This work analyses the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer and heart disease data using five Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. We compare the predictive ability of all the ML algorithms to breast ...cancer and heart disease. The important variables that causes cancer and heart disease are also studied. We predict the test data based on the important variables and compute the prediction accuracy using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The Random Forest (RF) and Principal Component Regression (PCR) provides the best performance in analyzing the breast cancer and heart disease data respectively.
Background
Dogs with spinal cord injury are at increased risk of developing bacteriuria due to increased residual urine volume. Cranberry extract inhibits binding of E. coli to uroepithelial cells, ...potentially reducing risk of bacteriuria.
Hypothesis
Cranberry extract reduces risk of bacteriuria in dogs after acute TL‐IVDH.
Animals
Client‐owned dogs with acute onset TL‐IVDH causing nonambulatory status.
Methods
Randomized, placebo‐controlled, blinded, prospective clinical trial. Dogs with acute TL‐IVDH were recruited 48 hours postoperatively and randomized to receive cranberry extract or placebo in a masked fashion. Urine cultures and neurological examinations were performed 2, 4, and 6 weeks postoperatively. The number of dogs with bacteriuria (all bacterial species) and bacteriuria (E. coli) were primary and secondary outcome measures and were evaluated using chi‐squared test. Urine antiadhesion activity (AAA) was measured in a subset (N = 47) and examined in a secondary analysis evaluating additional risk factors for bacteriuria.
Results
Bacteriuria was detected 17 times in 94 dogs (6 placebo, 11 cranberry, P = .12). There were 7 E. coli. positive cultures (1 placebo, 6 cranberry, P = .09). Dogs in both groups had positive urine AAA (14/21: placebo, 16/26: cranberry), and dogs with urine AAA had significantly fewer E. coli positive cultures (n = 1) than dogs without it (n = 4) (P = .047).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
This clinical trial did not show a benefit of oral cranberry extract but had low power. Cranberry extract supplementation did not impact urine AAA, but a possible association between urine AAA and lower risk of E. coli bacteriuria was identified. Other doses could be investigated.
The construct of non-motor symptoms (NMS) subtyping in Parkinson Disease (PD) is emerging as a line of research in the light of its potential role in etiopathological interpretation of PD ...heterogeneity.
Different approaches of NMS subtyping have been proposed: an anatomical model suggests that NMS aggregate according to the underpinning pathology; other researchers find aggregation of NMS according to the motor phenotype; the contribution of genetic background to NMS has also been assessed, primarily focusing on cognitive impairment.
We have analyzed NMS burden assessed through an extensive clinical and neuropsychological battery in 137 consecutive non-demented PD patients genotyped for MAPT haplotypes (H1/H1 vs H2 carriers) in order to explore the applicability of the “anatomo-clinical”, “motor” or “genetic” models for subtyping PD in a clinical setting; a subsequent independent analysis was conducted to verify a possible cluster distribution of NMS. No clear-cut NMS profiles according to the previously described models emerged: in our population, the autonomic dysfunctions and depressive symptoms represent the leading determinant of NMS clusters, which seems to better fit with the hypothesis of a “neurotransmitter-based” model. Selective preferential neurotransmitter network dysfunctions may account for heterogeneity of PD and could address translational research.
•Non-motor symptoms subtyping in Parkinson Disease is emerging as a line of research.•Non-motor symptoms burden is assessed to verify a possible cluster distribution.•A “neurotransmitter-based” model is proposed.
The energy level alignment at the metal-organic and organic-organic interfaces of the Cu(100)/benzenethiolate/pentacene heterostructure is studied by photoemission spectroscopy and discussed ...theoretically using a model that includes, in a consistent way, charge transfer, Pauli repulsion, intrinsic molecular dipoles, and interface screening as a function of coverage. Despite the different nature of the two interfaces, our model provides a unified explanation for the work-function changes at both junctions and enables us to determine the benzenethiolate orientation as a function of coverage.
The design of a transformer must meet minimum requirements of efficiency and regulation, maximizing the power to be transferred per unit of mass or volume, and supports a well defined maximum ...elevation of temperature. Conflicting objectives lead to the employment of optimization methods in the transformer design. Multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs) consist of several competing and incommensurable objective functions. Recently, as a search and optimization technique inspired by nature, evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been broadly applied to solve MOPs. Various EAs have been proposed for this purpose, and their usefulness has been demonstrated in several application domains of science and engineering. In this paper, we propose the unrestricted population-size evolutionary multiobjective optimization algorithm (UPS-EMOA) approach combined with chaotic sequences (CMOA). Our approach integrates the merits of both UPS-EMOA and chaotic sequences to improve the efficiency of the optimization procedure. Numerical results of transformer design optimization demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CMOA when compared with the UPS-EMOA approach to preserve the diversity of the solutions and find nondominated solutions.
