov (United States)

Kosloski, Mickey

2016-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in teaching technology and engineering is pacing. Some students grasp new technological concepts quickly, while others need repetition and may struggle to keep pace. This poses an obstacle for the technology and engineering teacher, and is particularly true when teaching students to build a website. However, there…

Error calculations statistics in radioactive measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdera, Silvia

1994-01-01

Basic approach and procedures frequently used in the practice of radioactive measurements.Statistical principles applied are part of Good radiopharmaceutical Practices and quality assurance.Concept of error, classification as systematic and random errors.Statistic fundamentals,probability theories, populations distributions, Bernoulli, Poisson,Gauss, t-test distribution,Ξ2 test, error propagation based on analysis of variance.Bibliography.z table,t-test table, Poisson index ,Ξ2 test

Characteristics of medication errors with parenteral cytotoxic drugs

OpenAIRE

Fyhr, A; Akselsson, R

2012-01-01

Errors involving cytotoxic drugs have the potential of being fatal and should therefore be prevented. The objective of this article is to identify the characteristics of medication errors involving parenteral cytotoxic drugs in Sweden. A total of 60 cases reported to the national error reporting systems from 1996 to 2008 were reviewed. Classification was made to identify cytotoxic drugs involved, type of error, where the error occurred, error detection mechanism, and consequences for the pati...

42 CFR 460.90 - PACE benefits under Medicare and Medicaid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false PACE benefits under Medicare and Medicaid. 460.90 Section 460.90 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) PACE Services § 460.90 PACE benefits under Medicare and Medicaid. If a Medicare...

Pacing: a concept analysis of the chronic pain intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamieson-Lega, Kathryn; Berry, Robyn; Brown, Cary A

2013-01-01

The intervention of pacing is regularly recommended for chronic pain patients. However, pacing is poorly defined and appears to be interpreted in varying, potentially contradictory manners within the field of chronic pain. This conceptual lack of clarity has implications for effective service delivery and for researchers' ability to conduct rigorous study. An examination of the background literature demonstrates that while pacing is often one part of a multidisciplinary pain management program, outcome research is hindered by a lack of a clear and shared definition of this currently ill-defined construct. To conduct a formal concept analysis of the term 'pacing'. A standardized concept analysis process (including literature scoping to identify all uses of the concept, analysis to determine defining attributes of the concept and identification of model, borderline and contrary cases) was used to determine what the concept of pacing does and does not represent within the current evidence base. A conceptual model including the core attributes of action, time, balance, learning and self-management emerged. From these attributes, an evidence-based definition for pacing was composed and distributed to stakeholders for review. After consideration of stakeholder feedback, the emergent definition of pacing was finalized as follows: "Pacing is an active self-management strategy whereby individuals learn to balance time spent on activity and rest for the purpose of achieving increased function and participation in meaningful activities". The findings of the present concept analysis will help to standardize the use and definition of the term pacing across disciplines for the purposes of both pain management and research.

Selection of anchor values for human error probability estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buffardi, L.C.; Fleishman, E.A.; Allen, J.A.

1989-01-01

There is a need for more dependable information to assist in the prediction of human errors in nuclear power environments. The major objective of the current project is to establish guidelines for using error probabilities from other task settings to estimate errors in the nuclear environment. This involves: (1) identifying critical nuclear tasks, (2) discovering similar tasks in non-nuclear environments, (3) finding error data for non-nuclear tasks, and (4) establishing error-rate values for the nuclear tasks based on the non-nuclear data. A key feature is the application of a classification system to nuclear and non-nuclear tasks to evaluate their similarities and differences in order to provide a basis for generalizing human error estimates across tasks. During the first eight months of the project, several classification systems have been applied to a sample of nuclear tasks. They are discussed in terms of their potential for establishing task equivalence and transferability of human error rates across situations

Association of medication errors with drug classifications, clinical units, and consequence of errors: Are they related?

Science.gov (United States)

Muroi, Maki; Shen, Jay J; Angosta, Alona

2017-02-01

Registered nurses (RNs) play an important role in safe medication administration and patient safety. This study examined a total of 1276 medication error (ME) incident reports made by RNs in hospital inpatient settings in the southwestern region of the United States. The most common drug class associated with MEs was cardiovascular drugs (24.7%). Among this class, anticoagulants had the most errors (11.3%). The antimicrobials was the second most common drug class associated with errors (19.1%) and vancomycin was the most common antimicrobial that caused errors in this category (6.1%). MEs occurred more frequently in the medical-surgical and intensive care units than any other hospital units. Ten percent of MEs reached the patients with harm and 11% reached the patients with increased monitoring. Understanding the contributing factors related to MEs, addressing and eliminating risk of errors across hospital units, and providing education and resources for nurses may help reduce MEs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pace of work stabilising, but not in all sectors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houtman, I.L.D.

2003-01-01

The Netherlands had the highest level of work pace in Europe but this position has levelled off in the last five years. There appears to be a general trend towards a decline in work pace. However, different sectors show varying trends, with work pace on the rise again in the education, health and

Pace studying worldwide coke production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Pace Consultants Inc., Houston, has started a multiclient study of world-wide petroleum coke production, examining environmental initiatives and eventually forecasting prices of fuel grade coke. Pace expects coker expansions, increased operating severity, and reduced cycle times to boost coke supply to more than 50 million metric tons/year in 2000, compared with 39.7 million metric tons in 1992. Increased supply and tightened environmental rules in countries consuming large amounts of petroleum coke will be the main factors affecting coke markets. The paper discusses coke quality and the Japanese market

PACE and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimring, Mark; Fuller, Merrian

2010-03-17

The FHFA regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (the government-sponsored enterprises - GSEs). On June 18, 2009, James B. Lockhart III, then Director of FHFA, released a letter expressing concern about the negative impact of energy loan tax assessment programs (ELTAPs) - also known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs - on both the housing finance system and homeowner program participants. Subsequently, a number of PACE proponents responded to the concerns laid out in the FHFA letter. In early Fall 2009, word circulated that FHFA was planning to follow its June letter with guidance to other agencies, possibly including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, discouraging them from buying loans on properties subject to PACE-type assessment liens. This triggered a second round of stakeholder letters, several of which were addressed to President Obama. On October 18, 2009, the White House, in what some believe was an attempt to obviate the need for FHFA guidance, released a Policy Framework for PACE Financing Programs that outlined best practices guidance for homeowner and lender protection. As of February 2010, FHFA and the GSEs have agreed to monitor PACE programs and work with stakeholders and the Administration to consider additional guidance beyond the Policy Framework and to collect more information on PACE program efficacy and risks. A summary of the communications timeline and highlights of the communications are provided.

Interatrial septum pacing decreases atrial dyssynchrony on strain rate imaging compared with right atrial appendage pacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasuoka, Yoshinori; Abe, Haruhiko; Umekawa, Seiko; Katsuki, Keiko; Tanaka, Norio; Araki, Ryo; Imanaka, Takahiro; Matsutera, Ryo; Morisawa, Daisuke; Kitada, Hirokazu; Hattori, Susumu; Noda, Yoshiki; Adachi, Hidenori; Sasaki, Tatsuya; Miyatake, Kunio

2011-03-01

Interatrial septum pacing (IAS-P) decreases atrial conduction delay compared with right atrial appendage pacing (RAA-P). We evaluate the atrial contraction with strain rate of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) during sinus activation or with IAS-P or RAA-P. Fifty-two patients with permanent pacemaker for sinus node disease were enrolled in the study. Twenty-three subjects were with IAS-P and 29 with RAA-P. The time from end-diastole to peak end-diastolic strain rate was measured and corrected with RR interval on electrocardiogram. It was defined as the time from end-diastole to peak end-diastolic strain rate (TSRc), and the balance between maximum and minimum TSRc at three sites (ΔTSRc) was compared during sinus activation and with pacing rhythm in each group. There were no significant differences observed in general characteristics and standard echocardiographic parameters except the duration of pacing P wave between the two groups. The duration was significantly shorter in the IAS-P group compared with the RAA-P group (95 ± 34 vs 138 ± 41; P = 0.001). TSRc was significantly different between sinus activation and pacing rhythm (36.3 ± 35.7 vs 61.6 ± 36.3; P = 0.003) in the RAA-P group, whereas no significant differences were observed in the IAS-P group (25.4 ± 12.1 vs 27.7 ± 14.7; NS). During the follow-up (mean 2.4 ± 0.7 years), the incidence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) conversion to permanent AF was not significantly different between the two groups. IAS-P decreased the contraction delay on atrial TDI compared to RAA-P; however, it did not contribute to the reduction of AF incidence in the present study. ©2010, The Authors. Journal compilation ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of pacing algorithms to avoid unnecessary ventricular pacing in patients with sick sinus node syndrome: a single-centre, observational, parallel study.

Science.gov (United States)

Poghosyan, Hermine R; Jamalyan, Smbat V

2012-10-01

Reduction of unnecessary ventricular pacing (uVP) is an essential component in the treatment strategy in any pacing population in general. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different algorithms to reduce uVP in an adult population with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) treated outside of clinical trials. Evaluation of the relationship between different types of pacing algorithms and clinical outcomes is also provided. This was a single-centre, observational, parallel study, based on retrospective analysis of the Arrhythmology Cardiology Center of Armenia electronic clinical database. This study evaluated atrial pacing percentage (AP%), ventricular pacing percentage (VP%), and the incidence of atrial high rate episodes in 56 patients with SSS using three different pacing strategies: managed VP, search atrioventricular (AV), and fixed long AV. We did not find statistically significant differences in the amount of VP between the groups. Although the atrial high rate percentage (AHR%) tended to be higher in the fixed long AV group, this difference was not statistically significant. Mean VP% and AP% were similar in all three groups. In our study, all three programmed strategies produced the same mean AP% and VP%, and were equally efficient in uVP reduction. There was no relationship between chosen algorithms and the incidence of pacemaker syndrome, hospitalizations, or change in New York Heart Association class. The percentage of AHR was not associated with pacing strategy or co-morbidities but showed borderline correlation with left atrial size.

A Large Dimensional Analysis of Regularized Discriminant Analysis Classifiers

KAUST Repository

Elkhalil, Khalil; Kammoun, Abla; Couillet, Romain; Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2017-01-01

on fundamental results from random matrix theory (RMT) when both the number of features and the cardinality of the training data within each class grow large at the same pace. Under mild assumptions, we show that the asymptotic classification error approaches a

Social Interaction in Self-Paced Distance Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Terry; Upton, Lorne; Dron, Jon; Malone, Judi; Poelhuber, Bruno

2015-01-01

In this paper we present a case study of a self-paced university course that was originally designed to support independent, self-paced study at distance. We developed a social media intervention, in design-based research terms, that allows these independent students to contribute archived content to enhance the course, to engage in discussions…

PACE and the Medicare+Choice risk-adjusted payment model.

Science.gov (United States)

Temkin-Greener, H; Meiners, M R; Gruenberg, L

2001-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of the Medicare principal inpatient diagnostic cost group (PIP-DCG) payment model on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Currently, more than 6,000 Medicare beneficiaries who are nursing home certifiable receive care from PACE, a program poised for expansion under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Overall, our analysis suggests that the application of the PIP-DCG model to the PACE program would reduce Medicare payments to PACE, on average, by 38%. The PIP-DCG payment model bases its risk adjustment on inpatient diagnoses and does not capture adequately the risk of caring for a population with functional impairments.

Pacing in Olympic track races: competitive tactics versus best performance strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiel, Christian; Foster, Carl; Banzer, Winfried; De Koning, Jos

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe pacing strategies in the 800 to 10,000-m Olympic finals. We asked 1) if Olympic finals differed from World Records, 2) how variable the pace was, 3) whether runners faced catastrophic events, and 4) for the winning strategy. Publically available data from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games gathered by four transponder antennae under the 400-m track were analysed to extract descriptors of pacing strategies. Individual pacing patterns of 133 finalists were visualised using speed by distance plots. Six of eight plots differed from the patterns reported for World Records. The coefficient of running speed variation was 3.6-11.4%. In the long distance finals, runners varied their pace every 100 m by a mean 1.6-2.7%. Runners who were 'dropped' from the field achieved a stable running speed and displayed an endspurt. Top contenders used variable pacing strategies to separate themselves from the field. All races were decided during the final lap. Olympic track finalists employ pacing strategies which are different from World Record patterns. The observed micro- and macro-variations of pace may have implications for training programmes. Dropping off the pace of the leading group is an active step, and the result of interactive psychophysiological decision making.

CAMAC interface module for PACE ADC system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalton, C G; Mischke, R E [Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA); Scott, D T

1977-03-15

This report describes a CAMAC module designed to buffer and transfer data from the Tennelec multiplexed ADC system called PACE to a computer. It can be operated in either of two modes: as an eight-deep, first-in-first-out (FIFO) circular buffer, or in channel mode with a single buffer reserved for each PACE channel.

Efficiency of timing delays and electrode positions in optimization of biventricular pacing: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Miri, Raz; Graf, Iulia M; Dössel, Olaf

2009-11-01

Electrode positions and timing delays influence the efficacy of biventricular pacing (BVP). Accordingly, this study focuses on BVP optimization, using a detailed 3-D electrophysiological model of the human heart, which is adapted to patient-specific anatomy and pathophysiology. The research is effectuated on ten heart models with left bundle branch block and myocardial infarction derived from magnetic resonance and computed tomography data. Cardiac electrical activity is simulated with the ten Tusscher cell model and adaptive cellular automaton at physiological and pathological conduction levels. The optimization methods are based on a comparison between the electrical response of the healthy and diseased heart models, measured in terms of root mean square error (E(RMS)) of the excitation front and the QRS duration error (E(QRS)). Intra- and intermethod associations of the pacing electrodes and timing delays variables were analyzed with statistical methods, i.e., t -test for dependent data, one-way analysis of variance for electrode pairs, and Pearson model for equivalent parameters from the two optimization methods. The results indicate that lateral the left ventricle and the upper or middle septal area are frequently (60% of cases) the optimal positions of the left and right electrodes, respectively. Statistical analysis proves that the two optimization methods are in good agreement. In conclusion, a noninvasive preoperative BVP optimization strategy based on computer simulations can be used to identify the most beneficial patient-specific electrode configuration and timing delays.

Increased base rate of atrial pacing for prevention of atrial fibrillation after implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker: insights from the Atrial Overdrive Pacing Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kantharia, Bharat K; Freedman, Roger A; Hoekenga, David; Tomassoni, Gery; Worley, Seth; Sorrentino, Robert; Steinhaus, David; Wolkowicz, Joel M; Syed, Zaffer A

2007-11-01

Different pacing sites and various algorithms have been utilized to prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) in pacemaker recipients. However, the optimal pacing rate settings have not yet been established. In this randomized, prospective, multicentre, single-blinded, cross over study, rate-adaptive pacing at a high base rate (BR) in patients, age 60 years or above, or a history of paroxysmal AF, who underwent dual-chamber (DDD) pacemaker implantation for standard pacing indications, was evaluated for prevention of AF. In the study cohort of 145 patients implanted with DDD pacemakers with a programmable rest rate (RR) feature, the BR/RR settings were sequentially but randomly adjusted as follows: 60 bpm/Off for the baseline quarter (initial 3 months) and then to either 'A-B-C' or 'C-B-A' settings (A = 70/65 bpm, B = 70/Off, C = 80/65 bpm) for the subsequent quarters each of 3 months duration. Data on automatic mode switch episodes, device diagnostics, and a questionnaire evaluating pacemaker awareness and palpitations were collected. Ninety-nine patients, mean age 77 +/- 10 years, who completed the study protocol and followed for 12 months did not show significant differences in the number of mode switch episodes between any settings used. The percentage of atrial pacing was lower during baseline pacing compared to settings A, B, and C (P < 0.0001). Setting C produced a higher percentage of atrial pacing than A and B (P < 0.01). Although a higher percentage of atrial pacing correlated with a lower incidence of mode switch episodes, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of mode switch episodes between settings A, B, and C. There were no significant differences in the questionnaire scores relating to pacemaker awareness or palpitation. Overdrive single-site pacing in the right atrium achieved by programming analysed settings in the present study did not reduce AF as assessed by mode switch episodes. Additionally, no change in the symptoms of

Effect of right ventricular pacing lead site on left ventricular function in patients with high-grade atrioventricular block: results of the Protect-Pace study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaye, Gerald C; Linker, Nicholas J; Marwick, Thomas H; Pollock, Lucy; Graham, Laura; Pouliot, Erika; Poloniecki, Jan; Gammage, Michael

2015-04-07

Chronic right ventricle (RV) apical (RVA) pacing is standard treatment for an atrioventricular (AV) block but may be deleterious to left ventricle (LV) systolic function. Previous clinical studies of non-apical pacing have produced conflicting results. The aim of this randomized, prospective, international, multicentre trial was to compare change in LV ejection fraction (LVEF) between right ventricular apical and high septal (RVHS) pacing over a 2-year study period. We randomized 240 patients (age 74 ± 11 years, 67% male) with a high-grade AV block requiring >90% ventricular pacing and preserved baseline LVEF >50%, to receive pacing at the RVA (n = 120) or RVHS (n = 120). At 2 years, LVEF decreased in both the RVA (57 ± 9 to 55 ± 9%, P = 0.047) and the RVHS groups (56 ± 10 to 54 ± 10%, P = 0.0003). However, there was no significant difference in intra-patient change in LVEF between confirmed RVA (n = 85) and RVHS (n = 83) lead position (P = 0.43). There were no significant differences in heart failure hospitalization, mortality, the burden of atrial fibrillation, or plasma brain natriutetic peptide levels between the two groups. A significantly greater time was required to place the lead in the RVHS position (70 ± 25 vs. 56 ± 24 min, P function requiring a high percentage of ventricular pacing, RVHS pacing does not provide a protective effect on left ventricular function over RVA pacing in the first 2 years. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00461734. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Enact legislation supporting residential property assessed clean energy financing (PACE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saha, Devashree

2012-11-15

Congress should enact legislation that supports residential property assessed clean energy (PACE) programs in the nation’s states and metropolitan areas. Such legislation should require the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase residential mortgages with PACE assessments while at the same time providing responsible underwriting standards and a set of benchmarks for residential PACE assessments in order to minimize financial risks to mortgage holders. Congressional support of residential PACE financing will improve energy efficiency, encourage job creation, and foster economic growth in the nation’s state and metropolitan areas.

Comparison of right ventricular septal pacing and right ventricular apical pacing in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators: the SEPTAL CRT Study

Science.gov (United States)

Leclercq, Christophe; Sadoul, Nicolas; Mont, Lluis; Defaye, Pascal; Osca, Joaquim; Mouton, Elisabeth; Isnard, Richard; Habib, Gilbert; Zamorano, Jose; Derumeaux, Genevieve; Fernandez-Lozano, Ignacio; Dupuis, Jean-Marc; Rouleau, Frédéric; Tassin, Aude; Bordachar, Pierre; Clémenty, Jacques; Lafitte, Stephane; Ploux, Sylvan; Reant, Patricia; Ritter, Philippe; Defaye, Pascal; Jacon, Peggy; Mondesert, Blandine; Saunier, Carole; Vautrin, Estelle; Kacet, Salem; Guedon-Moreau, Laurence; Klug, Didier; Kouakam, Claude; Marechaux, Sylvestre; Marquie, Christelle; Polge, Anne Sophie; Richardson, Marjorie; Chevallier, Philippe; De Breyne, Brigitte; Lotek, Marcin M.; Nonin, Emilie; Pineau, Julien; Deharo, Jean-Claude; Bastard, Emilie; Franceschi, Frédéric; Habib, Gilbert; Jego, Christophe; Peyrouse, Eric; Prevot, Sebastien; Saint-Joseph, Hôpital; Bremondy, Michel; Faure, Jacques; Ferracci, Ange; Lefevre, Jean; Pisapia, Andre; Davy, Jean-Marc; Cransac, Frederic; Cung, Tien Tri; Georger, Frederic; Pasquie, Jean-Luc; Raczka, Franck; Sportouch-Dukhan, Catherine; Sadoul, Nicolas; Blangy, Hugues; Bruntz, Jean-François; Freysz, Luc; Groben, Laurent; Huttin, Olivier; Bammert, Antoine; Burban, Marc; Cebron, Jean-Pierre; Gras, Daniel; Frank, Robert; Duthoit, Guillaume; Hidden-Lucet, Françoise; Himbert, Caroline; Isnard, Richard; Lacotte, Jérôme; Pousset, Françoise; Zerah, Thierry; Leclercq, Christophe; Bellouin, Annaïk; Crocq, Christophe; Deplace, Christian; Donal, Erwan; Hamon, Cécile; Mabo, Philippe; Romain, Olivier; Solnon, Aude; Frederic, Anselme; Bauer, Fabrice; Bernard, Mathieu; Godin, Benedicte; Kurtz, Baptiste; Savoure, Arnaud; Copie, Xavier; Lascault, Gilles; Paziaud, Olivier; Piot, Olivier; Touche, Thierry; Delay, Toulouse Marc; Chilon, Talia; Detis, Nicolas; Duparc, Alexandre; Hebrard, Aurélien; Massabuau, Pierre; Maury, Philippe; Mondoly, Pierre; Rumeau, Philippe; Pasteur, Clinique; Boveda, Serge; Adrover, Laurence; Combes, Nicolas; Deplagne, Antoine; Marco-Baertich, Isabelle; Fondard, Olivier; Martínez, Juan Gabriel; Ibañez Criado, José Luis; Ortuño, Diego; Mont, Lluis; Berruezo, Antonio; Eduard, Belu; Martín, Ana; Merschon, Franco M.; Sitges, Marta; Tolosana, José María; Vidal, Bárbara; Hebron, H. Valle; i Mitjans, Angel Moya; Rodriguez, Oscar Alcalde; Rodriguez Palomares, José Fernando; Rivas, Nuria; Teixidó, Gisela; de Hierro, H. Puerta; Lozano, Ignacio Fernández; Ruiz Bautista, Maria Lorena; Castro, Victor; Cavero, Miguel Angel; Gutierrez, Carlos; Ros, Natalia; de la Victoria, H. Virgen; Alzueta Rodriguez, Francisco Javier; Cabrera, Fernando; Cordero, Alberto Barrera; Peña, José Luis; de Valme Sevilla, H.; Gonzáles, Juan Lealdel Ojo; Garcia Medina, Mª Dolores; Jiménez, Ricardo Pavón; Villagomez, David; de la Salud Toledo, H. Virgen; Castellanos Martinez, Eduardo; Alcalá, Juan; Maicas, Carolina; Arias Palomares, Miguel Angel; Puchol, Alberto; Valencia, H. La Fé; OscaAsensi, Joaquim; Carmona, Anastasio Quesada; De Carranza, Mª José Sancho-Tello; De Ros, José Olagüe; Pareja, Enrique Castro; Pérez, Oscar Cano; Saez, Ana Osa; Hortega, H. Rio; Guilarte, Benito Herreros; Muñoz San Jose, Juan Francisco; Pérez Sanz, Teresa Myriam; Logeart, Damien; Gil, Maria Lopez; Leclercq, Christophe; Lozano, Ignacio Fernandez; de Hierro, H. Puerta; Derumeaux, Genevieve

2016-01-01

Abstract Aims Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a recommended treatment of heart failure (HF) patients with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction and wide QRS. The optimal right ventricular (RV) lead position being a matter of debate, we sought to examine whether RV septal (RVS) pacing was not inferior to RV apical (RVA) pacing on left ventricular reverse remodelling in patients receiving a CRT-defibrillator. Methods and results Patients (n = 263, age = 63.4 ± 9.5 years) were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to RVS (n = 131) vs. RVA (n = 132) pacing. Left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) reduction between baseline and 6 months was not different between the two groups (−25.3 ± 39.4 mL in RVS group vs. −29.3 ± 44.5 mL in RVA group, P = 0.79). Right ventricular septal pacing was not non-inferior (primary endpoint) to RVA pacing with regard to LVESV reduction (average difference = −4.06 mL; P = 0.006 with a −20 mL non-inferiority margin). The percentage of ‘echo-responders’ defined by LVESV reduction >15% between baseline and 6 months was similar in both groups (50%) with no difference in the time to first HF hospitalization or death (P = 0.532). Procedural or device-related serious adverse events occurred in 68 patients (RVS = 37) with no difference between the two groups (P = 0.401). Conclusion This study demonstrates that septal RV pacing in CRT is non-inferior to apical RV pacing for LV reverse remodelling at 6 months with no difference in the clinical outcome. No recommendation for optimal RV lead position can hence be drawn from this study. ClinicalTrials. gov number NCT 00833352. PMID:26374852

Ensemble of Neural Network Conditional Random Fields for Self-Paced Brain Computer Interfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Bashashati

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Classification of EEG signals in self-paced Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI is an extremely challenging task. The main difficulty stems from the fact that start time of a control task is not defined. Therefore it is imperative to exploit the characteristics of the EEG data to the extent possible. In sensory motor self-paced BCIs, while performing the mental task, the user’s brain goes through several well-defined internal state changes. Applying appropriate classifiers that can capture these state changes and exploit the temporal correlation in EEG data can enhance the performance of the BCI. In this paper, we propose an ensemble learning approach for self-paced BCIs. We use Bayesian optimization to train several different classifiers on different parts of the BCI hyper- parameter space. We call each of these classifiers Neural Network Conditional Random Field (NNCRF. NNCRF is a combination of a neural network and conditional random field (CRF. As in the standard CRF, NNCRF is able to model the correlation between adjacent EEG samples. However, NNCRF can also model the nonlinear dependencies between the input and the output, which makes it more powerful than the standard CRF. We compare the performance of our algorithm to those of three popular sequence labeling algorithms (Hidden Markov Models, Hidden Markov Support Vector Machines and CRF, and to two classical classifiers (Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machines. The classifiers are compared for the two cases: when the ensemble learning approach is not used and when it is. The data used in our studies are those from the BCI competition IV and the SM2 dataset. We show that our algorithm is considerably superior to the other approaches in terms of the Area Under the Curve (AUC of the BCI system.

Pacing a data transfer operation between compute nodes on a parallel computer

Science.gov (United States)

Blocksome, Michael A [Rochester, MN

2011-09-13

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for pacing a data transfer between compute nodes on a parallel computer that include: transferring, by an origin compute node, a chunk of an application message to a target compute node; sending, by the origin compute node, a pacing request to a target direct memory access (`DMA`) engine on the target compute node using a remote get DMA operation; determining, by the origin compute node, whether a pacing response to the pacing request has been received from the target DMA engine; and transferring, by the origin compute node, a next chunk of the application message if the pacing response to the pacing request has been received from the target DMA engine.

Ischemic Stroke with Cardiac Pacemaker Implantation: Comparison of Physiological and Ventricular Pacing Modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Yuji; Hayashi, Takeshi; Kato, Ritsushi; Tanahashi, Norio; Takao, Masaki

2017-09-01

The clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke in patients with a pacemaker (PM) are not well understood. Forty-six ischemic stroke patients with a PM were investigated retrospectively, and the impact of different pacing modes was compared. The patients were divided into a physiological pacing group (n = 22) and a ventricular pacing group (n = 24). The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) was significantly higher in the ventricular pacing group (36% versus 75%; P = .008). The mean left atrial dimension was relatively large in the ventricular pacing group than in the physiological pacing group (44.5 ± 6.7 mm versus 39.1 ± 8.5 mm, respectively; P = .071). Twenty-four percent of the patients were receiving anticoagulants, whereas 41% of the patients were receiving antiplatelet drugs. Cardioembolism was the most common stroke subtype in both groups. Although there was no statistically significant difference, neurological severity on admission was higher in the ventricular pacing group than in the physiological pacing group (P = .061). Functional outcomes, excluding patients with transient ischemic attack or prior stroke, significantly declined in the ventricular pacing group compared with the physiological pacing group (P = .044). The avoidance of the ventricular pacing mode may result in improved clinical outcomes. In patients without persistent AF, it may be important to select physiological pacing instead of ventricular pacing to decrease potential stroke severity. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of uncertainty and variability on population declines and IUCN Red List classifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueda-Cediel, Pamela; Anderson, Kurt E; Regan, Tracey J; Regan, Helen M

2018-01-22

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria is a quantitative framework for classifying species according to extinction risk. Population models may be used to estimate extinction risk or population declines. Uncertainty and variability arise in threat classifications through measurement and process error in empirical data and uncertainty in the models used to estimate extinction risk and population declines. Furthermore, species traits are known to affect extinction risk. We investigated the effects of measurement and process error, model type, population growth rate, and age at first reproduction on the reliability of risk classifications based on projected population declines on IUCN Red List classifications. We used an age-structured population model to simulate true population trajectories with different growth rates, reproductive ages and levels of variation, and subjected them to measurement error. We evaluated the ability of scalar and matrix models parameterized with these simulated time series to accurately capture the IUCN Red List classification generated with true population declines. Under all levels of measurement error tested and low process error, classifications were reasonably accurate; scalar and matrix models yielded roughly the same rate of misclassifications, but the distribution of errors differed; matrix models led to greater overestimation of extinction risk than underestimations; process error tended to contribute to misclassifications to a greater extent than measurement error; and more misclassifications occurred for fast, rather than slow, life histories. These results indicate that classifications of highly threatened taxa (i.e., taxa with low growth rates) under criterion A are more likely to be reliable than for less threatened taxa when assessed with population models. Greater scrutiny needs to be placed on data used to parameterize population models for species with high growth rates

Leadless Cardiac Pacemakers: Current status of a modern approach in pacing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skevos Sideris

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Since the first transvenous pacemaker implantation, which took place 50 years ago, important progress has been achieved in pacing technology. Consequently, at present, more than 700,000 pacemakers are implanted annually worldwide. However, conventional pacemakers' implantation has a non-negligible risk of periprocedural and long-term complications associated with the transvenous leads and pacemaker pocket. Recently, leadless pacing systems have emerged as a therapeutic alternative to conventional pacing systems that provide therapy for patients with bradyarrhythmias, while eliminating potential transvenous lead- and pacemaker pocket-related complications. Initial studies have demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety of currently developed leadless pacing systems, compared to transvenous pacemakers. In the present paper, we review the current evidence and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of this novel technology. New technological advances may allow the next generation of leadless pacemakers to further expand, thereby offering a wireless cardiac pacing in future. Keywords: cardiac pacing, pacemaker, leadless pacemaker, bradycardia

PACE: Proactively Secure Accumulo with Cryptographic Enforcement

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-27

will be replaced with the values from the decrypted destination field. PACE encrypts data using AES and supports the following modes: CTR, CFB, CBC, OFB...2) Searchable Encryption : PACE also support searching for encrypted data. This is done using AES in SIV mode [11] to provide deterministic encryption ...row ”Alphabet”), then the search term is encrypted deterministically, and that term is searched on the server. Because AES does not preserve the

Factors explaining voluntary participation in PACE-Vaquita

OpenAIRE

Sara Avila

2011-01-01

Vaquita marina, a small species of porpoise endemic to the Northern Gulf of California in Mexico, is the world’s most endangered cetacean species. With the purpose of preserving vaquita, the Mexican government launched PACE-Vaquita in 2008. This voluntary program offers an innovative schedule of compensations: as in a payment for conservation program, PACE-Vaquita compensates for temporary reductions in fishing reductions in fishing effort; as in a program to accelerate technology adoption,PA...

Errors in clinical laboratories or errors in laboratory medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Plebani, Mario

2006-01-01

Laboratory testing is a highly complex process and, although laboratory services are relatively safe, they are not as safe as they could or should be. Clinical laboratories have long focused their attention on quality control methods and quality assessment programs dealing with analytical aspects of testing. However, a growing body of evidence accumulated in recent decades demonstrates that quality in clinical laboratories cannot be assured by merely focusing on purely analytical aspects. The more recent surveys on errors in laboratory medicine conclude that in the delivery of laboratory testing, mistakes occur more frequently before (pre-analytical) and after (post-analytical) the test has been performed. Most errors are due to pre-analytical factors (46-68.2% of total errors), while a high error rate (18.5-47% of total errors) has also been found in the post-analytical phase. Errors due to analytical problems have been significantly reduced over time, but there is evidence that, particularly for immunoassays, interference may have a serious impact on patients. A description of the most frequent and risky pre-, intra- and post-analytical errors and advice on practical steps for measuring and reducing the risk of errors is therefore given in the present paper. Many mistakes in the Total Testing Process are called "laboratory errors", although these may be due to poor communication, action taken by others involved in the testing process (e.g., physicians, nurses and phlebotomists), or poorly designed processes, all of which are beyond the laboratory's control. Likewise, there is evidence that laboratory information is only partially utilized. A recent document from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recommends a new, broader definition of the term "laboratory error" and a classification of errors according to different criteria. In a modern approach to total quality, centered on patients' needs and satisfaction, the risk of errors and mistakes

EFFECT OF ADAPTIVE PACED CARDIOLOCOMOTOR SYNCHRONIZATION DURING RUNNING: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bill Phillips

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Cardiolocomotor synchronization (CLS has been well established for individuals engaged in rhythmic activity, such as walking, running, or cycling. When frequency of the activity is at or near the heart rate, entrainment occurs. CLS has been shown in many cases to improve the efficiency of locomotor activity, improving stroke volume, reducing blood pressure variability, and lowering the oxygen uptake (VO2. Instead of a 1:1 frequency ratio of activity to heart rate, an investigation was performed to determine if different harmonic coupling at other simple integer ratios (e.g. 1:2, 2:3, 3:2 could achieve any performance benefits. CLS was ensured by pacing the stride rate according to the measured heartbeat (i.e., adaptive paced CLS, or forced CLS. An algorithm was designed that determined the simplest ratio (lowest denominator that, when multiplied by the heart rate will fall within an individualized, predetermined comfortable pacing range for the user. The algorithm was implemented on an iPhone 4, which generated a 'tick-tock' sound through the iPhone's headphones. A sham-controlled crossover study was performed with 15 volunteers of various fitness levels. Subjects ran a 3 mile (4.83 km simulated training run at their normal pace on two consecutive days (randomized one adaptive pacing, one sham. Adaptive pacing resulted in faster runs run times, with subjects running an average of 26:03 ± 3:23 for adaptive pacing and 26:38 ± 3:31 for sham (F = 5.46, p < 0.05. The increase in heart rate from the start of the race as estimated by an exponential time constant was significantly longer during adaptive pacing, τ = 0.99 ± 0.30, compared to sham, τ = 1.53 ± 0.34 (t = -6.62, p < 0.01. Eighty-seven percent of runners found it easy to adjust their stride length to match the pacing signal with seventy-nine percent reporting that pacing helped their performance. These results suggest that adaptive paced CLS may have a beneficial effect on running

Kinematic hand parameters in front crawl at different paces of swimming.

Science.gov (United States)

Samson, Mathias; Monnet, Tony; Bernard, Anthony; Lacouture, Patrick; David, Laurent

2015-11-05

The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of kinematic hand parameters (sweepback angle, angle of attack, velocity, acceleration and orientation of the hand relative to the absolute coordinate system) throughout an aquatic stroke and to study the possible modifications caused by a variation of the swimming pace. Seventeen competitive swimmers swam at long distance, middle distance and sprint paces. Parameters were calculated from the trajectory of seven markers on the hand measured with an optoelectronic system. Results showed that kinematic hand parameters evolve differently depending on the pace. Angle of attack, sweepback angle, acceleration and orientation of the hand do not vary significantly. The velocity of the hand increases when the pace increases, but only during the less propulsive phases (entry and stretch and downsweep to catch). The more the pace increases and the more the absolute durations of the entry and stretch and downsweep to catch phases decrease. Absolute durations of the insweep and upsweep phases remain constant. During these phases, the propulsive hand forces calculated do not vary significantly when the pace increases. The increase of swimming pace is then explained by the swimmer's capacity to maintain propulsive phases rather than increasing the force generation within each cycle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atrial antitachycardia pacing and managed ventricular pacing in bradycardia patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial tachyarrhythmias: the MINERVA randomized multicentre international trial

Science.gov (United States)

Boriani, Giuseppe; Tukkie, Raymond; Manolis, Antonis S.; Mont, Lluis; Pürerfellner, Helmut; Santini, Massimo; Inama, Giuseppe; Serra, Paolo; de Sousa, João; Botto, Giovanni Luca; Mangoni, Lorenza; Grammatico, Andrea; Padeletti, Luigi

2014-01-01

Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common comorbidity in bradycardia patients. Advanced pacemakers feature atrial preventive pacing and atrial antitachycardia pacing (DDDRP) and managed ventricular pacing (MVP), which minimizes unnecessary right ventricular pacing. We evaluated whether DDDRP and MVP might reduce mortality, morbidity, or progression to permanent AF when compared with standard dual-chamber pacing (Control DDDR). Methods and results In a randomized, parallel, single-blind, multi-centre trial we enrolled 1300 patients with bradycardia and previous atrial tachyarrhythmias, in whom a DDDRP pacemaker had recently been implanted. History of permanent AF and third-degree atrioventricular block were exclusion criteria. After a 1-month run-in period, 1166 eligible patients, aged 74 ± 9 years, 50% females, were randomized to Control DDDR, DDDRP + MVP, or MVP. Analysis was intention-to-treat. The primary outcome, i.e. the 2-year incidence of a combined endpoint composed of death, cardiovascular hospitalizations, or permanent AF, occurred in 102/385 (26.5%) Control DDDR patients, in 76/383 (19.8%) DDDRP + MVP patients [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.55–0.99, P = 0.04 vs. Control DDDR] and in 85/398 (21.4%) MVP patients (HR = 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.77–1.03, P = 0.125 vs. Control DDDR). When compared with Control DDDR, DDDRP + MVP reduced the risk for AF longer than 1 day (HR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.52–0.85, P MVP is superior to standard dual-chamber pacing. The primary endpoint was significantly lowered through the reduction of the progression of atrial tachyarrhythmias to permanent AF. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00262119. PMID:24771721

Fisher classifier and its probability of error estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Chittineni, C. B.

1979-01-01

Computationally efficient expressions are derived for estimating the probability of error using the leave-one-out method. The optimal threshold for the classification of patterns projected onto Fisher's direction is derived. A simple generalization of the Fisher classifier to multiple classes is presented. Computational expressions are developed for estimating the probability of error of the multiclass Fisher classifier.

Pacing and Self-regulation: Important Skills for Talent Development in Endurance Sports.

Science.gov (United States)

Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Hettinga, Florentina J

2017-07-01

Pacing has been characterized as a multifaceted goal-directed process of decision making in which athletes need to decide how and when to invest their energy during the race, a process essential for optimal performance. Both physiological and psychological characteristics associated with adequate pacing and performance are known to develop with age. Consequently, the multifaceted skill of pacing might be under construction throughout adolescence, as well. Therefore, the authors propose that the complex skill of pacing is a potential important performance characteristic for talented youth athletes that needs to be developed throughout adolescence. To explore whether pacing is a marker for talent and how talented athletes develop this skill in middle-distance and endurance sports, they aim to bring together literature on pacing and literature on talent development and self-regulation of learning. Subsequently, by applying the cyclical process of self-regulation to pacing, they propose a practical model for the development of performance in endurance sports in youth athletes. Not only is self-regulation essential throughout the process of reaching the long-term goal of athletic excellence, but it also seems crucial for the development of pacing skills within a race and the development of a refined performance template based on previous experiences. Coaches and trainers are advised to incorporate pacing as a performance characteristic in their talent-development programs by stimulating their athletes to reflect, plan, monitor, and evaluate their races on a regular basis to build performance templates and, as such, improve their performance.

Differential effects of film on preschool children's behaviour dependent on editing pace.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostyrka-Allchorne, Katarzyna; Cooper, Nicholas R; Gossmann, Anna Maria; Barber, Katy J; Simpson, Andrew

2017-05-01

Evidence on how the pace of television and film editing affects children's behaviour and attention is inconclusive. We examined whether a fast-paced film affected how preschool-aged children interacted with toys. The study comprised 70 children (36 girls) aged two to four-and-a-half years who attended preschools in Essex, United Kingdom. The children were paired up and tested with either a fast- or a slow-paced film of a narrator reading a children's story. The fast-paced version had 102 camera cuts and 16 still images, and the slow-paced version had 22 camera cuts and four still images. Each dyad took part in two video-recorded free-play sessions, before and after they watched one of the specially edited four-minute films. The number of toys the children played with before and after the film sessions was recorded. Before they watched the films, the children's behaviour did not differ between the groups. However, after watching the film, the children in the fast-paced group shifted their attention between toys more frequently than the children who watched the slow-paced film. Even a brief exposure to differently paced films had an immediate effect on how the children interacted with their toys. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Maximum mutual information regularized classification

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

2014-09-07

In this paper, a novel pattern classification approach is proposed by regularizing the classifier learning to maximize mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. We argue that, with the learned classifier, the uncertainty of the true class label of a data sample should be reduced by knowing its classification response as much as possible. The reduced uncertainty is measured by the mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. To this end, when learning a linear classifier, we propose to maximize the mutual information between classification responses and true class labels of training samples, besides minimizing the classification error and reducing the classifier complexity. An objective function is constructed by modeling mutual information with entropy estimation, and it is optimized by a gradient descend method in an iterative algorithm. Experiments on two real world pattern classification problems show the significant improvements achieved by maximum mutual information regularization.

Maximum mutual information regularized classification

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Wang, Yi; Zhao, Shiguang; Gao, Xin

2014-01-01

In this paper, a novel pattern classification approach is proposed by regularizing the classifier learning to maximize mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. We argue that, with the learned classifier, the uncertainty of the true class label of a data sample should be reduced by knowing its classification response as much as possible. The reduced uncertainty is measured by the mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. To this end, when learning a linear classifier, we propose to maximize the mutual information between classification responses and true class labels of training samples, besides minimizing the classification error and reducing the classifier complexity. An objective function is constructed by modeling mutual information with entropy estimation, and it is optimized by a gradient descend method in an iterative algorithm. Experiments on two real world pattern classification problems show the significant improvements achieved by maximum mutual information regularization.

Fuzzy One-Class Classification Model Using Contamination Neighborhoods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lev V. Utkin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A fuzzy classification model is studied in the paper. It is based on the contaminated (robust model which produces fuzzy expected risk measures characterizing classification errors. Optimal classification parameters of the models are derived by minimizing the fuzzy expected risk. It is shown that an algorithm for computing the classification parameters is reduced to a set of standard support vector machine tasks with weighted data points. Experimental results with synthetic data illustrate the proposed fuzzy model.

Errors in practical measurement in surveying, engineering, and technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barry, B.A.; Morris, M.D.

1991-01-01

This book discusses statistical measurement, error theory, and statistical error analysis. The topics of the book include an introduction to measurement, measurement errors, the reliability of measurements, probability theory of errors, measures of reliability, reliability of repeated measurements, propagation of errors in computing, errors and weights, practical application of the theory of errors in measurement, two-dimensional errors and includes a bibliography. Appendices are included which address significant figures in measurement, basic concepts of probability and the normal probability curve, writing a sample specification for a procedure, classification, standards of accuracy, and general specifications of geodetic control surveys, the geoid, the frequency distribution curve and the computer and calculator solution of problems

Coronary grafts flow and cardiac pacing modalities: how to improve perioperative myocardial perfusion.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

D'Ancona, Giuseppe

2012-02-03

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to investigate modifications of coronary grafts flow during different pacing modalities after CABG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two separate prospective studies were conducted in patients undergoing CABG and requiring intraoperative epicardial pacing. In a first study (22 patients) coronary grafts flows were measured during dual chamber pacing (DDD) and during ventricular pacing (VVI). In a second study (10 patients) flows were measured during DDD pacing at different atrio-ventricular (A-V) delay periods. A-V delay was adjusted in 25 ms increments from 25 to 250 ms and flow measurements were performed for each A-V delay increment. A transit time flowmeter was used for the measurements. RESULTS: An average of 3.4 grafts\\/patient were performed. In the first study, average coronary graft flow was 47.4+\\/-20.8 ml\\/min during DDD pacing and 41.8+\\/-18.2 ml\\/min during VVI pacing (P = 0.0004). Furthermore average systolic pressure was 94.3+\\/-10.1 mmHg during DDD pacing and 89.6+\\/-12.2 mmHg during VVV pacing (P = 0.0007). No significant differences in diastolic pressure were recorded during the two different pacing modalities. In the second study, maximal flows were achieved during DDD pacing with an A-V delay of 175 ms (54+\\/-9.6 ml\\/min) and minimal flows were detected at 25 ms A-V delay (38.1+\\/-4.7 ml\\/min) (P=ns). No significant differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure were noticed during the different A-V delays. CONCLUSION: Grafts flowmetry provides an extra tool to direct supportive measures such as cardiac pacing after CABG. DDD mode with A-V delay around 175 ms. should be preferred to allow for maximal myocardial perfusion via the grafts.

To pace or not to pace: a pilot study of four- and five-gaited Icelandic horses homozygous for the DMRT3 'Gait Keeper' mutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jäderkvist Fegraeus, K; Hirschberg, I; Árnason, T; Andersson, L; Velie, B D; Andersson, L S; Lindgren, G

2017-12-01

The Icelandic horse is a breed known mainly for its ability to perform the ambling four-beat gait 'tölt' and the lateral two-beat gait pace. The natural ability of the breed to perform these alternative gaits is highly desired by breeders. Therefore, the discovery that a nonsense mutation (C>A) in the DMRT3 gene was the main genetic factor for horses' ability to perform gaits in addition to walk, trot and canter was of great interest. Although several studies have demonstrated that homozygosity for the DMRT3 mutation is important for the ability to pace, only about 70% of the homozygous mutant (AA) Icelandic horses are reported to pace. The aim of the study was to genetically compare four- and five-gaited (i.e. horses with and without the ability to pace) AA Icelandic horses by performing a genome-wide association (GWA) analysis. All horses (n = 55) were genotyped on the 670K Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, and a GWA analysis was performed using the genabel package in r. No SNP demonstrated genome-wide significance, implying that the ability to pace goes beyond the presence of a single gene variant. Despite its limitations, the current study provides additional information regarding the genetic complexity of pacing ability in horses. However, to fully understand the genetic differences between four- and five-gaited AA horses, additional studies with larger sample materials and consistent phenotyping are needed. © 2017 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Evaluation of normalization methods for cDNA microarray data by k-NN classification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Wei; Xing, Eric P; Myers, Connie; Mian, Saira; Bissell, Mina J

2004-12-17

Non-biological factors give rise to unwanted variations in cDNA microarray data. There are many normalization methods designed to remove such variations. However, to date there have been few published systematic evaluations of these techniques for removing variations arising from dye biases in the context of downstream, higher-order analytical tasks such as classification. Ten location normalization methods that adjust spatial- and/or intensity-dependent dye biases, and three scale methods that adjust scale differences were applied, individually and in combination, to five distinct, published, cancer biology-related cDNA microarray data sets. Leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) classification error was employed as the quantitative end-point for assessing the effectiveness of a normalization method. In particular, a known classifier, k-nearest neighbor (k-NN), was estimated from data normalized using a given technique, and the LOOCV error rate of the ensuing model was computed. We found that k-NN classifiers are sensitive to dye biases in the data. Using NONRM and GMEDIAN as baseline methods, our results show that single-bias-removal techniques which remove either spatial-dependent dye bias (referred later as spatial effect) or intensity-dependent dye bias (referred later as intensity effect) moderately reduce LOOCV classification errors; whereas double-bias-removal techniques which remove both spatial- and intensity effect reduce LOOCV classification errors even further. Of the 41 different strategies examined, three two-step processes, IGLOESS-SLFILTERW7, ISTSPLINE-SLLOESS and IGLOESS-SLLOESS, all of which removed intensity effect globally and spatial effect locally, appear to reduce LOOCV classification errors most consistently and effectively across all data sets. We also found that the investigated scale normalization methods do not reduce LOOCV classification error. Using LOOCV error of k-NNs as the evaluation criterion, three double

Dual Numbers Approach in Multiaxis Machines Error Modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslav Hrdina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Multiaxis machines error modeling is set in the context of modern differential geometry and linear algebra. We apply special classes of matrices over dual numbers and propose a generalization of such concept by means of general Weil algebras. We show that the classification of the geometric errors follows directly from the algebraic properties of the matrices over dual numbers and thus the calculus over the dual numbers is the proper tool for the methodology of multiaxis machines error modeling.

