Ontology-driven hypothesis generation to explain anomalous patient responses to treatment

Within the medical domain there are clear expectations as to how a patient should respond to treatments administered. When these responses are not observed it can be challenging for clinicians to understand the anomalous responses. The work reported here describes a tool which can detect anomalous patient responses to treatment and further suggest hypotheses to explain the anomaly. In order to develop this tool, we have undertaken a study to determine how Intensive Care Unit (ICU) clinicians identify anomalous patient responses; we then asked further clinicians to provide potential explanations for such anomalies. The high level reasoning deployed by the clinicians has been captured and generalised to form the procedural component of the ontology-driven tool. An evaluation has shown that the tool successfully reproduced the clinician’s hypotheses in the majority of cases. Finally, the paper concludes by describing planned extensions to this work.     

Studies on a toxic metabolite from the mould Wallemia

While monitoring the occurrence of toxigenic moulds in foods, using a bioassay screen, it was shown that an isolate of Wallemia sebi produced toxic effects in several of the bioassays. The toxic metabolite was isolated and purified using solvent extraction, TLC and HPLC coupled with the brine shrimp assay to monitor the toxic fractions. The purified toxin, which we propose to call walleminol A, has been partially characterized by mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy. It can be provisionally interpreted as a tricyclic dihydroxy compound, C15H24O2, with structural features characteristic of a sesquiterpene with an isolated double bond, but further work is required to characterize this compound unequivocally. The minimum inhibitory dose of walleminol A in the bioassays is approximately 50 micrograms/ml, which is comparable with a number of mycotoxins such as citrinin and penicillic acid.     

3G Trials and Developments

This paper summarises the many activities that formed a vigorous and innovative phase of understanding 3rd generation systems and their potential service/product offering.Experience from the introduction of 2nd generation GSM systems showed that, even though based upon strong standards, real hands-on development to validate the design activities was essential for both a workable standard and a smooth and successful service deployment. Trials activities are used to overcome the lack of validation and to bring innovation through integration of capabilities and devices — they consist of two areas. Firstly, a number of test radio systems were examined and used in the validation of network planning tools plus measurement or real throughput figures, and, secondly, some service scenarios were developed and implemented on an all-IP network to demonstrate that IP can deliver a marketable services level. The interaction with wireless systems and the impact of that on the application were also examined.     

Investigation of solid electrolyte interfacial layer development during continuous cycling using ac impedance spectra and micro-structural analysis

The formation of passivating surface films on the electrodes of a lithium-ion polymer battery was investigated at various cycling state using ac impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A sealed commercial cell (Sony Co.) with a nominal capacity of 840 mAh was used for the experiment. An equivalent circuit used to model the impedance spectra show that, with continuous cycling there is a relatively large increase in the interfacial impedance and charge transfer resistances after a few hundred charge–discharge cycles. It was observed that the cell capacity decrease with increase cell impedance. SEM analysis on the electrodes shows that during continuous charge–discharge cycling, the deposition of sub-micro-size particles and dissolution of surface films on the graphite surface. This observation is consistent with increase in cell impedance as a function of charge/discharge cycling.     

Assessing disharmony and disaffection in intimate relationships: Revision of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory factor scales.

Previous research has identified 2 broad components of distress in intimate relationships: overt conflict, or disharmony, and emotional distance, or disaffection. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors derived 2 broadband scales of disharmony and disaffection from the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (D. K. Snyder, 1997), building upon previous measures of these constructs (D. K. Snyder & Regts, 1982) derived from the original instrument. The new scales demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as well as discriminative validity and convergent validity with independent criteria of relationship functioning. Distinct distributions of these scales in community and clinical samples suggested their complementary role in research on intimate relationships and assessment of couples in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Charring rates for double beams made from laminated veneer lumber (LVL)

This paper examines charring rates for different cross‐sections of single and double timber beams made from laminated veneer lumber, with nailed, screwed or glued connection types for the double beams. Charring rates and burning characteristics were examined both in a small furnace and in a larger pilot furnace. The bottom charring rates were sometimes greater than the side charring rates for very narrow beams dominated by corner effects and for double beams where the two components could separate during the fire exposure. The nail‐connected double laminated veneer lumber beams experienced the largest separation, leading to charring between the two components. The best performance was from the glued connection, which showed similar charring rates as a solid timber beam. Both the large‐scale and small‐scale testing showed that suitably placed screws (preferably full‐length threaded) can be used to give almost the same performance as a glued connection. Experimental findings were compared with results from a finite element analysis. There was reasonable agreement while the char layer was small, but less agreement in later stages as the char layer increased in thickness. Experimental findings were used to modify a spreadsheet design tool that predicts the fire resistance of a timber–concrete composite floor. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interactions of refractory materials with molten gasifier slags

The current study focuses on the analysis of sessile-drop interfacial reactions between two synthetic slags (based on average ash chemistries of coal and petcoke feedstock) and two refractory materials (90 wt% Cr₂O₃-10 wt% Al₂O₃ and 100 wt% Al₂O₃), using a Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (CSLM). Ground slag samples (less than 325 mesh) were placed at specific microstructure locations on refractory substrates and heated to 1500 °C in an atmosphere of CO/CO₂ gas mixture (volume ratio = 1.8), using a gold-image heating chamber. Cross-sections of the slag/refractory interface indicated unique slag penetration into preferred areas of the refractory and grain dissolution into the slag which promoted spalling of the refractory. Initially, the slag attacked both grain boundaries and fine microstructure areas, freeing alumina grains into the slag. The formation of VO_x-based crystalline material in the petcoke slag was found to alter the liquid composition. Chemical spalling of Cr-containing crystal layer also facilitated degradation of the refractory.     

Are alcohol expectancies associations, propositions, or elephants? A reply to Wiers and Stacy (2010).

We provide a response to a commentary by Wiers and Stacy (see record 2009-24669-003) on our model of the alcohol–behavior link (see record 2009-09537-002). Whereas Wiers and Stacy generally supported our model, they took issue with our conceptualization of the alcohol expectancy construct. We address the major concerns of Wiers and Stacy by demonstrating that our own view is consistent with basic cognitive scientific conceptualizations of the nature of associative and propositional reasoning within a dual-systems framework. In clarifying these issues, we maintain that although the predictions presented by Wiers and Stacy are important and useful in this area, they are predictions that can be derived from our original formulation of the alcohol–behavior link. We conclude that this kind of useful debate can only aid the generation of conceptually consistent and testable models that will advance the understanding of the alcohol–behavior link. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)