The solarPACES strategy for the solar thermal breakthrough

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burch, G.D.; Grasse, W.

1997-01-01

IEA(International Energy Agency)/SolarPACES(Solar Power and Chemical Energy systems)represents a world wide coalition for information sharing and collaboration on applications of concentrated solar energy. The current SolarPACES community has built up solar thermal system know-how over 15 years, is operating the three main solar test centres in the world. Its main activities are in the following four fields: solar thermal electric power systems, solar chemistry, solar technology and advanced applications and non-technical activities. The article presents the talk on the strategy of solarPACES given at the International Workshop on applied solar energy held in Tashkent(Uzbekistan) in June 1997. (A.A.D.)

METODE FUTURE PACING HYPNOTHERAPY UNTUK MENURUNKAN TINGKAT KECEMASAN PADA MAHASISWA BARU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahro Varisna Rohmadani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas metode future pacing hypnotherapy dalam menurunkan tingkat kecemasan pada mahasiswa baru. Subjek penelitian adalah 20 mahasiswa/i baru, 10 mahasiswa di kelompok eksperimen dan 10 mahasiswa di kelompok kontrol. Peserta mendapatkan penanganan untuk penurunan kecemasan dengan metode berupa future pacing hypnotherapy. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah statistik nonparametrik teknik Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test untuk menguji perbedaan skor cemas kelompok subjek saat pretest dan posttest serta Mann Whitney U untuk melihat perbedaan penurunan kecemasan pada kelompok eksperimen dan kelompok kontrol. Hasil Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test menunjukkan bahwa future pacing hypnotherapy efektif dalam menurunkan kecemasan dengan p=0,012. Sedangkan hasil Mann Whitney U menunjukkan bahwa future pacing hypnotherapy efektif dalam menurunkan kecemasan dengan p=0,003 dan kelompok eksperimen mengalami penurunan kecemasan yang lebih besar dengan mean rank = 14,25.Kata kunci : future pacing hypnotherapy, kecemasan, mahasiswa baru

Game Design Principles based on Human Error

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Zaffari

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper displays the result of the authors’ research regarding to the incorporation of Human Error, through design principles, to video game design. In a general way, designers must consider Human Error factors throughout video game interface development; however, when related to its core design, adaptations are in need, since challenge is an important factor for fun and under the perspective of Human Error, challenge can be considered as a flaw in the system. The research utilized Human Error classifications, data triangulation via predictive human error analysis, and the expanded flow theory to allow the design of a set of principles in order to match the design of playful challenges with the principles of Human Error. From the results, it was possible to conclude that the application of Human Error in game design has a positive effect on player experience, allowing it to interact only with errors associated with the intended aesthetics of the game.

Classification system for reporting events involving human malfunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, J.; Pedersen, O.M.; Mancini, G.

1981-01-01

The report describes a set of categories for reporting industrial incidents and events involving human malfunction. The classification system aims at ensuring information adequate for improvement of human work situations and man-machine interface systems and for attempts to quantify ''human error'' rates. The classification system has a multifacetted non-hierarchical structure and its compatibility with Ispra's ERDS classification is described. The collection of the information in general and for quantification purposes are discussed. 24 categories, 12 of which being human factors-oriented, are listed with their respective subcategories, and comments are given. Underlying models of human data process and their typical malfuntions and of a human decision sequence are described. The work reported is a joint contribution to the CSNI Group of Experts on Human Error Data and Assessment

Self-Paced Instruction: Hello, Education

Science.gov (United States)

Leuba, Richard J.; Flammer, Gordon H.

1975-01-01

Answers criticisms of self-paced instruction (SPI) by citing advantages of SPI over lecture methods. Concludes that criticisms of SPI are useful since they indicate in which areas further research should be conducted to improve this method of instruction. (MLH)

Pace: an advanced structure for handling multi-technique NDT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayos, M.; Guisnel, F.

1995-08-01

The growing extent and complexity of NDT data analysis has reached a stage where dedicated systems are required. In the context of a European research program, EDF participated from 1992 to 1994 in one of the first international projects in this field, TRAPPIST and, in 1993, began developing An application for the electricity generating industry, giving rise to the PACE project. The prime objective specially targets the French electricity generating industry, where PACE was to be the reference system for analysis of NDE data concerning EdF power plants. The second objective is to promote the adoption of PACE by other industrial sectors and other countries. The analysis of needs shows that the required system must be designed to analyze data from widely different sources. The PACE entry point consequently has to be a standard format compatible with geometrical data as well as those provided by NDT. The TRAPPIST format constitutes the first version of this standard and is the first step towards European standardization in this respect. Consideration of the different user modes defined for PACE led to the design of a 2-part user structure comprising a database management system (Ingres/Windows 4GL) and a display/processing tool (AVS), also usable to construct analysis scenarios. The structure of PACE is defined nd seems well suited to industrial requirements, but before it is possible to proceed further towards its adoption for actual power plant inspections, it has to be validated on a more realistic application, the eddy current and ultrasonic testing of a full-scale T-joint. This is already under way, whilst work on format standardization and industrialization preparatory procedures are proceeding in parallel. (authors). 4 refs., 6 figs

Will the Conscious-Subconscious Pacing Quagmire Help Elucidate the Mechanisms of Self-Paced Exercise? New Opportunities in Dual Process Theory and Process Tracing Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Micklewright, Dominic; Kegerreis, Sue; Raglin, John; Hettinga, Florentina

2017-07-01

The extent to which athletic pacing decisions are made consciously or subconsciously is a prevailing issue. In this article we discuss why the one-dimensional conscious-subconscious debate that has reigned in the pacing literature has suppressed our understanding of the multidimensional processes that occur in pacing decisions. How do we make our decisions in real-life competitive situations? What information do we use and how do we respond to opponents? These are questions that need to be explored and better understood, using smartly designed experiments. The paper provides clarity about key conscious, preconscious, subconscious and unconscious concepts, terms that have previously been used in conflicting and confusing ways. The potential of dual process theory in articulating multidimensional aspects of intuitive and deliberative decision-making processes is discussed in the context of athletic pacing along with associated process-tracing research methods. In attempting to refine pacing models and improve training strategies and psychological skills for athletes, the dual-process framework could be used to gain a clearer understanding of (1) the situational conditions for which either intuitive or deliberative decisions are optimal; (2) how intuitive and deliberative decisions are biased by things such as perception, emotion and experience; and (3) the underlying cognitive mechanisms such as memory, attention allocation, problem solving and hypothetical thought.

Pacing in swimming - variability and effects of manipulations

OpenAIRE

Skorski, Sabrina

2015-01-01

Introduction: In any athletic event, the ability to appropriately distribute energy, is essential to prevent premature fatigue prior to the completion of the event. In sport science literature this is termed ‘pacing’. Within the past decade, research aiming to better understand the underlying mechanisms influencing the selection of an athlete’s pacing during exercise has dramatically increased. It is suggested that pacing is a combination of anticipation, knowledge of the end-point, prior exp...

A Comparative Study on Error Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Chun

2015-01-01

Title: A Comparative Study on Error Analysis Subtitle: - Belgian (L1) and Danish (L1) learners’ use of Chinese (L2) comparative sentences in written production Xiaoli Wu, Chun Zhang Abstract: Making errors is an inevitable and necessary part of learning. The collection, classification and analysis...... the occurrence of errors either in linguistic or pedagogical terms. The purpose of the current study is to demonstrate the theoretical and practical relevance of error analysis approach in CFL by investigating two cases - (1) Belgian (L1) learners’ use of Chinese (L2) comparative sentences in written production...... of errors in the written and spoken production of L2 learners has a long tradition in L2 pedagogy. Yet, in teaching and learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL), only handful studies have been made either to define the ‘error’ in a pedagogically insightful way or to empirically investigate...

A Confidence Paradigm for Classification Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

methodology to determine how much confi- dence one should have in a classifier output. This research proposes a framework to determine the level of...theoretical framework that attempts to unite the viewpoints of the classification system developer (or engineer) and the classification system user (or...operating point. An algorithm is developed that minimizes a “confidence” measure called Binned Error in the Posterior ( BEP ). Then, we prove that training a

PACE3 - front-end chip for the CMS Preshower

CERN Multimedia

Aspel, Paul

2003-01-01

This is PACE3 which is the front-end chip for the CMS Preshower. In fact PACE3 is the combination of two ASICs called Delta3 and PACEAM3. Delta3 is on the left and PACEAM3 is on the right. The two ASICs are bonded together and then packaged within a single 196 pin fpBGA package.

Spectrum of diagnostic errors in radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Antonio; Brunese, Luca

2010-10-28

Diagnostic errors are important in all branches of medicine because they are an indication of poor patient care. Since the early 1970s, physicians have been subjected to an increasing number of medical malpractice claims. Radiology is one of the specialties most liable to claims of medical negligence. Most often, a plaintiff's complaint against a radiologist will focus on a failure to diagnose. The etiology of radiological error is multi-factorial. Errors fall into recurrent patterns. Errors arise from poor technique, failures of perception, lack of knowledge and misjudgments. The work of diagnostic radiology consists of the complete detection of all abnormalities in an imaging examination and their accurate diagnosis. Every radiologist should understand the sources of error in diagnostic radiology as well as the elements of negligence that form the basis of malpractice litigation. Error traps need to be uncovered and highlighted, in order to prevent repetition of the same mistakes. This article focuses on the spectrum of diagnostic errors in radiology, including a classification of the errors, and stresses the malpractice issues in mammography, chest radiology and obstetric sonography. Missed fractures in emergency and communication issues between radiologists and physicians are also discussed.

Practical UXO Classification: Enhanced Data Processing Strategies for Technology Transition - Fort Ord: Dynamic and Cued Metalmapper Processing and Classification

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-06

information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this...ms. 4 2.2 CLASSIFICATION Target classification is usually carried out using cued interrogation data acquired over anomalies initially...identified in the detection data. These cued interrogations eliminate relative positional errors by acquiring data with a stationary sensor. The multi-static

A human factors experiment on the event-paced control tasks issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyun Chul; Park, Jae Chang; Oh, In Seok; Lee, Jung Woon; Lee, Ki Young; Park, Jong Kyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2000-03-01

KEPRI(Korea Electric Power Research Institute) requires human factors validation tests according to the progress of the KNGR MMI design. This report describes the experimental results of an human factors validation issue, Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The Event-Paced Control Task issue is to test that the designed MMI shall support operators in performing control tasks in pace with the plant dynamics. Task completion time and successful execution are defined as performance measures on the issue. Through an experiment on the issue with 3 scenarios and 5 subjects, we report that the variation of task completion time between subjects has a narrow band for each scenarios, however two among the total 15 experimental runs result in the failure that subject does not reach to the predefined operational goal. Incorrect operational strategy, insufficient training, and MMI design discrepancies are inferred as the causes of the failures. However these experimental results don't indicate the close of the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The validation test results under the experimental environment composed of the partial MMI representations, an unstable simulator, and insufficient subject training, are significant in the limited conditions. Thus, for the purpose of the complete issue close, the validation test on the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue should be repeatedly carried out in pace with the performance improvement of the experimental environment. 13 figs., 4 tabs. (Author)

A qualitative description of human error

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhaohuan

1992-11-01

The human error has an important contribution to risk of reactor operation. The insight and analytical model are main parts in human reliability analysis. It consists of the concept of human error, the nature, the mechanism of generation, the classification and human performance influence factors. On the operating reactor the human error is defined as the task-human-machine mismatch. The human error event is focused on the erroneous action and the unfavored result. From the time limitation of performing a task, the operation is divided into time-limited and time-opened. The HCR (human cognitive reliability) model is suited for only time-limited. The basic cognitive process consists of the information gathering, cognition/thinking, decision making and action. The human erroneous action may be generated in any stage of this process. The more natural ways to classify human errors are presented. The human performance influence factors including personal, organizational and environmental factors are also listed

A qualitative description of human error

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhaohuan, Li [Academia Sinica, Beijing, BJ (China). Inst. of Atomic Energy

1992-11-01

The human error has an important contribution to risk of reactor operation. The insight and analytical model are main parts in human reliability analysis. It consists of the concept of human error, the nature, the mechanism of generation, the classification and human performance influence factors. On the operating reactor the human error is defined as the task-human-machine mismatch. The human error event is focused on the erroneous action and the unfavored result. From the time limitation of performing a task, the operation is divided into time-limited and time-opened. The HCR (human cognitive reliability) model is suited for only time-limited. The basic cognitive process consists of the information gathering, cognition/thinking, decision making and action. The human erroneous action may be generated in any stage of this process. The more natural ways to classify human errors are presented. The human performance influence factors including personal, organizational and environmental factors are also listed.

Science Unit Plans. PACE '94.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoon, Kenneth J., Ed.; Wiles, Clyde A., Ed.

This booklet contains mathematics unit plans for Biology, Chemistry, and Physical Science developed by PACE (Promoting Academic Excellence In Mathematics, Science & Technology for Workers of the 21st Century). Each unit plan contains suggested timing, objectives, skills to be acquired, workplace relationships, learning activities with suggested…

A Comparative Analysis of Classification Algorithms on Diverse Datasets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Alghobiri

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Data mining involves the computational process to find patterns from large data sets. Classification, one of the main domains of data mining, involves known structure generalizing to apply to a new dataset and predict its class. There are various classification algorithms being used to classify various data sets. They are based on different methods such as probability, decision tree, neural network, nearest neighbor, boolean and fuzzy logic, kernel-based etc. In this paper, we apply three diverse classification algorithms on ten datasets. The datasets have been selected based on their size and/or number and nature of attributes. Results have been discussed using some performance evaluation measures like precision, accuracy, F-measure, Kappa statistics, mean absolute error, relative absolute error, ROC Area etc. Comparative analysis has been carried out using the performance evaluation measures of accuracy, precision, and F-measure. We specify features and limitations of the classification algorithms for the diverse nature datasets.

Rhythm perturbations in acoustically paced treadmill walking after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Roerdink, Melvyn; Lamoth, Claudine J C; van Kordelaar, Joost; Elich, Peter; Konijnenbelt, Manin; Kwakkel, Gert; Beek, Peter J

2009-09-01

In rehabilitation, acoustic rhythms are often used to improve gait after stroke. Acoustic cueing may enhance gait coordination by creating a stable coupling between heel strikes and metronome beats and provide a means to train the adaptability of gait coordination to environmental changes, as required in everyday life ambulation. To examine the stability and adaptability of auditory-motor synchronization in acoustically paced treadmill walking in stroke patients. Eleven stroke patients and 10 healthy controls walked on a treadmill at preferred speed and cadence under no metronome, single-metronome (pacing only paretic or nonparetic steps), and double-metronome (pacing both footfalls) conditions. The stability of auditory-motor synchronization was quantified by the variability of the phase relation between footfalls and beats. In a separate session, the acoustic rhythms were perturbed and adaptations to restore auditory-motor synchronization were quantified. For both groups, auditory-motor synchronization was more stable for double-metronome than single-metronome conditions, with stroke patients exhibiting an overall weaker coupling of footfalls to metronome beats than controls. The recovery characteristics following rhythm perturbations corroborated the stability findings and further revealed that stroke patients had difficulty in accelerating their steps and instead preferred a slower-step response to restore synchronization. In gait rehabilitation practice, the use of acoustic rhythms may be more effective when both footfalls are paced. In addition, rhythm perturbations during acoustically paced treadmill walking may not only be employed to evaluate the stability of auditory-motor synchronization but also have promising implications for evaluation and training of gait adaptations in neurorehabilitation practice.

Factors affecting the regulation of pacing: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauger AR

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Alexis R Mauger Endurance Research Group, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Kent, Chatham, UK Abstract: During prolonged dynamic and rhythmic exercise, muscular pain and discomfort arises as a result of an increased concentration of deleterious metabolites. Sensed by peripheral nociceptors and transmitted via afferent feedback to the brain, this provides important information regarding the physiological state of the muscle. These sensations ultimately contribute to what is termed "exercise-induced pain". Despite being well recognized by athletes and coaches, and suggested to be integral to exercise performance, this construct has largely escaped attention in experimental work. This perspective article highlights the current understanding of pacing in endurance performance, and the causes of exercise-induced pain. A new perspective is described, which proposes how exercise-induced pain may be a contributing factor in helping individuals to regulate their work rate during exercise and thus provides an important construct in pacing. Keywords: pain, exercise-induced pain, discomfort, exercise performance, self-paced

Optimal pacing strategy: From theoretical modeling to reality in 1500m speed skating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hettinga, F.J.; de Koning, J.J.; Schmidt, L.J.I.; Wind, N.A.C.; McIntosh, B.; Foster, C.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Athletes are trained to choose the pace which is perceived to be correct during a specific effort, such as the 1500-m speed skating competition. The purpose of the present study was to "override" self-paced (SP) performance by instructing athletes to execute a theoretically optimal pacing

Optimal pacing strategy : from theoretical modelling to reality in 1500-m speed skating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hettinga, F. J.; De Koning, J. J.; Schmidt, L. J. I.; Wind, N. A. C.; MacIntosh, B. R.; Foster, C.

Purpose Athletes are trained to choose the pace which is perceived to be correct during a specific effort, such as the 1500-m speed skating competition. The purpose of the present study was to "override" self-paced (SP) performance by instructing athletes to execute a theoretically optimal pacing

Leadless Pacing: Current State and Future Direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Merkel, Matthias; Grotherr, Philipp; Radzewitz, Andrea; Schmitt, Claus

2017-12-01

Leadless pacing is now an established alternative to conventional pacing with subcutaneous pocket and transvenous lead for patients with class I or II single-chamber pacing indication. Available 12-month follow-up data shows a 48% fewer major complication rate in patients with Micra™ compared to a historical control group in a nonrandomized study [1]. There is one system with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and two with the Communauté Européenne (CE) mark. The OPS code for the implantation is 8-83d.3 and the procedure has recently been rated as a "new Examination and Treatment Method (NUB)" in the German DRG system, meaning adequate reimbursement is negotiable with health insurance providers. The systems offer similar generator longevity and programming possibilities as conventional pacemaker systems, including rate response, remote monitoring, and MRI safety. The biggest downsides to date are limitations to single-chamber stimulation, lack of long-time data, and concerns of handling of the system at the end of its life span. However, implant procedure complication rates and procedure times do not exceed conventional pacemaker operations, and proper training and patient selection is provided.

Cardiac optogenetic pacing in drosophila melanogaster using red-shifted opsins (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Men, Jing; Li, Airong; Jerwick, Jason; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Zhou, Chao

2017-02-01

Electrical pacing is the current gold standard for investigation of mammalian cardiac electrical conduction systems as well as for treatment of certain cardiac pathologies. However, this method requires an invasive surgical procedure to implant the pacing electrodes. Recently, optogenetic pacing has been developed as an alternative, non-invasive method for heartbeat pacing in animals. It induces heartbeats by shining pulsed light on transgene-generated microbial opsins which in turn activate light gated ion channels in animal hearts. However, commonly used opsins, such as channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), require short light wavelength stimulation (475 nm), which is strongly absorbed and scattered by tissue. Here, we expressed recently engineered red-shifted opsins, ReaChR and CsChrimson, in the heart of a well-developed animal model, Drosophila melanogaster, for the first time. Optogenetic pacing was successfully conducted in both ReaChR and CsChrimson flies at their larval, pupal, and adult stages using 617 nm excitation light pulse, enabling a much deeper tissue penetration compared to blue stimulation light. A customized high speed and ultrahigh resolution OCM system was used to non-invasively monitor the heartbeat pacing in Drosophila. Compared to previous studies on optogenetic pacing of Drosophila, higher penetration depth of optogenetic excitation light was achieved in opaque late pupal flies. Lower stimulating power density is needed for excitation at each developmental stage of both groups, which improves the safety of this technique for heart rhythm studies.

Predicting Successful Completion Using Student Delay Indicators in Undergraduate Self-Paced Online Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Janine M.

2016-01-01

Self-paced online courses meet flexibility and learning needs of many students, but skepticism persists regarding the quality and the tendency for students to procrastinate in self-paced courses. Research is needed to understand procrastination and delay patterns of students in online self-paced courses to predict successful completion and…

The Efficacy of Self-Paced Study in Multitrial Learning

Science.gov (United States)

de Jonge, Mario; Tabbers, Huib K.; Pecher, Diane; Jang, Yoonhee; Zeelenberg, René

2015-01-01

In 2 experiments we investigated the efficacy of self-paced study in multitrial learning. In Experiment 1, native speakers of English studied lists of Dutch-English word pairs under 1 of 4 imposed fixed presentation rate conditions (24 × 1 s, 12 × 2 s, 6 × 4 s, or 3 × 8 s) and a self-paced study condition. Total study time per list was equated for…

PACE: A Browsable Graphical Interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Beheshti, Jamshid; And Others

1996-01-01

Describes PACE (Public Access Catalogue Extension), an alternative interface designed to enhance online catalogs by simulating images of books and library shelves to help users browse through the catalog. Results of a test in a college library against a text-based online public access catalog, including student attitudes, are described.…

Pacing-induced Cardiomyopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Koo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We present a case of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. The patient presented with clinical symptoms of dyspnea, leg swelling, and orthopnea several months after a dual-chambered pacemaker was placed for third-degree heart block. The echocardiogram demonstrated a depressed ejection fraction. Coronary angiography was performed, which showed widely patent vessels. Single- and dual-chambered pacemakers create ventricular dyssynchrony, which in turn can cause structural, molecular changes leading to cardiomyopathy. With early intervention of biventricular pacemaker replacement, these changes can be reversible; thus, a timely diagnosis and awareness is warranted.

Sample size and classification error for Bayesian change-point models with unlabelled sub-groups and incomplete follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Simon R; Muniz-Terrera, Graciela; Matthews, Fiona E

2018-05-01

Many medical (and ecological) processes involve the change of shape, whereby one trajectory changes into another trajectory at a specific time point. There has been little investigation into the study design needed to investigate these models. We consider the class of fixed effect change-point models with an underlying shape comprised two joined linear segments, also known as broken-stick models. We extend this model to include two sub-groups with different trajectories at the change-point, a change and no change class, and also include a missingness model to account for individuals with incomplete follow-up. Through a simulation study, we consider the relationship of sample size to the estimates of the underlying shape, the existence of a change-point, and the classification-error of sub-group labels. We use a Bayesian framework to account for the missing labels, and the analysis of each simulation is performed using standard Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. Our simulation study is inspired by cognitive decline as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination, where our extended model is appropriate due to the commonly observed mixture of individuals within studies who do or do not exhibit accelerated decline. We find that even for studies of modest size ( n = 500, with 50 individuals observed past the change-point) in the fixed effect setting, a change-point can be detected and reliably estimated across a range of observation-errors.

Errors in imaging patients in the emergency setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Antonio; Reginelli, Alfonso; Pinto, Fabio; Lo Re, Giuseppe; Midiri, Federico; Muzj, Carlo; Romano, Luigia; Brunese, Luca

2016-01-01

Emergency and trauma care produces a "perfect storm" for radiological errors: uncooperative patients, inadequate histories, time-critical decisions, concurrent tasks and often junior personnel working after hours in busy emergency departments. The main cause of diagnostic errors in the emergency department is the failure to correctly interpret radiographs, and the majority of diagnoses missed on radiographs are fractures. Missed diagnoses potentially have important consequences for patients, clinicians and radiologists. Radiologists play a pivotal role in the diagnostic assessment of polytrauma patients and of patients with non-traumatic craniothoracoabdominal emergencies, and key elements to reduce errors in the emergency setting are knowledge, experience and the correct application of imaging protocols. This article aims to highlight the definition and classification of errors in radiology, the causes of errors in emergency radiology and the spectrum of diagnostic errors in radiography, ultrasonography and CT in the emergency setting.

Application of PACE Principles for Population Health Management of Frail Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanacci, Richard G; Reich, Shelley; Casiano, Alex

2015-10-01

To determine which practices would have the most impact on reducing hospital and emergency department admissions and nursing home placement among older adults with multiple comorbid conditions, a literature search and survey were conducted to identify and prioritize comprehensive care principles as practiced in the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE medical directors and members of the PACE interdisciplinary team (IDT) were surveyed to gain their insights on the most impactful practices, which were identified as: End-of-Life Management, Caregiver Support, Management of Red Flags, Medication Management, Participant and Caregiver Health Care System Literacy, and Care Coordination. In addition, this research evaluated measures that could be used to assess an organization's level of success with regard to each of the 6 PACE practices identified. The results reported in this article, found through a survey with PACE medical directors and IDT members concerning effective interventions, can be viewed as strategies to improve care for older adults, enabling them to maintain their independence in the community, avoid the expense of facility-based care, and enhance their quality of life.

Representing number in the real-time processing of agreement: Self-paced reading evidence from Arabic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew A. Tucker

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In the processing of subject-verb agreement, non-subject plural nouns following a singular subject sometimes attract the agreement with the verb, despite not being grammatically licensed to do so. This phenomenon generates agreement errors in production and an increased tendency to fail to notice such errors in comprehension, thereby providing a window into the representation of grammatical number in working memory during sentence processing. Research in this topic, however, is primarily done in related languages with similar agreement systems. In order to increase the cross-linguistic coverage of the processing of agreement, we conducted a self-paced reading study in Modern Standard Arabic. We report robust agreement attraction errors in relative clauses, a configuration not particularly conducive to the generation of such errors for all possible lexicalizations. In particular, we examined the speed with which readers retrieve a subject controller for both grammatical and ungrammatical agreeing verbs in sentences where verbs are preceded by two NPs, one of which is a local non-subject NP that can act as a distractor for the successful resolution of subject-verb agreement. Our results suggest that the frequency of errors is modulated by the kind of plural formation strategy used on the attractor noun: nouns which form plurals by suffixation condition high rates of attraction, whereas nouns which form their plurals by internal vowel change (ablaut generate lower rates of errors and reading-time attraction effects of smaller magnitudes. Furthermore, we show some evidence that these agreement attraction effects are mostly contained in the right tail of reaction time distributions. We also present modeling data in the ACT-R framework which supports a view of these ablauting patterns wherein they are differentially specified for number and evaluate the consequences of possible representations for theories of grammar and parsing.

Pacing-induced chronic atrial fibrillation impairs sinus node function in dogs. Electrophysiological remodeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Elvan, A; Wylie, K; Zipes, D P

1996-12-01

We assessed the effects of pacing-induced chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) on sinus node function, intra-atrial conduction, and atrial refractoriness. In 15 mongrel dogs (20 to 30 kg), AV nodal block was produced by radiofrequency catheter ablation, and a ventricular-inhibited (VVI) pacemaker (Minix 8330, Medtronic) was implanted and programmed to pace at 80 pulses per minute. In 11 of these dogs, right atrial endocardial pacing leads were connected to a pulse generator (Itrel 7432, Medtronic) and set at a rate of 20 Hz to induce AF. Corrected sinus node recovery time, P-wave duration, 24-hour Holter ECG to assess AF duration, maximal heart rate in response to isoproterenol (10 micrograms/min), intrinsic heart rate after administration of atropine (0.04 mg/kg) and propranolol (0.1 mg/kg), and atrial effective refractory periods (ERPs) were obtained at baseline (EPS-1) and after 2 to 6 weeks (EPS-2) of VVI pacing alone (n = 4) or VVI pacing and rapid atrial pacing (n = 11). At EPS-2, corrected sinus node recovery time and P-wave duration were prolonged, maximal heart rate and intrinsic heart rate were decreased, atrial ERPs were shortened, and the duration of AF was increased significantly compared with EPS-1. These changes partially reversed toward baseline 1 week after conversion to sinus rhythm. Sinus node function and AF inducibility observed in the control dogs that underwent ventricular pacing alone (n = 4) did not change. Pacing-induced chronic AF induces sinus node dysfunction, prolongs intra-atrial conduction time, shortens atrial refractoriness, and perpetuates AF, changes that reverse gradually after termination of AF.

Software errors and complexity: An empirical investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Basili, Victor R.; Perricone, Berry T.

1983-01-01

The distributions and relationships derived from the change data collected during the development of a medium scale satellite software project show that meaningful results can be obtained which allow an insight into software traits and the environment in which it is developed. Modified and new modules were shown to behave similarly. An abstract classification scheme for errors which allows a better understanding of the overall traits of a software project is also shown. Finally, various size and complexity metrics are examined with respect to errors detected within the software yielding some interesting results.

Comparison of maintenance worker's human error events occurred at United States and domestic nuclear power plants. The proposal of the classification method with insufficient knowledge and experience and the classification result of its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takagawa, Kenichi

2008-01-01

Human errors by maintenance workers in U.S. nuclear power plants were compared with those in Japanese nuclear power plants for the same period in order to identify the characteristics of such errors. As for U.S. events, cases which occurred during 2006 were selected from the Nuclear Information Database of the Institute to Nuclear Safety System while Japanese cases that occurred during the same period, were extracted from the Nuclear Information Archives (NUCIA) owned by JANTI. The most common cause of human errors was insufficient knowledge or experience' accounting for about 40% for U.S. cases and 50% or more of cases in Japan. To break down 'insufficient knowledge', we classified the contents of knowledge into five categories; method', 'nature', 'reason', 'scope' and 'goal', and classified the level of knowledge into four categories: 'known', 'comprehended', 'applied' and analytic'. By using this classification, the patterns of combination of each item of the content and the level of knowledge were compared. In the U.S. cases, errors due to 'insufficient knowledge of nature and insufficient knowledge of method' were prevalent while three other items', 'reason', scope' and 'goal' which involve work conditions among the contents of knowledge rarely occurred. In Japan, errors arising from 'nature not being comprehended' were rather prevalent while other cases were distributed evenly for all categories including the work conditions. For addressing insufficient knowledge or experience', we consider that the following approaches are valid: according to the knowledge level which is required for the work, the reflection of knowledge on the procedure or education materials, training and confirmation of understanding level, virtual practice and instruction of experience should be implemented. As for the knowledge on the work conditions, it is necessary to enter the work conditions in the procedure and education materials while conducting training or education. (author)

Visual aided pacing in respiratory maneuvers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rambaudi, L R [Laboratorio de Biofisica y Fisiologia ' Antonio Sadi Frumento' (Argentina); Rossi, E [Catedra de Bioingenieria II (Argentina); Mantaras, M C [Catedra de Bioingenieria II (Argentina); Perrone, M S [Laboratorio de Biofisica y Fisiologia ' Antonio Sadi Frumento' (Argentina); Siri, L Nicola [Catedra de Bioingenieria II (Argentina)

2007-11-15

A visual aid to pace self-controlled respiratory cycles in humans is presented. Respiratory manoeuvres need to be accomplished in several clinic and research procedures, among others, the studies on Heart Rate Variability. Free running respiration turns to be difficult to correlate with other physiologic variables. Because of this fact, voluntary self-control is asked from the individuals under study. Currently, an acoustic metronome is used to pace respiratory frequency, its main limitation being the impossibility to induce predetermined timing in the stages within the respiratory cycle. In the present work, visual driven self-control was provided, with separate timing for the four stages of a normal respiratory cycle. This visual metronome (ViMet) was based on a microcontroller which power-ON and -OFF an eight-LED bar, in a four-stage respiratory cycle time series handset by the operator. The precise timing is also exhibited on an alphanumeric display.

Visual aided pacing in respiratory maneuvers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rambaudi, L R; Rossi, E; Mantaras, M C; Perrone, M S; Siri, L Nicola

2007-01-01

A visual aid to pace self-controlled respiratory cycles in humans is presented. Respiratory manoeuvres need to be accomplished in several clinic and research procedures, among others, the studies on Heart Rate Variability. Free running respiration turns to be difficult to correlate with other physiologic variables. Because of this fact, voluntary self-control is asked from the individuals under study. Currently, an acoustic metronome is used to pace respiratory frequency, its main limitation being the impossibility to induce predetermined timing in the stages within the respiratory cycle. In the present work, visual driven self-control was provided, with separate timing for the four stages of a normal respiratory cycle. This visual metronome (ViMet) was based on a microcontroller which power-ON and -OFF an eight-LED bar, in a four-stage respiratory cycle time series handset by the operator. The precise timing is also exhibited on an alphanumeric display

The Influence of a Pacesetter on Psychological Responses and Pacing Behavior during a 1600 m Run

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher L. Fullerton, Andrew M. Lane, Tracey J. Devonport

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study compared the effects of following a pacer versus following a self-paced plan on psychological responses and pacing behavior in well-trained distance runners. Pacing in the present study was individually tailored where each participant developed a personal strategy to ensure their goal time was achieved. We expected that following a pacer would associate with goal achievement, higher pre-run confidence, positive emotions and lower perceived exertion during performance. In a mixed-design repeated-measures study, nineteen well-trained runners completed two 1600m running time trials. Ten runners had a pacer (paced group who supported their individual pacing strategy, and nine participants self-paced running alone (control group. Both groups could check pace using their wrist watch. In contrast to our expectation, results indicated that the paced group reported higher pre-run anxiety with no significant differences in finish time, goal confidence, goal difficulty, perceived exertion, and self-rated performance between groups. We suggest that following a pacer is a skill that requires learning. Following a personalised pacer might associate with higher anxiety due to uncertainty in being able to keep up with the pacer and public visibility of dropping behind, something that is not so observable in a self-paced run completed alone. Future research should investigate mechanisms associated with effective pacing.

A Monetary Reward Alters Pacing but Not Performance in Competitive Cyclists.

Science.gov (United States)

Skorski, Sabrina; Thompson, Kevin G; Keegan, Richard J; Meyer, Tim; Abbiss, Chris R

2017-01-01

Money has frequently been used as an extrinsic motivator since it is assumed that humans are willing to invest more effort for financial reward. However, the influence of a monetary reward on pacing and performance in trained athletes is not well-understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the influence of a monetary reward in well-trained cyclists on their pacing and performance during short and long cycling time trials (TT). Twentythree cyclists (6 ♀, 17 ♂) completed 4 self-paced time trials (TTs, 2 short: 4 km and 6 min; 2 long: 20 km and 30 min); in a randomized order. Participants were separated into parallel, non-randomized "rewarded" and "non-rewarded" groups. Cyclists in the rewarded group received a monetary reward based on highest mean power output across all TTs. Cyclists in the non-rewarded group did not receive a monetary reward. Overall performance was not significantly different between groups in short or long TTs ( p > 0.48). Power output showed moderatly lower effect sizes at comencement of the short TTs ( P meandiff = 36.6 W; d > 0.44) and the 20 km TT ( P meandiff = 22.6 W; d = 0.44) in the rewarded group. No difference was observed in pacing during the 30 min TT ( p = 0.95). An external reward seems to have influenced pacing at the commencement of time trials. Participants in the non-rewarded group adopted a typical parabolic shaped pattern, whereas participants in the rewarded group started trials more conservatively. Results raise the possibility that using money as an extrinsic reward may interfere with regulatory processes required for effective pacing.

A Monetary Reward Alters Pacing but Not Performance in Competitive Cyclists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Skorski

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Money has frequently been used as an extrinsic motivator since it is assumed that humans are willing to invest more effort for financial reward. However, the influence of a monetary reward on pacing and performance in trained athletes is not well-understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the influence of a monetary reward in well-trained cyclists on their pacing and performance during short and long cycling time trials (TT. Twentythree cyclists (6 ♀, 17 ♂ completed 4 self-paced time trials (TTs, 2 short: 4 km and 6 min; 2 long: 20 km and 30 min; in a randomized order. Participants were separated into parallel, non-randomized “rewarded” and “non-rewarded” groups. Cyclists in the rewarded group received a monetary reward based on highest mean power output across all TTs. Cyclists in the non-rewarded group did not receive a monetary reward. Overall performance was not significantly different between groups in short or long TTs (p > 0.48. Power output showed moderatly lower effect sizes at comencement of the short TTs (Pmeandiff = 36.6 W; d > 0.44 and the 20 km TT (Pmeandiff = 22.6 W; d = 0.44 in the rewarded group. No difference was observed in pacing during the 30 min TT (p = 0.95. An external reward seems to have influenced pacing at the commencement of time trials. Participants in the non-rewarded group adopted a typical parabolic shaped pattern, whereas participants in the rewarded group started trials more conservatively. Results raise the possibility that using money as an extrinsic reward may interfere with regulatory processes required for effective pacing.

Proposal of a new classification scheme for periocular injuries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devi Prasad Mohapatra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Eyelids are important structures and play a role in protecting the globe from trauma, brightness, in maintaining the integrity of tear films and moving the tears towards the lacrimal drainage system and contribute to aesthetic appearance of the face. Ophthalmic trauma is an important cause of morbidity among individuals and has also been responsible for additional cost of healthcare. Periocular trauma involving eyelids and adjacent structures has been found to have increased recently probably due to increased pace of life and increased dependence on machinery. A comprehensive classification of periocular trauma would help in stratifying these injuries as well as study outcomes. Material and Methods: This study was carried out at our institute from June 2015 to Dec 2015. We searched multiple English language databases for existing classification systems for periocular trauma. We designed a system of classification of periocular soft tissue injuries based on clinico-anatomical presentations. This classification was applied prospectively to patients presenting with periocular soft tissue injuries to our department. Results: A comprehensive classification scheme was designed consisting of five types of periocular injuries. A total of 38 eyelid injuries in 34 patients were evaluated in this study. According to the System for Peri-Ocular Trauma (SPOT classification, Type V injuries were most common. SPOT Type II injuries were more common isolated injuries among all zones. Discussion: Classification systems are necessary in order to provide a framework in which to scientifically study the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of diseases in an orderly fashion. The SPOT classification has taken into account the periocular soft tissue injuries i.e., upper eyelid, lower eyelid, medial and lateral canthus injuries., based on observed clinico-anatomical patterns of eyelid injuries. Conclusion: The SPOT classification seems to be a reliable

Feature extraction and classification in automatic weld seam radioscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heindoerfer, F.; Pohle, R.

1994-01-01

The investigations conducted have shown that automatic feature extraction and classification procedures permit the identification of weld seam flaws. Within this context the favored learning fuzzy classificator represents a very good alternative to conventional classificators. The results have also made clear that improvements mainly in the field of image registration are still possible by increasing the resolution of the radioscopy system. Since, only if the flaw is segmented correctly, i.e. in its full size, and due to improved detail recognizability and sufficient contrast difference will an almost error-free classification be conceivable. (orig./MM) [de

Classification of quantitative light-induced fluorescence images using convolutional neural network

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Imangaliyev, S.; van der Veen, M.H.; Volgenant, C.M.C.; Loos, B.G.; Keijser, B.J.F.; Crielaard, W.; Levin, E.; Lintas, A.; Rovetta, S.; Verschure, P.F.M.J.; Villa, A.E.P.

2017-01-01

Images are an important data source for diagnosis of oral diseases. The manual classification of images may lead to suboptimal treatment procedures due to subjective errors. In this paper an image classification algorithm based on Deep Learning framework is applied to Quantitative Light-induced

Quantum learning: asymptotically optimal classification of qubit states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guta, Madalin; Kotlowski, Wojciech

2010-01-01

Pattern recognition is a central topic in learning theory, with numerous applications such as voice and text recognition, image analysis and computer diagnosis. The statistical setup in classification is the following: we are given an i.i.d. training set (X 1 , Y 1 ), ... , (X n , Y n ), where X i represents a feature and Y i in{0, 1} is a label attached to that feature. The underlying joint distribution of (X, Y) is unknown, but we can learn about it from the training set, and we aim at devising low error classifiers f: X→Y used to predict the label of new incoming features. In this paper, we solve a quantum analogue of this problem, namely the classification of two arbitrary unknown mixed qubit states. Given a number of 'training' copies from each of the states, we would like to 'learn' about them by performing a measurement on the training set. The outcome is then used to design measurements for the classification of future systems with unknown labels. We found the asymptotically optimal classification strategy and show that typically it performs strictly better than a plug-in strategy, which consists of estimating the states separately and then discriminating between them using the Helstrom measurement. The figure of merit is given by the excess risk equal to the difference between the probability of error and the probability of error of the optimal measurement for known states. We show that the excess risk scales as n -1 and compute the exact constant of the rate.

Effect of age and performance on pacing of marathon runners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolaidis PT

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Pantelis Theodoros Nikolaidis,1 Beat Knechtle2,3 1Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Attiki, Greece; 2Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, 3Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Abstract: Pacing strategies in marathon runners have previously been examined, especially with regard to age and performance level separately. However, less information about the age × performance interaction on pacing in age-group runners exists. The aim of the present study was to examine whether runners with similar race time and at different age differ for pacing. Data (women, n=117,595; men, n=180,487 from the “New York City Marathon” between 2006 and 2016 were analyzed. A between–within subjects analysis of variance showed a large main effect of split on race speed (p<0.001, η2=0.538 with the fastest speed in the 5–10 km split and the slowest in the 35–40 km. A small sex × split interaction on race speed was found (p<0.001, η2=0.035 with men showing larger increase in speed at 5 km and women at 25 km and 40 km (end spurt. An age-group × performance group interaction on Δspeed was shown for both sexes at 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 20 km, 25 km, 30 km, 35 km, and 40 km (p<0.001, 0.001≤η2≤0.004, where athletes in older age-groups presented a relatively more even pace compared with athletes in younger age-groups, a trend that was more remarkable in the relatively slow performance groups. So far, the present study is the first one to observe an age × performance interaction on pacing; ie, older runners pace differently (smaller changes than younger runners with similar race time. These findings are of great practical interest for coaches working with marathon runners of different age, but similar race time. Keywords: running, master athlete, endurance, aerobic capacity, fatigue, gender, race time

The Platform-Aware Compilation Environment (PACE)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-01

The PACE Project provided full or partial support for the following graduate students: 1. Raj Barik (Rice) 2. Thomas Barr (Rice) 3...University, Houston, TX, Technical Report CS TR11-03, October 20, 2011. [7] Rajkishore Barik , Jisheng Zhao, and Vivek Sarkar, "Efficient Selection

Classification of Mistakes in Patient Care in a Nigerian Hospital ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study shows that there are wide variations within and between professional health groups in the classification of errors in patient care. The implications of the absence of a classificatory scheme for errors in patient care for service improvement and organisational learning in the hospital environment are discussed.

PACE: Probabilistic Assessment for Contributor Estimation- A machine learning-based assessment of the number of contributors in DNA mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Marciano, Michael A; Adelman, Jonathan D

2017-03-01

The deconvolution of DNA mixtures remains one of the most critical challenges in the field of forensic DNA analysis. In addition, of all the data features required to perform such deconvolution, the number of contributors in the sample is widely considered the most important, and, if incorrectly chosen, the most likely to negatively influence the mixture interpretation of a DNA profile. Unfortunately, most current approaches to mixture deconvolution require the assumption that the number of contributors is known by the analyst, an assumption that can prove to be especially faulty when faced with increasingly complex mixtures of 3 or more contributors. In this study, we propose a probabilistic approach for estimating the number of contributors in a DNA mixture that leverages the strengths of machine learning. To assess this approach, we compare classification performances of six machine learning algorithms and evaluate the model from the top-performing algorithm against the current state of the art in the field of contributor number classification. Overall results show over 98% accuracy in identifying the number of contributors in a DNA mixture of up to 4 contributors. Comparative results showed 3-person mixtures had a classification accuracy improvement of over 6% compared to the current best-in-field methodology, and that 4-person mixtures had a classification accuracy improvement of over 20%. The Probabilistic Assessment for Contributor Estimation (PACE) also accomplishes classification of mixtures of up to 4 contributors in less than 1s using a standard laptop or desktop computer. Considering the high classification accuracy rates, as well as the significant time commitment required by the current state of the art model versus seconds required by a machine learning-derived model, the approach described herein provides a promising means of estimating the number of contributors and, subsequently, will lead to improved DNA mixture interpretation. Copyright © 2016

Unilateral Laryngeal Pacing System and Its Functional Evaluation

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Taiping Zeng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Goal. To establish a reliable instrumental system for synchronized reactivation of a unilaterally paralyzed vocal fold and evaluate its functional feasibility. Methods. Unilateral vocal fold paralysis model was induced by destruction of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN in anesthetized dogs. With a micro controller-based electronic system, electromyography (EMG signals from cricothyroid (CT muscle on the ipsilateral side were recorded and used to trigger pacing of paralyzed vocalis muscles. The dynamic movement of vocal folds was continuously monitored using an endoscope, and the opening and closing of the glottis were quantified with customized imaging processing software. Results. The recorded video images showed that left side vocal fold was obviously paralyzed after destructing the RLN. Using the pacing system with feedback triggering EMG signals from the ipsilateral CT muscle, the paralyzed vocal fold was successfully reactivated, and its movement was shown to be synchronized with the healthy side. Significance. The developed unilateral laryngeal pacing system triggered by EMG from the ipsilateral side CT muscle could be successfully used in unilateral vocal fold paralysis with the advantage of avoiding disturbance to the healthy side muscles.

The pace and shape of ageing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baudisch, Annette

2011-01-01

exhibits negligible ageing - contrary to the commonly held view that long-lived species are good candidates for negligible ageing. 5.Analysis of species in pace-shape space provides a tool to identify key determinants of the evolution of ageing for species across the tree of life....

Permanent pacing in infants and children: A single center experience in implantation and follow up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rania Samir

2011-09-01

Conclusion: Permanent pacing in pediatric age group is relatively safe. However, there is substantial higher incidence of suboptimal pacing parameters and pacing system failures especially in younger and smaller children. Epicardial steroid eluting leads are comparable to endocardial steroid eluting leads in performance.

Bread crumb classification using fractal and multifractal features

OpenAIRE

Baravalle, Rodrigo Guillermo; Delrieux, Claudio Augusto; Gómez, Juan Carlos

2017-01-01

Adequate image descriptors are fundamental in image classification and object recognition. Main requirements for image features are robustness and low dimensionality which would lead to low classification errors in a variety of situations and with a reasonable computational cost. In this context, the identification of materials poses a significant challenge, since typical (geometric and/or differential) feature extraction methods are not robust enough. Texture features based on Fourier or wav...

TENDENCY OF PLAYERS IS TRIAL AND ERROR: CASE STUDY OF COGNITIVE CLASSIFICATION IN THE COGNITIVE SKILL GAMES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moh. Aries Syufagi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available To assess the cognitive level of player ability is difficult; many instruments are potentially biased, unreliable, and invalid test. Whereas, in serious game is important to know the cognitive level. If the cognitive level can be measured well, the mastery learning can be achieved. Mastery learning is the core of the learning process in serious game. To classify the cognitive level of players, researchers propose a Cognitive Skill Game (CSG. CSG improves this cognitive concept to monitor how players interact with the game. This game employs Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ for optimizing the cognitive skill input classification of the player. Training data in LVQ use data observation from the teacher. Populations of cognitive skill classification in this research are pupils when playing the game. Mostly players cognitive skill game have cognitive skill category are Trial and Error. Some of them have Expert category, and a few included in the group carefully. Thus, the general level of skill of the player is still low. Untuk menilai tingkat kognitif dari kemampuan pemain sangatlah sulit; banyak instrumen yang berpotensi bias, tidak dapat diandalkan, dan merupakan tes yang tidak valid. Padahal, dalam serious game penting untuk mengetahui tingkat kognitif. Jika tingkat kognitif dapat diukur dengan baik, penguasaan pembelajaran dapat dicapai. Penguasaan belajar adalah inti dari proses belajar dalam serious game. Untuk mengklasifikasikan tingkat kognitif pemain, kami mengusulkan Cognitive Skill Game (CSG. CSG meningkatkan konsep kognitif untuk memantau bagaimana pemain berinteraksi dengan permainan. Permainan ini menggunakan Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ untuk mengoptimalkan input klasifikasi keterampilan kognitif pemain. Data trining dalam observasi LVQ menggunakan data dari guru. Populasi klasifikasi keterampilan kognitif dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa saat memainkan permainan. Sebagian besar pemain CSG berkategori keterampilan kognitif

The effect of right ventricular pacing on myocardial oxidative metabolism and efficiency: relation with left ventricular dyssynchrony

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ukkonen, Heikki; Saraste, Antti; Koistinen, Juhani [Turku University Hospital, Department of Medicine, P.O. Box 52, Turku (Finland); Tops, Laurens; Bax, Jeroen [Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Naum, Alexander [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Knuuti, Juhani [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Turku University Hospital, Turku PET Centre, P.O. Box 52, Turku (Finland)

2009-12-15

Right ventricular (RV) apical pacing induces dyssynchrony by a left bundle branch block type electrical activation sequence in the heart and may impair left ventricular (LV) function. Whether these functional changes are accompanied by changes in myocardial perfusion, oxidative metabolism and efficiency, and the relation with the induction of LV dyssynchrony are unknown. Our study was designed to investigate the acute effects of RV pacing on these parameters. Ten patients with normal LV ejection fraction and VVI/DDD pacemaker were studied during AAI pacing/sinus rhythm without RV pacing (pacing-OFF) and with RV pacing (pacing-ON) at the same heart rate. Dynamic [{sup 15}O]water and [{sup 11}C]acetate positron emission tomography was used to measure perfusion and oxidative metabolism (k{sub mono}) of the LV. An echocardiographic examination was used to assess LV stroke volume (SV) and LV dyssynchrony. Myocardial efficiency of forward work was calculated as systolic blood pressure x cardiac output/LV mass/k{sub mono}. RV pacing decreased SV in all subjects (mean decrease 13%, from 76 {+-} 7 to 66 {+-} 7 ml, p = 0.004), but global perfusion and k{sub mono} were unchanged. The efficiency tended to be lower with pacing-ON (70 {+-} 20 vs 81 {+-} 21 mmHg l/g, p = 0.066). In patients with dyssynchrony during pacing (n = 6) efficiency decreased by 23% (from 78 {+-} 25 to 60 {+-} 14 mmHg l/g, p = 0.02), but in patients without dyssynchrony no change in efficiency was detected. Accordingly, heterogeneity in myocardial perfusion and oxidative metabolism was detected during pacing in patients with dyssynchrony but not in those without dyssynchrony. RV pacing resulted in a significant decrease in SV. However, deleterious effects on LV oxidative metabolism and efficiency were observed only in patients with dyssynchrony during RV pacing. (orig.)

Pareto-optimal multi-objective dimensionality reduction deep auto-encoder for mammography classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Taghanaki, Saeid Asgari; Kawahara, Jeremy; Miles, Brandon; Hamarneh, Ghassan

2017-07-01

Feature reduction is an essential stage in computer aided breast cancer diagnosis systems. Multilayer neural networks can be trained to extract relevant features by encoding high-dimensional data into low-dimensional codes. Optimizing traditional auto-encoders works well only if the initial weights are close to a proper solution. They are also trained to only reduce the mean squared reconstruction error (MRE) between the encoder inputs and the decoder outputs, but do not address the classification error. The goal of the current work is to test the hypothesis that extending traditional auto-encoders (which only minimize reconstruction error) to multi-objective optimization for finding Pareto-optimal solutions provides more discriminative features that will improve classification performance when compared to single-objective and other multi-objective approaches (i.e. scalarized and sequential). In this paper, we introduce a novel multi-objective optimization of deep auto-encoder networks, in which the auto-encoder optimizes two objectives: MRE and mean classification error (MCE) for Pareto-optimal solutions, rather than just MRE. These two objectives are optimized simultaneously by a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm. We tested our method on 949 X-ray mammograms categorized into 12 classes. The results show that the features identified by the proposed algorithm allow a classification accuracy of up to 98.45%, demonstrating favourable accuracy over the results of state-of-the-art methods reported in the literature. We conclude that adding the classification objective to the traditional auto-encoder objective and optimizing for finding Pareto-optimal solutions, using evolutionary multi-objective optimization, results in producing more discriminative features. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selection of permanent pacing position of cardiac ventricle in patients with complete right bundle branch block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Minquan; Zhou Jun; Zhu Yan; Wang Jin; Rong Xin; Zhang Xiaoyi

2005-01-01

Objective: To find out the optimal pacing localization by comparing different pacing positions of the right ventricle in brady-cardiacarrhythmia patients with complete right bundle branch block. Methods: DDD type of double lumen permanent pacemaker was implanted in each of the 8 cases of sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and/or III degree atrioventricular block (III degree AVB) with complete right bundle branch block in normal heart function or class I. For each patient, four pacing positions in right ventricle were compared and the QRS pacing durations were recorded. The position with the shortest the QRS duration was chosen as the permanent pacing position. Heart function, chest X-rays and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) were followed up after the operation. Results: In all the 8 cases, the posterior septum of the right ventricle were chosen as the permanent pacing position, with the shorter pacing QRS duration than that of pre-operation (P<0.05) and other pacing positions of the right ventricle. All parameters of this permanent pacing position were within the normal range. During the follow-up of 6-36 months, no abnormity was found in cardiac functions. Conclusion: In brady-cardiacarrhythmia patients with complete right bundle branch block, the implantation of permanent pacemaker should be at the junction region of inlet and outlet tracts, of the posterior septum of the right ventricle with ideal physiological function. (authors)

Comparison of objective methods to classify the pattern of respiratory sinus arrhythmia during mechanical ventilation and paced spontaneous breathing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, N C; Beda, A; Granja-Filho, P; Jandre, F C; Giannella-Neto, A; De Abreu, M G; Spieth, P M

2009-01-01

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a fluctuation of heart period that occurs during a respiratory cycle. It has been suggested that inspiratory heart period acceleration and expiratory deceleration during spontaneous ventilation (henceforth named positive RSA) improve the efficiency of gas exchange compared to the absence or the inversion of such a pattern (negative RSA). During mechanical ventilation (MV), for which maximizing the efficiency of gas exchange is of critical importance, the pattern of RSA is still the object of debate. In order to gain a better insight into this matter, we compared five different methods of RSA classification using the data of five mechanically ventilated piglets. The comparison was repeated using the data of 15 volunteers undergoing a protocol of paced spontaneous breathing, which is expected to result in a positive RSA pattern. The results showed that the agreement between the employed methods is limited, suggesting that the lack of a consensus about the RSA pattern during MV is, at least in part, of methodological origin. However, independently of the method used, the pattern of RSA within the respiratory cycle was not consistent among the subjects and conditions of MV considered. Also, the outcomes showed that even during paced spontaneous breathing a negative RSA pattern might be present, when a low respiratory frequency is imposed

Reliability of a treatment-based classification system for subgrouping people with low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Sharon M; Fritz, Julie M; Trombley, Andrea R; Bunn, Janice Y

2012-09-01

Observational, cross-sectional reliability study. To examine the interrater reliability of novice raters in their use of the treatment-based classification (TBC) system for low back pain and to explore the patterns of disagreement in classification errors. Although the interrater reliability of individual test items in the TBC system is moderate to good, some error persists in classification decision making. Understanding which classification errors are common could direct further refinement of the TBC system. Using previously recorded patient data (n = 24), 12 novice raters classified patients according to the TBC schema. These classification results were combined with those of 7 other raters, allowing examination of the overall agreement using the kappa statistic, as well as agreement/disagreement among pairwise comparisons in classification assignments. A chi-square test examined differences in percent agreement between the novice and more experienced raters and differences in classification distributions between these 2 groups of raters. Among 12 novice raters, there was 80.9% agreement in the pairs of classification (κ = 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.59, 0.65) and an overall 75.5% agreement (κ = 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.55, 0.69) for the combined data set. Raters were least likely to agree on a classification of stabilization (77.5% agreement). The overall percentage of pairwise classification judgments that disagreed was 24.5%, with the most common disagreement being between manipulation and stabilization (11.0%), followed by a mismatch between stabilization and specific exercise (8.2%). Additional refinement is needed to reduce rater disagreement that persists in the TBC decision-making algorithm, particularly in the stabilization category. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2012;42(9):797-805, Epub 7 June 2012. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.4078.

Sawtooth Pacing by Real-Time Auxiliary Power Control in a Tokamak Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodman, T. P.; Felici, F.; Sauter, O.; Graves, J. P.

2011-01-01

In the standard scenario of tokamak plasma operation, sawtooth crashes are the main perturbations that can trigger performance-degrading, and potentially disruption-generating, neoclassical tearing modes. This Letter demonstrates sawtooth pacing by real-time control of the auxiliary power. It is shown that the sawtooth crash takes place in a reproducible manner shortly after the removal of that power, and this can be used to precisely prescribe, i.e., pace, the individual sawteeth. In combination with preemptive stabilization of the neoclassical tearing modes, sawtooth pacing provides a new sawtooth control paradigm for improved performance in burning plasmas.

Hot complaint intelligent classification based on text mining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XIA Haifeng

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The complaint recognizer system plays an important role in making sure the correct classification of the hot complaint,improving the service quantity of telecommunications industry.The customers’ complaint in telecommunications industry has its special particularity which should be done in limited time,which cause the error in classification of hot complaint.The paper presents a model of complaint hot intelligent classification based on text mining,which can classify the hot complaint in the correct level of the complaint navigation.The examples show that the model can be efficient to classify the text of the complaint.

Optimal pacing strategy: from theoretical modelling to reality in 1500-m speed skating.

Science.gov (United States)

Hettinga, F J; De Koning, J J; Schmidt, L J I; Wind, N A C; Macintosh, B R; Foster, C

2011-01-01

Athletes are trained to choose the pace which is perceived to be correct during a specific effort, such as the 1500-m speed skating competition. The purpose of the present study was to "override" self-paced (SP) performance by instructing athletes to execute a theoretically optimal pacing profile. Seven national-level speed-skaters performed a SP 1500-m which was analysed by obtaining velocity (every 100 m) and body position (every 200 m) with video to calculate total mechanical power output. Together with gross efficiency and aerobic kinetics, obtained in separate trials, data were used to calculate aerobic and anaerobic power output profiles. An energy flow model was applied to SP, simulating a range of pacing strategies, and a theoretically optimal pacing profile was imposed in a second race (IM). Final time for IM was ∼2 s slower than SP. Total power distribution per lap differed, with a higher power over the first 300 m for IM (637.0 (49.4) vs 612.5 (50.0) W). Anaerobic parameters did not differ. The faster first lap resulted in a higher aerodynamic drag coefficient and perhaps a less effective push-off. Experienced athletes have a well-developed performance template, and changing pacing strategy towards a theoretically optimal fast start protocol had negative consequences on speed-skating technique and did not result in better performance.

A Pilot Study on the Effects of Slow Paced Breathing on Current Food Craving.

Science.gov (United States)

Meule, Adrian; Kübler, Andrea

2017-03-01

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) involves slow paced breathing (approximately six breaths per minute), thereby maximizing low-frequent heart rate oscillations and baroreflex gain. Mounting evidence suggests that HRV-BF promotes symptom reductions in a variety of physical and mental disorders. It may also positively affect eating behavior by reducing food cravings. The aim of the current study was to investigate if slow paced breathing can be useful for attenuating momentary food craving. Female students performed paced breathing either at six breaths per minute (n = 32) or at nine breaths per minute (n = 33) while watching their favorite food on the computer screen. Current food craving decreased during a first resting period, increased during paced breathing, and decreased during a second resting period in both conditions. Although current hunger increased in both conditions during paced breathing as well, it remained elevated after the second resting period in the nine breaths condition only. Thus, breathing rate did not influence specific food craving, but slow paced breathing appeared to have a delayed influence on state hunger. Future avenues are suggested for the study of HRV-BF in the context of eating behavior.

Self-Paced Physics, Segments 24-27.

Science.gov (United States)

New York Inst. of Tech., Old Westbury.

Four study segments of the Self-Paced Physics Course materials are presented in this fifth problems and solutions book used as a part of student course work. The subject matter is related to work in electric fields, potential differences, parallel plates, electric potential energies, potential gradients, capacitances, and capacitor circuits.…

Self-Paced Physics, Segments 28-31.

Science.gov (United States)

New York Inst. of Tech., Old Westbury.

Four study segments of the Self-Paced Physics Course materials are presented in this sixth problems and solutions book used as a part of student course work. The subject matter is related to electric currents, current densities, resistances, Ohm's law, voltages, Joule heating, electromotive forces, single loop circuits, series and parallel…

Self-Paced Physics, Segments 37-40.

Science.gov (United States)

New York Inst. of Tech., Old Westbury.

Four study segments of the Self-Paced Physics Course materials are presented in this eighth problems and solutions book used as a part of course assignments. The content is related to magnetic induction, Faraday's law, induced currents, Lenz's law, induced electromotive forces, time-varying magnetic fields, self-inductance, inductors,…

Improvement of Left Ventricular Function by Permanent Direct His-Bundle Pacing in a Case with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yukiko Sashida, MD

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The patient was a 67-year-old female diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. She had chronic atrial fibrillation (AF with bradycardia and low left ventricular function (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF 40%. She was admitted for congestive heart failure. She remained New York Heart Association (NYHA functional class III due to AF bradycardia. Pacemaker implantation was necessary for treatment of heart failure and administration of dose intensive β-blockers. As she had normal His-Purkinje activation, we examined the optimal pacing sites. Hemodynamics of His-bundle pacing and biventricular pacing were compared. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP was significantly lower on Hisbundle pacing than right ventricular (RV apical pacing and biventricular pacing (13mmHg, 19mmHg, and 19mmHg, respectively with an almost equal cardiac index. Based on the examination we implanted a permanent pacemaker for Direct His-bundle pacing (DHBP. After the DHBP implantation, the LVEF immediately improved from 40% to 55%, and BNP level decreased from 422 pg/ml to 42 pg/ml. The number of premature ventricular complex (PVC was decreased, and non sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT disappeared. Pacing threshold for His-bundle pacing has remained at the same level. His-bundle pacing has been maintained during 27 months and her long-term DHBP can improve cardiac function and the NYHA functional class.

Nursing Errors in Intensive Care Unit by Human Error Identification in Systems Tool: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nezamodini

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background Although health services are designed and implemented to improve human health, the errors in health services are a very common phenomenon and even sometimes fatal in this field. Medical errors and their cost are global issues with serious consequences for the patients’ community that are preventable and require serious attention. Objectives The current study aimed to identify possible nursing errors applying human error identification in systems tool (HEIST in the intensive care units (ICUs of hospitals. Patients and Methods This descriptive research was conducted in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Khuzestan province in 2013. Data were collected through observation and interview by nine nurses in this section in a period of four months. Human error classification was based on Rose and Rose and Swain and Guttmann models. According to HEIST work sheets the guide questions were answered and error causes were identified after the determination of the type of errors. Results In total 527 errors were detected. The performing operation on the wrong path had the highest frequency which was 150, and the second rate with a frequency of 136 was doing the tasks later than the deadline. Management causes with a frequency of 451 were the first rank among identified errors. Errors mostly occurred in the system observation stage and among the performance shaping factors (PSFs, time was the most influencing factor in occurrence of human errors. Conclusions Finally, in order to prevent the occurrence and reduce the consequences of identified errors the following suggestions were proposed : appropriate training courses, applying work guidelines and monitoring their implementation, increasing the number of work shifts, hiring professional workforce, equipping work space with appropriate facilities and equipment.

Lessons in Commercial PACE Leadership: The Path from Legislation to Launch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leventis, G; Schwartz, LC; Kramer, C; Deason, J

2018-02-27

Nonresidential buildings are responsible for over a quarter of primary energy consumption in the United States. Efficiency improvements in these buildings could result in significant energy and utility bill savings. To unlock those potential savings, a number of market barriers to energy efficiency must be addressed. Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing programs can help overcome several of these barriers with minimal investment from state and local governments. With programs established or under development in 22 states, and at least $521 million in investments so far, other state and local governments are interested in bringing the benefits of C-PACE to their jurisdictions. Lessons in Commercial PACE Leadership: The Path from Legislation to Launch, aims to fast track the set-up of C-PACE programs for state and local governments by capturing the lessons learned from leaders. The report examines the list of potential program design options and important decision points in setting up a C-PACE program, tradeoffs for available options, and experiences of stakeholders that have gone through (or are going through) the process. C-PACE uses a voluntary special property assessment to facilitate energy and other improvements in commercial buildings. For example: - Long financing terms under C-PACE can produce cash flow-positive -- projects to help overcome a focus on short paybacks. - Payment obligations can transfer to subsequent owners, mitigating concern about investing in improvements for a building that may be sold before the return on the investment is fully realized. - 100% of both hard and soft costs can be financed. To capture the benefits of C-PACE financing, state and local governments must navigate numerous decision points and engage with stakeholders to set-up or join a program. Researchers interviewed experts (including state and local sponsors, program administrators, capital providers and industry experts) on their lessons learned and

Ventricular Pacing via the Coronary Sinus in a Patient with a Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Prosthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Swampillai, MD

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Implantation of a transvenous endocardial pacing lead in the right ventricle is contra-indicated after mechanical tricuspid valve replacement; therefore a surgical approach to the epicardium is usually required. This case report describes ventricular pacing via a branch of the coronary sinus in a patient with mechanical mitral, aortic and tricuspid valve replacements. In conclusion, this approach is minimally invasive, provides effective ventricular stimulation with low pacing threshold and stable lead position, and is a feasible option when transvenous right ventricular pacing is not possible.

Neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb induced by paced mating in the female rat is opioid dependent.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianela Santoyo-Zedillo

Full Text Available The possibility to control the rate of sexual stimulation that the female rat receives during a mating encounter (pacing increases the number of newborn neurons that reach the granular layer of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB. If females mate repeatedly, the increase in the number of neurons is observed in other regions of the AOB and in the main olfactory bulb (MOB. It has also been shown that paced mating induces a reward state mediated by opioids. There is also evidence that opioids modulate neurogenesis. In the present study, we evaluated whether the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (NX could reduce the increase in neurogenesis in the AOB induced by paced mating. Ovariectomized female rats were randomly divided in 5 different groups: 1 Control (not mated treated with saline, 2 control (not mated treated with naloxone, 3 females that mated without controlling the sexual interaction (no-pacing, 4 females injected with saline before pacing the sexual interaction and 5 females injected with NX before a paced mating session. We found, as previously described, that paced mating induced a higher number of new cells in the granular layer of the AOB. The administration of NX before paced mating, blocked the increase in the number of newborn cells and prevented these cells from differentiating into neurons. These data suggest that opioid peptides play a fundamental role in the neurogenesis induced by paced mating in female rats.

On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

OpenAIRE

David Shapiro; Andrew Hinde

2017-01-01

Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa.Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world.Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they ...

Pacing, Pixels, and Paper: Flexibility in Learning Words from Flashcards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kara Sage

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The present study focused on how self-control over pace might help learners successfully extract information from digital learning aids. Past research has indicated that too much control over pace can be overwhelming, but too little control over pace can be ineffective. Within the popular self-testing domain of flashcards, we sought to elucidate the optimal level of user control for digital learning and compare learning outcomes between paper and digital flashcards. College students learned vocabulary from paper flashcards or one of several digital flashcard versions and were scored on their memory recall and asked about their perceptions of the learning process. With digital flashcards, students were randomly assigned to an automatic slideshow of cards with no user control, automatic slideshow with pre-set pauses, automatic slideshow where users could press the spacebar to pause at any time, or a self-paced slideshow with complete user control. Users reported feeling more in control when indeed having some control, but ultimately memory recall, cognitive load, and satisfaction were similar across the five versions. However, memory recall was positively related to user satisfaction with their specific flashcard set, and negatively related to users’ perceived mental effort and difficulty. Notably, whether paper or digital, students showed individual variability in how they advanced through the words. This research adds to the educational literature by suggesting that paper and digital flashcards are equally viable options for students. Given differences between individual users and the connection between satisfaction and recall, individualistic options that offer, but do not force, some control over pace seem ideal. Paper flashcards may already include such options, and e-flashcards should offer similar adaptive features to appeal to a wide variety of users.

Pacing and awareness: brain regulation of physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, A M; Polman, R C J

2013-11-01

The aim of this current opinion article is to provide a contemporary perspective on the role of brain regulatory control of paced performances in response to exercise challenges. There has been considerable recent conjecture as to the role of the brain during exercise, and it is now broadly accepted that fatigue does not occur without brain involvement and that all voluntary activity is likely to be paced at some level by the brain according to individualised priorities and knowledge of personal capabilities. This article examines the role of pacing in managing and distributing effort to successfully accomplish physical tasks, while extending existing theories on the role of the brain as a central controller of performance. The opinion proposed in this article is that a central regulator operates to control exercise performance but achieves this without the requirement of an intelligent central governor located in the subconscious brain. It seems likely that brain regulation operates at different levels of awareness, such that minor homeostatic challenges are addressed automatically without conscious awareness, while larger metabolic disturbances attract conscious awareness and evoke a behavioural response. This supports the view that the brain regulates exercise performance but that the interpretation of the mechanisms underlying this effect have not yet been fully elucidated.

Fusing metabolomics data sets with heterogeneous measurement errors

Science.gov (United States)

Waaijenborg, Sandra; Korobko, Oksana; Willems van Dijk, Ko; Lips, Mirjam; Hankemeier, Thomas; Wilderjans, Tom F.; Smilde, Age K.

2018-01-01

Combining different metabolomics platforms can contribute significantly to the discovery of complementary processes expressed under different conditions. However, analysing the fused data might be hampered by the difference in their quality. In metabolomics data, one often observes that measurement errors increase with increasing measurement level and that different platforms have different measurement error variance. In this paper we compare three different approaches to correct for the measurement error heterogeneity, by transformation of the raw data, by weighted filtering before modelling and by a modelling approach using a weighted sum of residuals. For an illustration of these different approaches we analyse data from healthy obese and diabetic obese individuals, obtained from two metabolomics platforms. Concluding, the filtering and modelling approaches that both estimate a model of the measurement error did not outperform the data transformation approaches for this application. This is probably due to the limited difference in measurement error and the fact that estimation of measurement error models is unstable due to the small number of repeats available. A transformation of the data improves the classification of the two groups. PMID:29698490

On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Shapiro

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa. Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world. Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they are into their fertility transition. Results: The data shows clearly that fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, still at a comparatively early stage, has been considerably slower than the earlier declines in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa at comparable stages of the transition, and displays less within-region heterogeneity than the transitions in these other regions. Conclusions: The slower pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, in conjunction with the high current fertility levels in the region, means that in the absence of policies seeking to accelerate fertility decline, sub-Saharan Africa will continue to experience rapid population growth that in turn will constrain its development. Contribution: Presentation of data in a novel way (Figures 2‒4, and associated calculations unambiguously demonstrates the slow pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa compared with other regions of the world.

International piping benchmarks: Use of simplified code PACE 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyle, J; Spence, J [University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom); Blundell, C [Risley Nuclear Power Development Establishment, Central Technical Services, Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom)

1979-06-01

This report compares the results obtained using the code PACE 2 with the International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) International Piping Benchmark solutions. PACE 2 is designed to analyse systems of pipework using a simplified method which is economical of computer time and hence inexpensive. This low cost is not achieved without some loss of accuracy in the solution, but for most parts of a system this inaccuracy is acceptable and those sections of particular importance may be reanalysed using more precise methods in order to produce a satisfactory analysis of the complete system at reasonable cost. (author)

International piping benchmarks: Use of simplified code PACE 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyle, J.; Spence, J.; Blundell, C.

1979-01-01

This report compares the results obtained using the code PACE 2 with the International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) International Piping Benchmark solutions. PACE 2 is designed to analyse systems of pipework using a simplified method which is economical of computer time and hence inexpensive. This low cost is not achieved without some loss of accuracy in the solution, but for most parts of a system this inaccuracy is acceptable and those sections of particular importance may be reanalysed using more precise methods in order to produce a satisfactory analysis of the complete system at reasonable cost. (author)

Potenzielle Einflussfaktoren auf Pacing im ausdauersportlichen Wettkampf

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thiel, C.; de Koning, J.J.; Foster, C.

2015-01-01

In competitive endurance sport, athletes permanently regulate their performance to achieve the best result without threatening organismic integrity. This conscious and subconscious allocation of energy reserves in relation to an endpoint is termed pacing and depends on sport-specific experience as

Postmortem analysis of encapsulation around long-term ventricular endocardial pacing leads.

Science.gov (United States)

Candinas, R; Duru, F; Schneider, J; Lüscher, T F; Stokes, K

1999-02-01

To analyze the site and thickness of encapsulation around ventricular endocardial pacing leads and the extent of tricuspid valve adhesion, from today's perspective, with implications for lead removal and sensor location. Gross cardiac postmortem analysis was performed in 11 cases (8 female and 3 male patients; mean age, 78+/-7 years). None of the patients had died because of pacemaker malfunction. The mean implant time was 61+/-60 months (range, 4 to 184). The observations ranged from encapsulation only at the tip of the pacing lead to complete encapsulation along the entire length of the pacing lead within the right ventricle. Substantial areas of adhesion at the tricuspid valve apparatus were noted in 7 of the 11 cases (64%). The firmly attached leads could be removed only by dissection, and in some cases, removal was possible only by damaging the associated structures. No specific optimal site for sensor placement could be identified along the ventricular portion of the pacing leads; however, the fibrotic response was relatively less prominent in the atrial chamber. Extensive encapsulation is present in most long-term pacemaker leads, which may complicate lead removal. The site and thickness of encapsulation seem to be highly variable. Tricuspid valve adhesion, which is usually underestimated, may be severe. In contrast to earlier reports, our study demonstrates that the extent of fibrotic encapsulation may not be related to the duration since lead implantation. Moreover, we noted no ideal encapsulation-free site for sensors on the ventricular portion of long-term pacing leads.

Self-Paced Physics, Segments 19-23.

Science.gov (United States)

New York Inst. of Tech., Old Westbury.

Five study segments of the Self-Paced Physics Course materials are presented in this fourth problems and solutions book used as a part of student course work. The subject matter is related to electric charges, insulators, Coulomb's law, electric fields, lines of force, solid angles, conductors, motion of charged particles, dipoles, electric flux,…

Spectral classification of emission-line galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veilleux, S.; Osterbrock, D.E.

1987-01-01

A revised method of classification of narrow-line active galaxies and H II region-like galaxies is proposed. It involves the line ratios which take full advantage of the physical distinction between the two types of objects and minimize the effects of reddening correction and errors in the flux calibration. Large sets of internally consistent data are used, including new, previously unpublished measurements. Predictions of recent photoionization models by power-law spectra and by hot stars are compared with the observations. The classification is based on the observational data interpreted on the basis of these models. 63 references

Using Errors to Improve the Quality of Instructional Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Lorin W.; And Others

Clinchy and Rosenthal's error classification scheme was applied to test results to determine its ability to differentiate the effectiveness of instruction in two elementary schools. Mathematics retention tests matching the instructional objectives of both schools were constructed to measure the understanding of arithmetic concepts and the ability…

The effects of presentation pace and modality on learning a multimedia science lesson

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Wen-Hung

Working memory is a system that consists of multiple components. The visuospatial sketchpad is the main entrance for visual and spatial information, whereas acoustic and verbal information is processed in the phonological loop. The central executive works as a coordinator of information from these two subsystems. Numerous studies have shown that working memory has a very limited capacity. Based on these characteristics of working memory, theories such as cognitive load theory and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning provide multimedia design principles. One of these principles is that when verbal information accompanying pictures is presented in audio mode instead of visually, learning can be more effective than if both text and pictures are presented visually. This is called the modality effect. However, some studies have found that the modality effect does not occur in some situations. In most experiments examining the modality effect, the multimedia is presented as system-paced. If learners are able to repeat listening as many times as they need, the superiority of spoken text over visual text seems lessened. One aim of this study was to examine the modality effect in a learner-controlled condition. This study also used the one-word-at-a-time technique to investigate whether the modality effect would still occur if both reading and listening rates were equal. There were 182 college students recruited for this study. Participants were randomly assigned to seven groups: a self-paced listening group, a self-paced reading group, a self text-block reading group, a general-paced listening group, a general-paced reading group, a fast-paced listening group, and a fast-paced reading group. The experimental material was a cardiovascular multimedia module. A three-by-two between-subjects design was used to test the main effect. Results showed that modality effect was still present but not between the self-paced listening group and the self text-block reading group

Effects of stress typicality during speeded grammatical classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Arciuli, Joanne; Cupples, Linda

2003-01-01

The experiments reported here were designed to investigate the influence of stress typicality during speeded grammatical classification of disyllabic English words by native and non-native speakers. Trochaic nouns and iambic gram verbs were considered to be typically stressed, whereas iambic nouns and trochaic verbs were considered to be atypically stressed. Experiments 1a and 2a showed that while native speakers classified typically stressed words individual more quickly and more accurately than atypically stressed words during differences reading, there were no overall effects during classification of spoken stimuli. However, a subgroup of native speakers with high error rates did show a significant effect during classification of spoken stimuli. Experiments 1b and 2b showed that non-native speakers classified typically stressed words more quickly and more accurately than atypically stressed words during reading. Typically stressed words were classified more accurately than atypically stressed words when the stimuli were spoken. Importantly, there was a significant relationship between error rates, vocabulary size and the size of the stress typicality effect in each experiment. We conclude that participants use information about lexical stress to help them distinguish between disyllabic nouns and verbs during speeded grammatical classification. This is especially so for individuals with a limited vocabulary who lack other knowledge (e.g., semantic knowledge) about the differences between these grammatical categories.

Variables affecting the manifestation of and intensity of pacing behavior: A preliminary case study in zoo-housed polar bears.

Science.gov (United States)

Cless, Isabelle T; Lukas, Kristen E

2017-09-01

High-speed video analysis was used to quantify two aspects of gait in 10 zoo-housed polar bears. These two variables were then examined as to how they differed in the conditions of pacing versus locomoting for each bear. Percent difference calculations measured the difference between pacing and locomoting data for each bear. We inferred that the higher the percent difference between pacing and locomoting in a given subject, the more intense the pacing may be. The percent difference values were analyzed alongside caregiver survey data defining the locations, frequency, and anticipatory nature of pacing in each bear, as well as each bear's age and sex, to determine whether any variables were correlated. The frequency and intensity of pacing behavior were not correlated. However, location of pacing was significantly correlated both with the subjects' age and whether or not the subject was classified as an anticipatory pacer. Bears appeared to select specific spots within their exhibits to pace, and the location therefore seemed tied to underlying motivation for the behavior. Additionally, bears that were classified in the survey as pacing anticipatorily displayed significantly more intense pacing behavior as quantified by gait analysis. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Co-occurrence Models in Music Genre Classification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahrendt, Peter; Goutte, Cyril; Larsen, Jan

2005-01-01

Music genre classification has been investigated using many different methods, but most of them build on probabilistic models of feature vectors x\\_r which only represent the short time segment with index r of the song. Here, three different co-occurrence models are proposed which instead consider...... genre data set with a variety of modern music. The basis was a so-called AR feature representation of the music. Besides the benefit of having proper probabilistic models of the whole song, the lowest classification test errors were found using one of the proposed models....

Optimizing classroom instruction through self-paced learning prototype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romiro Gordo Bautista

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the learning impact of self-paced learning prototype in optimizing classroom instruction towards students’ learning in Chemistry. Two sections of 64 Laboratory High School students in Chemistry were used as subjects of the study. The Quasi-Experimental and Correlation Research Design was used in the study: a pre-test was conducted, scored and analyzed which served as the basis in determining the initial learning schema of the respondents. A questionnaire was adopted to find the learning motivation of the students in science. Using Pearson-r correlation, it was found out that there is a highly significant relationship between their internal drive and their academic performance. Moreover, a post-test was conducted after self-paced learning prototype was used in the development of select topics in their curricular plot. It was found out that the students who experienced the self-paced learning prototype performed better in their academic performance as evidenced by the difference of their mean post-test results. ANCOVA results on the post-test mean scores of the respondents were utilized in establishing the causal-effect of the learning prototype to the academic performance of the students in Chemistry. A highly significant effect on their academic performance (R-square value of 70.7% and significant interaction of the models to the experimental grouping and mental abilities of the respondents are concluded in the study.

Racing an Opponent Alters Pacing, Performance and Muscle Force Decline, But Not RPE

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Konings, Marco J; Parkinson, Jordan; Zijdewind, Inge; Hettinga, Florentina

PURPOSE: Performing against a virtual opponent has been shown to invite a change in pacing and improve time trial (TT) performance. This study explored how this performance improvement is established by assessing changes in pacing, neuromuscular function and perceived exertion. METHODS: After a peak

The generalization ability of online SVM classification based on Markov sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jie; Yan Tang, Yuan; Zou, Bin; Xu, Zongben; Li, Luoqing; Lu, Yang

2015-03-01

In this paper, we consider online support vector machine (SVM) classification learning algorithms with uniformly ergodic Markov chain (u.e.M.c.) samples. We establish the bound on the misclassification error of an online SVM classification algorithm with u.e.M.c. samples based on reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces and obtain a satisfactory convergence rate. We also introduce a novel online SVM classification algorithm based on Markov sampling, and present the numerical studies on the learning ability of online SVM classification based on Markov sampling for benchmark repository. The numerical studies show that the learning performance of the online SVM classification algorithm based on Markov sampling is better than that of classical online SVM classification based on random sampling as the size of training samples is larger.

Prevalence of conduction delay of the right atrium in patients with SSS: implications for pacing site selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Verlato, Roberto; Zanon, Francesco; Bertaglia, Emanuele; Turrini, Pietro; Baccillieri, Maria Stella; Baracca, Enrico; Bongiorni, Maria Grazia; Zampiero, Aldo; Zonzin, Pietro; Pascotto, Pietro; Venturini, Diego; Corbucci, Giorgio

2007-09-01

To evaluate the prevalence of severe right atrial conduction delay in patients with sinus node dysfunction (SND) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and the effects of pacing in the right atrial appendage (RAA) and in the inter-atrial septum (IAS). Forty-two patients (15 male, 72 +/- 7 years) underwent electrophysiologic study to measure the difference between the conduction time from RAA to coronary sinus ostium during stimulation at 600 ms and after extrastimulus (DeltaCTos). Patients were classified as group A if DeltaCTos > 60 ms and group B if IAS pacing and algorithms ON/OFF. Fifteen patients (36%, group A) had DeltaCTos = 76 +/- 11 ms and 27 patients (64%, group B) had DeltaCTos = 36 +/- 20 ms. Twenty-two patients were paced at the RAA and 20 at the IAS. During the study, no AF recurrences were reported in 11 of 42 (26%) patients, independently of RAA or IAS pacing. Patients from group A and RAA pacing had 0.79 +/- 0.81 episodes of AF/day during DDD, which increased to 1.52 +/- 1.41 episodes of AF/day during DDDR + Alg (P = 0.046). Those with IAS pacing had 0.5 +/- 0.24 episodes of AF/day during DDD, which decreased to 0.06 +/- 0.08 episodes of AF/day during DDDR + Alg (P = 0.06). In group B, no differences were reported between pacing sites and pacing modes. Severe right atrial conduction delay is present in one-third of patients with SND and AF: continuous pacing at the IAS is superior to RAA for AF recurrences. In patients without severe conduction delay, no differences between pacing site or mode were observed.

Even between-lap pacing despite high within-lap variation during mountain biking.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Louise; Lambeth-Mansell, Anneliese; Beretta-Azevedo, Liane; Holmes, Lucy A; Wright, Rachel; St Clair Gibson, Alan

2012-09-01

Given the paucity of research on pacing strategies during competitive events, this study examined changes in dynamic high-resolution performance parameters to analyze pacing profiles during a multiple-lap mountain-bike race over variable terrain. A global-positioning-system (GPS) unit (Garmin, Edge 305, USA) recorded velocity (m/s), distance (m), elevation (m), and heart rate at 1 Hz from 6 mountain-bike riders (mean±SD age=27.2±5.0 y, stature=176.8±8.1 cm, mass=76.3±11.7 kg, VO2max=55.1±6.0 mL·kg(-1)·min1) competing in a multilap race. Lap-by-lap (interlap) pacing was analyzed using a 1-way ANOVA for mean time and mean velocity. Velocity data were averaged every 100 m and plotted against race distance and elevation to observe the presence of intralap variation. There was no significant difference in lap times (P=.99) or lap velocity (P=.65) across the 5 laps. Within each lap, a high degree of oscillation in velocity was observed, which broadly reflected changes in terrain, but high-resolution data demonstrated additional nonmonotonic variation not related to terrain. Participants adopted an even pace strategy across the 5 laps despite rapid adjustments in velocity during each lap. While topographical and technical variations of the course accounted for some of the variability in velocity, the additional rapid adjustments in velocity may be associated with dynamic regulation of self-paced exercise.

Assessing Measures of Order Flow Toxicity via Perfect Trade Classification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben G.; Bondarenko, Oleg

. The VPIN metric involves decomposing volume into active buys and sells. We use the best-bid-offer (BBO) files from the CME Group to construct (near) perfect trade classification measures for the E-mini S&P 500 futures contract. We investigate the accuracy of the ELO Bulk Volume Classification (BVC) scheme...... systematic classification errors that are correlated with trading volume and return volatility. When controlling for trading intensity and volatility, the BVC-VPIN measure has no incremental predictive power for future volatility. We conclude that VPIN is not suitable for measuring order flow imbalances....

Managing Sensitive Information: DOD Can More Effectively Reduce the Risk of Classification Errors

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

D'Agostino, Davi M; Borseth, Ann; Fenton, Mattias; Hatton, Adam; Hills, Barbara; Keefer, David; Mayfield, David; Reid, Jim; Richardson, Terry; Schwartz, Marc

2006-01-01

.... While some DoD components and their subordinate commands appear to manage effective programs, GAO identified weaknesses in others in the areas of classification management training, self-inspections...

Privacy-Preserving Evaluation of Generalization Error and Its Application to Model and Attribute Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Sakuma, Jun; Wright, Rebecca N.

Privacy-preserving classification is the task of learning or training a classifier on the union of privately distributed datasets without sharing the datasets. The emphasis of existing studies in privacy-preserving classification has primarily been put on the design of privacy-preserving versions of particular data mining algorithms, However, in classification problems, preprocessing and postprocessing— such as model selection or attribute selection—play a prominent role in achieving higher classification accuracy. In this paper, we show generalization error of classifiers in privacy-preserving classification can be securely evaluated without sharing prediction results. Our main technical contribution is a new generalized Hamming distance protocol that is universally applicable to preprocessing and postprocessing of various privacy-preserving classification problems, such as model selection in support vector machine and attribute selection in naive Bayes classification.

AN ANALYSIS OF ACEHNESE EFL STUDENTS’ GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN WRITING RECOUNT TEXTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qudwatin Nisak M. Isa

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study aims at finding empirical evidence of the most common types of grammatical errors and sources of errors in recount texts written by the first-year students of SMAS Babul Maghfirah, Aceh Besar. The subject of the study was a collection of students’ personal writing documents of recount texts about their lives experience. The students’ recount texts were analyzed by referring to Betty S. Azar classification and Richard’s theory on sources of errors. The findings showed that the total number of error is 436. Two frequent types of grammatical errors were Verb Tense and Word Choice. The major sources of error were Intralingual Error, Interference Error and Developmental Error respectively. Furthermore, the findings suggest that it is necessary for EFL teachers to apply appropriate techniques and strategies in teaching recount texts, which focus on past tense and language features of the text in order to reduce the possible errors to be made by the students.

Merits and limitations of the mode switching rate stabilization pacing algorithms in the implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Science.gov (United States)

Dijkman, B; Wellens, H J

2001-09-01

The 7250 Jewel AF Medtronic model of ICD is the first implantable device in which both therapies for atrial arrhythmias and pacing algorithms for atrial arrhythmia prevention are available. Feasibility of that extensive atrial arrhythmia management requires correct and synergic functioning of different algorithms to control arrhythmias. The ability of the new pacing algorithms to stabilize the atrial rate following termination of treated atrial arrhythmias was evaluated in the marker channel registration of 600 spontaneously occurring episodes in 15 patients with the Jewel AF. All patients (55+/-15 years) had structural heart disease and documented atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Dual chamber rate stabilization pacing was present in 245 (41 %) of episodes following arrhythmia termination and was a part of the mode switching operation during which pacing was provided in the dynamic DDI mode. This algorithm could function as the atrial rate stabilization pacing only when there was a slow spontaneous atrial rhythm or in presence of atrial premature beats conducted to the ventricles with a normal AV time. In case of atrial premature beats with delayed or absent conduction to the ventricles and in case of ventricular premature beats, the algorithm stabilized the ventricular rate. The rate stabilization pacing in DDI mode during sinus rhythm following atrial arrhythmia termination was often extended in time due to the device-based definition of arrhythmia termination. This was also the case in patients, in whom the DDD mode with true atrial rate stabilization algorithm was programmed. The rate stabilization algorithms in the Jewel AF applied after atrial arrhythmia termination provide pacing that is not based on the timing of atrial events. Only under certain circumstances the algorithm can function as atrial rate stabilization pacing. Adjustments in availability and functioning of the rate stabilization algorithms might be of benefit for the clinical performance of

A Closer Look at Split Visual Attention in System- and Self-Paced Instruction in Multimedia Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt-Weigand, Florian; Kohnert, Alfred; Glowalla, Ulrich

2010-01-01

Two experiments examined visual attention distribution in learning from text and pictures. Participants watched a 16-step multimedia instruction on the formation of lightning. In Experiment 1 (N=90) the instruction was system-paced (fast, medium, slow pace), while it was self-paced in Experiment 2 (N=31). In both experiments the text modality was…

Infants' Visual Attention to Baby DVDs as a Function of Program Pacing

Science.gov (United States)

Gola, Alice Ann Howard; Calvert, Sandra L.

2011-01-01

This study examined the effects of program pacing, defined as the rate of scene and character change per minute, on infants' visual attention to video presentations. Seventy-two infants (twenty-four 6-month-olds, twenty-four 9-month-olds, twenty-four 12-month-olds) were exposed to one of two sets of high- and low-paced commercial infant DVDs. Each…

Credit Risk Evaluation Using a C-Variable Least Squares Support Vector Classification Model

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lean; Wang, Shouyang; Lai, K. K.

Credit risk evaluation is one of the most important issues in financial risk management. In this paper, a C-variable least squares support vector classification (C-VLSSVC) model is proposed for credit risk analysis. The main idea of this model is based on the prior knowledge that different classes may have different importance for modeling and more weights should be given to those classes with more importance. The C-VLSSVC model can be constructed by a simple modification of the regularization parameter in LSSVC, whereby more weights are given to the lease squares classification errors with important classes than the lease squares classification errors with unimportant classes while keeping the regularized terms in its original form. For illustration purpose, a real-world credit dataset is used to test the effectiveness of the C-VLSSVC model.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of left ventricular endocardial pacing in advanced heart failure: Clinically efficacious but at what cost?

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Adam J; Providenica, Rui; Honarbakhsh, Shohreh; Srinivasan, Neil; Sawhney, Vinit; Hunter, Ross; Lambiase, Pier

2018-04-01

Cardiac resynchronization using a left ventricular (LV) epicardial lead placed in the coronary sinus is now routinely used in the management of heart failure patients. LV endocardial pacing is an alternative when this is not feasible, with outcomes data sparse. To review the available evidence on the efficacy and safety of endocardial LV pacing via meta-analysis. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and COCHRANE databases with the search term "endocardial biventricular pacing" or "endocardial cardiac resynchronization" or "left ventricular endocardial" or "endocardial left ventricular." Comparisons of pre-and post-QRS width, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification was performed, and mean differences (and respective 95% confidence interval [CI]) applied as a measurement of treatment effect. Fifteen studies, including 362 patients, were selected. During a mean follow-up of 40 ± 24.5 months, death occurred in 72 patients (11 per 100 patient-years). Significant improvements in LVEF (mean difference 7.9%, 95% CI 5-10%, P < 0.0001; I 2  = 73%), QRS width (mean difference: -41% 95% -75 to -7%; P < 0.0001; I 2  = 94%), and NYHA class (mean difference: -1.06, 95% CI -1.2 to -0.9, P < 0.0001; I 2  = 60%), (all P < 0.0001) occurred. Stroke rate was 3.3-4.2 per 100 patient-years, which is higher than equivalent heart failure trial populations and recent meta-analysis that included small case series. LV endocardial lead implantation is a potentially efficacious alternative to CS lead placement, but preliminary data suggest a potentially higher risk of stroke during follow-up when compared to the expected incidence of stroke in similar cohorts of patients. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interatrial septum versus right atrial appendage pacing for prevention of atrial fibrillation : A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L; Jiang, H; Wang, W; Bai, J; Liang, Y; Su, Y; Ge, J

2017-07-28

Interatrial septum (IAS) pacing seems to be a promising strategy for the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF); however, studies have yielded conflicting results. This meta-analysis was to compare IAS with right atrial appendage (RAA) pacing on the prevention of postpacing AF occurrence. Pubmed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched through October 2016 for randomized controlled trials comparing IAS with RAA pacing on the prevention of AF. Data concerning study design, patient characteristics and outcomes were extracted. Risk ratio (RR), weighted mean differences (WMD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated using fixed or random effects models. A total of 12 trials involving 1146 patients with dual-chamber pacing were included. Although IAS was superior to RAA pacing in terms of reducing the number of AF episodes (SMD = -0.29, P = 0.05), AF burden (SMD = -0.41, P = 0.008) and P -wave duration (WMD = -34.45 ms, P IAS pacing. Nevertheless, no differences were observed concerning all-cause death (RR = 1.04, P = 0.88), procedure-related events (RR = 1.17, P = 0.69) and pacing parameters between IAS and RAA pacing in the follow-up period. IAS pacing is safe and as well tolerated as RAA pacing. Although IAS pacing may fail to prevent permanent AF occurrence and recurrences of AF, it is able to not only improve interatrial conduction, but also reduce AF burden.

PACES: A Model of Student Well-Being

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Mark D.; Tarabochia, Dawn W.; Koltz, Rebecca L.

2015-01-01

School counselors design, deliver, and evaluate comprehensive, developmental school counseling programs that are focused on enhancing student development and success. A model of student well-being, known as PACES, is defined and described that consists of five distinct and interactive domains: physical, affective, cognitive, economic, and social.…

Extending the use of the pacing pulmonary artery catheter for safe minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Ricardo; Leacche, Marzia; Petracek, Michael R; Deegan, Robert J; Eagle, Susan S; Thompson, Annemarie; Pretorius, Mias; Solenkova, Nataliya V; Umakanthan, Ramanan; Brewer, Zachary E; Byrne, John G

2010-08-01

In this study, the therapeutic use of pacing pulmonary artery catheters in association with minimally invasive cardiac surgery was evaluated. A retrospective study. A single institutional university hospital. Two hundred twenty-four consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive cardiac surgery through a small (5-cm) right anterolateral thoracotomy using fibrillatory arrest without aortic cross-clamping. Two hundred eighteen patients underwent mitral valve surgery (97%) alone or in combination with other procedures. Six patients underwent other cardiac operations. In all patients, the pacing pulmonary artery catheter was used intraoperatively to induce ventricular fibrillation during the cooling period, and in the postoperative period it also was used in 37 (17%) patients who needed to be paced, mainly for bradyarrhythmias (51%). There were no complications related to the insertion of the catheters. Six (3%) patients experienced a loss of pacing capture, and 2 (1%) experienced another complication requiring the surgical removal of the catheter. Seven (3%) patients needed postoperative implantation of a permanent pacemaker. In combination with minimally invasive cardiac surgery, pacing pulmonary artery catheters were therapeutically useful to induce ventricular fibrillatory arrest intraoperatively and for obtaining pacing capability in the postoperative period. Their use was associated with a low number of complications. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous Velocity Effect of Musical Expression on Self-Paced Walking

Science.gov (United States)

Buhmann, Jeska; Desmet, Frank; Moens, Bart; Van Dyck, Edith; Leman, Marc

2016-01-01

The expressive features of music can influence the velocity of walking. So far, studies used instructed (and intended) synchronization. But is this velocity effect still present with non-instructed (spontaneous) synchronization? To figure that out, participants were instructed to walk in their own comfort tempo on an indoor track, first in silence and then with tempo-matched music. We compared velocities of silence and music conditions. The results show that some music has an activating influence, increasing velocity and motivation, while other music has a relaxing influence, decreasing velocity and motivation. The influence of musical expression on the velocity of self-paced walking can be predicted with a regression model using only three sonic features explaining 56% of the variance. Phase-coherence between footfall and beat did not contribute to the velocity effect, due to its implied fixed pacing. The findings suggest that the velocity effect depends on vigor entrainment that influences both stride length and pacing. Our findings are relevant for preventing injuries, for gait improvement in walking rehabilitation, and for improving performance in sports activities. PMID:27167064

Spontaneous Velocity Effect of Musical Expression on Self-Paced Walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Buhmann, Jeska; Desmet, Frank; Moens, Bart; Van Dyck, Edith; Leman, Marc

2016-01-01

The expressive features of music can influence the velocity of walking. So far, studies used instructed (and intended) synchronization. But is this velocity effect still present with non-instructed (spontaneous) synchronization? To figure that out, participants were instructed to walk in their own comfort tempo on an indoor track, first in silence and then with tempo-matched music. We compared velocities of silence and music conditions. The results show that some music has an activating influence, increasing velocity and motivation, while other music has a relaxing influence, decreasing velocity and motivation. The influence of musical expression on the velocity of self-paced walking can be predicted with a regression model using only three sonic features explaining 56% of the variance. Phase-coherence between footfall and beat did not contribute to the velocity effect, due to its implied fixed pacing. The findings suggest that the velocity effect depends on vigor entrainment that influences both stride length and pacing. Our findings are relevant for preventing injuries, for gait improvement in walking rehabilitation, and for improving performance in sports activities.

Spontaneous Velocity Effect of Musical Expression on Self-Paced Walking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeska Buhmann

Full Text Available The expressive features of music can influence the velocity of walking. So far, studies used instructed (and intended synchronization. But is this velocity effect still present with non-instructed (spontaneous synchronization? To figure that out, participants were instructed to walk in their own comfort tempo on an indoor track, first in silence and then with tempo-matched music. We compared velocities of silence and music conditions. The results show that some music has an activating influence, increasing velocity and motivation, while other music has a relaxing influence, decreasing velocity and motivation. The influence of musical expression on the velocity of self-paced walking can be predicted with a regression model using only three sonic features explaining 56% of the variance. Phase-coherence between footfall and beat did not contribute to the velocity effect, due to its implied fixed pacing. The findings suggest that the velocity effect depends on vigor entrainment that influences both stride length and pacing. Our findings are relevant for preventing injuries, for gait improvement in walking rehabilitation, and for improving performance in sports activities.

Classification of radiological errors in chest radiographs, using support vector machine on the spatial frequency features of false- negative and false-positive regions

Science.gov (United States)

Pietrzyk, Mariusz W.; Donovan, Tim; Brennan, Patrick C.; Dix, Alan; Manning, David J.

2011-03-01

Aim: To optimize automated classification of radiological errors during lung nodule detection from chest radiographs (CxR) using a support vector machine (SVM) run on the spatial frequency features extracted from the local background of selected regions. Background: The majority of the unreported pulmonary nodules are visually detected but not recognized; shown by the prolonged dwell time values at false-negative regions. Similarly, overestimated nodule locations are capturing substantial amounts of foveal attention. Spatial frequency properties of selected local backgrounds are correlated with human observer responses either in terms of accuracy in indicating abnormality position or in the precision of visual sampling the medical images. Methods: Seven radiologists participated in the eye tracking experiments conducted under conditions of pulmonary nodule detection from a set of 20 postero-anterior CxR. The most dwelled locations have been identified and subjected to spatial frequency (SF) analysis. The image-based features of selected ROI were extracted with un-decimated Wavelet Packet Transform. An analysis of variance was run to select SF features and a SVM schema was implemented to classify False-Negative and False-Positive from all ROI. Results: A relative high overall accuracy was obtained for each individually developed Wavelet-SVM algorithm, with over 90% average correct ratio for errors recognition from all prolonged dwell locations. Conclusion: The preliminary results show that combined eye-tracking and image-based features can be used for automated detection of radiological error with SVM. The work is still in progress and not all analytical procedures have been completed, which might have an effect on the specificity of the algorithm.

Metabolic Responses and Pacing Strategies during Successive Sprint Skiing Time Trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Erik; Holmberg, Hans-Christer; Ørtenblad, Niels

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: To examine the metabolic responses and pacing strategies during the performance of successive sprint time trials (STTs) in cross-country skiing. METHODS: Ten well-trained male cross-country skiers performed four self-paced 1300-m STTs on a treadmill, each separated by 45 min of recovery...... to estimate the anaerobic energy supply. RESULTS: The individual trial-to-trial variability in STT performance time was 1.3%, where variations in O2 deficit and V˙O2 explained 69% (P 0.05) of the variation in performance. The first and last STTs were equally fast (228 ± 10 s), and ~ 1...... on the first than second course half. In addition, metabolic rates were substantially higher (~_30%) for uphill than for flat skiing, indicating that pacing was regulated to the terrain. CONCLUSIONS: The fastest STTs were characterized primarily by a greater anaerobic energy production, which also explained 69...

Classification system for reporting events involving human malfunctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jens; Pedersen, O.M.; Mancini, G.

1981-01-01

The report describes a set of categories for reporting indus-trial incidents and events involving human malfunction. The classification system aims at ensuring information adequate for improvement of human work situations and man-machine interface systems and for attempts to quantify "human error......" rates. The classification system has a multifacetted non-hierarchical struc-ture and its compatibility with Isprals ERDS classification is described. The collection of the information in general and for quantification purposes are discussed. 24 categories, 12 of which being human factors oriented......, are listed with their respective subcategories, and comments are given. Underlying models of human data processes and their typical malfunc-tions and of a human decision sequence are described....

Classification system for reporting events involving human malfunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, J.; Pedersen, O.M.; Mancini, G.; Carnino, A.; Griffon, M.; Gagnolet, P.

1981-03-01

The report describes a set of categories for reporting industrial incidents and events involving human malfunction. The classification system aims at ensuring information adequate for improvement of human work situations and man-machine interface systems and for attempts to quantify ''human error'' rates. The classification system has a multifacetted non-hierarchial structure and its compatibility with Ispra's ERDS classification is described. The collection of the information in general and for quantification purposes are discussed. 24 categories, 12 of which being human factors oriented, are listed with their respective subcategories, and comments are given. Underlying models of human data processes and their typical malfunctions and of a human decision sequence are described. (author)

Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis associated with two ventricular endocardial pacing leads in a dog.

Science.gov (United States)

Tompkins, Emily; Dulake, Michelle I; Ghaffari, Shadie; Nakamura, Reid K

2015-01-01

Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis (TVS) is a rare complication of endocardial pacing lead implantation in humans that has only been described once previously in the veterinary literature in a dog with excessive lead redundancy. A 12 yr old terrier presented with right-sided congestive heart failure 6 mo after implantation of a second ventricular endocardial pacing lead. The second lead was placed due to malfunction of the first lead, which demonstrated abnormally low impedance. Transthoracic echocardiography identified hyperechoic tissue associated with the pacing leads as they crossed the tricuspid valve annulus as well as a stenotic tricuspid inflow pattern via spectral Doppler interrogation. Medical management was ultimately unsuccessful and the dog was euthanized 6 wk after TVS was diagnosed. The authors report the first canine case of acquired TVS associated with two ventricular endocardial pacing leads.

Assessment of the perception of verticality and horizontality with self-paced saccades.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettorossi, V E; Bambagioni, D; Bronstein, A M; Gresty, M A

1998-07-01

We investigated the ability of human subjects (Ss) to make self-paced saccades in the earth-vertical and horizontal directions (space-referenced task) and in the direction of the head-vertical and horizontal axis (self-referenced task) during whole body tilts of 0 degrees, 22.5 degrees, 45 degrees and 90 degrees in the frontal (roll) plane. Saccades were recorded in the dark with computerised video-oculography. During space-referenced tasks, the saccade vectors did not fully counter-rotate to compensate for larger angles of body tilt. This finding is in agreement with the 'A' effect reported for the visual vertical. The error was significantly larger for saccades intended to be space-horizontal than space-vertical. This vertico-horizontal dissociation implies greater difficulty in defining horizontality than verticality with the non-visual motor task employed. In contrast, normal Ss (and an alabyrinthine subject tested) were accurate in orienting saccades to their own (cranio-centric) vertical and horizontal axes regardless of tilt indicating that cranio-centric perception is robust and apparently not affected by gravitational influences.

Value of the New Spline QTc Formula in Adjusting for Pacing-Induced Changes in Heart Rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirmand Nouraei

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. To determine whether a new QTc calculation based on a Spline fit model derived and validated from a large population remained stable in the same individual across a range of heart rates (HRs. Second, to determine whether this formula incorporating QRS duration can be of value in QT measurement, compared to direct measurement of the JT interval, during ventricular pacing. Methods. Individuals (N=30; 14 males aged 51.9 ± 14.3 years were paced with decremental atrial followed by decremental ventricular pacing. Results. The new QTc changed minimally with shorter RR intervals, poorly fit even a linear relationship, and did not fit a second-order polynomial. In contrast, the Bazett formula (QTcBZT showed a steep and marked increase in QTc with shorter RR intervals. For atrial pacing data, QTcBZT was fit best by a second-order polynomial and demonstrated a dramatic increase in QTc with progressively shorter RR intervals. For ventricular pacing, the new QTc minus QRS duration did not meaningfully change with HR in contrast to the HR dependency of QTcBZT and JT interval. Conclusion. The new QT correction formula is minimally impacted by HR acceleration induced by atrial or ventricular pacing. The Spline QTc minus QRS duration is an excellent method to estimate QTc in ventricular paced complexes.

Optimal pacing for right ventricular and biventricular devices: minimizing, maximizing, and right ventricular/left ventricular site considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillis, Anne M

2014-10-01

The results from numerous clinical studies provide guidance for optimizing outcomes related to RV or biventricular pacing in the pacemaker and ICD populations. (1) Programming algorithms to minimize RV pacing is imperative in patients with dual-chamber pacemakers who have intrinsic AV conduction or intermittent AV conduction block. (2) Dual-chamber ICDs should be avoided in candidates without an indication for bradycardia pacing. (3) Alternate RV septal pacing sites may be considered at the time of pacemaker implantation. (4) Biventricular pacing may be beneficial in some patients with mild LV dysfunction. (5) LV lead placement at the site of latest LV activation is desirable. (6) Programming CRT systems to achieve biventricular/LV pacing >98.5% is important. (7) Protocols for AV and VV optimization in patients with CRT are not recommended after device implantation but may be considered for CRT nonresponders. (8) Novel algorithms to maximize the benefit of CRT are in evolution further.

Statistical learning from nonrecurrent experience with discrete input variables and recursive-error-minimization equations

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Jeffrey R.; Simon, Wayne E.

1990-08-01

Neural networks are trained using Recursive Error Minimization (REM) equations to perform statistical classification. Using REM equations with continuous input variables reduces the required number of training experiences by factors of one to two orders of magnitude over standard back propagation. Replacing the continuous input variables with discrete binary representations reduces the number of connections by a factor proportional to the number of variables reducing the required number of experiences by another order of magnitude. Undesirable effects of using recurrent experience to train neural networks for statistical classification problems are demonstrated and nonrecurrent experience used to avoid these undesirable effects. 1. THE 1-41 PROBLEM The statistical classification problem which we address is is that of assigning points in ddimensional space to one of two classes. The first class has a covariance matrix of I (the identity matrix) the covariance matrix of the second class is 41. For this reason the problem is known as the 1-41 problem. Both classes have equal probability of occurrence and samples from both classes may appear anywhere throughout the ddimensional space. Most samples near the origin of the coordinate system will be from the first class while most samples away from the origin will be from the second class. Since the two classes completely overlap it is impossible to have a classifier with zero error. The minimum possible error is known as the Bayes error and

Medication errors: classification of seriousness, type, and of medications involved in the reports from a university teaching hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriella Rejane dos Santos Dalmolin

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Medication errors can be frequent in hospitals; these errors are multidisciplinary and occur at various stages of the drug therapy. The present study evaluated the seriousness, the type and the drugs involved in medication errors reported at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. We analyzed written error reports for 2010-2011. The sample consisted of 165 reports. The errors identified were classified according to seriousness, type and pharmacological class. 114 reports were categorized as actual errors (medication errors and 51 reports were categorized as potential errors. There were more medication error reports in 2011 compared to 2010, but there was no significant change in the seriousness of the reports. The most common type of error was prescribing error (48.25%. Errors that occurred during the process of drug therapy sometimes generated additional medication errors. In 114 reports of medication errors identified, 122 drugs were cited. The reflection on medication errors, the possibility of harm resulting from these errors, and the methods for error identification and evaluation should include a broad perspective of the aspects involved in the occurrence of errors. Patient safety depends on the process of communication involving errors, on the proper recording of information, and on the monitoring itself.

Photovoltaics (PV) as an Eligible Measure in Residential PACE Programs: Benefits and Challenges (Fact Sheet)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coughlin, J.

2010-06-01

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing is one of several new financial models broadening access to clean energy by addressing the barrier of initial capital cost. The majority of the PACE programs in the market today include PV as an eligible measure. PV appeals to homeowners as a way to reduce utility bills, self-generate sustainable power, increase energy independence and demonstrate a commitment to the environment. If substantial state incentives for PV exist, PV projects can be economic under PACE, especially when partnered with good net metering policies. At the same time, PV is expensive relative to other eligible measures with a return on investment horizon that might exceed program targets. This fact sheet reviews the benefits and potential challenges of including PV in PACE programs.

The effect of aging on pacing strategies of cross-country skiers and the role of performance level.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaidis, Pantelis Theodoros; Villiger, Elias; Rosemann, Thomas; Knechtle, Beat

2018-01-01

The participation of master cross-country (XC) skiers in training and competition has increased during the last decades; however, little is known yet about whether these athletes differ from their younger counterparts in aspects of performance such as pacing. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the combined effect of age and performance (race time) on pacing in cross-country (XC) skiing. We analyzed all finishers ( n  = 79,722) in 'Vasaloppet' from 2012 to 2017, the largest cross-country skiing race in the world, classified according to their race time into 10 groups: 3-4 h, 4-5 h, ..., 12-13 h. A trivial main effect of sex on total pace range was observed ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.002), where women (44.1 ± 10.2%) had larger total pace range than men (40.9 ± 11.8%). A large main effect of performance group on total pace range was shown ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.160), where the smallest total pace range was 21.8 ± 1.9% (3-4 h group) and the largest 50.1 ± 9.9% (10-11 h group). A trivial sex×performance group interaction on total pace range was found ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.001) with the largest sex difference in pacing shown in 9-10 h group. A trivial and small main effect of age was found in women ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.005) and men ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.011), respectively, where the masters had smaller total pace range than their younger counterparts. A trivial age group×performance group interaction on total pace range was observed in both women ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.008) and men ( p  < 0.001, η 2  = 0.006) with smaller differences among age groups in the faster performance groups. In summary, master XC skiers adopted a relatively even pacing independently from their race time and the differences in pacing from the younger XC skiers were more pronounced in the slower masters. These findings suggest that exercise attenuates the decline of performance in

Activation of the Prefrontal Cortex While Performing a Task at Preferred Slow Pace and Metronome Slow Pace: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

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Kaori Shimoda

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Individuals have a preferred pace at which they perform voluntary repetitive movements. Previous studies have reported that greater activation of the prefrontal cortex was observed during self-initiated movements than during externally triggered movements. The purpose of the present study is to compare the activation of the prefrontal cortex induced when the subjects performed a peg-board task at their preferred slow pace (PSP, the self-initiated condition with that induced when they performed the same task at metronome slow pace (MSP, the externally triggered condition using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Healthy subjects performed the task while sitting in a chair. By assessing the activated channels individually, we confirmed that all of the prefrontal regions of interest were activated by both tasks. In the second-level analyses, we found that the activation detected in the frontopolar cortex (FPPFC; Brodmann area 10 was higher during the PSP task than during the MSP task. The FPPFC is known to be at the top of prefrontal hierarchy, and specifically involved in evaluating self-generated information. In addition, the FPPFC plays a role in coordinating lateral prefrontal cortex. In the present study, the subjects evaluated and managed the internally generated PSP by coordinating the activity of other lower level prefrontal regions.

Activation of the prefrontal cortex while performing a task at preferred slow pace and metronome slow pace: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimoda, Kaori; Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Tsuchiya, Kenji; Katsuyama, Shiori; Tozato, Fusae

2014-01-01

Individuals have a preferred pace at which they perform voluntary repetitive movements. Previous studies have reported that greater activation of the prefrontal cortex was observed during self-initiated movements than during externally triggered movements. The purpose of the present study is to compare the activation of the prefrontal cortex induced when the subjects performed a peg-board task at their preferred slow pace (PSP, the self-initiated condition) with that induced when they performed the same task at metronome slow pace (MSP, the externally triggered condition) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Healthy subjects performed the task while sitting in a chair. By assessing the activated channels individually, we confirmed that all of the prefrontal regions of interest were activated by both tasks. In the second-level analyses, we found that the activation detected in the frontopolar cortex (FPPFC; Brodmann area 10) was higher during the PSP task than during the MSP task. The FPPFC is known to be at the top of prefrontal hierarchy, and specifically involved in evaluating self-generated information. In addition, the FPPFC plays a role in coordinating lateral prefrontal cortex. In the present study, the subjects evaluated and managed the internally generated PSP by coordinating the activity of other lower level prefrontal regions.

High Dimensional Classification Using Features Annealed Independence Rules.

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Fan, Jianqing; Fan, Yingying

2008-01-01

Classification using high-dimensional features arises frequently in many contemporary statistical studies such as tumor classification using microarray or other high-throughput data. The impact of dimensionality on classifications is largely poorly understood. In a seminal paper, Bickel and Levina (2004) show that the Fisher discriminant performs poorly due to diverging spectra and they propose to use the independence rule to overcome the problem. We first demonstrate that even for the independence classification rule, classification using all the features can be as bad as the random guessing due to noise accumulation in estimating population centroids in high-dimensional feature space. In fact, we demonstrate further that almost all linear discriminants can perform as bad as the random guessing. Thus, it is paramountly important to select a subset of important features for high-dimensional classification, resulting in Features Annealed Independence Rules (FAIR). The conditions under which all the important features can be selected by the two-sample t-statistic are established. The choice of the optimal number of features, or equivalently, the threshold value of the test statistics are proposed based on an upper bound of the classification error. Simulation studies and real data analysis support our theoretical results and demonstrate convincingly the advantage of our new classification procedure.

Detailed semantic analyses of human error incidents occurring at nuclear power plant in USA (interim report). Characteristics of human error incidents occurring in the period from 1992 to 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirotsu, Yuko; Tsuge, Tadashi; Sano, Toshiaki; Takano, Kenichi; Gouda, Hidenori

2001-01-01

CRIEPI has been conducting detailed analyses of all human error incidents at domestic nuclear power plants (NPPs) collected from Japanese Licensee Event Reports (LERs) using J-HPES (Japanese version of HPES) as an analysis method. Results obtained by the analyses have been stored in J-HPES database. Since 1999, human error incidents have been selected from U.S. LERs, and they are analyzed using J-HPES. In this report, the results, which classified error action, cause, and preventive measure, are summarized for U.S. human error cases occurring in the period from 1992 to 1996. It was suggested as a result of classification that the categories of error action were almost the same as those of Japanese human error cases. Therefore, problems in the process of error action and checkpoints for preventing errors will be extracted by analyzing both U.S. and domestic human error cases. It was also suggested that the interrelations between error actions, causes, and organizational factors could be identified. While taking these suggestions into consideration, we will continue to analyze U.S. human error cases. (author)

Influence of nuclei segmentation on breast cancer malignancy classification

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Jelen, Lukasz; Fevens, Thomas; Krzyzak, Adam

2009-02-01

Breast Cancer is one of the most deadly cancers affecting middle-aged women. Accurate diagnosis and prognosis are crucial to reduce the high death rate. Nowadays there are numerous diagnostic tools for breast cancer diagnosis. In this paper we discuss a role of nuclear segmentation from fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) slides and its influence on malignancy classification. Classification of malignancy plays a very important role during the diagnosis process of breast cancer. Out of all cancer diagnostic tools, FNA slides provide the most valuable information about the cancer malignancy grade which helps to choose an appropriate treatment. This process involves assessing numerous nuclear features and therefore precise segmentation of nuclei is very important. In this work we compare three powerful segmentation approaches and test their impact on the classification of breast cancer malignancy. The studied approaches involve level set segmentation, fuzzy c-means segmentation and textural segmentation based on co-occurrence matrix. Segmented nuclei were used to extract nuclear features for malignancy classification. For classification purposes four different classifiers were trained and tested with previously extracted features. The compared classifiers are Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), Principal Component-based Neural Network (PCA) and Support Vector Machines (SVM). The presented results show that level set segmentation yields the best results over the three compared approaches and leads to a good feature extraction with a lowest average error rate of 6.51% over four different classifiers. The best performance was recorded for multilayer perceptron with an error rate of 3.07% using fuzzy c-means segmentation.

Atrial antitachycardia pacing and atrial remodeling: A substudy of the international, randomized MINERVA trial.

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Boriani, Giuseppe; Tukkie, Raymond; Biffi, Mauro; Mont, Lluis; Ricci, Renato; Pürerfellner, Helmut; Botto, Giovanni Luca; Manolis, Antonis S; Landolina, Maurizio; Gulizia, Michele; Hudnall, J Harrison; Mangoni, Lorenza; Grammatico, Andrea; Padeletti, Luigi

2017-10-01

Atrial tachycardia (AT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are common in pacemaker patients and are associated with bad prognoses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate atrial antitachycardia pacing impact on AT/AF-induced atrial remodeling, measured by early recurrence of AT/AF (ERAF) and by change in left atrial diameter (LAD), and to evaluate the impact of AT/AF duration on ERAF incidence. Pacemaker patients were randomized to dual-chamber pacing (Control DDDR: 385 patients), managed ventricular pacing (MVP: 398 patients), or atrial antitachycardia pacing plus MVP (DDDRP+MVP: 383 patients). LAD change, estimated by echocardiography, was considered significant if the relative difference between baseline and 24-month measurements was >10%. At median follow-up of 34 months, ERAF incidence was significantly lower in the DDDRP+MVP arm for all AT/AF durations, in particular, ERAF followed AT/AF longer than 3 hours in 53% cases in Control DDDR, in 51% cases in MVP, and in 39% cases in DDDRP+MVP (P MVP, and 70% in DDDRP+MVP (P MVP, DDDRP+MVP reduces ERAF and favors LAD reduction, suggesting that atrial antitachycardia pacing may reverse electrical and mechanical remodeling. Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Interaction in Self-paced Distance Education

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Terry Anderson

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present a case study of a self-paced university course that was originally designed to support independent, self-paced study at distance. We developed a social media intervention, in design-based research terms, that allows these independent students to contribute archived content to enhance the course, to engage in discussions with other students and to share as little or as much personal information with each other as they wished. We describe the learning design for the intervention and present survey data of student and tutor perception of value and content analysis of the archived contributions. The results indicate that the intervention was positively received by tutors and by the majority (but not all students and that the archive created by the students’ contributions was adding value to the course. We conclude that the intervention was a modest, yet manageable example of a learning enhancement to a traditional cognitive-behavioral, course that has positive impact and potential with little negative impact on workload.

Classification Model for Forest Fire Hotspot Occurrences Prediction Using ANFIS Algorithm

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Wijayanto, A. K.; Sani, O.; Kartika, N. D.; Herdiyeni, Y.

2017-01-01

This study proposed the application of data mining technique namely Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) on forest fires hotspot data to develop classification models for hotspots occurrence in Central Kalimantan. Hotspot is a point that is indicated as the location of fires. In this study, hotspot distribution is categorized as true alarm and false alarm. ANFIS is a soft computing method in which a given inputoutput data set is expressed in a fuzzy inference system (FIS). The FIS implements a nonlinear mapping from its input space to the output space. The method of this study classified hotspots as target objects by correlating spatial attributes data using three folds in ANFIS algorithm to obtain the best model. The best result obtained from the 3rd fold provided low error for training (error = 0.0093676) and also low error testing result (error = 0.0093676). Attribute of distance to road is the most determining factor that influences the probability of true and false alarm where the level of human activities in this attribute is higher. This classification model can be used to develop early warning system of forest fire.

Pacing the US magnetic fusion program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This study addresses the priority and pace of the nation's magnetic fusion research and development program in the context of long-term national energy policy. In particular, the committee interpreted its task as follows: To review the implications of long-term national energy policy for current research and development in magnetic fusion; to identify factors that should enter the further development of such policy to reduce risks associated with the future electricity supply system; to propose criteria applicable to research and develop in electric generation in reaching long-term energy policy goals; to apply these criteria to magnetic fusion and alternative electric generation technologies in order to develop recommendations on the priority pace of the magnetic fusion program; and to present its results in a final report. The most important goals of the US Department of Energy's current Magnetic Fusion Energy Program Plan are to demonstrate the scientific and engineering feasibility of fusion, Demonstrating engineering feasibility will require the design, construction, and operation of an engineering test reactor, which the plan envisions financing through a combination of domestic and international funding. The committee believes that current domestic program funding levels are inadequate to meet even the near-term objectives of the plan

Butterfly Classification by HSI and RGB Color Models Using Neural Networks

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Jorge E. Grajales-Múnera

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This study aims the classification of Butterfly species through the implementation of Neural Networks and Image Processing. A total of 9 species of Morpho genre which has blue as a characteristic color are processed. For Butterfly segmentation we used image processing tools such as: Binarization, edge processing and mathematical morphology. For data processing RGB values are obtained for every image which are converted to HSI color model to identify blue pixels and obtain the data to the proposed Neural Networks: Back-Propagation and Perceptron. For analysis and verification of results confusion matrix are built and analyzed with the results of neural networks with the lowest error levels. We obtain error levels close to 1% in classification of some Butterfly species.

Medication errors as malpractice-a qualitative content analysis of 585 medication errors by nurses in Sweden.

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Björkstén, Karin Sparring; Bergqvist, Monica; Andersén-Karlsson, Eva; Benson, Lina; Ulfvarson, Johanna

2016-08-24

Many studies address the prevalence of medication errors but few address medication errors serious enough to be regarded as malpractice. Other studies have analyzed the individual and system contributory factor leading to a medication error. Nurses have a key role in medication administration, and there are contradictory reports on the nurses' work experience in relation to the risk and type for medication errors. All medication errors where a nurse was held responsible for malpractice (n = 585) during 11 years in Sweden were included. A qualitative content analysis and classification according to the type and the individual and system contributory factors was made. In order to test for possible differences between nurses' work experience and associations within and between the errors and contributory factors, Fisher's exact test was used, and Cohen's kappa (k) was performed to estimate the magnitude and direction of the associations. There were a total of 613 medication errors in the 585 cases, the most common being "Wrong dose" (41 %), "Wrong patient" (13 %) and "Omission of drug" (12 %). In 95 % of the cases, an average of 1.4 individual contributory factors was found; the most common being "Negligence, forgetfulness or lack of attentiveness" (68 %), "Proper protocol not followed" (25 %), "Lack of knowledge" (13 %) and "Practice beyond scope" (12 %). In 78 % of the cases, an average of 1.7 system contributory factors was found; the most common being "Role overload" (36 %), "Unclear communication or orders" (30 %) and "Lack of adequate access to guidelines or unclear organisational routines" (30 %). The errors "Wrong patient due to mix-up of patients" and "Wrong route" and the contributory factors "Lack of knowledge" and "Negligence, forgetfulness or lack of attentiveness" were more common in less experienced nurses. The experienced nurses were more prone to "Practice beyond scope of practice" and to make errors in spite of "Lack of adequate

A fast-start pacing strategy speeds pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and improves supramaximal running performance.

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Tiago Turnes

Full Text Available The focus of the present study was to investigate the effects of a fast-start pacing strategy on running performance and pulmonary oxygen uptake (VO2 kinetics at the upper boundary of the severe-intensity domain. Eleven active male participants (28±10 years, 70±5 kg, 176±6 cm, 57±4 mL/kg/min visited the laboratory for a series of tests that were performed until exhaustion: 1 an incremental test; 2 three laboratory test sessions performed at 95, 100 and 110% of the maximal aerobic speed; 3 two to four constant speed tests for the determination of the highest constant speed (HS that still allowed achieving maximal oxygen uptake; and 4 an exercise based on the HS using a higher initial speed followed by a subsequent decrease. To predict equalized performance values for the constant pace, the relationship between time and distance/speed through log-log modelling was used. When a fast-start was utilized, subjects were able to cover a greater distance in a performance of similar duration in comparison with a constant-pace performance (constant pace: 670 m±22%; fast-start: 683 m±22%; P = 0.029; subjects also demonstrated a higher exercise tolerance at a similar average speed when compared with constant-pace performance (constant pace: 114 s±30%; fast-start: 125 s±26%; P = 0.037. Moreover, the mean VO2 response time was reduced after a fast start (constant pace: 22.2 s±28%; fast-start: 19.3 s±29%; P = 0.025. In conclusion, middle-distance running performances with a duration of 2-3 min are improved and VO2 response time is faster when a fast-start is adopted.

RIght VErsus Left Apical transvenous pacing for bradycardia: Results of the RIVELA randomized study

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Haran Burri

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Aims: To compare cardiac function when pacing from the right or left ventricular apex in patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function, at 1-year follow-up. Methods: Prospective, multicentre centre randomizing conventional right ventricular apical (RVA versus left ventricular apical (LVA pacing using a coronary sinus lead in patients requiring ventricular pacing for bradycardia. Follow-up was performed using 3D-echocardiography at 6 and 12 months. Results: A total of 36 patients (age 75.4 ± 8.7 years, 21 males were enrolled (17 patients in the RVA group and 19 patients in the LVA group. A right ventricular lead was implanted in 8 patients in the LVA group, mainly because of high capture thresholds. There were no differences in the primary endpoint of LVEF at 1 year (60.4 ± 7.1% vs 62.1 ± 7.2% for the RVA and LVA groups respectively, P = 0.26 nor in any of the secondary endpoints (left ventricular dimensions, left ventricular diastolic function, right ventricular systolic function and tricuspid/mitral insufficiency. LVEF did not change significantly over follow-up in either group. Capture thresholds were significantly higher in the LVA group, and two patients had unexpected loss of capture of the coronary sinus lead during follow-up. Conclusions: Left univentricular pacing seems to be comparable to conventional RVA pacing in terms of ventricular function at up to 1 year follow-up, and is an option to consider in selected patients (e.g. those with a tricuspid valve prosthesis. Keywords: Ventricular pacing, Right ventricle, Left ventricle, Coronary sinus, Ventricular function

Pneumothorax in cardiac pacing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkfeldt, Rikke Esberg; Johansen, Jens Brock; Nohr, Ellen Aagaard

2012-01-01

AIM: To identify risk factors for pneumothorax treated with a chest tube after cardiac pacing device implantation in a population-based cohort.METHODS AND RESULTS: A nationwide cohort study was performed based on data on 28 860 patients from the Danish Pacemaker Register, which included all Danish...... age was 77 years (25th and 75th percentile: 69-84) and 55% were male (n = 15 785). A total of 190 patients (0.66%) were treated for pneumothorax, which was more often in women [aOR 1.9 (1.4-2.6)], and in patients with age >80 years [aOR 1.4 (1.0-1.9)], a prior history of chronic obstructive pulmonary...

Non-invasive red light optogenetic pacing and optical coherence microscopy (OCM) imaging for drosophila melanogaster (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Men, Jing; Li, Airong; Jerwick, Jason; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Zhou, Chao

2017-02-01

Cardiac pacing could be a powerful tool for investigating mammalian cardiac electrical conduction systems as well as for treatment of certain cardiac pathologies. However, traditional electrical pacing using pacemaker requires an invasive surgical procedure. Electrical currents from the implanted electrodes can also cause damage to heart tissue, further restricting its utility. Optogenetic pacing has been developed as a promising, non-invasive alternative to electrical stimulation for controlling animal heart rhythms. It induces heart contractions by shining pulsed light on transgene-generated microbial opsins, which in turn activate the light gated ion channels in animal hearts. However, commonly used opsins in optogenetic pacing, such as channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), require short light wavelength stimulation (475 nm), which is strongly absorbed and scattered by tissue. Here, we performed optogenetic pacing by expression of recently engineered red-shifted microbial opsins, ReaChR and CsChrimson, in a well-established animal model, Drosophila melanogaster, using the 617 nm stimulation light pulses. The OCM technique enables non-invasive optical imaging of animal hearts with high speed and ultrahigh axial and transverse resolutions. We integrated a customized OCM system with the optical stimulation system to monitor the optogenetic pacing noninvasively. The use of red-sifted opsins enabled deeper penetration of simulating light at lower power, which is promising for applications of optogenetic pacing in mammalian cardiac pathology studies or clinical treatments in the future.

An extension of the receiver operating characteristic curve and AUC-optimal classification.

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Takenouchi, Takashi; Komori, Osamu; Eguchi, Shinto

2012-10-01

While most proposed methods for solving classification problems focus on minimization of the classification error rate, we are interested in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which provides more information about classification performance than the error rate does. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) is a natural measure for overall assessment of a classifier based on the ROC curve. We discuss a class of concave functions for AUC maximization in which a boosting-type algorithm including RankBoost is considered, and the Bayesian risk consistency and the lower bound of the optimum function are discussed. A procedure derived by maximizing a specific optimum function has high robustness, based on gross error sensitivity. Additionally, we focus on the partial AUC, which is the partial area under the ROC curve. For example, in medical screening, a high true-positive rate to the fixed lower false-positive rate is preferable and thus the partial AUC corresponding to lower false-positive rates is much more important than the remaining AUC. We extend the class of concave optimum functions for partial AUC optimality with the boosting algorithm. We investigated the validity of the proposed method through several experiments with data sets in the UCI repository.

[Influence of pacing site on myocardial transmural dispersion of repolarization in intact normal and dilated cardiomyopathy dogs].

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Rong; Pu, Jun; Liu, Nian; Lu, Jia-Gao; Zhou, Qiang; Ruan, Yan-Fei; Niu, Hui-Yan; Wang, Lin

2003-12-25

In order to verify the hypothesis that left ventricular epicardial (LV-Epi) pacing and biventricular (BiV) pacing unavoidably influence the myocardial electrophysiological characters and may result in high risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmia, we calculated, in both normal mongrel dogs and dog models with rapid-right-ventricular-pacing induced dilated cardiomyopathy congestive heart failure (DCM-CHF), the monophasic action potential duration (MAPD) and the transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) in intracardiac electrogram together with the QT interval and T(peak)-T(end) (T(p(-T(e)) interval in surface electrocardiogram (ECG) during LV-Epi and BiV pacing, compared with those during right ventricular endocardial (RV-Endo) pacing. To prepare the DCM-CHF dog model, rapid right ventricular pacing (250 bpm) was performed for 23.6+/-2.57 days to the dog. All the normal and DCM-CHF dogs were given radio frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) to His bundle with the guide of X-ray fluoroscopy. After the RFCA procedures, the animals were under the situation of complete atrioventricular block so that the canine heart rates could be voluntarily controlled in the following experiments. After a thoracotomy, ECG and monophasic action potentials (MAP) of subendocardial, subepicardial and mid-layer myocardium were recorded synchronously in 8 normal and 5 DCM-CHF dogs during pacing from endocardium of RV apex (RV-Endo), epicardium of LV anterior wall (LV-Epi) and simultaneously both of the above (biventricular, BiV), the later was similar to the ventricular resynchronization therapy to congestive heart failure patients in clinic. The Tp-Te) meant the interval from the peak to the end of T wave, which was a representative index of TDR in surface ECG. The TDR was defined as the difference between the longest and the shortest MAPD of subendocardial, subepicardial and mid-layer myocardium. Our results showed that in normal dogs, pacing participating of LV (LV-Epi, BiV) prolonged

Vocal cord collapse during phrenic nerve-paced respiration in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Domanski, Mark C; Preciado, Diego A

2012-01-01

Phrenic nerve pacing can be used to treat congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS). We report how the lack of normal vocal cord tone during phrenic paced respiration can result in passive vocal cord collapse and produce obstructive symptoms. We describe a case of passive vocal cord collapse during phrenic nerve paced respiration in a patient with CCHS. As far as we know, this is the first report of this etiology of airway obstruction. The patient, a 7-year-old with CCHS and normal waking vocal cord movement, continued to require nightly continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) despite successful utilization of phrenic nerve pacers. On direct laryngoscopy, the patient's larynx was observed while the diaphragmatic pacers were sequentially engaged. No abnormal vocal cord stimulation was witnessed during engaging of either phrenic nerve stimulator. However, the lack of normal inspiratory vocal cord abduction during phrenic nerve-paced respiration resulted in vocal cord collapse and partial obstruction due to passive adduction of the vocal cords through the Bernoulli effect. Bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation resulted in more vocal cord collapse than unilateral stimulation. The lack of vocal cord abduction on inspiration presents a limit to phrenic nerve pacers.

Evaluation of drug administration errors in a teaching hospital

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Berdot Sarah

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medication errors can occur at any of the three steps of the medication use process: prescribing, dispensing and administration. We aimed to determine the incidence, type and clinical importance of drug administration errors and to identify risk factors. Methods Prospective study based on disguised observation technique in four wards in a teaching hospital in Paris, France (800 beds. A pharmacist accompanied nurses and witnessed the preparation and administration of drugs to all patients during the three drug rounds on each of six days per ward. Main outcomes were number, type and clinical importance of errors and associated risk factors. Drug administration error rate was calculated with and without wrong time errors. Relationship between the occurrence of errors and potential risk factors were investigated using logistic regression models with random effects. Results Twenty-eight nurses caring for 108 patients were observed. Among 1501 opportunities for error, 415 administrations (430 errors with one or more errors were detected (27.6%. There were 312 wrong time errors, ten simultaneously with another type of error, resulting in an error rate without wrong time error of 7.5% (113/1501. The most frequently administered drugs were the cardiovascular drugs (425/1501, 28.3%. The highest risks of error in a drug administration were for dermatological drugs. No potentially life-threatening errors were witnessed and 6% of errors were classified as having a serious or significant impact on patients (mainly omission. In multivariate analysis, the occurrence of errors was associated with drug administration route, drug classification (ATC and the number of patient under the nurse's care. Conclusion Medication administration errors are frequent. The identification of its determinants helps to undertake designed interventions.

Death Certification Errors and the Effect on Mortality Statistics.

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McGivern, Lauri; Shulman, Leanne; Carney, Jan K; Shapiro, Steven; Bundock, Elizabeth

Errors in cause and manner of death on death certificates are common and affect families, mortality statistics, and public health research. The primary objective of this study was to characterize errors in the cause and manner of death on death certificates completed by non-Medical Examiners. A secondary objective was to determine the effects of errors on national mortality statistics. We retrospectively compared 601 death certificates completed between July 1, 2015, and January 31, 2016, from the Vermont Electronic Death Registration System with clinical summaries from medical records. Medical Examiners, blinded to original certificates, reviewed summaries, generated mock certificates, and compared mock certificates with original certificates. They then graded errors using a scale from 1 to 4 (higher numbers indicated increased impact on interpretation of the cause) to determine the prevalence of minor and major errors. They also compared International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes on original certificates with those on mock certificates. Of 601 original death certificates, 319 (53%) had errors; 305 (51%) had major errors; and 59 (10%) had minor errors. We found no significant differences by certifier type (physician vs nonphysician). We did find significant differences in major errors in place of death ( P statistics. Surveillance and certifier education must expand beyond local and state efforts. Simplifying and standardizing underlying literal text for cause of death may improve accuracy, decrease coding errors, and improve national mortality statistics.

Towards PACE Atmospheric Correction, Aerosol and Cloud Products: Making Use of Expanded Spectral, Angular and Polarimetric Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Remer, L. A.; Boss, E.; Ahmad, Z.; Cairns, B.; Chowdhary, J.; Coddington, O.; Davis, A. B.; Dierssen, H. M.; Diner, D. J.; Franz, B. A.; Frouin, R.; Gao, B. C.; Garay, M. J.; Heidinger, A.; Ibrahim, A.; Kalashnikova, O. V.; Knobelspiesse, K. D.; Levy, R. C.; Omar, A. H.; Meyer, K.; Platnick, S. E.; Seidel, F. C.; van Diedenhoven, B.; Werdell, J.; Xu, F.; Zhai, P.; Zhang, Z.

2017-12-01

NASA's Science Team for the Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is concluding three years of study exploring the science potential of expanded spectral, angular and polarization capability for space-based retrievals of water leaving radiance, aerosols and clouds. The work anticipates future development of retrievals to be applied to the PACE Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) and/or possibly a PACE Multi-Angle Polarimeter (MAP). In this presentation we will report on the Science Team's accomplishments associated with the atmosphere (significant efforts are also directed by the ST towards the ocean). Included in the presentation will be sensitivity studies that explore new OCI capabilities for aerosol and cloud layer height, aerosol absorption characterization, cloud property retrievals, and how we intend to move from heritage atmospheric correction algorithms to make use of and adjust to OCI's hyperspectral and UV wavelengths. We will then address how capabilities will improve with the PACE MAP, how these capabilities from both OCI and MAP correspond to specific societal benefits from the PACE mission, and what is still needed to close the gaps in our understanding before the PACE mission can realize its full potential.

Using left-ventricular-only pacing to eliminate T-wave oversensing in a biventricular implantable cardiac defibrillator.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoo, Clarence; Bennett, Matthew; Chakrabarti, Santabhanu; LeMaitre, John; Tung, Stanley K K

2013-02-01

A man aged 75 years and with nonischemic cardiomyopathy had implantation of a biventricular implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Consistent biventricular pacing was limited by intermittent T-wave oversensing (TWOS). A strategy of left-ventricular-only pacing was used to eliminate TWOS. This strategy obviates the need to reduce ventricular sensitivity and thus may be an effective alternative to biventricular pacing complicated by TWOS. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feelings of nurses in the reception and risk classification evaluation in the emergency room

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Andressa Midori Sakai

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: to reveal feelings of nurses who host with risk assessment and classification in an emergency room of a pubic hospital. Methods: it is a qualitative research approach with 12 nurses interviewed. The data were analyzed, categorized and discussed according to the theoretical framework of work psychodynamics. Results: the nurses expressed feelings of satisfaction in meeting the user needs assistance. They reported feeling as fear, stress and fatigue due to the sharp pace of work, gaps in health care network and situations of violence. They highlighted coping strategies to reduce the burden of this assignment, how to share the completion of the screening with the nursing staff. Conclusion: the host with risk assessment and classification favors the autonomy of nurses and provide greater accountability to this professional users, but the limitations of available resources to solve the complaint of patients generate physical and psychological burden to this worker.

Feelings of nurses in the reception and risk classification evaluation in the emergency room

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andressa Midori Sakai

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to reveal feelings of nurses who host with risk assessment and classification in an emergency room of a pubic hospital. Methods: it is a qualitative research approach with 12 nurses interviewed. The data were analyzed, categorized and discussed according to the theoretical framework of work psychodynamics. Results: the nurses expressed feelings of satisfaction in meeting the user needs assistance. They reported feeling as fear, stress and fatigue due to the sharp pace of work, gaps in health care network and situations of violence. They highlighted coping strategies to reduce the burden of this assignment, how to share the completion of the screening with the nursing staff. Conclusion: the host with risk assessment and classification favors the autonomy of nurses and provide greater accountability to this professional users, but the limitations of available resources to solve the complaint of patients generate physical and psychological burden to this worker.

Errors and mistakes in breast ultrasound diagnostics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiesław Jakubowski

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Sonomammography is often the first additional examination performed in the diagnostics of breast diseases. The development of ultrasound imaging techniques, particularly the introduction of high frequency transducers, matrix transducers, harmonic imaging and finally, elastography, influenced the improvement of breast disease diagnostics. Neverthe‑ less, as in each imaging method, there are errors and mistakes resulting from the techni‑ cal limitations of the method, breast anatomy (fibrous remodeling, insufficient sensitivity and, in particular, specificity. Errors in breast ultrasound diagnostics can be divided into impossible to be avoided and potentially possible to be reduced. In this article the most frequently made errors in ultrasound have been presented, including the ones caused by the presence of artifacts resulting from volumetric averaging in the near and far field, artifacts in cysts or in dilated lactiferous ducts (reverberations, comet tail artifacts, lateral beam artifacts, improper setting of general enhancement or time gain curve or range. Errors dependent on the examiner, resulting in the wrong BIRADS‑usg classification, are divided into negative and positive errors. The sources of these errors have been listed. The methods of minimization of the number of errors made have been discussed, includ‑ ing the ones related to the appropriate examination technique, taking into account data from case history and the use of the greatest possible number of additional options such as: harmonic imaging, color and power Doppler and elastography. In the article examples of errors resulting from the technical conditions of the method have been presented, and those dependent on the examiner which are related to the great diversity and variation of ultrasound images of pathological breast lesions.

Effect of the Pacing Strategies on the Open Water 10km World Swimming Championships Performances.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Luis; Veiga, Santiago

2017-10-16

The aim of the present research was 1) to compare the pacing strategies of different level open water swimmers during the 10km race of the FINA 2015 World Swimming Championships (WCH), and 2) to relate these pacing strategies to the race performance. Final and intermediate split times as well as intermediate race positions from the 10-kilometer race participants (69 men and 51 women) were collected from the public domain and were divided into five groups (G1 to G5) depending on their finishing positions. Medalists and finalists (G1 and G2, respectively) presented an even pacing profile with similar swimming velocities to the less successful swimmers (G3 to G5) on the initial and mid stages of the race but a 1.5-3% increase in swimming velocity in the last quarter of the race. This fast end spurt was largely related to the race performance and was not observed in the G3 and G4 (even-paced profile) or in the G5 (positive pacing profile) groups. Intermediate race positions and lap rankings were negatively related to finishing position indicating a delayed positioning of the most successful swimmers at 25%, 50% and 75% of race distance. The adoption of a conservative starting strategy by open water swimmers with a negative pacing profile and delayed partial positioning seems to increase the chances of overall race success as it allows a fast end spurt that is highly related to successful finishing race positions.

International piping benchmarks: use of the simplified code PACE 2. [LMFBR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyle, J T; Spence, J [University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom); Blundell, C [Risley Nuclear Power Development Establishment, Central Technical Services, Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom); ed.

1979-05-15

This report compares the results obtained using the code PACE 2 with the International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) International Piping Benchmark solutions. PACE 2 is designed to analyse systems of pipework using a simplified method which is economical of computer time and hence inexpensive. This low cost is not achieved without some loss of accuracy in the solution, but for most parts of a system this inaccuracy is acceptable and those sections of particular importance may be reanalysed using more precise methods in order to produce a satisfactory analysis of the complete system at reasonable cost.

Single lead atrial vs. dual chamber pacing in sick sinus syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Niels H; Kirkfeldt, Rikke Esberg; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis

2017-01-01

Aims The DANPACE trial randomized patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) to single lead atrial (AAIR) or dual chamber (DDDR) pacemaker (PM). After 5 years follow-up, no difference in overall survival, stroke or heart failure (HF) was observed, whereas risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and PM...... This register-based long-term follow-up study indicates that there is no difference in mortality among patients with SSS randomized to AAIR or DDDR pacing, even with very long follow-up. Nor is there any difference in risk of AF hospitalization, stroke or HF. The higher rate of pacing mode-change to DDDR...

Methodological notes on model comparisons and strategy classification: A falsificationist proposition

OpenAIRE

Morten Moshagen; Benjamin E. Hilbig

2011-01-01

Taking a falsificationist perspective, the present paper identifies two major shortcomings of existing approaches to comparative model evaluations in general and strategy classifications in particular. These are (1) failure to consider systematic error and (2) neglect of global model fit. Using adherence measures to evaluate competing models implicitly makes the unrealistic assumption that the error associated with the model predictions is entirely random. By means of simple schematic example...

Development of an intelligent system for ultrasonic flaw classification in weldments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Sung-Jin; Kim, Hak-Joon; Cho, Hyeon

2002-01-01

Even though ultrasonic pattern recognition is considered as the most effective and promising approach to flaw classification in weldments, its application to the realistic field inspection is still very limited due to the crucial barriers in cost, time and reliability. To reduce such barriers, previously we have proposed an intelligent system approach that consisted of the following four ingredients: (1) a PC-based ultrasonic testing (PC-UT) system; (2) an effective invariant ultrasonic flaw classification algorithm; (3) an intelligent flaw classification software; and (4) a database with abundant experimental flaw signals. In the present work, for performing the ultrasonic flaw classification in weldments in a real-time fashion in many real word situations, we develop an intelligent system, which is called the 'Intelligent Ultrasonic Evaluation System (IUES)' by the integration of the above four ingredients into a single, unified system. In addition, for the improvement of classification accuracy of flaws, especially slag inclusions, we expand the feature set by adding new informative features, and demonstrate the enhanced performance of the IUES with flaw signals in the database constructed previously. And then, to take care of the increased redundancy in the feature set due to the addition of features, we also propose two efficient schemes for feature selection: the forward selection with trial and error, and the forward selection with criteria of the error probability and the linear correlation coefficients of individual features

3D multi-view convolutional neural networks for lung nodule classification

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Guixia; Hou, Beibei; Zhang, Ningbo

2017-01-01

The 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) is able to make full use of the spatial 3D context information of lung nodules, and the multi-view strategy has been shown to be useful for improving the performance of 2D CNN in classifying lung nodules. In this paper, we explore the classification of lung nodules using the 3D multi-view convolutional neural networks (MV-CNN) with both chain architecture and directed acyclic graph architecture, including 3D Inception and 3D Inception-ResNet. All networks employ the multi-view-one-network strategy. We conduct a binary classification (benign and malignant) and a ternary classification (benign, primary malignant and metastatic malignant) on Computed Tomography (CT) images from Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative database (LIDC-IDRI). All results are obtained via 10-fold cross validation. As regards the MV-CNN with chain architecture, results show that the performance of 3D MV-CNN surpasses that of 2D MV-CNN by a significant margin. Finally, a 3D Inception network achieved an error rate of 4.59% for the binary classification and 7.70% for the ternary classification, both of which represent superior results for the corresponding task. We compare the multi-view-one-network strategy with the one-view-one-network strategy. The results reveal that the multi-view-one-network strategy can achieve a lower error rate than the one-view-one-network strategy. PMID:29145492

An extension of PPLS-DA for classification and comparison to ordinary PLS-DA.

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Anna Telaar

Full Text Available Classification studies are widely applied, e.g. in biomedical research to classify objects/patients into predefined groups. The goal is to find a classification function/rule which assigns each object/patient to a unique group with the greatest possible accuracy (classification error. Especially in gene expression experiments often a lot of variables (genes are measured for only few objects/patients. A suitable approach is the well-known method PLS-DA, which searches for a transformation to a lower dimensional space. Resulting new components are linear combinations of the original variables. An advancement of PLS-DA leads to PPLS-DA, introducing a so called 'power parameter', which is maximized towards the correlation between the components and the group-membership. We introduce an extension of PPLS-DA for optimizing this power parameter towards the final aim, namely towards a minimal classification error. We compare this new extension with the original PPLS-DA and also with the ordinary PLS-DA using simulated and experimental datasets. For the investigated data sets with weak linear dependency between features/variables, no improvement is shown for PPLS-DA and for the extensions compared to PLS-DA. A very weak linear dependency, a low proportion of differentially expressed genes for simulated data, does not lead to an improvement of PPLS-DA over PLS-DA, but our extension shows a lower prediction error. On the contrary, for the data set with strong between-feature collinearity and a low proportion of differentially expressed genes and a large total number of genes, the prediction error of PPLS-DA and the extensions is clearly lower than for PLS-DA. Moreover we compare these prediction results with results of support vector machines with linear kernel and linear discriminant analysis.

Earlier Right Ventricular Pacing in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy for a Patient with Right Axis Deviation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hattori, Yusuke; Ishibashi, Kohei; Noda, Takashi; Okamura, Hideo; Kanzaki, Hideaki; Anzai, Toshihisa; Yasuda, Satoshi; Kusano, Kengo

2017-09-01

We describe the case of a 37-year-old woman who presented with complete right bundle branch block and right axis deviation. She was admitted to our hospital due to severe heart failure and was dependent on inotropic agents. Cardiac resynchronization therapy was initiated but did not improve her condition. After the optimization of the pacing timing, we performed earlier right ventricular pacing, which led to an improvement of her heart failure. Earlier right ventricular pacing should be considered in patients with complete right bundle branch block and right axis deviation when cardiac resynchronization therapy is not effective.

Chronology of prescribing error during the hospital stay and prediction of pharmacist's alerts overriding: a prospective analysis

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Bruni Vanida

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Drug prescribing errors are frequent in the hospital setting and pharmacists play an important role in detection of these errors. The objectives of this study are (1 to describe the drug prescribing errors rate during the patient's stay, (2 to find which characteristics for a prescribing error are the most predictive of their reproduction the next day despite pharmacist's alert (i.e. override the alert. Methods We prospectively collected all medication order lines and prescribing errors during 18 days in 7 medical wards' using computerized physician order entry. We described and modelled the errors rate according to the chronology of hospital stay. We performed a classification and regression tree analysis to find which characteristics of alerts were predictive of their overriding (i.e. prescribing error repeated. Results 12 533 order lines were reviewed, 117 errors (errors rate 0.9% were observed and 51% of these errors occurred on the first day of the hospital stay. The risk of a prescribing error decreased over time. 52% of the alerts were overridden (i.e error uncorrected by prescribers on the following day. Drug omissions were the most frequently taken into account by prescribers. The classification and regression tree analysis showed that overriding pharmacist's alerts is first related to the ward of the prescriber and then to either Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical class of the drug or the type of error. Conclusions Since 51% of prescribing errors occurred on the first day of stay, pharmacist should concentrate his analysis of drug prescriptions on this day. The difference of overriding behavior between wards and according drug Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical class or type of error could also guide the validation tasks and programming of electronic alerts.

Additional electrodes on the Quartet™ LV lead provide more programmable pacing options than bipolar and tripolar equivalents.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, David; Sperzel, Johannes; Thibault, Bernard; Rinaldi, Christopher A; Pappone, Carlo; Gutleben, Klaus-Jürgen; Leclercq, Christopher; Razavi, Hedi; Ryu, Kyungmoo; Mcspadden, Luke C; Fischer, Avi; Tomassoni, Gery

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate any benefits to the number of viable pacing vectors and maximal spatial coverage with quadripolar left ventricular (LV) leads when compared with tripolar and bipolar equivalents in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). A meta-analysis of five previously published clinical trials involving the Quartet™ LV lead (St Jude Medical, St Paul, MN, USA) was performed to evaluate the number of viable pacing vectors defined as capture thresholds ≤2.5 V and no phrenic nerve stimulation and maximal spatial coverage of viable vectors in CRT patients at pre-discharge (n = 370) and first follow-up (n = 355). Bipolar and tripolar lead configurations were modelled by systematic elimination of two and one electrode(s), respectively, from the Quartet lead. The Quartet lead with its four pacing electrodes exhibited the greatest number of pacing vectors per patient when compared with the best bipolar and the best tripolar modelled equivalents. Similarly, the Quartet lead provided the highest spatial coverage in terms of the distance between two furthest viable pacing cathodes when compared with the best bipolar and the best tripolar configurations (P tripolar configurations, elimination of the second proximal electrode (M3) resulted in the highest number of viable pacing options per patient. There were no significant differences observed between pre-discharge and first follow-up analyses. The Quartet lead with its four electrodes and the capability to pace from four anatomical locations provided the highest number of viable pacing vectors at pre-discharge and first follow-up visits, providing more flexibility in device programming and enabling continuation of CRT in more patients when compared with bipolar and tripolar equivalents. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PERANCANGAN COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEM DALAM MENGANALISA HUMAN ERROR DI PERKERETAAPIAN INDONESIA

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Wiwik Budiawan

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Kecelakaan kereta api (KA yang terjadi secara beruntun di Indonesia sudah berada pada tingkat kritis. Berdasarkan data dari Direktorat Jendral Perkeretaapian, dalam kurun 5 tahun terakhir (2005-2009 total terdapat 611 kecelakaan KA.  Banyak faktor yang berkontribusi menyebabkan terjadinya kecelakaan, antara lain: sarana, prasarana, SDM operator (human error, eksternal, dan alam.  Kegagalan manusia (Human error merupakan salah satu faktor yang berpotensi menyebabkan terjadinya suatu kecelakaan KA dan dinyatakan sebagai faktor utama penyebab terjadinya suatu kecelakaan kereta api di Indonesia. Namun, tidak jelas bagaimana teknik analisis ini dilakukan. Kajian human error yang dilakukan Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT masih relatif terbatas, tidak dilengkapi dengan metode yang sistematis. Terdapat beberapa metode yang telah dikembangkan saat ini, tetapi untuk moda transportasi kereta api masih belum banyak dikembangkan. Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS merupakan metode analisis human error yang dikembangkan dan disesuaikan dengan sistem perkeretaapian Indonesia. Guna meningkatkan keandalan dalam analisis human error, HFACS kemudian dikembangkan dalam bentuk aplikasi berbasis web yang dapat diakses di komputer maupun smartphone. Hasil penelitian ini dapat dimanfaatkan oleh KNKT sebagai metode analisis kecelakaan kereta api khususnya terkait dengan human error. Kata kunci : human error, HFACS, CAS, kereta api   Abstract Train wreck (KA which occurred in quick succession in Indonesia already at a critical level. Based on data from the Directorate General of Railways, during the last 5 years (2005-2009 there were a total of 611 railway accidents. Many factors contribute to cause accidents, such as: facilities, infrastructure, human operator (human error, external, and natural. Human failure (Human error is one of the factors that could potentially cause a train accident and expressed as the main factors causing

Human errors identification using the human factors analysis and classification system technique (HFACS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. A. Shirali

2013-12-01

.Result: In this study, 158 reports of accident in Ahvaz steel industry were analyzed by HFACS technique. This analysis showed that most of the human errors were: in the first level was related to the skill-based errors, in the second to the physical environment, in the third level to the inadequate supervision and in the fourth level to the management of resources. .Conclusion: Studying and analyzing of past events using the HFACS technique can identify the major and root causes of accidents and can be effective on prevent repetitions of such mishaps. Also, it can be used as a basis for developing strategies to prevent future events in steel industries.

Signal classification for acoustic neutrino detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neff, M.; Anton, G.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Graf, K.; Hößl, J.; Katz, U.; Lahmann, R.; Richardt, C.

2012-01-01

This article focuses on signal classification for deep-sea acoustic neutrino detection. In the deep sea, the background of transient signals is very diverse. Approaches like matched filtering are not sufficient to distinguish between neutrino-like signals and other transient signals with similar signature, which are forming the acoustic background for neutrino detection in the deep-sea environment. A classification system based on machine learning algorithms is analysed with the goal to find a robust and effective way to perform this task. For a well-trained model, a testing error on the level of 1% is achieved for strong classifiers like Random Forest and Boosting Trees using the extracted features of the signal as input and utilising dense clusters of sensors instead of single sensors.

An appropriate compression pace is important for securing the quality of hands-only CPR--a manikin study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Yoshitaka; Tanigawa, Koichi; Ishikawa, Masami; Ouhara, Kazuhisa; Oue, Kana; Yoshinaka, Taiga; Kurihara, Hidemi; Irifune, Masahiro

2014-09-01

It is important to implement good quality chest compressions for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This manikin study examined the effects of different compression rates on chest compression depth variables using a metronome sound guide. Fifty sixth-year dentistry students participated in the study. Each participant performed CPR at 3 different compression rates, 110, 100, and 90 compressions per min (pace-110-g, pace-100-g, and pace-90-g) for 2 consecutive one-minute sets with a ten-second break between the sets. The percentage of compressions deeper than 5 cm at pace-110-g decreased significantly from 22.1 ± 4.7% in the first set to 16.7 ± 4.4%* in the second set (*p CPR.

Heart failure in patients with sick sinus syndrome treated with single lead atrial or dual-chamber pacing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riahi, Sam; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Hjortshøj, Søren

2012-01-01

AIMS: Previous studies indicate that ventricular pacing may precipitate heart failure (HF). We investigated occurrence of HF during long-term follow-up among patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) randomized to AAIR or DDDR pacing. Furthermore, we investigated effects of percentage of ventricular...... patients (17%) with the leads in a non-apical position, HR 0.67, CI 0.45-1.00, P = 0.05. After adjustments this difference was non-significant. The incidence of HF was not associated with %VP (P = 0.57).CONCLUSION: In patients with SSS, HF was not associated with pacing mode, %VP, or ventricular lead...... localization. This suggests that DDDR pacing is safe in patients with SSS without precipitating HF....

Synchronous intra-myocardial ventricular pacing without crossing the tricuspid valve or entering the coronary sinus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konecny, Tomas; DeSimone, Christopher V.; Friedman, Paul A.; Bruce, Charles [Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Asirvatham, Samuel J., E-mail: asirvatham.samuel@mayo.edu [Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States)

2013-05-15

Ventricular pacing is most commonly performed at the right ventricular (RV) apex. This is not without risk as placement requires crossing the tricuspid valve (TV) and may cause valvular dysfunction and dyssynchronous activation of the ventricles. The fact that the tricuspid valve lies more apically than the mitral valve allows for the possibility of pacing the ventricles from the right atrium (RA) via the “atrio-ventricular septum” without crossing the TV or entering the coronary sinus (CS). In order to mitigate far field activation inherent to current pacing technology, we constructed a novel lead in which the cathode and anode are both intra-myocardial. We demonstrate safety and efficacy of this novel lead for ventricular pacing at the atrio-ventricular septum in canines, including improved synchronous activation of both ventricles, improved differentiation in ventricular versus atrial sensing, while providing reliable ventricular capture, opening novel and a potentially safer alternative to human cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Multicenter, prospective, randomized safety and efficacy study of a new atrial-based managed ventricular pacing mode (MVP) in dual chamber ICDs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Michael O; Ellenbogen, Kenneth A; Casavant, David; Betzold, Robert; Sheldon, Todd; Tang, Feng; Mueller, Megan; Lingle, John

2005-08-01

Ventricular desynchronization caused by right ventricular pacing may impair ventricular function and increase risk of heart failure (CHF), atrial fibrillation (AF), and death. Conventional DDD/R mode often results in high cumulative percentage ventricular pacing (Cum%VP). We hypothesized that a new managed ventricular pacing mode (MVP) would safely provide AAI/R pacing with ventricular monitoring and DDD/R during AV block (AVB) and reduce Cum%VP compared to DDD/R. MVP RAMware was downloaded in 181 patients with Marquis DR ICDs. Patients were initially randomized to either MVP or DDD/R for 1 month, then crossed over to the opposite mode for 1 month. ICD diagnostics were analyzed for cumulative percentage atrial pacing (Cum%AP), Cum%VP, and duration of DDD/R pacing for spontaneous AVB. Baseline characteristics included age 66 +/- 12 years, EF 36 +/- 14%, and NYHA Class II-III 36%. Baseline PR interval was 190 +/- 53 msec and programmed AV intervals (DDD/R) were 216 +/- 50 (paced)/189 +/- 53 (sensed) msec. Mean Cum%VP was significantly lower in MVP versus DDD/R (4.1 +/- 16.3 vs 73.8 +/- 32.5, P MVP were 85.0 and 99.9, respectively. Mean Cum%AP was not different between MVP versus DDD/R (48.7 +/- 38.5 vs 47.3 +/- 38.4, P = 0.83). During MVP overall time spent in AAI/R was 89.6% (intrinsic conduction), DDD/R 6.7% (intermittent AVB), and DDI/R 3.7% (AF). No adverse events were attributed to MVP. MVP safely achieves functional atrial pacing by limiting ventricular pacing to periods of intermittent AVB and AF in ICD patients, significantly reducing Cum%VP compared to DDD/R. MVP is a universal pacing mode that adapts to AVB and AF, providing both atrial pacing and ventricular pacing support when needed.

Atrial pacing as an alternative to supine exercise (SE) in radionuclide ventriculography (RNV)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Grand, V.; Wells, S.; O'Neil, W.W.; Jenkins, J.; Gross, M.D.; Vogel, R.

1984-01-01

Stress RNV is at times of limited value as many patients cannot achieve a sufficient pressure rate product (PRP). Atrial pacing is a noninvasive alternative to SE by bicycle ergometry. A swallowable electrode attached to a flexible wire is positioned in a retroatrial position in the esophagus and when connected to a variable output stimulator, variable rate (120, 140, 160 beats/min) atrial pacing ventriculography (APV) can be performed. RNV is performed in the sitting position at rest and at each pacing stage. APV was compared to SE RNV in 4 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 3 normal volunteers (N). Tolerance to APV was excellent with adequate pacing. All subjects reported a minor sensation of chest burning. No arrhythmias occurred. At maximal APV mean PRP was 174 +- 26. The diastolic volumes in APV fell in all patients. Systolic volumes fell in N but not in CAD to APV. A flat EF response to APV was seen in both N and CAD patients. APV is an alternative to SE RNV although PRP remains low. Volume changes in APV are different than in SE RNV and in the interpretation of the results of APV in CAD, changes in systolic and diastolic volumes may be more important than the response of EF

Error modeling for surrogates of dynamical systems using machine learning: Machine-learning-based error model for surrogates of dynamical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trehan, Sumeet; Carlberg, Kevin T.; Durlofsky, Louis J.

2017-01-01

A machine learning–based framework for modeling the error introduced by surrogate models of parameterized dynamical systems is proposed. The framework entails the use of high-dimensional regression techniques (eg, random forests, and LASSO) to map a large set of inexpensively computed “error indicators” (ie, features) produced by the surrogate model at a given time instance to a prediction of the surrogate-model error in a quantity of interest (QoI). This eliminates the need for the user to hand-select a small number of informative features. The methodology requires a training set of parameter instances at which the time-dependent surrogate-model error is computed by simulating both the high-fidelity and surrogate models. Using these training data, the method first determines regression-model locality (via classification or clustering) and subsequently constructs a “local” regression model to predict the time-instantaneous error within each identified region of feature space. We consider 2 uses for the resulting error model: (1) as a correction to the surrogate-model QoI prediction at each time instance and (2) as a way to statistically model arbitrary functions of the time-dependent surrogate-model error (eg, time-integrated errors). We then apply the proposed framework to model errors in reduced-order models of nonlinear oil-water subsurface flow simulations, with time-varying well-control (bottom-hole pressure) parameters. The reduced-order models used in this work entail application of trajectory piecewise linearization in conjunction with proper orthogonal decomposition. Moreover, when the first use of the method is considered, numerical experiments demonstrate consistent improvement in accuracy in the time-instantaneous QoI prediction relative to the original surrogate model, across a large number of test cases. When the second use is considered, results show that the proposed method provides accurate statistical predictions of the time- and well

Sequential biventricular pacing improves regional contractility, longitudinal function and dyssynchrony in patients with heart failure and prolonged QRS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ring Margareta

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Aims Biventricular pacing (BiP is an effective treatment in systolic heart failure (HF patients with prolonged QRS. However, approximately 35% of the patients receiving BiP are classified as non-responders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the acute effects of VV-optimization on systolic heart function. Methods Twenty-one HF patients aged 72 (46-88 years, QRS 154 (120-190 ms, were studied with echocardiography, Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI and 3D-echo the first day after receiving a BiP device. TDI was performed; during simultaneous pacing (LV-lead pacing 4 ms before the RV-lead and during sequential pacing (LV 20 and 40 ms before RV and RV 20 and 40 ms before LV-lead pacing. Systolic heart function was studied by tissue tracking (TT for longitudinal function and systolic maximal velocity (SMV for regional contractility and signs of dyssynchrony assessed by time-delays standard deviation of aortic valve opening to SMV, AVO-SMV/SD and tissue synchronization imaging (TSI. Results The TT mean value preoperatively was 4,2 ± 1,5 and increased at simultaneous pacing to 5,0 ± 1,2 mm (p Conclusions VV-optimization in the acute phase improves systolic heart function more than simultaneous BiP pacing. Long-term effects should be evaluated in prospective randomized trials.

Spelling in Adolescents with Dyslexia: Errors and Modes of Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Tops, Wim; Callens, Maaike; Bijn, Evi; Brysbaert, Marc

2014-01-01

In this study we focused on the spelling of high-functioning students with dyslexia. We made a detailed classification of the errors in a word and sentence dictation task made by 100 students with dyslexia and 100 matched control students. All participants were in the first year of their bachelor's studies and had Dutch as mother tongue. Three…

Identifying medication error chains from critical incident reports: a new analytic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Huckels-Baumgart, Saskia; Manser, Tanja

2014-10-01

Research into the distribution of medication errors usually focuses on isolated stages within the medication use process. Our study aimed to provide a novel process-oriented approach to medication incident analysis focusing on medication error chains. Our study was conducted across a 900-bed teaching hospital in Switzerland. All reported 1,591 medication errors 2009-2012 were categorized using the Medication Error Index NCC MERP and the WHO Classification for Patient Safety Methodology. In order to identify medication error chains, each reported medication incident was allocated to the relevant stage of the hospital medication use process. Only 25.8% of the reported medication errors were detected before they propagated through the medication use process. The majority of medication errors (74.2%) formed an error chain encompassing two or more stages. The most frequent error chain comprised preparation up to and including medication administration (45.2%). "Non-consideration of documentation/prescribing" during the drug preparation was the most frequent contributor for "wrong dose" during the administration of medication. Medication error chains provide important insights for detecting and stopping medication errors before they reach the patient. Existing and new safety barriers need to be extended to interrupt error chains and to improve patient safety. © 2014, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Gemin, Butch; Pape, Larry

2017-01-01

"Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning 2016" marks the thirteenth consecutive year Evergreen has published its annual research of the K-12 education online learning market. The thirteen years of researching, writing and publishing this report represents a time of remarkable change. There has been a constant presence that has become the…

Optimizing Classroom Instruction through Self-Paced Learning Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Romiro G.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the learning impact of self-paced learning prototype in optimizing classroom instruction towards students' learning in Chemistry. Two sections of 64 Laboratory High School students in Chemistry were used as subjects of the study. The Quasi-Experimental and Correlation Research Design was used in the study: a pre-test was…

The VTTVIS line imaging spectrometer - principles, error sources, and calibration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, R.N.

2002-01-01

work describing the basic principles, potential error sources, and/or adjustment and calibration procedures. This report fulfils the need for such documentationwith special focus on the system at KVL. The PGP based system has several severe error sources, which should be removed prior any analysis......Hyperspectral imaging with a spatial resolution of a few mm2 has proved to have a great potential within crop and weed classification and also within nutrient diagnostics. A commonly used hyperspectral imaging system is based on the Prism-Grating-Prism(PGP) principles produced by Specim Ltd...... in off-axis transmission efficiencies, diffractionefficiencies, and image distortion have a significant impact on the instrument performance. Procedures removing or minimising these systematic error sources are developed and described for the system build at KVL but can be generalised to other PGP...

Comparative analysis of methods for classification in predicting the quality of bread

OpenAIRE

E. A. Balashova; V. K. Bitjukov; E. A. Savvina

2013-01-01

The comparative analysis of classification methods of two-stage cluster and discriminant analysis and neural networks was performed. System of informative signs which classifies with a minimum of errors has been proposed.

The pace of vocabulary growth helps predict later vocabulary skill

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Meredith L.; Raudenbush, Stephen W.; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

2011-01-01

Children vary widely in the rate at which they acquire words—some start slow and speed up, others start fast and continue at a steady pace. Do early developmental variations of this sort help predict vocabulary skill just prior to kindergarten entry? This longitudinal study starts by examining important predictors (SES, parent input, child gesture) of vocabulary growth between 14 and 46 months (n=62), and then uses growth estimates to predict children's vocabulary at 54 months. Velocity and acceleration in vocabulary development at 30 months predicted later vocabulary, particularly for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding the pace of early vocabulary growth thus improves our ability to predict school readiness, and may help identify children at risk for starting behind. PMID:22235920

Hyperspectral image classification based on local binary patterns and PCANet

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Huizhen; Gao, Feng; Dong, Junyu; Yang, Yang

2018-04-01

Hyperspectral image classification has been well acknowledged as one of the challenging tasks of hyperspectral data processing. In this paper, we propose a novel hyperspectral image classification framework based on local binary pattern (LBP) features and PCANet. In the proposed method, linear prediction error (LPE) is first employed to select a subset of informative bands, and LBP is utilized to extract texture features. Then, spectral and texture features are stacked into a high dimensional vectors. Next, the extracted features of a specified position are transformed to a 2-D image. The obtained images of all pixels are fed into PCANet for classification. Experimental results on real hyperspectral dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

An Investigation on Exhaustion of SAP ERP Users: Influence of Pace of Change and Technostress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prashanta Kumar Roy

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Despite recent growing research interest on ERP research, the understanding on ERP induced exhaustion is still limited. This study examines how the pace of change of ERP functionalities and interface causes exhaustion in workplace. For this purpose, we conducted an investigation on 128 ERP users from two different organizations in Bangladesh. We extended theory of technostress by integrating pace of change of ERP system. Result suggests that pace of change on ERP system significantly affect work-overload, work-life conflict and role ambiguity on ERP users. Result also shows that work-overload and role ambiguity are strong predictors for ERP induced exhaustion.

Refractive errors in children and adolescents in Bucaramanga (Colombia).

Science.gov (United States)

Galvis, Virgilio; Tello, Alejandro; Otero, Johanna; Serrano, Andrés A; Gómez, Luz María; Castellanos, Yuly

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of refractive errors in children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years old, living in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga (Colombia). This study was a secondary analysis of two descriptive cross-sectional studies that applied sociodemographic surveys and assessed visual acuity and refraction. Ametropias were classified as myopic errors, hyperopic errors, and mixed astigmatism. Eyes were considered emmetropic if none of these classifications were made. The data were collated using free software and analyzed with STATA/IC 11.2. One thousand two hundred twenty-eight individuals were included in this study. Girls showed a higher rate of ametropia than boys. Hyperopic refractive errors were present in 23.1% of the subjects, and myopic errors in 11.2%. Only 0.2% of the eyes had high myopia (≤-6.00 D). Mixed astigmatism and anisometropia were uncommon, and myopia frequency increased with age. There were statistically significant steeper keratometric readings in myopic compared to hyperopic eyes. The frequency of refractive errors that we found of 36.7% is moderate compared to the global data. The rates and parameters statistically differed by sex and age groups. Our findings are useful for establishing refractive error rate benchmarks in low-middle-income countries and as a baseline for following their variation by sociodemographic factors.

Refractive errors in children and adolescents in Bucaramanga (Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virgilio Galvis

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of refractive errors in children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years old, living in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga (Colombia. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of two descriptive cross-sectional studies that applied sociodemographic surveys and assessed visual acuity and refraction. Ametropias were classified as myopic errors, hyperopic errors, and mixed astigmatism. Eyes were considered emmetropic if none of these classifications were made. The data were collated using free software and analyzed with STATA/IC 11.2. Results: One thousand two hundred twenty-eight individuals were included in this study. Girls showed a higher rate of ametropia than boys. Hyperopic refractive errors were present in 23.1% of the subjects, and myopic errors in 11.2%. Only 0.2% of the eyes had high myopia (≤-6.00 D. Mixed astigmatism and anisometropia were uncommon, and myopia frequency increased with age. There were statistically significant steeper keratometric readings in myopic compared to hyperopic eyes. Conclusions: The frequency of refractive errors that we found of 36.7% is moderate compared to the global data. The rates and parameters statistically differed by sex and age groups. Our findings are useful for establishing refractive error rate benchmarks in low-middle-income countries and as a baseline for following their variation by sociodemographic factors.

Levodopa reinstates connectivity from prefrontal to premotor cortex during externally paced movement in Parkinson's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herz, Damian M; Siebner, Hartwig R; Hulme, Oliver J

2014-01-01

, which were externally paced at a rate of 0.5Hz. This required participants to align their movement velocity to the slow external pace. Patients were studied after at least 12-hour withdrawal of dopaminergic medication (OFF state) and after intake of the dopamine precursor levodopa (ON state) in order...

Challenge of Engaging All Students via Self-Paced Interactive Electronic Learning Tutorials for Introductory Physics

Science.gov (United States)

DeVore, Seth; Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-01-01

As research-based, self-paced electronic learning tools become increasingly available, a critical issue educators encounter is implementing strategies to ensure that all students engage with them as intended. Here, we first discuss the effectiveness of electronic learning tutorials as self-paced learning tools in large enrollment brick and mortar…

Child and Parental Outcomes Following Involvement in a Preventive Intervention: Efficacy of the PACE Program

Science.gov (United States)

Begle, Angela Moreland; Dumas, Jean E.

2011-01-01

This study evaluated whether engagement (i.e., attendance and quality of participation) in the Parenting our Children to Excellence (PACE) program predicted positive child and parent outcomes. PACE in an 8-week preventive intervention aimed at parents of preschool children. The study investigated the relation of engagement to outcomes in an…

Early Right Ventricular Apical Pacing-Induced Gene Expression Alterations Are Associated with Deterioration of Left Ventricular Systolic Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiyan Xu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The chronic high-dose right ventricular apical (RVA pacing may have deleterious effects on left ventricular (LV systolic function. We hypothesized that the expression changes of genes regulating cardiomyocyte energy metabolism and contractility were associated with deterioration of LV function in patients who underwent chronic RVA pacing. Sixty patients with complete atrioventricular block and preserved ejection fraction (EF who underwent pacemaker implantation were randomly assigned to either RVA pacing (n=30 group or right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT pacing (n=30 group. The mRNA levels of OPA1 and SERCA2a were significantly lower in the RVA pacing group at 1 month’s follow-up (both p<0.001. Early changes in the expression of selected genes OPA1 and SERCA2a were associated with deterioration in global longitudinal strain (GLS that became apparent months later (p=0.002 and p=0.026, resp. The altered expressions of genes that regulate cardiomyocyte energy metabolism and contractility measured in the peripheral blood at one month following pacemaker implantation were associated with subsequent deterioration in LV dyssynchrony and function in patients with preserved LVEF, who underwent RVA pacing.

A novel Neuro-fuzzy classification technique for data mining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soumadip Ghosh

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In our study, we proposed a novel Neuro-fuzzy classification technique for data mining. The inputs to the Neuro-fuzzy classification system were fuzzified by applying generalized bell-shaped membership function. The proposed method utilized a fuzzification matrix in which the input patterns were associated with a degree of membership to different classes. Based on the value of degree of membership a pattern would be attributed to a specific category or class. We applied our method to ten benchmark data sets from the UCI machine learning repository for classification. Our objective was to analyze the proposed method and, therefore compare its performance with two powerful supervised classification algorithms Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN and Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS. We assessed the performance of these classification methods in terms of different performance measures such as accuracy, root-mean-square error, kappa statistic, true positive rate, false positive rate, precision, recall, and f-measure. In every aspect the proposed method proved to be superior to RBFNN and ANFIS algorithms.

New method for cardiac resynchronization therapy: Transapical endocardial lead implantation for left ventricular free wall pacing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I. Kassai (Imre); C. Foldesi (Csaba); A. Szekely (Andrea); T. Szili-Torok (Tamas)

2008-01-01

textabstractCoronary sinus lead placement for transvenous left ventricular (LV) pacing in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has a significant failure rate at implant and a significant dislocation rate during follow-up. For these patients, epicardial pacing lead implantation is the most

Neuromuscular disease classification system

Science.gov (United States)

Sáez, Aurora; Acha, Begoña; Montero-Sánchez, Adoración; Rivas, Eloy; Escudero, Luis M.; Serrano, Carmen

2013-06-01

Diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases is based on subjective visual assessment of biopsies from patients by the pathologist specialist. A system for objective analysis and classification of muscular dystrophies and neurogenic atrophies through muscle biopsy images of fluorescence microscopy is presented. The procedure starts with an accurate segmentation of the muscle fibers using mathematical morphology and a watershed transform. A feature extraction step is carried out in two parts: 24 features that pathologists take into account to diagnose the diseases and 58 structural features that the human eye cannot see, based on the assumption that the biopsy is considered as a graph, where the nodes are represented by each fiber, and two nodes are connected if two fibers are adjacent. A feature selection using sequential forward selection and sequential backward selection methods, a classification using a Fuzzy ARTMAP neural network, and a study of grading the severity are performed on these two sets of features. A database consisting of 91 images was used: 71 images for the training step and 20 as the test. A classification error of 0% was obtained. It is concluded that the addition of features undetectable by the human visual inspection improves the categorization of atrophic patterns.

An Appropriate Compression Pace is Important for Securing the Quality of Hands-only CPR : A manikin study

OpenAIRE

Shimizu, Yoshitaka; Tanigawa, Koichi; Ishikawa, Masami; Ouhara, Kazuhisa; Oue, Kana; Yoshinaka, Taiga; Kurihara, Hidemi; Irifune, Masahiro

2014-01-01

It is important to implement good quality chest compressions for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This manikin study examined the effects of different compression rates on chest compression depth variables using a metronome sound guide. Fifty sixth-year dentistry students participated in the study. Each participant performed CPR at 3 different compression rates, 110, 100, and 90 compressions per min (pace-110-g, pace-100-g, and pace-90-g) for 2 consecutive one-minute sets with a ten-secon...

Class-specific Error Bounds for Ensemble Classifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prenger, R; Lemmond, T; Varshney, K; Chen, B; Hanley, W

2009-10-06

The generalization error, or probability of misclassification, of ensemble classifiers has been shown to be bounded above by a function of the mean correlation between the constituent (i.e., base) classifiers and their average strength. This bound suggests that increasing the strength and/or decreasing the correlation of an ensemble's base classifiers may yield improved performance under the assumption of equal error costs. However, this and other existing bounds do not directly address application spaces in which error costs are inherently unequal. For applications involving binary classification, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, performance curves that explicitly trade off false alarms and missed detections, are often utilized to support decision making. To address performance optimization in this context, we have developed a lower bound for the entire ROC curve that can be expressed in terms of the class-specific strength and correlation of the base classifiers. We present empirical analyses demonstrating the efficacy of these bounds in predicting relative classifier performance. In addition, we specify performance regions of the ROC curve that are naturally delineated by the class-specific strengths of the base classifiers and show that each of these regions can be associated with a unique set of guidelines for performance optimization of binary classifiers within unequal error cost regimes.

PACE: A dynamic programming algorithm for hardware/software partitioning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Peter Voigt; Madsen, Jan

1996-01-01

This paper presents the PACE partitioning algorithm which is used in the LYCOS co-synthesis system for partitioning control/dataflow graphs into hardware and software parts. The algorithm is a dynamic programming algorithm which solves both the problem of minimizing system execution time...

Successful pacing using a batteryless sunlight-powered pacemaker.

Science.gov (United States)

Haeberlin, Andreas; Zurbuchen, Adrian; Schaerer, Jakob; Wagner, Joerg; Walpen, Sébastien; Huber, Christoph; Haeberlin, Heinrich; Fuhrer, Juerg; Vogel, Rolf

2014-10-01

Today's cardiac pacemakers are powered by batteries with limited energy capacity. As the battery's lifetime ends, the pacemaker needs to be replaced. This surgical re-intervention is costly and bears the risk of complications. Thus, a pacemaker without primary batteries is desirable. The goal of this study was to test whether transcutaneous solar light could power a pacemaker. We used a three-step approach to investigate the feasibility of sunlight-powered cardiac pacing. First, the harvestable power was estimated. Theoretically, a subcutaneously implanted 1 cm(2) solar module may harvest ∼2500 µW from sunlight (3 mm implantation depth). Secondly, ex vivo measurements were performed with solar cells placed under pig skin flaps exposed to a solar simulator and real sunlight. Ex vivo measurements under real sunlight resulted in a median output power of 4941 µW/cm(2) [interquartile range (IQR) 3767-5598 µW/cm(2), median skin flap thickness 3.0 mm (IQR 2.7-3.3 mm)]. The output power strongly depended on implantation depth (ρSpearman = -0.86, P pacemaker powered by a 3.24 cm(2) solar module was implanted in vivo in a pig to measure output power and to pace. In vivo measurements showed a median output power of >3500 µW/cm(2) (skin flap thickness 2.8-3.84 mm). Successful batteryless VVI pacing using a subcutaneously implanted solar module was performed. Based on our results, we estimate that a few minutes of direct sunlight (irradiating an implanted solar module) allow powering a pacemaker for 24 h using a suitable energy storage. Thus, powering a pacemaker by sunlight is feasible and may be an alternative energy supply for tomorrow's pacemakers. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

MFTF-B PACE tests and final cost report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, K.H.; Kozman, T.A.; Smith, J.L.; Horan, R.J.

1986-10-01

The Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) construction project was successfully completed in February 1986, with the conclusion of the Plant and Capital Equipment (PACE) Tests. This series of tests, starting in September 1985 and running through February 1986, demonstrated the overall machine capabilities and special facilities accomplishments for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility Project

Quantitative assessment of errors in monitoring landcover changes by comparison of maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Francois Mas

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Many studies aimed at assessing land-cover changes are based upon the comparison of maps elaborated in different dates. This comparison allows the calculation of change rates as well as to generate more detailed data such as the transition matrix and the change map. In this study, we evaluated the errors incurred when comparing maps elaborated at different scales, obtained through independent digitalisation processes, elaborated using different classification schemes or when the maps were elaborated with inputs from different dates. Errors derived from the difference of scale or from the map-digitalisation processes led to false changes with a similar or greater scale to that of true changes. The comparison of maps based on different classification schemes invalidated the results of the comparison. By contrast, the different approaches used to tackle the issue of maps with multiple dates produced similar results. The paper discusses some methods aimed at reducing these problems and evaluating the reliability of multi-temporal databases.

MRI with cardiac pacing devices – Safety in clinical practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaasalainen, Touko, E-mail: touko.kaasalainen@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Department of Physics, University of Helsinki (Finland); Pakarinen, Sami, E-mail: sami.pakarinen@hus.fi [HUS Department of Cardiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Kivistö, Sari, E-mail: sari.kivisto@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Holmström, Miia, E-mail: miia.holmstrom@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Hänninen, Helena, E-mail: helena.hanninen@hus.fi [HUS Department of Cardiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Peltonen, Juha, E-mail: juha.peltonen@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, School of Science, Aalto University, Helsinki (Finland); Lauerma, Kirsi, E-mail: kirsi.lauerma@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland); Sipilä, Outi, E-mail: outi.sipila@hus.fi [HUS Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, POB 340 (Haartmaninkatu 4), 00290 Helsinki (Finland)

2014-08-15

Objectives: The aim of this study was to introduce a single centre “real life” experience of performing MRI examinations in clinical practice on patients with cardiac pacemaker systems. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate the safety of using a dedicated safety protocol for these patients. Materials and methods: We used a 1.5 T MRI scanner to conduct 68 MRI scans of different body regions in patients with pacing systems. Of the cardiac devices, 32% were MR-conditional, whereas the remaining 68% were MR-unsafe. We recorded the functional parameters of the devices prior, immediately after, and approximately one month after the MRI scanning, and compared the device parameters to the baseline values. Results: All MRI examinations were completed safely, and each device could be interrogated normally following the MRI. We observed no changes in the programmed parameters of the devices. For most of the participants, the distributions of the immediate and one-month changes in the device parameters were within 20% of the baseline values, although some changes approached clinically important thresholds. Furthermore, we observed no differences in the variable changes between MR-conditional and MR-unsafe pacing systems, or between scans of the thorax area and other scanned areas. Conclusion: MRI in patients with MR-conditional pacing systems and selected MR-unsafe systems could be performed safely under strict conditions in this study.

Atrial pacing and thallium 201 scintigraphy: combined use for diagnosis of coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stratmann, H.G.; Mark, A.L.; Walter, K.E.; Fletcher, J.W.; Williams, G.A.

1987-01-01

To evaluate the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial pacing and thallium 201 scintigraphy were performed in 36 patients with stable angina pectoris who were unable to perform an adequate exercise stress test. All patients underwent cardiac catheterization. Nine patients had previously undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. Significant CAD (one or more lesions greater than or equal to 50%) was present in 33 patients. Atrial pacing produced ischemic ST segment depression (greater than or equal to 1 mm) in 18 (55%) patients with CAD, and angina in 20 patients (61%). As the number of vessels with CAD increased, there was no significant change in the sensitivities of pacing-induced angina or ST segment depression for detecting CAD. In the 3 patients without CAD, ST segment depression occurred in 1 patient and angina in none. Thallium 201 scintigraphy demonstrated perfusion defects in 27 (82%) patients with CAD, with fixed defects seen in 13 studies (39%) and reversible defects in 15 (45%). In the 3 patients without CAD, no perfusion defects were seen. The thallium 201 scan successfully predicted the presence of CAD in patients with single-vessel disease but usually underestimated the number of vessels involved in patients with multivessel disease. Combined sensitivity of pacing-induced ST segment depression and an abnormal thallium 201 scan finding for detecting CAD was 91%. The authors conclude that combined atrial pacing and thallium 201 scintigraphy is a useful test for detecting CAD in patients unable to perform an adequate exercise stress test

Featureless classification of light curves

Science.gov (United States)

Kügler, S. D.; Gianniotis, N.; Polsterer, K. L.

2015-08-01

In the era of rapidly increasing amounts of time series data, classification of variable objects has become the main objective of time-domain astronomy. Classification of irregularly sampled time series is particularly difficult because the data cannot be represented naturally as a vector which can be directly fed into a classifier. In the literature, various statistical features serve as vector representations. In this work, we represent time series by a density model. The density model captures all the information available, including measurement errors. Hence, we view this model as a generalization to the static features which directly can be derived, e.g. as moments from the density. Similarity between each pair of time series is quantified by the distance between their respective models. Classification is performed on the obtained distance matrix. In the numerical experiments, we use data from the OGLE (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) and ASAS (All Sky Automated Survey) surveys and demonstrate that the proposed representation performs up to par with the best currently used feature-based approaches. The density representation preserves all static information present in the observational data, in contrast to a less-complete description by features. The density representation is an upper boundary in terms of information made available to the classifier. Consequently, the predictive power of the proposed classification depends on the choice of similarity measure and classifier, only. Due to its principled nature, we advocate that this new approach of representing time series has potential in tasks beyond classification, e.g. unsupervised learning.

Ectopic jejunal pacemakers and gastric emptying after Roux gastrectomy: Effect of intestinal pacing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlstrom, L.; Kelly, K.A.

1989-01-01

The aims of this study were to determine whether ectopic pacemakers are present after meals in the Roux limbs of dogs after vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy, whether these pacemakers slow gastric emptying of liquids or solids, and whether abolishing the pacemakers with electric pacing might speed any slow emptying that occurs. In six dogs that underwent vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy and in four dogs that underwent vagotomy and Billroth gastrectomy (controls), myoelectric activity of the Roux limb or duodenum was measured during gastric emptying of a 500 kcal mixed meal of 99mTc-labeled cooked egg and 111In-labeled milk. Roux dogs were tested with and without pacing of the Roux limb. Roux dogs showed ectopic pacemaker in the Roux limb that drove the pacesetter potentials of the limb in a reverse, or orad, direction during 57% of the postprandial recordings. Billroth dogs had no ectopic pacemakers (p less than 0.05). Liquids emptied more slowly in Roux dogs (half-life (t1/2) = 121 +/- 15 minutes) than in Billroth dogs (t1/2 = 43 +/- 9 minutes; p less than 0.05), but solids emptied similarly in both groups of dogs (t1/2 approximately 8 hours). Pacing the Roux limb abolished the ectopic pacemakers, restored the slow emptying of liquids to the more rapid rate found in the Billroth dogs (t1/2: paced Roux, 72 +/- 15 minutes; Billroth, 43 +/- 9 minutes; p greater than 0.05) and did not change emptying of solids. The conclusion was that ectopic pacemakers present in the Roux limb after vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy drove the limb in a reverse direction and slowed emptying of liquids after the operation. The defect was corrected by pacing the Roux limb in a forward direction

Ectopic jejunal pacemakers and gastric emptying after Roux gastrectomy: Effect of intestinal pacing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karlstrom, L.; Kelly, K.A. (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (USA))

1989-11-01

The aims of this study were to determine whether ectopic pacemakers are present after meals in the Roux limbs of dogs after vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy, whether these pacemakers slow gastric emptying of liquids or solids, and whether abolishing the pacemakers with electric pacing might speed any slow emptying that occurs. In six dogs that underwent vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy and in four dogs that underwent vagotomy and Billroth gastrectomy (controls), myoelectric activity of the Roux limb or duodenum was measured during gastric emptying of a 500 kcal mixed meal of 99mTc-labeled cooked egg and 111In-labeled milk. Roux dogs were tested with and without pacing of the Roux limb. Roux dogs showed ectopic pacemaker in the Roux limb that drove the pacesetter potentials of the limb in a reverse, or orad, direction during 57% of the postprandial recordings. Billroth dogs had no ectopic pacemakers (p less than 0.05). Liquids emptied more slowly in Roux dogs (half-life (t1/2) = 121 +/- 15 minutes) than in Billroth dogs (t1/2 = 43 +/- 9 minutes; p less than 0.05), but solids emptied similarly in both groups of dogs (t1/2 approximately 8 hours). Pacing the Roux limb abolished the ectopic pacemakers, restored the slow emptying of liquids to the more rapid rate found in the Billroth dogs (t1/2: paced Roux, 72 +/- 15 minutes; Billroth, 43 +/- 9 minutes; p greater than 0.05) and did not change emptying of solids. The conclusion was that ectopic pacemakers present in the Roux limb after vagotomy and Roux gastrectomy drove the limb in a reverse direction and slowed emptying of liquids after the operation. The defect was corrected by pacing the Roux limb in a forward direction.

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy are not determined by activity pacing when measured by the chronic pain coping inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, D P; Antcliff, D; Woby, S R

2018-03-01

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) is a chronic illness which can cause significant fatigue, pain and disability. Activity pacing is frequently advocated as a beneficial coping strategy, however, it is unclear whether pacing is significantly associated with symptoms in people with CFS/ME. The first aim of this study was therefore to explore the cross-sectional associations between pacing and levels of pain, disability and fatigue. The second aim was to explore whether changes in activity pacing following participation in a symptom management programme were related to changes in clinical outcomes. Cross-sectional study exploring the relationships between pacing, pain, disability and fatigue (n=114) and pre-post treatment longitudinal study of a cohort of patients participating in a symptom management programme (n=35). Out-patient physiotherapy CFS/ME service. One-hundred and fourteen adult patients with CFS/ME. Pacing was assessed using the chronic pain coping inventory. Pain was measured using a Numeric Pain Rating Scale, fatigue with the Chalder Fatigue Scale and disability with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. No significant associations were observed between activity pacing and levels of pain, disability or fatigue. Likewise, changes in pacing were not significantly associated with changes in pain, disability or fatigue following treatment. Activity pacing does not appear to be a significant determinant of pain, fatigue or disability in people with CFS/ME when measured with the chronic pain coping index. Consequently, the utility and measurement of pacing require further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis and application of classification methods of complex carbonate reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiongyan; Qin, Ruibao; Ping, Haitao; Wei, Dan; Liu, Xiaomei

2018-06-01

There are abundant carbonate reservoirs from the Cenozoic to Mesozoic era in the Middle East. Due to variation in sedimentary environment and diagenetic process of carbonate reservoirs, several porosity types coexist in carbonate reservoirs. As a result, because of the complex lithologies and pore types as well as the impact of microfractures, the pore structure is very complicated. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately calculate the reservoir parameters. In order to accurately evaluate carbonate reservoirs, based on the pore structure evaluation of carbonate reservoirs, the classification methods of carbonate reservoirs are analyzed based on capillary pressure curves and flow units. Based on the capillary pressure curves, although the carbonate reservoirs can be classified, the relationship between porosity and permeability after classification is not ideal. On the basis of the flow units, the high-precision functional relationship between porosity and permeability after classification can be established. Therefore, the carbonate reservoirs can be quantitatively evaluated based on the classification of flow units. In the dolomite reservoirs, the average absolute error of calculated permeability decreases from 15.13 to 7.44 mD. Similarly, the average absolute error of calculated permeability of limestone reservoirs is reduced from 20.33 to 7.37 mD. Only by accurately characterizing pore structures and classifying reservoir types, reservoir parameters could be calculated accurately. Therefore, characterizing pore structures and classifying reservoir types are very important to accurate evaluation of complex carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East.

Classifier fusion for VoIP attacks classification

Science.gov (United States)

Safarik, Jakub; Rezac, Filip

2017-05-01

SIP is one of the most successful protocols in the field of IP telephony communication. It establishes and manages VoIP calls. As the number of SIP implementation rises, we can expect a higher number of attacks on the communication system in the near future. This work aims at malicious SIP traffic classification. A number of various machine learning algorithms have been developed for attack classification. The paper presents a comparison of current research and the use of classifier fusion method leading to a potential decrease in classification error rate. Use of classifier combination makes a more robust solution without difficulties that may affect single algorithms. Different voting schemes, combination rules, and classifiers are discussed to improve the overall performance. All classifiers have been trained on real malicious traffic. The concept of traffic monitoring depends on the network of honeypot nodes. These honeypots run in several networks spread in different locations. Separation of honeypots allows us to gain an independent and trustworthy attack information.

Challenge of Helping Introductory Physics Students Transfer Their Learning by Engaging with a Self-Paced Learning Tutorial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Megan Marshman

2018-03-01

Full Text Available With advances in digital technology, research-validated self-paced learning tools can play an increasingly important role in helping students with diverse backgrounds become good problem solvers and independent learners. Thus, it is important to ensure that all students engage with self-paced learning tools effectively in order to learn the content deeply, develop good problem-solving skills, and transfer their learning from one context to another. Here, we first provide an overview of a holistic framework for engaging students with self-paced learning tools so that they can transfer their learning to solve novel problems. The framework not only takes into account the features of the self-paced learning tools but also how those tools are implemented, the extent to which the tools take into account student characteristics, and whether factors related to students’ social environments are accounted for appropriately in the implementation of those tools. We then describe an investigation in which we interpret the findings using the framework. In this study, a research-validated self-paced physics tutorial was implemented in both controlled one-on-one interviews and in large enrollment, introductory calculus-based physics courses as a self-paced learning tool. We find that students who used the tutorial in a controlled one-on-one interview situation performed significantly better on transfer problems than those who used it as a self-paced learning tool in the large-scale implementation. The findings suggest that critically examining and taking into account how the self-paced tools are implemented and incentivized, student characteristics including their self-regulation and time-management skills, and social and environmental factors can greatly impact the extent and manner in which students engage with these learning tools. Getting buy in from students about the value of these tools and providing appropriate support while implementing them is

Customer and performance rating in QFD using SVM classification

Science.gov (United States)

Dzulkifli, Syarizul Amri; Salleh, Mohd Najib Mohd; Leman, A. M.

2017-09-01

In a classification problem, where each input is associated to one output. Training data is used to create a model which predicts values to the true function. SVM is a popular method for binary classification due to their theoretical foundation and good generalization performance. However, when trained with noisy data, the decision hyperplane might deviate from optimal position because of the sum of misclassification errors in the objective function. In this paper, we introduce fuzzy in weighted learning approach for improving the accuracy of Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification. The main aim of this work is to determine appropriate weighted for SVM to adjust the parameters of learning method from a given set of noisy input to output data. The performance and customer rating in Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is used as our case study to determine implementing fuzzy SVM is highly scalable for very large data sets and generating high classification accuracy.

Intra-rater repeatability of gait parameters in healthy adults during self-paced treadmill-based virtual reality walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Amri, Mohammad; Al Balushi, Hilal; Mashabi, Abdulrhman

2017-12-01

Self-paced treadmill walking is becoming increasingly popular for the gait assessment and re-education, in both research and clinical settings. Its day-to-day repeatability is yet to be established. This study scrutinised the test-retest repeatability of key gait parameters, obtained from the Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL) system. Twenty-three male able-bodied adults (age: 34.56 ± 5.12 years) completed two separate gait assessments on the GRAIL system, separated by 5 ± 3 days. Key gait kinematic, kinetic, and spatial-temporal parameters were analysed. The Intraclass-Correlation Coefficients (ICC), Standard Error Measurement (SEM), Minimum Detectable Change (MDC), and the 95% limits of agreements were calculated to evaluate the repeatability of these gait parameters. Day-to-day agreements were excellent (ICCs > 0.87) for spatial-temporal parameters with low MDC and SEM values, gait performance over time.

Is right ventricular mid-septal pacing superior to apical pacing in patients with high degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately depressed left ventricular function?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kang; Mao, Ye; Liu, Shao-hua; Wu, Qiong; Luo, Qing-zhi; Pan, Wen-qi; Jin, Qi; Zhang, Ning; Ling, Tian-you; Chen, Ying; Gu, Gang; Shen, Wei-feng; Wu, Li-qun

2014-06-01

We are aimed to investigate whether right ventricular mid-septal pacing (RVMSP) is superior to conventional right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP) in improving clinical functional capacity and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) for patients with high-degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately depressed left ventricle (LV) function. Ninety-two patients with high-degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately reduced LVEF (ranging from 35% to 50%) were randomly allocated to RVMSP (n=45) and RVAP (n=47). New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, echocardiographic LVEF, and distance during a 6-min walk test (6MWT) were determined at 18 months after pacemaker implantation. Serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Compared with baseline, NYHA functional class remained unchanged at 18 months, distance during 6MWT (485 m vs. 517 m) and LVEF (36.7% vs. 41.8%) were increased, but BNP levels were reduced (2352 pg/ml vs. 710 pg/ml) in the RVMSP group compared with those in the RVAP group, especially in patients with LVEF 35%-40% (for all comparisons, Pfunction capacity and LV function measurements were not significantly changed in patients with RVAP, despite the pacing measurements being similar in both groups, such as R-wave amplitude and capture threshold. RVMSP provides a better clinical utility, compared with RVAP, in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block and moderately depressed LV function whose LVEF levels ranged from 35% to 40%.

Comparative analysis of methods for classification in predicting the quality of bread

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. A. Balashova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The comparative analysis of classification methods of two-stage cluster and discriminant analysis and neural networks was performed. System of informative signs which classifies with a minimum of errors has been proposed.

Agreement processing and attraction errors in aging: evidence from subject-verb agreement in German.

Science.gov (United States)

Reifegerste, Jana; Hauer, Franziska; Felser, Claudia

2017-11-01

Effects of aging on lexical processing are well attested, but the picture is less clear for grammatical processing. Where age differences emerge, these are usually ascribed to working-memory (WM) decline. Previous studies on the influence of WM on agreement computation have yielded inconclusive results, and work on aging and subject-verb agreement processing is lacking. In two experiments (Experiment 1: timed grammaticality judgment, Experiment 2: self-paced reading + WM test), we investigated older (OA) and younger (YA) adults' susceptibility to agreement attraction errors. We found longer reading latencies and judgment reaction times (RTs) for OAs. Further, OAs, particularly those with low WM scores, were more accepting of sentences with attraction errors than YAs. OAs showed longer reading latencies for ungrammatical sentences, again modulated by WM, than YAs. Our results indicate that OAs have greater difficulty blocking intervening nouns from interfering with the computation of agreement dependencies. WM can modulate this effect.

Deviation from goal pace, body temperature and body mass loss as predictors of road race performance.

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Adams, William M; Hosokawa, Yuri; Belval, Luke N; Huggins, Robert A; Stearns, Rebecca L; Casa, Douglas J

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pacing, gastrointestinal temperature (T GI ), and percent body mass loss (%BML) on relative race performance during a warm weather 11.3km road race. Observational study of a sample of active runners competing in the 2014 Falmouth Road Race. Participants ingested a T GI pill and donned a GPS enabled watch with heart rate monitoring capabilities prior to the start of the race. Percent off predicted pace (% OFF ) was calculated for seven segments of the race. Separate linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between pace, T ​GI , and %BML on relative race performance. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse post race T GI (≥40°C vs 0.05). There was a trend in a slower pace (p=0.055) and greater % OFF (p=0.056) in runners finishing the race with a T GI >40°C. Overall, finish time was influenced by greater variations in pace during the first two miles of the race. In addition, runners who minimized fluid losses and had lower T GI were associated with meeting self-predicted goals. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gait performance is not influenced by working memory when walking at a self-selected pace.

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Grubaugh, Jordan; Rhea, Christopher K

2014-02-01

Gait performance exhibits patterns within the stride-to-stride variability that can be indexed using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Previous work employing DFA has shown that gait patterns can be influenced by constraints, such as natural aging or disease, and they are informative regarding a person's functional ability. Many activities of daily living require concurrent performance in the cognitive and gait domains; specifically working memory is commonly engaged while walking, which is considered dual-tasking. It is unknown if taxing working memory while walking influences gait performance as assessed by DFA. This study used a dual-tasking paradigm to determine if performance decrements are observed in gait or working memory when performed concurrently. Healthy young participants (N = 16) performed a working memory task (automated operation span task) and a gait task (walking at a self-selected speed on a treadmill) in single- and dual-task conditions. A second dual-task condition (reading while walking) was included to control for visual attention, but also introduced a task that taxed working memory over the long term. All trials involving gait lasted at least 10 min. Performance in the working memory task was indexed using five dependent variables (absolute score, partial score, speed error, accuracy error, and math error), while gait performance was indexed by quantifying the mean, standard deviation, and DFA α of the stride interval time series. Two multivariate analyses of variance (one for gait and one for working memory) were used to examine performance in the single- and dual-task conditions. No differences were observed in any of the gait or working memory dependent variables as a function of task condition. The results suggest the locomotor system is adaptive enough to complete a working memory task without compromising gait performance when walking at a self-selected pace.

Percutaneous removal of a pacing electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoehne, U.; Schild, H.; Hake, U.

1989-01-01

The large number of pace-makers introduced transvenously has resulted in increasing the number of complications, amongst which infections and dislocations are prominent. It is usually necessary to remove the electrode, which can be attempted percutaneously by using a Dormia basket, a loop or forceps. Amongst the complications of this procedure are tears to the myocardium, with the risk of pericardial tamponade, or tears of the tricuspid valve leading to tricuspid insufficiency. Consequently, thoracic surgical intervention should be available if necessary. Four successful procedures are described. (orig.) [de

Time perception, pacing and exercise intensity: maximal exercise distorts the perception of time

OpenAIRE

Edwards, A. M.; McCormick, A.

2017-01-01

Introduction\\ud \\ud Currently there are no data examining the impact of exercise on the perception of time, which is surprising as optimal competitive performance is dependent on accurate pacing using knowledge of time elapsed.\\ud \\ud \\ud Methods\\ud \\ud With institutional ethics approval, 12 recreationally active adult participants (f = 7, m = 5) undertook both 30 s Wingate cycles and 20 min (1200 s) rowing ergometer bouts as short and long duration self-paced exercise trials, in each of thre...

Galaxy Zoo 1: data release of morphological classifications for nearly 900 000 galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linott, C.; Slosar, A.; Lintott, C.; Schawinski, K.; Bamford, S.; Slosar, A.; Land, K.; Thomas, D.; Edmondson, E.; Masters, K.; Nichol, R.C.; Raddick, M.J.; Szalay, A.; Andreescu, D.; Murray, P.; Vandenberg, J.

2011-01-01

Morphology is a powerful indicator of a galaxy's dynamical and merger history. It is strongly correlated with many physical parameters, including mass, star formation history and the distribution of mass. The Galaxy Zoo project collected simple morphological classifications of nearly 900,000 galaxies drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, contributed by hundreds of thousands of volunteers. This large number of classifications allows us to exclude classifier error, and measure the influence of subtle biases inherent in morphological classification. This paper presents the data collected by the project, alongside measures of classification accuracy and bias. The data are now publicly available and full catalogues can be downloaded in electronic format from http://data.galaxyzoo.org.

Determination of myocardial energetic output for cardiac rhythm pacing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Heřman, D.; Převorovská, Světlana; Maršík, František

2007-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 4 (2007), s. 156-161 ISSN 1567-8822 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/03/1073 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20760514 Keywords : heart arrhythmia * cardiac pacing modes * numerical simulation Subject RIV: FA - Cardiovascular Diseases incl. Cardiotharic Surgery

Failure of communication and capture: The perils of temporary unipolar pacing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahinoglu, Efe; Wool, Thomas J; Wool, Kenneth J

2015-06-01

We present a case of a patient with pacemaker dependence secondary to complete heart block who developed loss of capture of her temporary pacemaker. Patient developed torsades de pointes then ventricular fibrillation, requiring CPR and external cardioversion. After patient was stabilized, it was noticed that loss of capture of pacemaker corresponded with nursing care, when the pulse generator was lifted off patient׳s chest wall, and that patient׳s temporary pacing system had been programmed to unipolar mode without knowledge of attending cardiologist. This case highlights the importance of communication ensuring all caregivers are aware of mode of the temporary pacing system.

Sensitivity analysis of the GEMS soil organic carbon model to land cover land use classification uncertainties under different climate scenarios in Senegal

Science.gov (United States)

Dieye, A.M.; Roy, David P.; Hanan, N.P.; Liu, S.; Hansen, M.; Toure, A.

2012-01-01

Spatially explicit land cover land use (LCLU) change information is needed to drive biogeochemical models that simulate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Such information is increasingly being mapped using remotely sensed satellite data with classification schemes and uncertainties constrained by the sensing system, classification algorithms and land cover schemes. In this study, automated LCLU classification of multi-temporal Landsat satellite data were used to assess the sensitivity of SOC modeled by the Global Ensemble Biogeochemical Modeling System (GEMS). The GEMS was run for an area of 1560 km2 in Senegal under three climate change scenarios with LCLU maps generated using different Landsat classification approaches. This research provides a method to estimate the variability of SOC, specifically the SOC uncertainty due to satellite classification errors, which we show is dependent not only on the LCLU classification errors but also on where the LCLU classes occur relative to the other GEMS model inputs.

Electroencephalography epilepsy classifications using hybrid cuckoo search and neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Pratiwi, A. B.; Damayanti, A.; Miswanto

2017-07-01

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures. This seizure is episodes that can vary and nearly undetectable to long periods of vigorous shaking or brain contractions. Epilepsy often can be confirmed with an electrocephalography (EEG). Neural Networks has been used in biomedic signal analysis, it has successfully classified the biomedic signal, such as EEG signal. In this paper, a hybrid cuckoo search and neural network are used to recognize EEG signal for epilepsy classifications. The weight of the multilayer perceptron is optimized by the cuckoo search algorithm based on its error. The aim of this methods is making the network faster to obtained the local or global optimal then the process of classification become more accurate. Based on the comparison results with the traditional multilayer perceptron, the hybrid cuckoo search and multilayer perceptron provides better performance in term of error convergence and accuracy. The purpose methods give MSE 0.001 and accuracy 90.0 %.

Low settings of the ventricular pacing output in patients dependent on a pacemaker: are they really safe?

Science.gov (United States)

Schuchert, Andreas; Frese, Jens; Stammwitz, Ekkehard; Novák, Miroslav; Schleich, Arthur; Wagner, Stefan M; Meinertz, Thomas

2002-06-01

It is generally acknowledged that pacemaker output must be adjusted with a 100% voltage safety margin above the pacing threshold to avoid ineffective pacing, especially in patients dependent on pacemakers. The aim of this prospective crossover study was to assess the beat-to-beat safety of low outputs in patients who are dependent on a pacemaker between 2 follow-up examinations. The study included 12 patients who had received a DDD pacemaker with an automatic beat-to-beat capture verification function. The ventricular output at 0.4 milliseconds pulse duration was programmed independently of the actual pacing threshold in a crossover randomization to 1.0 V, 1.5 V, and 2.5 V for 6 weeks each. At each follow-up, the diagnostic counters were interrogated and the pacing threshold at 0.4 milliseconds was determined in 0.1-V steps. The diagnostic pacemaker counters depict the frequency of back-up pulses delivered because of a loss of capture. During the randomization to 1.0-V output, we evaluated whether the adjustment of the output under consideration of the >100% voltage safety margin reduced the frequency of back-up pulses. Pacing thresholds at the randomization to 1.0-V, 1.5-V, and 2.5-V output were not significantly different, with 0.7 +/- 0.3 V at 2.5-V output, 0.6 +/- 0.2 V at 1.5-V output, and 0.6 +/- 0.2 V at 1.0-V output. The frequency of back-up pulses was similar at 2.5-V and 1.5-V output, 2.2% +/- 1.9% and 2.0% +/- 2.0%, respectively. The frequency of back-up pulses significantly increased at 1.0-V output to 5.8% +/- 6.4% (P 5% of the time between the 2 follow-ups were observed in no patient at 2.5 V, in 1 patient at 1.5 V, and in 5 patients at 1.0 V. At the randomization to the 1.0-V output, 6 patients had pacing thresholds of 0.5 V or less, and 6 patients had pacing thresholds >0.5 V. The frequency of back-up pulses in the 2 groups was not significantly different, 6.4% +/- 8.6% and 5.7% +/- 2.6%. The frequency of back-up pulses was significantly higher at 1

Fast self paced listening times in syntactic comprehension is aphasia -- implications for deficits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Michaud

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Sixty one people with aphasia (pwa and forty one matched controls were tested for the ability to understand sentences that required the ability to assign particular syntactic structures. Participants paced themselves word-by-word through twenty examples of eleven spoken sentence types and indicated which of two pictures corresponded to the meaning of each sentence. Sentences were developed in pairs such that comprehension of the experimental version of a pair required an aspect of syntactic processing not required in the corresponding baseline sentence. The need for the syntactic operations required only in the experimental version was triggered at a “critical word” in the experimental sentence. Listening times for critical words in experimental sentences were compared to those for corresponding words in the corresponding baseline sentences. We adjusted self paced listening times for word duration by subtracting word durations from tag-to-tag self paced listening times to correct for word duration, yielding what we have previously called “corrected listening times.” Corrected listening times above ceiling (10,000 msec for sentence-final words and 5,000 msec for all other words were discarded. For controls, this led to 0.2% of data being discarded and for PWAs 2.2% were discarded. Corrected listening times that were more than 3 standard deviations above or below the mean for that sentence type for each subject were adjusted either down to the upper limit or up to the lower limit of the 3SD range (not discarded. For accurate sentences, 1.7% of the control data were adjusted and 1.8% of the aphasic data were adjusted. For inaccurate sentences, 10% of the corrected listening times were adjusted for controls and 3.3% for aphasics. Our interest is in incremental parsing and interpretation. The measure we used of this process was the residual of a regression of corrected self paced listening times for critical words in experimental sentences

Estimation of the effects of multipoint pacing on battery longevity in routine clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Akerström, Finn; Narváez, Irene; Puchol, Alberto; Pachón, Marta; Martín-Sierra, Cristina; Rodríguez-Mañero, Moisés; Rodríguez-Padial, Luis; Arias, Miguel A

2017-09-23

Multipoint pacing (MPP) permits simultaneous multisite pacing of the left ventricle (LV); initial studies suggest haemodynamic and clinical benefits over conventional (single LV site) cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of MPP activation on battery longevity in routine clinical practice. Patient (n = 46) and device data were collected from two centres at least 3 months after MPP-CRT device implantation. Multipoint pacing programming was based on the maximal possible anatomical LV1/LV2 separation according to three predefined LV pacing capture threshold (PCT) cut-offs (≤1.5 V; ≤4.0 V; and ≤6.5 V). Estimated battery longevity was calculated using the programmed lower rate limit, lead impedances, outputs, and pacing percentages. Relative to the longevity for conventional CRT using the lowest PCT (8.9 ± 1.2 years), MPP activation significantly shortened battery longevity for all three PCT cut-offs (≤1.5 V, -5.6%; ≤4.0 V, -16.9%; ≤6.5 V, -21.3%; P's battery longevity was significantly shortened for the MPP ≤ 4.0 V and ≤6.5 V cut-offs (-10.8 and -15.7%, respectively; P's battery longevity compared with that for conventional CRT configuration. When reasonable MPP LV vector PCTs (≤4.0 V) are achieved, the decrease in battery longevity is relatively small which may prompt the clinician to activate MPP. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How Pacing of Multimedia Instructions Can Influence Modality Effects: A Case of Superiority of Visual Texts

Science.gov (United States)

Stiller, Klaus D.; Freitag, Annika; Zinnbauer, Peter; Freitag, Christian

2009-01-01

"Present text accompanying pictures aurally to promote learning" is a well established principle of instructional design. But recently, it was shown that under certain conditions visual texts can be preferable. Instructional pacing seems to be one of these conditions that mediate effects. Especially, enabling learners to pace an…

Effect of "U-Pace" Instruction on Academic Success, Learning, and Perceptions in Younger and Older Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, Raymond; Barth, Dylan; Weber, Nicole; Pedrick, Laura E.; Kienzler, Sarah E.; Reddy, Diane M.

2018-01-01

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of "U-Pace" instruction for older undergraduates, ages 25 and older, and younger undergraduates, ages 18 to 24. Additionally, change in learner perceptions across the semester, an outcome not reported in the literature on "U-Pace" instruction, was…

IMPACTS OF PATCH SIZE AND LANDSCAPE HETEROGENEITY ON THEMATIC IMAGE CLASSIFICATION ACCURACY

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Impacts of Patch Size and Landscape Heterogeneity on Thematic Image Classification Accuracy. Currently, most thematic accuracy assessments of classified remotely sensed images oily account for errors between the various classes employed, at particular pixels of interest, thu...

Identification of factors which affect the tendency towards and attitudes of emergency unit nurses to make medical errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiymaz, Dilek; Koç, Zeliha

2018-03-01

To determine individual and professional factors affecting the tendency of emergency unit nurses to make medical errors and their attitudes towards these errors in Turkey. Compared with other units, the emergency unit is an environment where there is an increased tendency for making medical errors due to its intensive and rapid pace, noise and complex and dynamic structure. A descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was carried out from 25 July 2014-16 September 2015 with the participation of 284 nurses who volunteered to take part in the study. Data were gathered using the data collection survey for nurses, the Medical Error Tendency Scale and the Medical Error Attitude Scale. It was determined that 40.1% of the nurses previously witnessed medical errors, 19.4% made a medical error in the last year, 17.6% of medical errors were caused by medication errors where the wrong medication was administered in the wrong dose, and none of the nurses filled out a case report form about the medical errors they made. Regarding the factors that caused medical errors in the emergency unit, 91.2% of the nurses stated excessive workload as a cause; 85.1% stated an insufficient number of nurses; and 75.4% stated fatigue, exhaustion and burnout. The study showed that nurses who loved their job were satisfied with their unit and who always worked during day shifts had a lower medical error tendency. It is suggested to consider the following actions: increase awareness about medical errors, organise training to reduce errors in medication administration, develop procedures and protocols specific to the emergency unit health care and create an environment which is not punitive wherein nurses can safely report medical errors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keeping Pace with K-12 Online & Blended Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, John; Murin, Amy; Vashaw, Lauren; Gemin, Butch; Rapp, Chris

2013-01-01

This is the 10th annual "Keeping Pace" report. "Keeping Pace" has several goals: (1) add to the body of knowledge about online education policy and practice, and make recommendations for advances; (2) serve as a reference source for information about programs and policies across the country, both for policymakers and…

Comparison of two Classification methods (MLC and SVM) to extract land use and land cover in Johor Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Rokni Deilmai, B.; Ahmad, B. Bin; Zabihi, H.

2014-06-01

Mapping is essential for the analysis of the land use and land cover, which influence many environmental processes and properties. For the purpose of the creation of land cover maps, it is important to minimize error. These errors will propagate into later analyses based on these land cover maps. The reliability of land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data depends on an accurate classification. In this study, we have analyzed multispectral data using two different classifiers including Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To pursue this aim, Landsat Thematic Mapper data and identical field-based training sample datasets in Johor Malaysia used for each classification method, which results indicate in five land cover classes forest, oil palm, urban area, water, rubber. Classification results indicate that SVM was more accurate than MLC. With demonstrated capability to produce reliable cover results, the SVM methods should be especially useful for land cover classification.

Comparison of two Classification methods (MLC and SVM) to extract land use and land cover in Johor Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deilmai, B Rokni; Ahmad, B Bin; Zabihi, H

2014-01-01

Mapping is essential for the analysis of the land use and land cover, which influence many environmental processes and properties. For the purpose of the creation of land cover maps, it is important to minimize error. These errors will propagate into later analyses based on these land cover maps. The reliability of land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data depends on an accurate classification. In this study, we have analyzed multispectral data using two different classifiers including Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To pursue this aim, Landsat Thematic Mapper data and identical field-based training sample datasets in Johor Malaysia used for each classification method, which results indicate in five land cover classes forest, oil palm, urban area, water, rubber. Classification results indicate that SVM was more accurate than MLC. With demonstrated capability to produce reliable cover results, the SVM methods should be especially useful for land cover classification

Information Management System Development for the Characterization and Analysis of Human Error in Naval Aviation Maintenance Related Mishaps

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wood, Brian

2000-01-01

.... The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System-Maintenance Extension taxonomy, an effective framework for classifying and analyzing the presence of maintenance errors that lead to mishaps...

Classification across gene expression microarray studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuner Ruprecht

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The increasing number of gene expression microarray studies represents an important resource in biomedical research. As a result, gene expression based diagnosis has entered clinical practice for patient stratification in breast cancer. However, the integration and combined analysis of microarray studies remains still a challenge. We assessed the potential benefit of data integration on the classification accuracy and systematically evaluated the generalization performance of selected methods on four breast cancer studies comprising almost 1000 independent samples. To this end, we introduced an evaluation framework which aims to establish good statistical practice and a graphical way to monitor differences. The classification goal was to correctly predict estrogen receptor status (negative/positive and histological grade (low/high of each tumor sample in an independent study which was not used for the training. For the classification we chose support vector machines (SVM, predictive analysis of microarrays (PAM, random forest (RF and k-top scoring pairs (kTSP. Guided by considerations relevant for classification across studies we developed a generalization of kTSP which we evaluated in addition. Our derived version (DV aims to improve the robustness of the intrinsic invariance of kTSP with respect to technologies and preprocessing. Results For each individual study the generalization error was benchmarked via complete cross-validation and was found to be similar for all classification methods. The misclassification rates were substantially higher in classification across studies, when each single study was used as an independent test set while all remaining studies were combined for the training of the classifier. However, with increasing number of independent microarray studies used in the training, the overall classification performance improved. DV performed better than the average and showed slightly less variance. In

Pilot trial of an age-paced parenting newsletter.

Science.gov (United States)

Keane, Brigid; Waterston, Tony; McConachie, Helen; Towner, Elizabeth; Cook, Margaret; Birks, Eileen

2005-10-01

Supporting parents in the first three years of a child's life has the potential to produce successful outcomes. Present government initiatives such as Sure Start focus on this age group. An American educational intervention, in the style of a monthly newsletter, was adapted for use in the UK for parents of young children. Topics were presented in an easy-to-read format and focused on infant emotional development, parent interaction and play. Newsletters, called Baby Express were posted at monthly intervals to the family home providing age-paced information which could meet the specific needs of parents at that stage of their child's life. The aim of the study was to determine the applicability of the newsletter to UK parents and evaluate their satisfaction. Sixty home-based interviews were conducted and 95 per cent of mothers reported reading all or part of the newsletter. Changes in parenting style were spontaneously reported by 28 per cent of mothers. This study found that an aged-paced parenting newsletter was an acceptable and useful method of supporting parents in the early months of a child's life and promotes positive changes in parenting behaviour.

Design Recommendations for Self-Paced Online Faculty Development Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzuto, Melissa

2017-01-01

An increased need for self-paced, online professional development opportunities in higher education has emerged from a variety of factors including dispersed geographic locations of faculty, full teaching loads, and institutional evaluation requirements. This article is a report of the examination of the design and evaluation of a self-paced…

Error analysis of the freshmen Criminology students’ grammar in the written English

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maico Demi Banate Aperocho

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study identifies the various syntactical errors of the fifty (50 freshmen B.S. Criminology students of the University of Mindanao in Davao City. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following: (1 What are the common errors present in the argumentative essays of the respondents? (2 What are the reasons of the existence of these errors? This study is descriptive-qualitative. It also uses error analysis to point out the syntactical errors present in the compositions of the participants. The fifty essays are subjected to error analysis. Errors are classified based on Chanquoy’s Classification of Writing Errors. Furthermore, Hourani’s Common Reasons of Grammatical Errors Checklist was also used to determine the common reasons of the identified syntactical errors. To create a meaningful interpretation of data and to solicit further ideas from the participants, a focus group discussion is also done. Findings show that students’ most common errors are on the grammatical aspect. In the grammatical aspect, students have more frequently committed errors in the verb aspect (tense, subject agreement, and auxiliary and linker choice compared to spelling and punctuation aspects. Moreover, there are three topmost reasons of committing errors in the paragraph: mother tongue interference, incomprehensibility of the grammar rules, and the incomprehensibility of the writing mechanics. Despite the difficulty in learning English as a second language, students are still very motivated to master the concepts and applications of the language.

Financial audit of antitachycardia pacing for the control of recurrent supraventricular tachycardia.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, M J; Bexton, R S; McComb, J M

1993-03-01

To assess the financial implications of antitachycardia pacing in patients with frequent supraventricular tachycardia. Intertach pacemakers were implanted in 25 patients (mean age 47 years, five men): 22 had atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia. The patients had failed a mean of 4.9 (range zero to eight) drugs and had been admitted to hospital 3.7 (zero to 31) times over a symptomatic period of 13.9 years (two months to 54 years). The mean admission time for implantation was 2.8 (two to seven) days. One patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome subsequently underwent surgery. Infection occurred in two patients, and pain over the pacemaker required its resiting in two. Two patients have had one admission each for tachycardia. Six patients remain on anti-arrhythmic drugs. Costs were calculated including value added tax, capital charges, and allocated overheads. The cost a year before pacing was 1174 pounds including drug costs, clinic visits, and hospital admissions. The mean cost of pacemaker implantation was 3364.22 pounds, including the pacemaker and lead, admission and procedure, readmissions and first pacing check. Subsequent annual follow up cost was 73.72 pounds including annual clinic visits and drug costs. The cost of pacing is 4241 pounds whereas medical management costs 7044 pounds assuming pacemaker life of six years: with a 10 year life the cost is 4537 pounds compared with 11,740 pounds: with a 12 year life the cost is 4685 pounds compared with 14,088 pounds. The excess cost of implantation of an antitachycardia pacemaker is minimal in patients with frequent supraventricular tachycardia despite drug treatment and is justified by excellent control of symptoms and reduction of drug use and hospital admissions.

Pacing Lead-Induced Granuloma in the Atrium: A Foreign Body Reaction to Polyurethane

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Shinagawa Yoko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We described a case of an 82-year-old male who presented with a granuloma entrapping the polyurethane-coated pacing lead at the site of contact on the atrium. He had been paced for 8 years without symptoms or signs suggestive of an allergic reaction to the pacemaker system and died from thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery and heart failure. A histological examination of the nodule showed an incidental granuloma with multinucleated giant cells. No granuloma was found in the heart or the lung.

Financing the Business. PACE Revised. Level 1. Unit 8. Research & Development Series No. 240AB8.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

This lesson on financing a business, the eighth in a series of 18 units, is part of the first level of a comprehensive entrepreneurship curriculum entitled: A Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship (PACE). (Designed for use with secondary students, the first level of PACE introduces students to the concepts involved in…

Analysis of error patterns in clinical radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macklis, Roger; Meier, Tim; Barrett, Patricia; Weinhous, Martin

1996-01-01

Purpose: Until very recently, prescription errors and adverse treatment events have rarely been studied or reported systematically in oncology. We wished to understand the spectrum and severity of radiotherapy errors that take place on a day-to-day basis in a high-volume academic practice and to understand the resource needs and quality assurance challenges placed on a department by rapid upswings in contract-based clinical volumes requiring additional operating hours, procedures, and personnel. The goal was to define clinical benchmarks for operating safety and to detect error-prone treatment processes that might function as 'early warning' signs. Methods: A multi-tiered prospective and retrospective system for clinical error detection and classification was developed, with formal analysis of the antecedents and consequences of all deviations from prescribed treatment delivery, no matter how trivial. A department-wide record-and-verify system was operational during this period and was used as one method of treatment verification and error detection. Brachytherapy discrepancies were analyzed separately. Results: During the analysis year, over 2000 patients were treated with over 93,000 individual fields. A total of 59 errors affecting a total of 170 individual treated fields were reported or detected during this period. After review, all of these errors were classified as Level 1 (minor discrepancy with essentially no potential for negative clinical implications). This total treatment delivery error rate (170/93, 332 or 0.18%) is significantly better than corresponding error rates reported for other hospital and oncology treatment services, perhaps reflecting the relatively sophisticated error avoidance and detection procedures used in modern clinical radiation oncology. Error rates were independent of linac model and manufacturer, time of day (normal operating hours versus late evening or early morning) or clinical machine volumes. There was some relationship to

BANKRUPTCY PREDICTION MODEL WITH ZETAc OPTIMAL CUT-OFF SCORE TO CORRECT TYPE I ERRORS

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Mohamad Iwan

2005-06-01

This research has successfully attained the following results: (1 type I error is in fact 59,83 times more costly compared to type II error, (2 22 ratios distinguish between bankrupt and non-bankrupt groups, (3 2 financial ratios proved to be effective in predicting bankruptcy, (4 prediction using ZETAc optimal cut-off score predicts more companies filing for bankruptcy within one year compared to prediction using Hair et al. optimum cutting score, (5 Although prediction using Hair et al. optimum cutting score is more accurate, prediction using ZETAc optimal cut-off score proved to be able to minimize cost incurred from classification errors.

Diagnostic accuracy of metronome-paced tachypnea to detect dynamic hyperinflation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lahaije, A.J.M.C.; Willems, L.M.; Hees, H.W. van; Dekhuijzen, P.N.R.; Helvoort, H.A.C. van; Heijdra, Y.F.

2013-01-01

INTRODUCTION: This prospective study was carried out to investigate if metronome-paced tachypnea (MPT) can serve as an accurate diagnostic tool to identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are susceptible to develop dynamic hyperinflation during exercise. Commonly, this

Amplitude and phase dynamics associated with acoustically paced finger tapping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boonstra, T.W.; Daffertshofer, A.; Peper, C.E.; Beek, P.J.

2006-01-01

To gain insight into the brain activity associated with the performance of an acoustically paced synchronization task, we analyzed the amplitude and phase dynamics inherent in magnetoencephalographic (MEG) signals across frequency bands in order to discriminate between evoked and induced responses.

The downside of downtime: The prevalence and work pacing consequences of idle time at work.

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Brodsky, Andrew; Amabile, Teresa M

2018-05-01

Although both media commentary and academic research have focused much attention on the dilemma of employees being too busy, this paper presents evidence of the opposite phenomenon, in which employees do not have enough work to fill their time and are left with hours of meaningless idle time each week. We conducted six studies that examine the prevalence and work pacing consequences of involuntary idle time. In a nationally representative cross-occupational survey (Study 1), we found that idle time occurs frequently across all occupational categories; we estimate that employers in the United States pay roughly $100 billion in wages for time that employees spend idle. Studies 2a-3b experimentally demonstrate that there are also collateral consequences of idle time; when workers expect idle time following a task, their work pace declines and their task completion time increases. This decline reverses the well-documented deadline effect, producing a deadtime effect, whereby workers slow down as a task progresses. Our analyses of work pace patterns provide evidence for a time discounting mechanism: workers discount idle time when it is relatively distant, but act to avoid it increasingly as it becomes more proximate. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates that the expectation of being able to engage in leisure activities during posttask free time (e.g., surfing the Internet) can mitigate the collateral work pace losses due to idle time. Through examination and discussion of the effects of idle time at work, we broaden theory on work pacing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Failure of communication and capture: The perils of temporary unipolar pacing system

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Efe Sahinoglu, BChE

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We present a case of a patient with pacemaker dependence secondary to complete heart block who developed loss of capture of her temporary pacemaker. Patient developed torsades de pointes then ventricular fibrillation, requiring CPR and external cardioversion. After patient was stabilized, it was noticed that loss of capture of pacemaker corresponded with nursing care, when the pulse generator was lifted off patient׳s chest wall, and that patient׳s temporary pacing system had been programmed to unipolar mode without knowledge of attending cardiologist. This case highlights the importance of communication ensuring all caregivers are aware of mode of the temporary pacing system.

Impact of pacing on systemic ventricular function in L-transposition of the great arteries.

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Hofferberth, Sophie C; Alexander, Mark E; Mah, Douglas Y; Bautista-Hernandez, Victor; del Nido, Pedro J; Fynn-Thompson, Francis

2016-01-01

To assess the impact of univentricular versus biventricular pacing (BiVP) on systemic ventricular function in patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA). We performed a retrospective review of all patients with a diagnosis of ccTGA who underwent pacemaker insertion. From 1993 to 2014, 53 patients were identified from the cardiology database and surgical records. Overall mortality was 7.5% (n = 4). One patient required transplantation and 3 late deaths occurred secondary to end-stage heart failure. Median follow-up was 3.7 years (range, 4 days to 22.5 years). Twenty-five (47%) underwent univentricular pacing only, of these, 8 (32%) developed significant systemic ventricular dysfunction. Twenty-eight (53%) received BiVP, 17 (26%) were upgraded from a dual-chamber system, 11 (21%) received primary BiVP. Fourteen (82%) of the 17 undergoing secondary BiVP demonstrated systemic ventricular dysfunction at the time of pacer upgrade, with 7 (50%) demonstrating improved systemic ventricular function after pacemaker upgrade. Overall, 42 (79%) patients underwent univentricular pacing, with 22 (52%) developing significant systemic ventricular dysfunction. In contrast, the 11 (21%) who received primary BiVP had preserved systemic ventricular function at latest follow-up. Late-onset systemic ventricular dysfunction is a major complication associated with the use of univentricular pacing in patients with ccTGA. All patients with ccTGA who develop heart block should undergo primary biventricular pacing, as this prevents late systemic ventricular dysfunction. Preemptive placement of BiVP leads at the time of anatomical repair or other permanent palliative procedure will facilitate subsequent BiVP should heart block develop. Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenge of engaging all students via self-paced interactive electronic learning tutorials for introductory physics

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Seth DeVore

2017-05-01

Full Text Available As research-based, self-paced electronic learning tools become increasingly available, a critical issue educators encounter is implementing strategies to ensure that all students engage with them as intended. Here, we first discuss the effectiveness of electronic learning tutorials as self-paced learning tools in large enrollment brick and mortar introductory physics courses and then propose a framework for helping students engage effectively with the learning tools. The tutorials were developed via research in physics education and were found to be effective for a diverse group of introductory physics students in one-on-one implementation. Instructors encouraged the use of these tools in a self-paced learning environment by telling students that they would be helpful for solving the assigned homework problems and that the underlying physics principles in the tutorial problems would be similar to those in the in-class quizzes (which we call paired problems. We find that many students in the courses in which these interactive electronic learning tutorials were assigned as a self-study tool performed poorly on the paired problems. In contrast, a majority of student volunteers in one-on-one implementation greatly benefited from the tutorials and performed well on the paired problems. The significantly lower overall performance on paired problems administered as an in-class quiz compared to the performance of student volunteers who used the research-based tutorials in one-on-one implementation suggests that many students enrolled in introductory physics courses did not effectively engage with the tutorials outside of class and may have only used them superficially. The findings suggest that many students in need of out-of-class remediation via self-paced learning tools may have difficulty motivating themselves and may lack the self-regulation and time-management skills to engage effectively with tools specially designed to help them learn at their

Challenge of engaging all students via self-paced interactive electronic learning tutorials for introductory physics

Science.gov (United States)

DeVore, Seth; Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-06-01

As research-based, self-paced electronic learning tools become increasingly available, a critical issue educators encounter is implementing strategies to ensure that all students engage with them as intended. Here, we first discuss the effectiveness of electronic learning tutorials as self-paced learning tools in large enrollment brick and mortar introductory physics courses and then propose a framework for helping students engage effectively with the learning tools. The tutorials were developed via research in physics education and were found to be effective for a diverse group of introductory physics students in one-on-one implementation. Instructors encouraged the use of these tools in a self-paced learning environment by telling students that they would be helpful for solving the assigned homework problems and that the underlying physics principles in the tutorial problems would be similar to those in the in-class quizzes (which we call paired problems). We find that many students in the courses in which these interactive electronic learning tutorials were assigned as a self-study tool performed poorly on the paired problems. In contrast, a majority of student volunteers in one-on-one implementation greatly benefited from the tutorials and performed well on the paired problems. The significantly lower overall performance on paired problems administered as an in-class quiz compared to the performance of student volunteers who used the research-based tutorials in one-on-one implementation suggests that many students enrolled in introductory physics courses did not effectively engage with the tutorials outside of class and may have only used them superficially. The findings suggest that many students in need of out-of-class remediation via self-paced learning tools may have difficulty motivating themselves and may lack the self-regulation and time-management skills to engage effectively with tools specially designed to help them learn at their own pace. We

Introduction to Physics (Mechanics): A Semi-Self Paced Approach.

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Schlenker, Richard M.

Presented is a guide for an introductory college level physics course in mechanics. The course is contract graded and allows students to proceed at their own pace; however, lectures, problem solving sessions, and laboratory sessions are included. Students on an independent basis review video tapes, film loops, library study, and conduct an…

Pacing Profiles in Competitive Track Races: Regulation of Exercise Intensity is related to Cognitive Ability

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Debbie Van Biesen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Pacing has been defined as the goal-directed regulation of exercise intensity over an exercise bout, in which athletes need to decide how and when to invest their energy. The purpose of this study was to explore if the regulation of exercise intensity during competitive track races is different between runners with and without intellectual impairment, which is characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (IQ≤75 and adaptive behavioral deficits, diagnosed before the age of 18. The samples included elite runners with intellectual impairment (N= 36 and a comparison group of world class runners without impairment (N= 39, of which 47 were 400m runners (all male and 28 were 1500m-runners (15 male and 13 female. Pacing was analysed by means of 100m split times (for 400m races and 200m split times (for 1500m races. Based on the split times, the average velocity was calculated for four segments of the races. Velocity fluctuations were defined as the differences in velocity between consecutive race segments. A mixed model ANOVA revealed significant differences in pacing profiles between runners with and without intellectual impairment (p<.05. Maximal velocity of elite 400m runners with intellectual impairment in the first race segment (7.9 ± 0.3 m/s was well below the top-velocity reached by world level 400m runners without intellectual impairment (8.9 ±0.2 m/s, and their overall pace was slower (F=120.7, p<.05. In addition, both groups followed a different pacing profile and inter-individual differences in pacing profiles were larger, with differences most pronounced for 1500m races. Whereas male 1500m-runners without intellectual impairment reached a high velocity in the first 100m (7.2±0.1 m/s, slowly decelerated in the second race segment (-0.6±0.1 m/s, and finished with an end sprint (+0.9±0.1 m/s; the 1500m runners with intellectual impairment started slower (6.1±0.3 m/s, accelerated in the second segment (+ 0.2±0

Increased heart rate caused by atrial pacing with the closed-loop stimulation function prevented micturition syncope

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Tatsuo Haraki, MD,PhD

2013-10-01

Full Text Available A 70-year-old man had been experiencing syncope several times a year. We implanted a DDD pacemaker with closed-loop stimulation (CLS function. When he urinated early in the morning, his increased atrial pacing rates elevated his heart rate (HR during and after micturition. After implantation of the DDD-CLS mode, he did not experience symptoms. In contrast, in the DDD-R mode, his intrinsic HR changed to atrial pacing after micturition but decreased to the basal rate within 2 min, and he experienced a sense of cold perspiration and presyncope. Increased HRs caused by atrial pacing with the CLS function were useful in the prevention of micturition syncope.

A positron emission tomography study of self-paced finger movements at different frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, R.; Inoue, K.; Sugiura, M.; Okada, K.; Ogawa, A.; Fukuda, H.

1999-01-01

Regional cerebral blood flow was measured in six right-handed volunteers using positron emission tomography during tasks involving repetitive self-paced finger tapping at five different frequencies. The contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex, the pre-supplementary motor area and the cingulate motor area showed significant activation during self-paced finger tapping tasks, compared with the resting state. A positive correlation between the regional cerebral blood flow and the movement frequency was found only in the primary sensorimotor cortex. In the pre-supplementary motor area and the cingulate motor area, however, activity increased when the subject employed movement frequencies faster or slower than his own pace. The same tendency was noted with respect to the relative variability of the inter-tapping interval.The results therefore indicate that the activity of the pre-supplementary motor area and the cingulate motor area may well be related to the increased difficulty in motor control rather than to the execution of the movement itself. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Exploring diversity in ensemble classification: Applications in large area land cover mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Mellor, Andrew; Boukir, Samia

2017-07-01

Ensemble classifiers, such as random forests, are now commonly applied in the field of remote sensing, and have been shown to perform better than single classifier systems, resulting in reduced generalisation error. Diversity across the members of ensemble classifiers is known to have a strong influence on classification performance - whereby classifier errors are uncorrelated and more uniformly distributed across ensemble members. The relationship between ensemble diversity and classification performance has not yet been fully explored in the fields of information science and machine learning and has never been examined in the field of remote sensing. This study is a novel exploration of ensemble diversity and its link to classification performance, applied to a multi-class canopy cover classification problem using random forests and multisource remote sensing and ancillary GIS data, across seven million hectares of diverse dry-sclerophyll dominated public forests in Victoria Australia. A particular emphasis is placed on analysing the relationship between ensemble diversity and ensemble margin - two key concepts in ensemble learning. The main novelty of our work is on boosting diversity by emphasizing the contribution of lower margin instances used in the learning process. Exploring the influence of tree pruning on diversity is also a new empirical analysis that contributes to a better understanding of ensemble performance. Results reveal insights into the trade-off between ensemble classification accuracy and diversity, and through the ensemble margin, demonstrate how inducing diversity by targeting lower margin training samples is a means of achieving better classifier performance for more difficult or rarer classes and reducing information redundancy in classification problems. Our findings inform strategies for collecting training data and designing and parameterising ensemble classifiers, such as random forests. This is particularly important in large area

The Effects of Self-Paced Blended Learning of Mathematics

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Balentyne, Phoebe; Varga, Mary Alice

2016-01-01

As online and blended learning gain more popularity in education, it becomes more important to understand their effects on student learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of self-paced blended learning of mathematics on the attitudes and achievement of 26 high ability middle school students, and investigate the relationship…

Prototype Generation Using Multiobjective Particle Swarm Optimization for Nearest Neighbor Classification.

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Hu, Weiwei; Tan, Ying

2016-12-01

The nearest neighbor (NN) classifier suffers from high time complexity when classifying a test instance since the need of searching the whole training set. Prototype generation is a widely used approach to reduce the classification time, which generates a small set of prototypes to classify a test instance instead of using the whole training set. In this paper, particle swarm optimization is applied to prototype generation and two novel methods for improving the classification performance are presented: 1) a fitness function named error rank and 2) the multiobjective (MO) optimization strategy. Error rank is proposed to enhance the generation ability of the NN classifier, which takes the ranks of misclassified instances into consideration when designing the fitness function. The MO optimization strategy pursues the performance on multiple subsets of data simultaneously, in order to keep the classifier from overfitting the training set. Experimental results over 31 UCI data sets and 59 additional data sets show that the proposed algorithm outperforms nearly 30 existing prototype generation algorithms.

Similarities and Differences in Pacing Patterns in a 161-km and 101-km Ultra-Distance Road Race.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Philip L S; Tan, Frankie H Y; Bosch, Andrew N

2016-08-01

Tan, PLS, Tan, FHY, and Bosch, AN. Similarities and differences in pacing patterns in a 161-km and 101-km ultra-distance road race. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2145-2155, 2016-The purpose of this study was to establish and compare the pacing patterns of fast and slow finishers in a tropical ultra-marathon. Data were collected from the Craze Ultra-marathon held on the 22nd and 21st of September in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Finishers of the 161-km (N = 47) and 101-km (N = 120) categories of the race were divided into thirds (groups A-C) by merit of finishing time. Altogether, 17 and 11 split times were recorded for the 161-km and 101-km finishers, respectively, and used to calculate the mean running speed for each distance segment. Running speed for the first segment was normalized to 100, with all subsequent splits adjusted accordingly. Running speed during the last 5 km was calculated against the mean race pace to establish the existence of an end spurt. A reverse J-shaped pacing profile was demonstrated in all groups for both distance categories and only 38% of the finishers executed an end spurt. In the 101-km category, in comparison with groups B and C, group A maintained a significantly more even pace (p = 0.013 and 0.001, respectively) and completed the race at a significantly higher percent of initial starting speed (p = 0.001 and 0.001, respectively). Descriptive data also revealed that the top 5 finishers displayed a "herd-behavior" by staying close to the lead runner in the initial portion of the race. These findings demonstrate that to achieve a more even pace, recreational ultra-runners should adopt a patient sustainable starting speed, with less competitive runners setting realistic performance goals whereas competitive runners with a specific time goal to consider running in packs of similar pace.

Biventricular / Left Ventricular Pacing in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: An Overview

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Radu Vatasescu, MD

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM is an autosomal dominant inherited genetic disease characterized by compensatory pathological left ventricle (LV hypertrophy due to sarcomere dysfunction. In an important proportion of patients with HCM, the site and extent of cardiac hypertrophy results in severe obstruction to LV outflow tract (LVOT, contributing to disabling symptoms and increasing the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD. In patients with progressive and/or refractory symptoms despite optimal pharmacological treatment, invasive therapies that diminish or abolish LVOT obstruction relieve heart failure-related symptoms, improve quality of life and could be associated with long-term survival similar to that observed in the general population. The gold standard in this respect is surgical septal myectomy, which might be supplementary associated with a reduction in SCD. Percutaneous techniques, particularly alcohol septal ablation (ASA and more recently radiofrequency (RF septal ablation, can achieve LVOT gradient reduction and symptomatic benefit in a large proportion of HOCM patients at the cost of a supposedly limited septal myocardial necrosis and a 10-20% risk of chronic atrioventricular block. After an initial period of enthusiasm, standard DDD pacing failed to show in randomized trials significant LVOT gradient reductions and objective improvement in exercise capacity. However, case reports and recent small pilot studies suggested that atrial synchronous LV or biventricular (biV pacing significantly reduce LVOT obstruction and improve symptoms (acutely as well as long-term in a large proportion of severely symptomatic HOCM patients not suitable to other gradient reduction therapies. Moreover, biV/LV pacing in HOCM seems to be associated with significant LV reverse remodelling.

Does reducing unnecessary right ventricular pacing improve sympathetic activity and innervation of heart in sinus node disease patients? MVP and SafeR study.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Mihoko; Kimura, Yuichiro; Hosoda, Junya; Matsumoto, Katsumi; Matsushita, Kohei; Ishikawa, Toshiyuki; Umemura, Satoshi

2012-01-01

Ventricular desynchronization imposed by ventricular pacing causes regional disturbances of adrenergic innervation in the left ventricular myocardium and increases the risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with sinus node disease (SND). As a result, decreased iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-(123 )MIBG) uptake occurs in patients with an implanted permanent pacemaker. Fourteen SND patients with an implanted pacemaker equipped with an algorithm for reducing unnecessary right ventricular pacing (RURVP) were enrolled. Pacemakers were programmed to RURVP mode for the first 12 weeks, and then reprogrammed to DDD for the last 12 weeks. At the end of each mode, data on cumulative percent ventricular pacing (%Vp), atrial high rate episodes (%AHR), I-(123 )MIBG myocardial scintigraphy, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP), and myocardial damage indices typified by troponin T and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected. %Vp was lower in RURVP than in DDD (0.2% versus 95.7%, P = 0.00098). BNP, hANP, troponin T, and CRP did not differ significantly between the pacing modes. However, I-(123 )MIBG findings of patients with full ventricular pacing in DDD improved in RURVP. In contrast, among patients without full ventricular pacing in DDD, their I-(123 )MIBG findings did not differ significantly between the pacing modes. In SND patients with normal cardiac function and intact atrioventricular conduction, the reduction of %Vp in RURVP was due to the reduction of ineffective pacing and fusion pacing in DDD. Therefore, these 2 types of pacing do not affect cardiac pump function.

Right heart failure due to loss of right ventricular capture in a patient with atrioventricular junction ablation and biventricular pacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Raffa, Santi; Fantoni, Cecilia; Restauri, Luigia; Auricchio, Angelo

2005-10-01

We describe the case of a patient with atrioventricular (AV) junction ablation and chronic biventricular pacing in which intermittent dysfunction of the right ventricular (RV) lead resulted in left ventricular (LV) stimulation alone and onset of severe right heart failure. Restoration of biventricular pacing by increasing device output and then performing lead revision resolved the issue. This case provides evidence that LV pacing alone in patients with AV junction ablation may lead to severe right heart failure, most likely as a result of iatrogenic mechanical dyssynchrony within the RV. Thus, probably this pacing mode should be avoided in pacemaker-dependent patients with heart failure.

Gait Coordination After Stroke: Benefits of Acoustically Paced Treadmill Walking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roerdink, M.; Lamoth, C.J.C.; Kwakkel, G.; van Wieringen, P.C.W.; Beek, P.J.

2007-01-01

Background and Purpose: Gait coordination often is compromised after stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acoustically paced treadmill walking as a method for improving gait coordination in people after stroke. Participants: Ten people after stroke volunteered for the

Gait coordination after stroke: benefits of acoustically paced treadmill walking.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roerdink, M.; Lamoth, C.J.; Kwakkel, G.; Wieringen, P.C. van; Beek, P.J.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gait coordination often is compromised after stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acoustically paced treadmill walking as a method for improving gait coordination in people after stroke. PARTICIPANTS: Ten people after stroke volunteered for the

Research on Human-Error Factors of Civil Aircraft Pilots Based On Grey Relational Analysis

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Guo Yundong

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In consideration of the situation that civil aviation accidents involve many human-error factors and show the features of typical grey systems, an index system of civil aviation accident human-error factors is built using human factor analysis and classification system model. With the data of accidents happened worldwide between 2008 and 2011, the correlation between human-error factors can be analyzed quantitatively using the method of grey relational analysis. Research results show that the order of main factors affecting pilot human-error factors is preconditions for unsafe acts, unsafe supervision, organization and unsafe acts. The factor related most closely with second-level indexes and pilot human-error factors is the physical/mental limitations of pilots, followed by supervisory violations. The relevancy between the first-level indexes and the corresponding second-level indexes and the relevancy between second-level indexes can also be analyzed quantitatively.

Environmental proxies of antigen exposure explain variation in immune investment better than indices of pace of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Horrocks, Nicholas P C; Hegemann, Arne; Ostrowski, Stéphane; Ndithia, Henry; Shobrak, Mohammed; Williams, Joseph B; Matson, Kevin D; Tieleman, B I

2015-01-01

Investment in immune defences is predicted to covary with a variety of ecologically and evolutionarily relevant axes, with pace of life and environmental antigen exposure being two examples. These axes may themselves covary directly or inversely, and such relationships can lead to conflicting predictions regarding immune investment. If pace of life shapes immune investment then, following life history theory, slow-living, arid zone and tropical species should invest more in immunity than fast-living temperate species. Alternatively, if antigen exposure drives immune investment, then species in antigen-rich tropical and temperate environments are predicted to exhibit higher immune indices than species from antigen-poor arid locations. To test these contrasting predictions we investigated how variation in pace of life and antigen exposure influence immune investment in related lark species (Alaudidae) with differing life histories and predicted risks of exposure to environmental microbes and parasites. We used clutch size and total number of eggs laid per year as indicators of pace of life, and aridity, and the climatic variables that influence aridity, as correlates of antigen abundance. We quantified immune investment by measuring four indices of innate immunity. Pace of life explained little of the variation in immune investment, and only one immune measure correlated significantly with pace of life, but not in the predicted direction. Conversely, aridity, our proxy for environmental antigen exposure, was predictive of immune investment, and larks in more mesic environments had higher immune indices than those living in arid, low-risk locations. Our study suggests that abiotic environmental variables with strong ties to environmental antigen exposure can be important correlates of immunological variation.

Pacing, packing and sex-based differences in Olympic and IAAF World Championship marathons.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanley, Brian

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to describe pacing profiles and packing behaviours of athletes in Olympic and World Championship marathons. Finishing and split times were collated for 673 men and 549 women across nine competitions. The mean speeds for each intermediate 5 km and end 2.2 km segments were calculated. Medallists of both sexes maintained even-paced running from 10 km onwards whereas slower finishers dropped off the lead pack at approximately half-distance. Athletes who ran with the same opponents throughout slowed the least in the second half (P tactics adopted and design training programmes accordingly.

Managing errors in radiology: a working model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melvin, C.; Bodley, R.; Booth, A.; Meagher, T.; Record, C.; Savage, P.

2004-01-01

AIM: To develop a practical mechanism for reviewing reporting discrepancies as addressed in the Royal College of Radiologists publication 'To err is human. The case for review of reporting discrepancies'. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A regular meeting was developed, and has evolved, within the department to review discrepancies. Standard forms were devised for submission of cases as well as recording and classification of discrepancies. This has resulted in availability of figures that can be audited annually. RESULTS: Eighty-one cases involving error were reviewed over a 12-month period. Seven further cases flagged as discrepancies were not identified on peer review. Twenty-four reports were amended subsequent to the meeting. Nineteen additional cases were brought to the meeting as illustrative of teaching points or for discussion. CONCLUSION: We have evolved a successful process of reviewing reporting errors, which enjoys the confidence and support of all clinical radiologists, and is perceived as a method of improving patient care through an increasing awareness of lapses in performance

Locality-preserving sparse representation-based classification in hyperspectral imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Lianru; Yu, Haoyang; Zhang, Bing; Li, Qingting

2016-10-01

This paper proposes to combine locality-preserving projections (LPP) and sparse representation (SR) for hyperspectral image classification. The LPP is first used to reduce the dimensionality of all the training and testing data by finding the optimal linear approximations to the eigenfunctions of the Laplace Beltrami operator on the manifold, where the high-dimensional data lies. Then, SR codes the projected testing pixels as sparse linear combinations of all the training samples to classify the testing pixels by evaluating which class leads to the minimum approximation error. The integration of LPP and SR represents an innovative contribution to the literature. The proposed approach, called locality-preserving SR-based classification, addresses the imbalance between high dimensionality of hyperspectral data and the limited number of training samples. Experimental results on three real hyperspectral data sets demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the original counterpart, i.e., SR-based classification.

Example-Dependent Cost-Sensitive Classification with Applications in Financial Risk Modeling and Marketing Analytics

OpenAIRE

Correa Bahnsen, Alejandro

2015-01-01

Several real-world binary classification problems are example-dependent cost-sensitive in nature, where the costs due to misclassification vary between examples and not only within classes. However, standard binary classification methods do not take these costs into account, and assume a constant cost of misclassification errors. This approach is not realistic in many real-world applications. For example in credit card fraud detection, failing to detect a fraudulent transaction may have an ec...

Antifibrillatory effects of renal denervation on ventricular fibrillation in a canine model of pacing-induced heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Qingzhi; Jin, Qi; Zhang, Ning; Huang, Shangwei; Han, Yanxin; Lin, Changjian; Ling, Tianyou; Chen, Kang; Pan, Wenqi; Wu, Liqun

2018-01-01

What is the central question of this study? In the present study, we investigated the effects of renal denervation on the vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation and the ventricular electrical properties in a rapid pacing-induced heart failure canine model. What is the main finding and its importance? Renal denervation significantly attenuated the process of heart failure and improved left ventricular systolic dysfunction, stabilized ventricular electrophysiological properties and decreased the vulnerability of the heart to ventricular fibrillation during heart failure. Thus, renal denervation can attenuate ventricular electrical remodelling and exert a potential antifibrillatory action in a pacing-induced heart failure canine model. In this study, we investigated the effects of renal denervation (RDN) on the vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation (VF) and the ventricular electrical properties in a canine model of pacing-induced heart failure (HF). Eighteen beagles were divided into the following three groups: control (n = 6), HF (n = 6) and HF+RDN (n = 6). Heart failure was induced by rapid right ventricular pacing. Renal denervation was performed simultaneously with the pacemaker implantation in the HF+RDN group. A 64-unipolar basket catheter was used to perform global endocardial mapping of the left ventricle. The restitution properties and dispersion of refractoriness were estimated from the activation recovery intervals (ARIs) by a pacing protocol. The VF threshold (VFT) was defined as the maximal pacing cycle length required to induce VF using a specific pacing protocol. The defibrillation threshold (DFT) was measured by an up-down algorithm. Renal denervation partly restored left ventricular systolic function and attenuated the process of HF. Compared with the control group, the VFT in the HF group was decreased by 27% (106 ± 8.0 versus 135 ± 10 ms, P Renal denervation significantly flattened the ventricular ARI restitution curve by 15% (1

EEG Eye State Identification Using Incremental Attribute Learning with Time-Series Classification

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Ting Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Eye state identification is a kind of common time-series classification problem which is also a hot spot in recent research. Electroencephalography (EEG is widely used in eye state classification to detect human's cognition state. Previous research has validated the feasibility of machine learning and statistical approaches for EEG eye state classification. This paper aims to propose a novel approach for EEG eye state identification using incremental attribute learning (IAL based on neural networks. IAL is a novel machine learning strategy which gradually imports and trains features one by one. Previous studies have verified that such an approach is applicable for solving a number of pattern recognition problems. However, in these previous works, little research on IAL focused on its application to time-series problems. Therefore, it is still unknown whether IAL can be employed to cope with time-series problems like EEG eye state classification. Experimental results in this study demonstrates that, with proper feature extraction and feature ordering, IAL can not only efficiently cope with time-series classification problems, but also exhibit better classification performance in terms of classification error rates in comparison with conventional and some other approaches.

Effect of Music Tempo on Attentional Focus and Perceived Exertion during Self-selected Paced Walking

OpenAIRE

SILVA, ALDO COELHO; DOS SANTOS FERREIRA, SANDRO; ALVES, RAGAMI CHAVES; FOLLADOR, LUCIO; DA SILVA, SERGIO GREGORIO

2016-01-01

This study investigated the influence of music on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and attentional focus during walking at a self-selected pace. Fifteen overweight and obese women volunteered to participate in the study. They underwent four sessions: the first for incremental maximal test and anthropometric measurement followed by three experimental sessions. After the first session, they were exposed to three 30-minute walking sessions at a self-selected pace in a counterbalanced order...

Epicardial left ventricular lead placement for cardiac resynchronization therapy: optimal pace site selection with pressure-volume loops.

Science.gov (United States)

Dekker, A L A J; Phelps, B; Dijkman, B; van der Nagel, T; van der Veen, F H; Geskes, G G; Maessen, J G

2004-06-01

Patients in heart failure with left bundle branch block benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy. Usually the left ventricular pacing lead is placed by coronary sinus catheterization; however, this procedure is not always successful, and patients may be referred for surgical epicardial lead placement. The objective of this study was to develop a method to guide epicardial lead placement in cardiac resynchronization therapy. Eleven patients in heart failure who were eligible for cardiac resynchronization therapy were referred for surgery because of failed coronary sinus left ventricular lead implantation. Minithoracotomy or thoracoscopy was performed, and a temporary epicardial electrode was used for biventricular pacing at various sites on the left ventricle. Pressure-volume loops with the conductance catheter were used to select the best site for each individual patient. Relative to the baseline situation, biventricular pacing with an optimal left ventricular lead position significantly increased stroke volume (+39%, P =.01), maximal left ventricular pressure derivative (+20%, P =.02), ejection fraction (+30%, P =.007), and stroke work (+66%, P =.006) and reduced end-systolic volume (-6%, P =.04). In contrast, biventricular pacing at a suboptimal site did not significantly change left ventricular function and even worsened it in some cases. To optimize cardiac resynchronization therapy with epicardial leads, mapping to determine the best pace site is a prerequisite. Pressure-volume loops offer real-time guidance for targeting epicardial lead placement during minimal invasive surgery.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES Error Analysis in the English Speech of Indonesian Tertiary Students

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Imelda Gozali

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study is part of a series of Classroom Action Research conducted with the aim of improving the English speech of students in one of the tertiary institutes in Indonesia. After some years of teaching English conversation, the writer noted that students made various types of errors in their speech, which can be classified generally into morphological, phonological, and lexical. While some of the errors are still generally acceptable, some others elicit laughter or inhibit comprehension altogether. Therefore, the writer is keen to analyze the more common errors made by the students, so as to be able to compile a teaching material that could be utilized to address those errors more effectively in future classes. This research used Error Analysis by Richards (1971 as the basis of classification. It was carried out in five classes with a total number of 80 students for a period of one semester (14 weeks. The results showed that most of the errors were phonological (errors in pronunciation, while others were morphological or grammatical in nature. This prompted the writer to design simple Phonics lessons for future classes.

Hardware packet pacing using a DMA in a parallel computer

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dong; Heidelberger, Phillip; Vranas, Pavlos

2013-08-13

Method and system for hardware packet pacing using a direct memory access controller in a parallel computer which, in one aspect, keeps track of a total number of bytes put on the network as a result of a remote get operation, using a hardware token counter.

Comparison between Possibilistic c-Means (PCM and Artificial Neural Network (ANN Classification Algorithms in Land use/ Land cover Classification

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Ganchimeg Ganbold

2017-03-01

Full Text Available There are several statistical classification algorithms available for landuse/land cover classification. However, each has a certain bias orcompromise. Some methods like the parallel piped approach in supervisedclassification, cannot classify continuous regions within a feature. Onthe other hand, while unsupervised classification method takes maximumadvantage of spectral variability in an image, the maximally separableclusters in spectral space may not do much for our perception of importantclasses in a given study area. In this research, the output of an ANNalgorithm was compared with the Possibilistic c-Means an improvementof the fuzzy c-Means on both moderate resolutions Landsat8 and a highresolution Formosat 2 images. The Formosat 2 image comes with an8m spectral resolution on the multispectral data. This multispectral imagedata was resampled to 10m in order to maintain a uniform ratio of1:3 against Landsat 8 image. Six classes were chosen for analysis including:Dense forest, eucalyptus, water, grassland, wheat and riverine sand. Using a standard false color composite (FCC, the six features reflecteddifferently in the infrared region with wheat producing the brightestpixel values. Signature collection per class was therefore easily obtainedfor all classifications. The output of both ANN and FCM, were analyzedseparately for accuracy and an error matrix generated to assess the qualityand accuracy of the classification algorithms. When you compare theresults of the two methods on a per-class-basis, ANN had a crisperoutput compared to PCM which yielded clusters with pixels especiallyon the moderate resolution Landsat 8 imagery.

Loss of pace capture on the ablation line: a new marker for complete radiofrequency lesions to achieve pulmonary vein isolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Steven, Daniel; Reddy, Vivek Y; Inada, Keiichi; Roberts-Thomson, Kurt C; Seiler, Jens; Stevenson, William G; Michaud, Gregory F

2010-03-01

Catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AF) often involve circumferential antral isolation of pulmonary veins (PV). Inability to reliably identify conduction gaps on the ablation line necessitates placing additional lesions within the intended lesion set. This pilot study investigated the relationship between loss of pace capture directly along the ablation line and electrogram criteria for PV isolation (PVI). Using a 3-dimensional anatomic mapping system and irrigated-tip radiofrequency (RF) ablation catheter, lesions were placed in the PV antra to encircle ipsilateral vein pairs until pace capture at 10 mA/2 ms no longer occurred along the line. During ablation, a circular mapping catheter was placed in an ipsilateral PV, but the electrograms were not revealed until loss-of-pace capture. The procedural end point was PVI (entrance and exit block). Thirty patients (57 +/- 12 years; 15 male [50%]) undergoing PVI in 2 centers (3 primary operators) were included (left atrial diameter 40 +/- 4 mm, left ventricular ejection fraction 60 +/- 7%). All patients reached the end points of complete PVI and loss of pace capture. When PV electrograms were revealed after loss of pace capture along the line, PVI was present in 57 of 60 (95%) vein pairs. In the remaining 3 of 60 (5%) PV pairs, further RF applications achieved PVI. The procedure duration was 237 +/- 46 minutes, with a fluoroscopy time of 23 +/- 9 minutes. Analysis of the blinded PV electrograms revealed that even after PVI was achieved, additional sites of pace capture were present on the ablation line in 30 of 60 (50%) of the PV pairs; 10 +/- 4 additional RF lesions were necessary to fully achieve loss of pace capture. After ablation, the electrogram amplitude was lower at unexcitable sites (0.25 +/- 0.15 mV vs. 0.42 +/- 0.32 mV, P capture sites, suggesting that electrogram amplitude lacks specificity for identifying pace capture sites. Complete loss of pace capture directly along the circumferential

The Self-Paced Graz Brain-Computer Interface: Methods and Applications

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Reinhold Scherer

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We present the self-paced 3-class Graz brain-computer interface (BCI which is based on the detection of sensorimotor electroencephalogram (EEG rhythms induced by motor imagery. Self-paced operation means that the BCI is able to determine whether the ongoing brain activity is intended as control signal (intentional control or not (non-control state. The presented system is able to automatically reduce electrooculogram (EOG artifacts, to detect electromyographic (EMG activity, and uses only three bipolar EEG channels. Two applications are presented: the freeSpace virtual environment (VE and the Brainloop interface. The freeSpace is a computer-game-like application where subjects have to navigate through the environment and collect coins by autonomously selecting navigation commands. Three subjects participated in these feedback experiments and each learned to navigate through the VE and collect coins. Two out of the three succeeded in collecting all three coins. The Brainloop interface provides an interface between the Graz-BCI and Google Earth.

Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis due to intentionally redundant transvenous lead placement for VDD pacing in two small dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunther-Harrington, Catherine T; Michel, Adam O; Stern, Joshua A

2015-12-01

Placement of an endocardial VDD pacing lead in small dogs (stenosis in two small dogs between 8 months and 4 years after VDD pacemaker placement for third-degree atrioventricular block. Echocardiography and Doppler echocardiography identified elevated transtricuspid flow velocities, prolonged pressure half-times, decreased valve leaflet excursions, and tricuspid regurgitation in both cases. Both cases were euthanized secondary to this pacing complication. Necropsy was performed in one case and confirmed adherence between the redundant lead loop, atrial and valve tissue. While VDD pacing in dogs has proven hemodynamic benefits, these benefits have not been demonstrated in terms of survival benefit or clinical signs. The requirement of redundant lead placement in small dogs for appropriate VDD lead function creates potential deleterious effects that should be weighed against the possible clinical value of VDD pacing in these patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Error studies of Halbach Magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooks, S. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2017-03-02

These error studies were done on the Halbach magnets for the CBETA “First Girder” as described in note [CBETA001]. The CBETA magnets have since changed slightly to the lattice in [CBETA009]. However, this is not a large enough change to significantly affect the results here. The QF and BD arc FFAG magnets are considered. For each assumed set of error distributions and each ideal magnet, 100 random magnets with errors are generated. These are then run through an automated version of the iron wire multipole cancellation algorithm. The maximum wire diameter allowed is 0.063” as in the proof-of-principle magnets. Initially, 32 wires (2 per Halbach wedge) are tried, then if this does not achieve 1e-­4 level accuracy in the simulation, 48 and then 64 wires. By “1e-4 accuracy”, it is meant the FOM defined by √(Σ_{n≥sextupole} a_n ²+b_n ²) is less than 1 unit, where the multipoles are taken at the maximum nominal beam radius, R=23mm for these magnets. The algorithm initially uses 20 convergence interations. If 64 wires does not achieve 1e-­4 accuracy, this is increased to 50 iterations to check for slow converging cases. There are also classifications for magnets that do not achieve 1e-4 but do achieve 1e-3 (FOM ≤ 10 units). This is technically within the spec discussed in the Jan 30, 2017 review; however, there will be errors in practical shimming not dealt with in the simulation, so it is preferable to do much better than the spec in the simulation.

Planning the Marketing Strategy. PACE Revised. Level 1. Unit 6. Research & Development Series No. 240AB6.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

This lesson on planning a marketing strategy, the sixth in a series of 18 units, is part of the first level of a comprehensive entrepreneurship curriculum entitled: A Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship (PACE). (Designed for use with secondary students, the first level of PACE introduces students to the concepts involved in…

Lacie phase 1 Classification and Mensuration Subsystem (CAMS) rework experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Chhikara, R. S.; Hsu, E. M.; Liszcz, C. J.

1976-01-01

An experiment was designed to test the ability of the Classification and Mensuration Subsystem rework operations to improve wheat proportion estimates for segments that had been processed previously. Sites selected for the experiment included three in Kansas and three in Texas, with the remaining five distributed in Montana and North and South Dakota. The acquisition dates were selected to be representative of imagery available in actual operations. No more than one acquisition per biophase were used, and biophases were determined by actual crop calendars. All sites were worked by each of four Analyst-Interpreter/Data Processing Analyst Teams who reviewed the initial processing of each segment and accepted or reworked it for an estimate of the proportion of small grains in the segment. Classification results, acquisitions and classification errors and performance results between CAMS regular and ITS rework are tabulated.

Pacing and decision making in sport and exercise: the roles of perception and action in the regulation of exercise intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Smits, Benjamin L M; Pepping, Gert-Jan; Hettinga, Florentina J

2014-06-01

In pursuit of optimal performance, athletes and physical exercisers alike have to make decisions about how and when to invest their energy. The process of pacing has been associated with the goal-directed regulation of exercise intensity across an exercise bout. The current review explores divergent views on understanding underlying mechanisms of decision making in pacing. Current pacing literature provides a wide range of aspects that might be involved in the determination of an athlete's pacing strategy, but lacks in explaining how perception and action are coupled in establishing behaviour. In contrast, decision-making literature rooted in the understanding that perception and action are coupled provides refreshing perspectives on explaining the mechanisms that underlie natural interactive behaviour. Contrary to the assumption of behaviour that is managed by a higher-order governor that passively constructs internal representations of the world, an ecological approach is considered. According to this approach, knowledge is rooted in the direct experience of meaningful environmental objects and events in individual environmental processes. To assist a neuropsychological explanation of decision making in exercise regulation, the relevance of the affordance competition hypothesis is explored. By considering pacing as a behavioural expression of continuous decision making, new insights on underlying mechanisms in pacing and optimal performance can be developed.

Effect of Psychological Intervention on Marital Satisfaction of Mothers with Slow Pace Under 5 Years Children

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Mehran Soleymani

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Objective of this study was investigating impact of early psychological interventions on marital satisfaction of mothers with slow pace under 5 years children. Considering variables of the research, that is, early psychological interventions and marital satisfaction, research hypotheses was as follows: "early psychological interventions affect marital satisfaction of mothers with slow pace under 5 years children" and it was examined. Methods: This research is of experimental type and pretest-posttest plan with control groups was used. Statistical population included all mothers with slow pace under 5 years children in Urmia. To this end, 40 mothers with slow pace children were selected as the sample in a non-random manner by convenience sampling. They were assigned randomly into two groups of 20 (20 test group and 20 control group, and finally psychological interventions were conducted on one of groups randomly. In order to evaluate marital satisfaction, Enrich marital satisfaction questionnaire with 47 items was used. Data were analyzed by univariate analysis of covariance. Results: findings showed that there is significant difference between two groups in posttest in overall score of marital satisfaction as well as in some elements such as conventional responses, marital satisfaction, personality issues, marital relationships, conflict resolution, leisure, parenting, family and friends, and ideological orientation and sexual relations (P<0.005, and no significant difference was observed in financial supervision and roles related to gender equality. Discusion: Psychological interventions were effective in promoting marital satisfaction in mothers with slow pace under 5 years children.

Impact of right-ventricular apical pacing on the optimal left-ventricular lead positions measured by phase analysis of SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Guang-Uei; Huang, Jin-Long; Lin, Wan-Yu; Tsai, Shih-Chung; Wang, Kuo-Yang; Chen, Shih-Ann; Lloyd, Michael S.; Chen, Ji

2014-01-01

The use of SPECT phase analysis to optimize left-ventricular (LV) lead positions for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) was performed at baseline, but CRT works as simultaneous right ventricular (RV) and LV pacing. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of RV apical (RVA) pacing on optimal LV lead positions measured by SPECT phase analysis. This study prospectively enrolled 46 patients. Two SPECT myocardial perfusion scans were acquired under sinus rhythm with complete left bundle branch block and RVA pacing, respectively, following a single injection of 99m Tc-sestamibi. LV dyssynchrony parameters and optimal LV lead positions were measured by the phase analysis technique and then compared between the two scans. The LV dyssynchrony parameters were significantly larger with RVA pacing than with sinus rhythm (p ∝0.01). In 39 of the 46 patients, the optimal LV lead positions were the same between RVA pacing and sinus rhythm (kappa = 0.861). In 6 of the remaining 7 patients, the optimal LV lead positions were along the same radial direction, but RVA pacing shifted the optimal LV lead positions toward the base. The optimal LV lead positions measured by SPECT phase analysis were consistent, no matter whether the SPECT images were acquired under sinus rhythm or RVA pacing. In some patients, RVA pacing shifted the optimal LV lead positions toward the base. This study supports the use of baseline SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging to optimize LV lead positions to increase CRT efficacy. (orig.)

Medical errors in hospitalized pediatric trauma patients with chronic health conditions

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Xiaotong Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study compares medical errors in pediatric trauma patients with and without chronic conditions. Methods: The 2009 Kids’ Inpatient Database, which included 123,303 trauma discharges, was analyzed. Medical errors were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes. The medical error rates per 100 discharges and per 1000 hospital days were calculated and compared between inpatients with and without chronic conditions. Results: Pediatric trauma patients with chronic conditions experienced a higher medical error rate compared with patients without chronic conditions: 4.04 (95% confidence interval: 3.75–4.33 versus 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 0.98–1.16 per 100 discharges. The rate of medical error differed by type of chronic condition. After controlling for confounding factors, the presence of a chronic condition increased the adjusted odds ratio of medical error by 37% if one chronic condition existed (adjusted odds ratio: 1.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.21–1.5, and 69% if more than one chronic condition existed (adjusted odds ratio: 1.69, 95% confidence interval: 1.48–1.53. In the adjusted model, length of stay had the strongest association with medical error, but the adjusted odds ratio for chronic conditions and medical error remained significantly elevated even when accounting for the length of stay, suggesting that medical complexity has a role in medical error. Higher adjusted odds ratios were seen in other subgroups. Conclusion: Chronic conditions are associated with significantly higher rate of medical errors in pediatric trauma patients. Future research should evaluate interventions or guidelines for reducing the risk of medical errors in pediatric trauma patients with chronic conditions.

The nearest neighbor and the bayes error rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Loizou, G; Maybank, S J

1987-02-01

The (k, l) nearest neighbor method of pattern classification is compared to the Bayes method. If the two acceptance rates are equal then the asymptotic error rates satisfy the inequalities Ek,l + 1 ¿ E*(¿) ¿ Ek,l dE*(¿), where d is a function of k, l, and the number of pattern classes, and ¿ is the reject threshold for the Bayes method. An explicit expression for d is given which is optimal in the sense that for some probability distributions Ek,l and dE* (¿) are equal.

Effect of recovery interventions on cycling performance and pacing strategy in the heat.

Science.gov (United States)

De Pauw, Kevin; Roelands, Bart; Vanparijs, Jef; Meeusen, Romain

2014-03-01

To determine the effect of active recovery (AR), passive rest (PR), and cold-water immersion (CWI) after 90 min of intensive cycling on a subsequent 12-min time trial (TT2) and the applied pacing strategy in TT2. After a maximal test and familiarization trial, 9 trained male subjects (age 22 ± 3 y, VO2max 62.1 ± 5.3 mL · min-1 · kg-1) performed 3 experimental trials in the heat (30°C). Each trial consisted of 2 exercise tasks separated by 1 h. The first was a 60-min constant-load trial at 55% of the maximal power output followed by a 30-min time trial (TT1). The second comprised a 12-min simulated time trial (TT2). After TT1, AR, PR, or CWI was applied for 15 min. No significant TT2 performance differences were observed, but a 1-sample t test (within each condition) revealed different pacing strategies during TT2. CWI resulted in an even pacing strategy, while AR and PR resulted in a gradual decline of power output after the onset of TT2 (P ≤ .046). During recovery, AR and CWI showed a trend toward faster blood lactate ([BLa]) removal, but during TT2 significantly higher [BLa] was only observed after CWI compared with PR (P = .011). The pacing strategy during subsequent cycling performance in the heat is influenced by the application of different postexercise recovery interventions. Although power was not significantly altered between groups, CWI enabled a differently shaped power profile, likely due to decreased thermal strain.

100% classification accuracy considered harmful: the normalized information transfer factor explains the accuracy paradox.

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Francisco J Valverde-Albacete

Full Text Available The most widely spread measure of performance, accuracy, suffers from a paradox: predictive models with a given level of accuracy may have greater predictive power than models with higher accuracy. Despite optimizing classification error rate, high accuracy models may fail to capture crucial information transfer in the classification task. We present evidence of this behavior by means of a combinatorial analysis where every possible contingency matrix of 2, 3 and 4 classes classifiers are depicted on the entropy triangle, a more reliable information-theoretic tool for classification assessment. Motivated by this, we develop from first principles a measure of classification performance that takes into consideration the information learned by classifiers. We are then able to obtain the entropy-modulated accuracy (EMA, a pessimistic estimate of the expected accuracy with the influence of the input distribution factored out, and the normalized information transfer factor (NIT, a measure of how efficient is the transmission of information from the input to the output set of classes. The EMA is a more natural measure of classification performance than accuracy when the heuristic to maximize is the transfer of information through the classifier instead of classification error count. The NIT factor measures the effectiveness of the learning process in classifiers and also makes it harder for them to "cheat" using techniques like specialization, while also promoting the interpretability of results. Their use is demonstrated in a mind reading task competition that aims at decoding the identity of a video stimulus based on magnetoencephalography recordings. We show how the EMA and the NIT factor reject rankings based in accuracy, choosing more meaningful and interpretable classifiers.

Running pace decrease during a marathon is positively related to blood markers of muscle damage.

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Juan Del Coso

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Completing a marathon is one of the most challenging sports activities, yet the source of running fatigue during this event is not completely understood. The aim of this investigation was to determine the cause(s of running fatigue during a marathon in warm weather. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We recruited 40 amateur runners (34 men and 6 women for the study. Before the race, body core temperature, body mass, leg muscle power output during a countermovement jump, and blood samples were obtained. During the marathon (27 °C; 27% relative humidity running fatigue was measured as the pace reduction from the first 5-km to the end of the race. Within 3 min after the marathon, the same pre-exercise variables were obtained. RESULTS: Marathoners reduced their running pace from 3.5 ± 0.4 m/s after 5-km to 2.9 ± 0.6 m/s at the end of the race (P 15% pace reduction had elevated post-race myoglobin (1318 ± 1411 v 623 ± 391 µg L(-1; P<0.05, lactate dehydrogenase (687 ± 151 v 583 ± 117 U L(-1; P<0.05, and creatine kinase (564 ± 469 v 363 ± 158 U L(-1; P = 0.07 in comparison with marathoners that preserved their running pace reasonably well throughout the race. However, they did not differ in their body mass change (-3.1 ± 1.0 v -3.0 ± 1.0%; P = 0.60 or post-race body temperature (38.7 ± 0.7 v 38.9 ± 0.9 °C; P = 0.35. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Running pace decline during a marathon was positively related with muscle breakdown blood markers. To elucidate if muscle damage during a marathon is related to mechanistic or metabolic factors requires further investigation.

Web-Based Information Management System for the Investigation, Reporting, and Analysis of Human Error in Naval Aviation Maintenance

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Boex, Anthony

2001-01-01

.... The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System-Maintenance Extension (HFACS-ME) taxonomy, a framework for classifying and analyzing the presence of maintenance errors that lead to mishaps, is the foundation of this tool...

DiPALS: Diaphragm Pacing in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Christopher J; Bradburn, Mike J; Maguire, Chin; Cooper, Cindy L; Baird, Wendy O; Baxter, Susan K; Cohen, Judith; Cantrill, Hannah; Dixon, Simon; Ackroyd, Roger; Baudouin, Simon; Bentley, Andrew; Berrisford, Richard; Bianchi, Stephen; Bourke, Stephen C; Darlison, Roy; Ealing, John; Elliott, Mark; Fitzgerald, Patrick; Galloway, Simon; Hamdalla, Hisham; Hanemann, C Oliver; Hughes, Philip; Imam, Ibrahim; Karat, Dayalan; Leek, Roger; Maynard, Nick; Orrell, Richard W; Sarela, Abeezar; Stradling, John; Talbot, Kevin; Taylor, Lyn; Turner, Martin; Simonds, Anita K; Williams, Tim; Wedzicha, Wisia; Young, Carolyn; Shaw, Pamela J

2016-06-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease resulting in death, usually from respiratory failure, within 2-3 years of symptom onset. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a treatment that when given to patients in respiratory failure leads to improved survival and quality of life. Diaphragm pacing (DP), using the NeuRx/4(®) diaphragm pacing system (DPS)™ (Synapse Biomedical, Oberlin, OH, USA), is a new technique that may offer additional or alternative benefits to patients with ALS who are in respiratory failure. The Diaphragm Pacing in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (DiPALS) trial evaluated the effect of DP on survival over the study duration in patients with ALS with respiratory failure. The DiPALS trial was a multicentre, parallel-group, open-label, randomised controlled trial incorporating health economic analyses and a qualitative longitudinal substudy. Eligible participants had a diagnosis of ALS (ALS laboratory-supported probable, clinically probable or clinically definite according to the World Federation of Neurology revised El Escorial criteria), had been stabilised on riluzole for 30 days, were aged ≥ 18 years and were in respiratory failure. We planned to recruit 108 patients from seven UK-based specialist ALS or respiratory centres. Allocation was performed using 1 : 1 non-deterministic minimisation. Participants were randomised to either standard care (NIV alone) or standard care (NIV) plus DP using the NeuRX/4 DPS. The primary outcome was overall survival, defined as the time from randomisation to death from any cause. Secondary outcomes were patient quality of life [assessed by European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, three levels (EQ-5D-3L), Short Form questionnaire-36 items and Sleep Apnoea Quality of Life Index questionnaire]; carer quality of life (EQ-5D-3L and Caregiver Burden Inventory); cost-utility analysis and health-care resource use; tolerability and adverse events. Acceptability and attitudes to

Research and practice on NPP safety DCS application software V and V defect classification system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Dongwei; Li Yunjian; Li Xiangjian

2012-01-01

One of the most significant aims of Verification and Validation (V and V) is to find software errors and risks, especially for a DCS application software designed for nuclear power plant (NPP). Through classifying and analyzing errors, a number of obtained data can be utilized to estimate current status and potential risks of software development and improve the quality of project. A method of error classification is proposed, which is applied to whole V and V life cycle, using a MW pressurized reactor project as an example. The purpose is to analyze errors discovered by V and V activities, and result in improvement of safety critical DCS application software. (authors)

Error modeling for surrogates of dynamical systems using machine learning

Science.gov (United States)

Trehan, Sumeet; Carlberg, Kevin T.; Durlofsky, Louis J.

2017-12-01

A machine-learning-based framework for modeling the error introduced by surrogate models of parameterized dynamical systems is proposed. The framework entails the use of high-dimensional regression techniques (e.g., random forests, LASSO) to map a large set of inexpensively computed `error indicators' (i.e., features) produced by the surrogate model at a given time instance to a prediction of the surrogate-model error in a quantity of interest (QoI). This eliminates the need for the user to hand-select a small number of informative features. The methodology requires a training set of parameter instances at which the time-dependent surrogate-model error is computed by simulating both the high-fidelity and surrogate models. Using these training data, the method first determines regression-model locality (via classification or clustering), and subsequently constructs a `local' regression model to predict the time-instantaneous error within each identified region of feature space. We consider two uses for the resulting error model: (1) as a correction to the surrogate-model QoI prediction at each time instance, and (2) as a way to statistically model arbitrary functions of the time-dependent surrogate-model error (e.g., time-integrated errors). We apply the proposed framework to model errors in reduced-order models of nonlinear oil--water subsurface flow simulations. The reduced-order models used in this work entail application of trajectory piecewise linearization with proper orthogonal decomposition. When the first use of the method is considered, numerical experiments demonstrate consistent improvement in accuracy in the time-instantaneous QoI prediction relative to the original surrogate model, across a large number of test cases. When the second use is considered, results show that the proposed method provides accurate statistical predictions of the time- and well-averaged errors.

Subclinical naming errors in mild cognitive impairment: A semantic deficit?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indra F. Willers

Full Text Available Abstract Mild cognitive impairment (MCI is the transitional stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD. Impairments in semantic memory have been demonstrated to be a critical factor in early AD. The Boston Naming Test (BNT is a straightforward method of examining semantic or visuo-perceptual processing and therefore represents a potential diagnostic tool. The objective of this study was to examine naming ability and identify error types in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI. Methods: Twenty aMCI patients, twenty AD patients and twenty-one normal controls, matched by age, sex and education level were evaluated. As part of a further neuropsychological evaluation, all subjects performed the BNT. A comprehensive classification of error types was devised in order to compare performance and ascertain semantic or perceptual origin of errors. Results: AD patients obtained significantly lower total scores on the BNT than aMCI patients and controls. aMCI patients did not obtain significant differences in total scores, but showed significantly higher semantic errors compared to controls. Conclusion: This study reveals that semantic processing is impaired during confrontation naming in aMCI.

Stochastic change detection in uncertain nonlinear systems using reduced-order models: classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Hae-Bum; Masri, Sami F

2009-01-01

A reliable structural health monitoring methodology (SHM) is proposed to detect relatively small changes in uncertain nonlinear systems. A total of 4000 physical tests were performed using a complex nonlinear magneto-rheological (MR) damper. With the effective (or 'genuine') changes and uncertainties in the system characteristics of the semi-active MR damper, which were precisely controlled with known means and standard deviation of the input current, the tested MR damper was identified with the restoring force method (RFM), a non-parametric system identification method involving two-dimensional orthogonal polynomials. Using the identified RFM coefficients, both supervised and unsupervised pattern recognition techniques (including support vector classification and k-means clustering) were employed to detect system changes in the MR damper. The classification results showed that the identified coefficients with orthogonal basis function can be used as reliable indicators for detecting (small) changes, interpreting the physical meaning of the detected changes without a priori knowledge of the monitored system and quantifying the uncertainty bounds of the detected changes. The classification errors were analyzed using the standard detection theory to evaluate the performance of the developed SHM methodology. An optimal classifier design procedure was also proposed and evaluated to minimize type II (or 'missed') errors

A hybrid NIRS-EEG system for self-paced brain computer interface with online motor imagery.

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, Bonkon; Lee, Hwan-Gon; Nam, Yunjun; Kang, Hyohyeong; Koh, Chin Su; Shin, Hyung-Cheul; Choi, Seungjin

2015-04-15

For a self-paced motor imagery based brain-computer interface (BCI), the system should be able to recognize the occurrence of a motor imagery, as well as the type of the motor imagery. However, because of the difficulty of detecting the occurrence of a motor imagery, general motor imagery based BCI studies have been focusing on the cued motor imagery paradigm. In this paper, we present a novel hybrid BCI system that uses near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) systems together to achieve online self-paced motor imagery based BCI. We designed a unique sensor frame that records NIRS and EEG simultaneously for the realization of our system. Based on this hybrid system, we proposed a novel analysis method that detects the occurrence of a motor imagery with the NIRS system, and classifies its type with the EEG system. An online experiment demonstrated that our hybrid system had a true positive rate of about 88%, a false positive rate of 7% with an average response time of 10.36 s. As far as we know, there is no report that explored hemodynamic brain switch for self-paced motor imagery based BCI with hybrid EEG and NIRS system. From our experimental results, our hybrid system showed enough reliability for using in a practical self-paced motor imagery based BCI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remote Sensing Image Classification Based on Stacked Denoising Autoencoder

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Peng Liang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Focused on the issue that conventional remote sensing image classification methods have run into the bottlenecks in accuracy, a new remote sensing image classification method inspired by deep learning is proposed, which is based on Stacked Denoising Autoencoder. First, the deep network model is built through the stacked layers of Denoising Autoencoder. Then, with noised input, the unsupervised Greedy layer-wise training algorithm is used to train each layer in turn for more robust expressing, characteristics are obtained in supervised learning by Back Propagation (BP neural network, and the whole network is optimized by error back propagation. Finally, Gaofen-1 satellite (GF-1 remote sensing data are used for evaluation, and the total accuracy and kappa accuracy reach 95.7% and 0.955, respectively, which are higher than that of the Support Vector Machine and Back Propagation neural network. The experiment results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of remote sensing image classification.

Convolutional neural network with transfer learning for rice type classification

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Vaibhav Amit; Joshi, Manjunath V.

2018-04-01

Presently, rice type is identified manually by humans, which is time consuming and error prone. Therefore, there is a need to do this by machine which makes it faster with greater accuracy. This paper proposes a deep learning based method for classification of rice types. We propose two methods to classify the rice types. In the first method, we train a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) using the given segmented rice images. In the second method, we train a combination of a pretrained VGG16 network and the proposed method, while using transfer learning in which the weights of a pretrained network are used to achieve better accuracy. Our approach can also be used for classification of rice grain as broken or fine. We train a 5-class model for classifying rice types using 4000 training images and another 2- class model for the classification of broken and normal rice using 1600 training images. We observe that despite having distinct rice images, our architecture, pretrained on ImageNet data boosts classification accuracy significantly.

High-Performance Neural Networks for Visual Object Classification

OpenAIRE

Cireşan, Dan C.; Meier, Ueli; Masci, Jonathan; Gambardella, Luca M.; Schmidhuber, Jürgen

2011-01-01

We present a fast, fully parameterizable GPU implementation of Convolutional Neural Network variants. Our feature extractors are neither carefully designed nor pre-wired, but rather learned in a supervised way. Our deep hierarchical architectures achieve the best published results on benchmarks for object classification (NORB, CIFAR10) and handwritten digit recognition (MNIST), with error rates of 2.53%, 19.51%, 0.35%, respectively. Deep nets trained by simple back-propagation perform better ...

Action errors, error management, and learning in organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Frese, Michael; Keith, Nina

2015-01-03

Every organization is confronted with errors. Most errors are corrected easily, but some may lead to negative consequences. Organizations often focus on error prevention as a single strategy for dealing with errors. Our review suggests that error prevention needs to be supplemented by error management--an approach directed at effectively dealing with errors after they have occurred, with the goal of minimizing negative and maximizing positive error consequences (examples of the latter are learning and innovations). After defining errors and related concepts, we review research on error-related processes affected by error management (error detection, damage control). Empirical evidence on positive effects of error management in individuals and organizations is then discussed, along with emotional, motivational, cognitive, and behavioral pathways of these effects. Learning from errors is central, but like other positive consequences, learning occurs under certain circumstances--one being the development of a mind-set of acceptance of human error.

Application of radionuclide ventriculography phase analysis in patients with atrial or ventricular pacing for detecting ventricular abnormal excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Rongfang; Wang Zhonggan; Li Shengting

1996-01-01

The aim of the study was to increase the accuracy of detecting ventricular abnormal excitation. During atrial or ventricular pacing, radionuclide ventriculography phase analysis (RNV-PA) was performed in 17 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (W-P-W) syndrome and paroxysmal supra ventricular tachycardia (PSVT) and ventricular tachycardia (PVT). During pacing, detection rate of abnormal excitation by RNV-PA was 95.5%, compared with 68.2% during basic conduction. Atrial or ventricular pacing can significantly increase the detection rate of abnormal excitation by RNV-PA in patients with W-P-W syndrome. It may be a valuable method for identifying the abnormal excitation and estimating the therapeutic effect of ablation

Free classification of regional dialects of American English

Science.gov (United States)

Clopper, Cynthia G.; Pisoni, David B.

2011-01-01

Recent studies have found that naïve listeners perform poorly in forced-choice dialect categorization tasks. However, the listeners' error patterns in these tasks reveal systematic confusions between phonologically similar dialects. In the present study, a free classification procedure was used to measure the perceptual similarity structure of regional dialect variation in the United States. In two experiments, participants listened to a set of short English sentences produced by male talkers only (Experiment 1) and by male and female talkers (Experiment 2). The listeners were instructed to group the talkers by regional dialect into as many groups as they wanted with as many talkers in each group as they wished. Multidimensional scaling analyses of the data revealed three primary dimensions of perceptual similarity (linguistic markedness, geography, and gender). In addition, a comparison of the results obtained from the free classification task to previous results using the same stimulus materials in six-alternative forced-choice categorization tasks revealed that response biases in the six-alternative task were reduced or eliminated in the free classification task. Thus, the results obtained with the free classification task in the current study provided further evidence that the underlying structure of perceptual dialect category representations reflects important linguistic and sociolinguistic factors. PMID:21423862

Free classification of regional dialects of American English.

Science.gov (United States)

Clopper, Cynthia G; Pisoni, David B

2007-07-01

Recent studies have found that naïve listeners perform poorly in forced-choice dialect categorization tasks. However, the listeners' error patterns in these tasks reveal systematic confusions between phonologically similar dialects. In the present study, a free classification procedure was used to measure the perceptual similarity structure of regional dialect variation in the United States. In two experiments, participants listened to a set of short English sentences produced by male talkers only (Experiment 1) and by male and female talkers (Experiment 2). The listeners were instructed to group the talkers by regional dialect into as many groups as they wanted with as many talkers in each group as they wished. Multidimensional scaling analyses of the data revealed three primary dimensions of perceptual similarity (linguistic markedness, geography, and gender). In addition, a comparison of the results obtained from the free classification task to previous results using the same stimulus materials in six-alternative forced-choice categorization tasks revealed that response biases in the six-alternative task were reduced or eliminated in the free classification task. Thus, the results obtained with the free classification task in the current study provided further evidence that the underlying structure of perceptual dialect category representations reflects important linguistic and sociolinguistic factors.

Modeling coherent errors in quantum error correction

Science.gov (United States)

Greenbaum, Daniel; Dutton, Zachary

2018-01-01

Analysis of quantum error correcting codes is typically done using a stochastic, Pauli channel error model for describing the noise on physical qubits. However, it was recently found that coherent errors (systematic rotations) on physical data qubits result in both physical and logical error rates that differ significantly from those predicted by a Pauli model. Here we examine the accuracy of the Pauli approximation for noise containing coherent errors (characterized by a rotation angle ɛ) under the repetition code. We derive an analytic expression for the logical error channel as a function of arbitrary code distance d and concatenation level n, in the small error limit. We find that coherent physical errors result in logical errors that are partially coherent and therefore non-Pauli. However, the coherent part of the logical error is negligible at fewer than {ε }-({dn-1)} error correction cycles when the decoder is optimized for independent Pauli errors, thus providing a regime of validity for the Pauli approximation. Above this number of correction cycles, the persistent coherent logical error will cause logical failure more quickly than the Pauli model would predict, and this may need to be combated with coherent suppression methods at the physical level or larger codes.

Sound Effects for Children's Comprehension of Variably-Paced Television Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvert, Sandra L.; Scott, M. Catherine

In this study, children's selective attention to, and comprehension of, variably-paced television programs were examined as a function of sound effects. Sixty-four children, equally distributed by sex and by preschool and fourth grades, were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions which crossed two levels of sound effects (presence…

Effect of atrial pacing on phase analysis in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magosaki, Nobuhisa; Hiroe, Michiaki; Kasanuki, Hiroshi; Ohnishi, Satoshi; Tanaka, Etsuko; Horie, Toshinobu; Kusakabe, Kiyoko; Kondo, Mizuka; Hirosawa, Koshichiro

1984-01-01

Phase analysis of ECG-gated radionuclide ventriculography was performed during sinus rhythm and atrial pacing for 11 patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. During sinus rhythm, phase analysis demonstrated abnormal early-emptying segments reflecting preexcitation in six of the 11 patients. In the remaining five patients, the precise site of abnormal early-emptying could not be detected. Atrial pacing increased the degree of pre-exicitation, and abnormal early-emptying segments became clear in all patients. Our study demonstrated the utility of atrial pacing in performing phase analysis for patients with the WPW syndrome. Seven patients had abnormal early-emptying segments; four of them with ECG type A, in the left ventricle, and three of them with ECG type B, in the right ventricle. These results were consistent with results of the body surface and electrophysiologic mapping. In patients with posterior septal accessory pathways, phase analysis suggested probable laterality of the accessory pathway. (author)

Different horse's paces during hippotherapy on spatio-temporal parameters of gait in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy: A feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Antunes, Fabiane Nunes; Pinho, Alexandre Severo do; Kleiner, Ana Francisca Rozin; Salazar, Ana Paula; Eltz, Giovana Duarte; de Oliveira Junior, Alcyr Alves; Cechetti, Fernanda; Galli, Manuela; Pagnussat, Aline Souza

2016-12-01

Hippotherapy is often carried out for the rehabilitation of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), with the horse riding at a walking pace. This study aimed to explore the immediate effects of a hippotherapy protocol using a walk-trot pace on spatio-temporal gait parameters and muscle tone in children with Bilateral Spastic CP (BS-CP). Ten children diagnosed with BS-CP and 10 healthy aged-matched children (reference group) took part in this study. The children with BS-CP underwent two sessions of hippotherapy for one week of washout between them. Two protocols (lasting 30min) were applied on separate days: Protocol 1: the horse's pace was a walking pace; and Protocol 2: the horse's pace was a walk-trot pace. Children from the reference group were not subjected to treatment. A wireless inertial measurement unit measured gait spatio-temporal parameters before and after each session. The Modified Ashworth Scale was applied for muscle tone measurement of hip adductors. The participants underwent the gait assessment on a path with surface irregularities (ecological context). The comparisons between BS-CP and the reference group found differences in all spatio-temporal parameters, except for gait velocity. Within-group analysis of children with BS-CP showed that the swing phase did not change after the walk pace and after the walk-trot pace. The percentage of rolling phase and double support improved after the walk-trot. The spasticity of the hip adductors was significantly reduced as an immediate result of both protocols, but this decrease was more evident after the walk-trot. The walk-trot protocol is feasible and is able to induce an immediate effect that improves the gait spatio-temporal parameters and the hip adductors spasticity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraction of SelectSecure leads compared to conventional pacing leads in patients with congenital heart disease and congenital atrioventricular block.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Emma; Stuart, Graham; Martin, Rob; Walsh, Mark A

2015-06-01

SelectSecure™ pacing leads (Medtronic Inc) are increasingly being used in pediatric patients and adults with structural congenital heart disease. The 4Fr lead is ideal for patients who may require lifelong pacing and can be advantageous for patients with complex anatomy. The purpose of this study was to compare the extraction of SelectSecure leads with conventional (stylette-driven) pacing leads in patients with structural congenital heart disease and congenital atrioventricular block. The data on lead extractions from pediatric and adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients from August 2004 to July 2014 at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the Bristol Heart Institute were reviewed. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine whether conventional pacing leads were associated with a more difficult extraction process. A total of 57 patients underwent pacemaker lead extractions (22 SelectSecure, 35 conventional). No deaths occurred. Mean age at the time of extraction was 17.6 ± 10.5 years, mean weight was 47 ± 18 kg, and mean lead age was 5.6 ± 2.6 years (range 1-11 years). Complex extraction (partial extraction/femoral extraction) was more common in patients with conventional pacing leads at univariate (P < .01) and multivariate (P = .04) levels. Lead age was also a significant predictor of complex extraction (P < .01). SelectSecure leads can be successfully extracted using techniques that are used for conventional pacing leads. They are less likely to be partially extracted and are less likely to require extraction using a femoral approach compared with conventional pacing leads. Copyright © 2015 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Errors in causal inference: an organizational schema for systematic error and random error.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Etsuji; Tsuda, Toshihide; Mitsuhashi, Toshiharu; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali; Yamamoto, Eiji

2016-11-01

To provide an organizational schema for systematic error and random error in estimating causal measures, aimed at clarifying the concept of errors from the perspective of causal inference. We propose to divide systematic error into structural error and analytic error. With regard to random error, our schema shows its four major sources: nondeterministic counterfactuals, sampling variability, a mechanism that generates exposure events and measurement variability. Structural error is defined from the perspective of counterfactual reasoning and divided into nonexchangeability bias (which comprises confounding bias and selection bias) and measurement bias. Directed acyclic graphs are useful to illustrate this kind of error. Nonexchangeability bias implies a lack of "exchangeability" between the selected exposed and unexposed groups. A lack of exchangeability is not a primary concern of measurement bias, justifying its separation from confounding bias and selection bias. Many forms of analytic errors result from the small-sample properties of the estimator used and vanish asymptotically. Analytic error also results from wrong (misspecified) statistical models and inappropriate statistical methods. Our organizational schema is helpful for understanding the relationship between systematic error and random error from a previously less investigated aspect, enabling us to better understand the relationship between accuracy, validity, and precision. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A projection-adapted cross entropy (PACE) method for transmission network planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eshragh, Ali; Filar, Jerzy [University of South Australia, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Mawson Lakes, SA (Australia); Nazar, Asef [University of South Australia, Institute for Sustainable Systems Technologies, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Mawson Lakes, SA (Australia)

2011-06-15

In this paper, we propose an adaptation of the cross entropy (CE) method called projection-adapted CE (PACE) to solve a transmission expansion problem that arises in management of national and provincial electricity grids. The aim of the problem is to find an expansion policy that is both economical and operational from the technical perspective. Often, the transmission network expansion problem is mathematically formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear program that is very challenging algorithmically. The challenge originates from the fact that a global optimum should be found despite the presence, of possibly a huge number, of local optima. The PACE method shows promise in solving global optimization problems regardless of continuity or other assumptions. In our approach, we sample the integer variables using the CE mechanism, and solve LPs to obtain matching continuous variables. Numerical results, on selected test systems, demonstrate the potential of this approach. (orig.)

Towards Development of a 3-State Self-Paced Brain-Computer Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Bashashati

2007-01-01

the presence of a right- or a left-hand movement and the second classifies the detected movement as a right or a left one. In an offline analysis of the EEG data collected from four able-bodied individuals, the 3-state brain-computer interface shows a comparable performance with a 2-state system and significant performance improvement if used as a 2-state BCI, that is, in detecting the presence of a right- or a left-hand movement (regardless of the type of movement. It has an average true positive rate of 37.5% and 42.8% (at false positives rate of 1% in detecting right- and left-hand extensions, respectively, in the context of a 3-state self-paced BCI and average detection rate of 58.1% (at false positive rate of 1% in the context of a 2-state self-paced BCI.

Conditioning attentional skills: examining the effects of the pace of television editing on children's attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, N R; Uller, C; Pettifer, J; Stolc, F C

2009-10-01

There is increasing concern about the behavioural and cognitive effects of watching television in childhood. Numerous studies have examined the effects of the amount of viewing time; however, to our knowledge, only one study has investigated whether the speed of editing of a programme may have an effect on behaviour. The purpose of the present study was to examine this question using a novel experimental paradigm. School children (aged 4-7 years) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group was presented with either a fast- or slow-edit 3.5-min film of a narrator reading a children's story. Immediately following film presentation, both groups were presented with a continuous test of attention. Performance varied according to experimental group and age. In particular, we found that children's orienting networks and error rates can be affected by a very short exposure to television. Just 3.5 min of watching television can have a differential effect on the viewer depending on the pacing of the film editing. These findings highlight the potential of experimentally manipulating television exposure in children and emphasize the need for more research in this previously under-explored topic.

The impact of the perception of rhythmic music on self-paced oscillatory movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Peckel, Mathieu; Pozzo, Thierry; Bigand, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

Inspired by theories of perception-action coupling and embodied music cognition, we investigated how rhythmic music perception impacts self-paced oscillatory movements. In a pilot study, we examined the kinematic parameters of self-paced oscillatory movements, walking and finger tapping using optical motion capture. In accordance with biomechanical constraints accounts of motion, we found that movements followed a hierarchical organization depending on the proximal/distal characteristic of the limb used. Based on these findings, we were interested in knowing how and when the perception of rhythmic music could resonate with the motor system in the context of these constrained oscillatory movements. In order to test this, we conducted an experiment where participants performed four different effector-specific movements (lower leg, whole arm and forearm oscillation and finger tapping) while rhythmic music was playing in the background. Musical stimuli consisted of computer-generated MIDI musical pieces with a 4/4 metrical structure. The musical tempo of each song increased from 60 BPM to 120 BPM by 6 BPM increments. A specific tempo was maintained for 20 s before a 2 s transition to the higher tempo. The task of the participant was to maintain a comfortable pace for the four movements (self-paced) while not paying attention to the music. No instruction on whether to synchronize with the music was given. Results showed that participants were distinctively influenced by the background music depending on the movement used with the tapping task being consistently the most influenced. Furthermore, eight strategies put in place by participants to cope with the task were unveiled. Despite not instructed to do so, participants also occasionally synchronized with music. Results are discussed in terms of the link between perception and action (i.e., motor/perceptual resonance). In general, our results give support to the notion that rhythmic music is processed in a motoric

The impact of the perception of rhythmic music on oscillatory self-paced movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu ePeckel

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Inspired by theories of perception-action coupling and embodied music cognition, we investigated how rhythmic music perception impacts self-paced oscillatory movements. In a pilot study, we examined the kinematic parameters of self-paced oscillatory movements, walking and finger tapping using optical motion capture. In accordance with biomechanical constraints accounts of motion, we found that movements followed a hierarchical organization depending on the proximal/distal characteristic of the limb used. Based on these findings, we were interested in knowing how and when the perception of rhythmic music could resonate with the motor system in the context of these constrained oscillatory movements. In order to test this, we conducted an experiment where participants performed four different effector-specific movements (lower leg, whole arm and forearm oscillation and finger tapping while rhythmic music was playing in the background. Musical stimuli consisted of computer-generated MIDI musical pieces with a 4/4 metrical structure. The musical tempo of each song increased from 60 BPM to 120 BPM by 6 BPM increments. A specific tempo was maintained for 20s before a 2s transition to the higher tempo. The task of the participant was to maintain a comfortable pace for the four movements (self-paced while not paying attention to the music. No instruction on whether to synchronize with the music was given. Results showed that participants were distinctively influenced by the background music depending on the movement used with the tapping task being consistently the most influenced. Furthermore, eight strategies put in place by participants to cope with task were unveiled. Despite not instructed to do so, participants also occasionally synchronized with music. Results are discussed in terms of the link between perception and action (i.e. motor/perceptual resonance. In general, our results give support to the notion that rhythmic music is processed in a

Assessing the PACE of California residential solar deployment: Impacts of Property Assessed Clean Energy programs on residential solar photovoltaic deployment in California, 2010-2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deason, Jeff; Murphy, Sean

2018-04-04

A new study by Berkeley Lab found that residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) programs increased deployment of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in California, raising it by about 7-12% in cities that adopt these programs. R-PACE is a financing mechanism that uses a voluntary property tax assessment, paid off over time, to facilitate energy improvements and, in some jurisdictions, water and resilience measures. While previous studies demonstrated that early, regional R-PACE programs increased solar PV deployment, this new analysis is the first to demonstrate these impacts from the large, statewide R-PACE programs dominating the California market today, which use private capital to fund the upfront costs of the improvements. Berkeley Lab estimated the impacts using econometric techniques on two samples: -Large cities only, allowing annual demographic and economic data as control variables -All California cities, without these annual data Analysis of both samples controls for several factors other than R-PACE that would be expected to drive solar PV deployment. We infer that on average, cities with R-PACE programs were associated with greater solar PV deployment in our study period (2010-2015). In the large cities sample, solar PV deployment in jurisdictions with R-PACE programs was higher by 1.1 watts per owner-occupied household per month, or 12%. Across all cities, solar PV deployment in jurisdictions with R-PACE programs was higher by 0.6 watts per owner-occupied household per month, or 7%. The large cities results are statistically significant at conventional levels; the all-cities results are not. The estimates imply that the majority of solar PV deployment financed by R-PACE programs would likely not have occurred in their absence. Results suggest that R-PACE programs have increased PV deployment in California even in relatively recent years, as R-PACE programs have grown in market share and as alternate approaches for financing solar PV

Invariance and variability in interaction error-related potentials and their consequences for classification

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Alqumsan, Mohammad; Kapeller, Christoph; Hintermüller, Christoph; Guger, Christoph; Peer, Angelika

2017-12-01

Objective. This paper discusses the invariance and variability in interaction error-related potentials (ErrPs), where a special focus is laid upon the factors of (1) the human mental processing required to assess interface actions (2) time (3) subjects. Approach. Three different experiments were designed as to vary primarily with respect to the mental processes that are necessary to assess whether an interface error has occurred or not. The three experiments were carried out with 11 subjects in a repeated-measures experimental design. To study the effect of time, a subset of the recruited subjects additionally performed the same experiments on different days. Main results. The ErrP variability across the different experiments for the same subjects was found largely attributable to the different mental processing required to assess interface actions. Nonetheless, we found that interaction ErrPs are empirically invariant over time (for the same subject and same interface) and to a lesser extent across subjects (for the same interface). Significance. The obtained results may be used to explain across-study variability of ErrPs, as well as to define guidelines for approaches to the ErrP classifier transferability problem.

Fault diagnosis of generation IV nuclear HTGR components – Part II: The area error enthalpy–entropy graph approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rand, C.P. du; Schoor, G. van

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Different uncorrelated fault signatures are derived for HTGR component faults. ► A multiple classifier ensemble increases confidence in classification accuracy. ► Detailed simulation model of system is not required for fault diagnosis. - Abstract: The second paper in a two part series presents the area error method for generation of representative enthalpy–entropy (h–s) fault signatures to classify malfunctions in generation IV nuclear high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) components. The second classifier is devised to ultimately address the fault diagnosis (FD) problem via the proposed methods in a multiple classifier (MC) ensemble. FD is realized by way of different input feature sets to the classification algorithm based on the area and trajectory of the residual shift between the fault-free and the actual operating h–s graph models. The application of the proposed technique is specifically demonstrated for 24 single fault transients considered in the main power system (MPS) of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR). The results show that the area error technique produces different fault signatures with low correlation for all the examined component faults. A brief evaluation of the two fault signature generation techniques is presented and the performance of the area error method is documented using the fault classification index (FCI) presented in Part I of the series. The final part of this work reports the application of the proposed approach for classification of an emulated fault transient in data from the prototype Pebble Bed Micro Model (PBMM) plant. Reference data values are calculated for the plant via a thermo-hydraulic simulation model of the MPS. The results show that the correspondence between the fault signatures, generated via experimental plant data and simulated reference values, are generally good. The work presented in the two part series, related to the classification of component faults in the MPS of different

Effects of wind application on thermal perception and self-paced performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunissen, L.P.J.; Haan, A. de; Koning, J.J. de; Daanen, H.A.M.

2013-01-01

Physiological and perceptual effects of wind cooling are often intertwined and have scarcely been studied in self-paced exercise. Therefore, we aimed to investigate (1) the independent perceptual effect of wind cooling and its impact on performance and (2) the responses to temporary wind cooling

Extrinsic and intrinsic factors associated with non-contact injury in adult pace bowlers: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Olivier, Benita; Stewart, Aimee; Taljaard, Tracy; Burger, Elaine; Brukner, Peter; Orchard, John; Gray, Janine; Botha, Nadine; Mckinon, Warrick

2015-01-01

Review question: which extrinsic and intrinsic factors are associated with non-contact injury in adult cricket pace bowlers?Review objective: the objective of this review is to determine the extrinsic and intrinsic factors associated with non-contact injury in adult pace bowlers. Cricket is generally considered to be a sport of low injury risk compared to other sports. In cricket, the pace bowler strives towards the adoption of a bowling technique with a relatively low injury threat that will, at the same time, allow for a fast (>120km/hr) and accurate delivery to the opposing batsman. However, of all the various roles of the cricket player, the pace bowler has the highest risk of injury, especially for low back and lower limb (lower quarter) injury. The reason for this high risk of injury is due to the inherent, high-load biomechanical nature of the pace bowling action. The high prevalence of injury amongst pace bowlers highlights the great need for research into factors associated with injury.Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors work in combination to predispose the bowler to injury. Extrinsic or environment-related factors include bowling workload (the numbers of overs a bowler bowls), player position (first, second or third change) and time of play (morning or afternoon). A high bowling workload has been linked with a higher risk of injury in pace bowlers. Foster et al. found in an observational study that bowling too many overs in a single spell or bowling too many spells may increase the pace bowler's risk of sustaining a low back injury. In another observational study, Dennis et al. found that an exceptionally high bowling workload as well as an uncommonly low bowling workload is associated with injury risk. The major extrinsic factors for bowling injury identified by Orchard et al. are a high number of match overs bowled in the previous week, number of days of play and bowling second (batting first) in a match. Extrinsic factors are known to make the bowler

Heart rate autonomic regulation system at rest and during paced breathing among patients with CRPS as compared to age-matched healthy controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartur, Gadi; Vatine, Jean-Jacques; Raphaely-Beer, Noa; Peleg, Sara; Katz-Leurer, Michal

2014-09-01

The objective of this study is to assess the autonomic nerve heart rate regulation system at rest and its immediate response to paced breathing among patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as compared with age-matched healthy controls. Quasiexperimental. Outpatient clinic. Ten patients with CRPS and 10 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants underwent Holter ECG (NorthEast Monitoring, Inc., Maynard, MA, USA) recording during rest and biofeedback-paced breathing session. Heart rate variability (HRV), time, and frequency measures were assessed. HRV and time domain values were significantly lower at rest among patients with CRPS as compared with controls. A significant association was noted between pain rank and HRV frequency measures at rest and during paced breathing; although both groups reduced breathing rate significantly during paced breathing, HRV time domain parameters increased only among the control group. The increased heart rate and decreased HRV at rest in patients with CRPS suggest a general autonomic imbalance. The inability of the patients to increase HRV time domain values during paced breathing may suggest that these patients have sustained stress response with minimal changeability in response to slow-paced breathing stimuli. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Causes and implications of the slow pace of technology transfer and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The causes of slow pace of technology transfer and adoption were identified to include ineffectiveness of extension delivery system, lack of adequate liaison between extension and research, lack of trained personnel both in quantity and quality, inadequate financial support, complexity of the new technology, incompatibility, ...

An evaluation of the use of new Doppler methods for detecting longitudinal function abnormalities in a pacing-induced heart failure model

Science.gov (United States)

Tabata, Tomotsugu; Cardon, Lisa A.; Armstrong, Guy P.; Fukamach, Kiyotaka; Takagaki, Masami; Ochiai, Yoshie; McCarthy, Patrick M.; Thomas, James D.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: Doppler tissue echocardiography and color M-mode Doppler flow propagation velocity have proven useful in evaluating cross-sections of patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, but experience with serial changes is limited. Purpose and methods: We tested their use by evaluating the temporal changes of LV function in a pacing-induced congestive heart failure model. Rapid ventricular pacing was initiated and maintained in 20 dogs for 4 weeks. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and weekly during brief pacing cessation. RESULTS: With rapid pacing, LV volume significantly increased and ejection fraction (57%-28%), stroke volume (37-18 mL), and mitral annulus systolic velocity (16.1-6.6 cm/s) by Doppler tissue echocardiography significantly decreased, with ejection fraction and mitral annulus systolic velocity closely correlated (r = 0.706, P evaluate the serial deterioration in LV dysfunction throughout the pacing period. These were more useful in quantifying progressive LV dysfunction than conventional ehocardiographic techniques, and were probably relatively independent of preload. These techniques could be suitable for longitudinal evaluation in addition to the cross-sectional study.

Theory of the development of alternans in the heart during controlled diastolic interval pacing

Science.gov (United States)

Otani, Niels F.

2017-09-01

The beat-to-beat alternation in action potential durations (APDs) in the heart, called APD alternans, has been linked to the development of serious cardiac rhythm disorders, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. The length of the period between action potentials, called the diastolic interval (DI), is a key dynamical variable in the standard theory of alternans development. Thus, methods that control the DI may be useful in preventing dangerous cardiac rhythms. In this study, we examine the dynamics of alternans during controlled-DI pacing using a series of single-cell and one-dimensional (1D) fiber models of alternans dynamics. We find that a model that combines a so-called memory model with a calcium cycling model can reasonably explain two key experimental results: the possibility of alternans during constant-DI pacing and the phase lag of APDs behind DIs during sinusoidal-DI pacing. We also find that these results can be replicated by incorporating the memory model into an amplitude equation description of a 1D fiber. The 1D fiber result is potentially concerning because it seems to suggest that constant-DI control of alternans can only be effective over only a limited region in space.

Effects of Bepridil on Atrial Electrical Remodeling in Short-Term Rapid Pacing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroto Tsuchiya, MD

2009-01-01

Conclusions: Bepridil prevented the shortening of the ERP and MAPD90 induced by rapid atrial pacing in the acute phase. The results of this study might explain the efficacy of bepridil for preventing the recurrence of paroxysmal AF.

The SolarPACES strategy for the solar thermal breakthrough

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burch, G.D. [U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

1997-12-31

Our national solar thermal research programs and our combined efforts conducted through IEA/SolarPACES have brought about many breakthroughs in the development of solar thermal technology. We have components and systems that are much more efficient, much more reliable, and can be built much more cost-efficiently than just a few years ago. As our technology development proceeds, we undoubtedly will continue to make significant progress, breakthroughs in fact, in all these areas - progress that will bring us even closer to economic parity with more conventional forms of energy. And while this progress is absolutely necessary, the question is whether it will be enough to allow solar thermal to break into the mainstream of global energy supply. Our new IEA/SolarPACES strategy, crafted and approved over the course of the past year, has recognized the changes we must face and given us license to begin to make those changes. We must begin addressing financial hurdles, work to create a more favorable regulatory and tax environment, support development of international partnerships, and expand the visibility and excitement of solar thermal technology to achieve the final breakthroughs we need to allow solar thermal energy to live up to its vast potential. (orig./AKF)

Integrating palliative care in long-term care facilities across Europe (PACE): protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial of the 'PACE Steps to Success' intervention in seven countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Smets, Tinne; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje B D; Miranda, Rose; Pivodic, Lara; Tanghe, Marc; van Hout, Hein; Pasman, Roeline H R W; Oosterveld-Vlug, Mariska; Piers, Ruth; Van Den Noortgate, Nele; Wichmann, Anne B; Engels, Yvonne; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra; Hockley, Jo; Froggatt, Katherine; Payne, Sheila; Szczerbińska, Katarzyna; Kylänen, Marika; Leppäaho, Suvi; Barańska, Ilona; Gambassi, Giovanni; Pautex, Sophie; Bassal, Catherine; Deliens, Luc; Van den Block, Lieve

2018-03-12

Several studies have highlighted the need for improvement in palliative care delivered to older people long-term care facilities. However, the available evidence on how to improve palliative care in these settings is weak, especially in Europe. We describe the protocol of the PACE trial aimed to 1) evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the 'PACE Steps to Success' palliative care intervention for older people in long-term care facilities, and 2) assess the implementation process and identify facilitators and barriers for implementation in different countries. We will conduct a multi-facility cluster randomised controlled trial in Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and England. In total, 72 facilities will be randomized to receive the 'Pace Steps to Success intervention' or to 'care as usual'. Primary outcome at resident level: quality of dying (CAD-EOLD); and at staff level: staff knowledge of palliative care (Palliative Care Survey). resident's quality of end-of-life care, staff self-efficacy, self-perceived educational needs, and opinions on palliative care. Economic outcomes: direct costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Measurements are performed at baseline and after the intervention. For the resident-level outcomes, facilities report all deaths of residents in and outside the facilities over a previous four-month period and structured questionnaires are sent to (1) the administrator, (2) staff member most involved in care (3) treating general practitioner, and (4) a relative. For the staff-level outcomes, all staff who are working in the facilities are asked to complete a structured questionnaire. A process evaluation will run alongside the effectiveness evaluation in the intervention group using the RE-AIM framework. The lack of high quality trials in palliative care has been recognized throughout the field of palliative care research. This cross-national cluster RCT designed to evaluate the impact of the

Classification of DNA nucleotides with transverse tunneling currents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jonas Nyvold; Boynton, Paul; Ventra, Massimiliano Di

2017-01-01

, however. In realistic liquid environments, typical currents in tunneling devices are of the order of picoamps. This corresponds to only six electrons per microsecond, and this number affects the integration time required to do current measurements in real experiments. This limits the speed of sequencing......, though current fluctuations due to Brownian motion of the molecule average out during the required integration time. Moreover, data acquisition equipment introduces noise, and electronic filters create correlations in time-series data. We discuss how these effects must be included in the analysis of, e.......g., the assignment of specific nucleobases to current signals. As the signals from different molecules overlap, unambiguous classification is impossible with a single measurement. We argue that the assignment of molecules to a signal is a standard pattern classification problem and calculation of the error rates...

Error begat error: design error analysis and prevention in social infrastructure projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Peter E D; Lopez, Robert; Edwards, David J; Goh, Yang M

2012-09-01

Design errors contribute significantly to cost and schedule growth in social infrastructure projects and to engineering failures, which can result in accidents and loss of life. Despite considerable research that has addressed their error causation in construction projects they still remain prevalent. This paper identifies the underlying conditions that contribute to design errors in social infrastructure projects (e.g. hospitals, education, law and order type buildings). A systemic model of error causation is propagated and subsequently used to develop a learning framework for design error prevention. The research suggests that a multitude of strategies should be adopted in congruence to prevent design errors from occurring and so ensure that safety and project performance are ameliorated. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pornography classification: The hidden clues in video space-time.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Daniel; Avila, Sandra; Perez, Mauricio; Moraes, Daniel; Testoni, Vanessa; Valle, Eduardo; Goldenstein, Siome; Rocha, Anderson

2016-11-01

As web technologies and social networks become part of the general public's life, the problem of automatically detecting pornography is into every parent's mind - nobody feels completely safe when their children go online. In this paper, we focus on video-pornography classification, a hard problem in which traditional methods often employ still-image techniques - labeling frames individually prior to a global decision. Frame-based approaches, however, ignore significant cogent information brought by motion. Here, we introduce a space-temporal interest point detector and descriptor called Temporal Robust Features (TRoF). TRoF was custom-tailored for efficient (low processing time and memory footprint) and effective (high classification accuracy and low false negative rate) motion description, particularly suited to the task at hand. We aggregate local information extracted by TRoF into a mid-level representation using Fisher Vectors, the state-of-the-art model of Bags of Visual Words (BoVW). We evaluate our original strategy, contrasting it both to commercial pornography detection solutions, and to BoVW solutions based upon other space-temporal features from the scientific literature. The performance is assessed using the Pornography-2k dataset, a new challenging pornographic benchmark, comprising 2000 web videos and 140h of video footage. The dataset is also a contribution of this work and is very assorted, including both professional and amateur content, and it depicts several genres of pornography, from cartoon to live action, with diverse behavior and ethnicity. The best approach, based on a dense application of TRoF, yields a classification error reduction of almost 79% when compared to the best commercial classifier. A sparse description relying on TRoF detector is also noteworthy, for yielding a classification error reduction of over 69%, with 19× less memory footprint than the dense solution, and yet can also be implemented to meet real-time requirements

Comparison of Long-Term Effect of Dual-Chamber Pacing and Alcohol Septal Ablation in Patients with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Krejci

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Nonpharmacological treatment of patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM comprises surgical myectomy (SME, alcohol septal ablation (ASA, and dual-chamber (DDD pacing. The aim of the study was to compare the long-term effect of DDD pacing and ASA in symptomatic HOCM patients. Patients and Methods. We evaluated retrospective data from three cardiocenters; there were 24 patients treated with DDD pacing included and 52 treated with ASA followed for 101 ± 49 and 87 ± 23 months, respectively. Results. In the group treated with DDD pacing, the left ventricle outflow tract gradient (LVOTG decreased from 82 ± 44 mmHg to 21 ± 21 mmHg, and NYHA class improved from 2.7 ± 0.5 to 2.1 ± 0.6 (both P<0.001. In the ASA-treated group, a decline in LVOTG from 73 ± 38 mmHg to 24 ± 26 mmHg and reduction in NYHA class from 2.8 ± 0.5 to 1.7 ± 0.8 were observed (both P<0.001. The LVOTG change was similar in both groups (P=0.264, and symptoms were more affected by ASA (P=0.001. Conclusion. ASA and DDD pacing were similarly effective in reducing LVOTG. The symptoms improvement was more expressed in patients treated with ASA.

Out-of-Sample Generalizations for Supervised Manifold Learning for Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Vural, Elif; Guillemot, Christine

2016-03-01

Supervised manifold learning methods for data classification map high-dimensional data samples to a lower dimensional domain in a structure-preserving way while increasing the separation between different classes. Most manifold learning methods compute the embedding only of the initially available data; however, the generalization of the embedding to novel points, i.e., the out-of-sample extension problem, becomes especially important in classification applications. In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised method for building an interpolation function that provides an out-of-sample extension for general supervised manifold learning algorithms studied in the context of classification. The proposed algorithm computes a radial basis function interpolator that minimizes an objective function consisting of the total embedding error of unlabeled test samples, defined as their distance to the embeddings of the manifolds of their own class, as well as a regularization term that controls the smoothness of the interpolation function in a direction-dependent way. The class labels of test data and the interpolation function parameters are estimated jointly with an iterative process. Experimental results on face and object images demonstrate the potential of the proposed out-of-sample extension algorithm for the classification of manifold-modeled data sets.

Human radiation studies: Remembering the early years. Oral history of physiologist Nello Pace, Ph.D., August 16, 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-06-01

Dr. Nello Pace was interviewed by representatives of the US DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments (OHRE). Dr. Pace was selected fro the interview because of the positions he held with the US Navy, at the University of California, Berkeley, and as Director of the White Mountain Research Station near Bishop, California. Following a brief biographical sketch, Dr. Pace related his remembrances concerning tritium injections experiments in animals and humans during World War II, the development of Medical Physics Degree Programs at UC Berkeley, conducting the first radiation survey at Nagasaki after the bomb, and the establishment of a research laboratory at White Mountain. He also offers reflections on Shields Warren and comments on the public's attitudes towards radiation both then and now

Vehicle Classification and Speed Estimation Using Combined Passive Infrared/Ultrasonic Sensors

KAUST Repository

Odat, Enas M.

2017-09-18

In this paper, a new sensing device that can simultaneously monitor traffic congestion and urban flash floods is presented. This sensing device is based on the combination of passive infrared sensors (PIRs) and ultrasonic rangefinder, and is used for real-time vehicle detection, classification, and speed estimation in the context of wireless sensor networks. This framework relies on dynamic Bayesian Networks to fuse heterogeneous data both spatially and temporally for vehicle detection. To estimate the speed of the incoming vehicles, we first use cross correlation and wavelet transform-based methods to estimate the time delay between the signals of different sensors. We then propose a calibration and self-correction model based on Bayesian Networks to make a joint inference by all sensors about the speed and the length of the detected vehicle. Furthermore, we use the measurements of the ultrasonic and the PIR sensors to perform vehicle classification. Validation data (using an experimental dual infrared and ultrasonic traffic sensor) show a 99% accuracy in vehicle detection, a mean error of 5 kph in vehicle speed estimation, a mean error of 0.7m in vehicle length estimation, and a high accuracy in vehicle classification. Finally, we discuss the computational performance of the algorithm, and show that this framework can be implemented on low-power computational devices within a wireless sensor network setting. Such decentralized processing greatly improves the energy consumption of the system and minimizes bandwidth usage.

Classifying Classifications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Debus, Michael S.

2017-01-01

This paper critically analyzes seventeen game classifications. The classifications were chosen on the basis of diversity, ranging from pre-digital classification (e.g. Murray 1952), over game studies classifications (e.g. Elverdam & Aarseth 2007) to classifications of drinking games (e.g. LaBrie et...... al. 2013). The analysis aims at three goals: The classifications’ internal consistency, the abstraction of classification criteria and the identification of differences in classification across fields and/or time. Especially the abstraction of classification criteria can be used in future endeavors...... into the topic of game classifications....

Supervised learning for the automated transcription of spacer classification from spoligotype films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abernethy Neil

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular genotyping of bacteria has revolutionized the study of tuberculosis epidemiology, yet these established laboratory techniques typically require subjective and laborious interpretation by trained professionals. In the context of a Tuberculosis Case Contact study in The Gambia we used a reverse hybridization laboratory assay called spoligotype analysis. To facilitate processing of spoligotype images we have developed tools and algorithms to automate the classification and transcription of these data directly to a database while allowing for manual editing. Results Features extracted from each of the 1849 spots on a spoligo film were classified using two supervised learning algorithms. A graphical user interface allows manual editing of the classification, before export to a database. The application was tested on ten films of differing quality and the results of the best classifier were compared to expert manual classification, giving a median correct classification rate of 98.1% (inter quartile range: 97.1% to 99.2%, with an automated processing time of less than 1 minute per film. Conclusion The software implementation offers considerable time savings over manual processing whilst allowing expert editing of the automated classification. The automatic upload of the classification to a database reduces the chances of transcription errors.

Discriminative clustering on manifold for adaptive transductive classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhao; Jia, Lei; Zhang, Min; Li, Bing; Zhang, Li; Li, Fanzhang

2017-10-01

In this paper, we mainly propose a novel adaptive transductive label propagation approach by joint discriminative clustering on manifolds for representing and classifying high-dimensional data. Our framework seamlessly combines the unsupervised manifold learning, discriminative clustering and adaptive classification into a unified model. Also, our method incorporates the adaptive graph weight construction with label propagation. Specifically, our method is capable of propagating label information using adaptive weights over low-dimensional manifold features, which is different from most existing studies that usually predict the labels and construct the weights in the original Euclidean space. For transductive classification by our formulation, we first perform the joint discriminative K-means clustering and manifold learning to capture the low-dimensional nonlinear manifolds. Then, we construct the adaptive weights over the learnt manifold features, where the adaptive weights are calculated through performing the joint minimization of the reconstruction errors over features and soft labels so that the graph weights can be joint-optimal for data representation and classification. Using the adaptive weights, we can easily estimate the unknown labels of samples. After that, our method returns the updated weights for further updating the manifold features. Extensive simulations on image classification and segmentation show that our proposed algorithm can deliver the state-of-the-art performance on several public datasets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Pruning Neural Network Model in Credit Classification Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajiao Tang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, credit classification models are widely applied because they can help financial decision-makers to handle credit classification issues. Among them, artificial neural networks (ANNs have been widely accepted as the convincing methods in the credit industry. In this paper, we propose a pruning neural network (PNN and apply it to solve credit classification problem by adopting the well-known Australian and Japanese credit datasets. The model is inspired by synaptic nonlinearity of a dendritic tree in a biological neural model. And it is trained by an error back-propagation algorithm. The model is capable of realizing a neuronal pruning function by removing the superfluous synapses and useless dendrites and forms a tidy dendritic morphology at the end of learning. Furthermore, we utilize logic circuits (LCs to simulate the dendritic structures successfully which makes PNN be implemented on the hardware effectively. The statistical results of our experiments have verified that PNN obtains superior performance in comparison with other classical algorithms in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency.

Classification of Breast Cancer Subtypes by combining Gene Expression and DNA Methylation Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

List Markus

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Selecting the most promising treatment strategy for breast cancer crucially depends on determining the correct subtype. In recent years, gene expression profiling has been investigated as an alternative to histochemical methods. Since databases like TCGA provide easy and unrestricted access to gene expression data for hundreds of patients, the challenge is to extract a minimal optimal set of genes with good prognostic properties from a large bulk of genes making a moderate contribution to classification. Several studies have successfully applied machine learning algorithms to solve this so-called gene selection problem. However, more diverse data from other OMICS technologies are available, including methylation. We hypothesize that combining methylation and gene expression data could already lead to a largely improved classification model, since the resulting model will reflect differences not only on the transcriptomic, but also on an epigenetic level. We compared so-called random forest derived classification models based on gene expression and methylation data alone, to a model based on the combined features and to a model based on the gold standard PAM50. We obtained bootstrap errors of 10-20% and classification error of 1-50%, depending on breast cancer subtype and model. The gene expression model was clearly superior to the methylation model, which was also reflected in the combined model, which mainly selected features from gene expression data. However, the methylation model was able to identify unique features not considered as relevant by the gene expression model, which might provide deeper insights into breast cancer subtype differentiation on an epigenetic level.

Structural analysis of cell wall polysaccharides using PACE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mortimer, Jennifer C. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Joint BioEnergy Institute

2017-01-01

The plant cell wall is composed of many complex polysaccharides. The composition and structure of the polysaccharides affect various cell properties including cell shape, cell function and cell adhesion. Many techniques to characterize polysaccharide structure are complicated, requiring expensive equipment and specialized operators e.g. NMR, MALDI-MS. PACE (Polysaccharide Analysis using Carbohydrate gel Electrophoresis) uses a simple, rapid technique to analyze polysaccharide quantity and structure (Goubet et al. 2002). Whilst the method here describes xylan analysis, it can be applied (by use of the appropriate glycosyl hydrolase) to any cell wall polysaccharide.

Setting the right path and pace for integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Cwiek, Katherine A; Inniger, Meredith C; Zismer, Daniel K

2014-04-01

Far from being a monolithic trend, integration in health care today is progressing in various forms, and at different rates in different markets within and across the range of healthcare organizations. Each organization should develop a tailored strategy that delineates the level and type of integration it will pursue and at what pace to pursue it. This effort will require evaluation of external market conditions with respect to integration and competition and a candid assessment of intraorganizational integration. The compared results of the two analyses will provide the basis for formulating strategy.

Managing innovation: lessons from the cardiac-pacing industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobeli, D H; Rudelius, W

1985-01-01