Background
Outcome of acute experimental spinal cord injury is strongly associated with tissue perfusion and oxygenation. Cardiopulmonary depression could affect outcome in dogs undergoing general ...anesthesia for surgical treatment of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk extrusion (IVDE).
Hypothesis/Objectives
To evaluate the effects of general anesthesia on functional outcome in dogs undergoing surgery to treat thoracolumbar IVDE.
Animals
Eighty‐four client‐owned dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDE treated by decompressive hemilaminectomy.
Methods
Exploratory, retrospective observational study. Medical records were reviewed for clinical presentation and anesthetic monitoring variables, including duration of anesthesia and surgery, hypotension, bradycardia, temperature, and respiratory parameters. Multivariable regression tree analysis was performed to explore associations between anesthetic variables and functional outcome scores after 6 weeks, as well as return to ambulatory status.
Results
Episodes of bradycardia (69%) and hypotension (57%) were frequent. Across all outcome measures, regression tree analysis highlighted functional grade at presentation as the primary determining factor, and among pain perception negative dogs, there was a possible association between increased duration of surgery and poorer outcome. In dogs with intact pain perception, duration of bradycardia, mean body temperature, and mean end‐tidal carbon dioxide were highlighted.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
Exploratory statistical methods can facilitate hypothesis‐generating studies to inform prospective investigations in veterinary medicine. Although the mechanism is uncertain, increased duration of surgery might be associated with poorer outcome in pain perception negative dogs with thoracolumbar IVDE.
Background
Quantification of brain herniation on MRI and its immediate clinical implications are poorly described.
Objectives
Define the normal position of caudal fossa structures on brain MRIs in ...dogs and cats utilizing morphometry, compare this to dogs and cats with caudal transtentorial herniation (CTH), foramen magnum herniation (FMH) or both identified on MRI, and investigate associations between herniation severity, clinical signs, and 24‐hour outcome.
Animals
Ninety‐two controls (66 dogs, 26 cats), 119 cases with herniation (88 dogs, 31 cats).
Methods
Retrospective case series. The MRI database was searched for controls with normal brain anatomy and cases with brain herniation. Morphometry in controls established TTX (transtentorial to rostroventral cerebellum) to quantify CTH and FMX (caudoventral cerebellum to foramen magnum) to quantify FMH. Measurements were compared between cases and controls. Correlations with specific clinical variables and outcome were investigated.
Results
Measurements in medium/large control dogs versus small dog and cat controls were significantly different (P < .001, TTX: −0.46, −0.305, −0.3, FMX: 0.695, 0.27, 0.25, respectively). 119/1564 (7.6%) cases that underwent brain imaging had brain herniation. TTX and FMX were significantly different between controls and cases with CTH or FMH (P < .001). 67/89 (75%) cases with supratentorial lesions had no signs directly attributable to herniation. 71/119 (60%) had a normal anesthetic recovery. TTX was significantly associated with 24‐hour survival (P < .001).
Conclusions and clinical importance
Brain herniation can be quantified on MRI. Clinical signs directly attributable to brain herniation commonly are absent, and more severe CTH based on TTX is associated with a worse short‐term outcome.
This research classifies financial events, i.e., the collapse of the Lehman Brothers (2008) and the flash crash (2010), and their effects on two different stocks corresponding to Citigroup Inc. ...(2009) and Iamgold Corporation (2011) to verify if the market data of these years were affected more by the crashes of 2008 or 2010. Applying the four techniques, dynamic Fourier methodology, wavelet analysis, discriminant analysis, and clustering analysis, the empirical evidence suggests that the Lehman Brothers’ event is predictable since the dynamics of the dataset can be likened to that of a natural earthquake. On the other hand, the flash crash event is associated with unpredictable explosions. In addition, the dynamics of the stocks from Citigroup (2009) and Iamgold Corporation (2011) are similar to that of the Lehman Brothers collapse. Hence, they are predictable. The accurate classification of the two financial events might help mitigate some of the potential effects of the events. In addition, the methodologies used in this study can help identify the strength of crashes and help practitioners and researchers make informed decisions in the financial market.
Needle electromyography (EMG) of the genioglossus muscle is a useful tool in patients with swallowing problems, that are common in many muscle and nerve diseases. Characteristic changes in motor unit ...potentials (MUPs) can be distinguished with MUP and interference pattern (IP) analysis. The purpose of this study was to establish reference intervals for MUP parameters using template operated multi-MUP analysis and to evaluate the IP features in the genioglossus muscle (GM) of healthy adults. We studied 28 healthy volunteers (11 men, 17 women, mean age 39 ± 12 years) with standard disposable concentric EMG needles (recording area 0.07 mm2) and an EMG system with standard settings (filters: 5 Hz–10 kHz), using an inframandibular approach. For each MUP parameter (amplitude, duration, turns) mean values and outlier limits (5th and 95th percentile) were calculated from the first 20 sampled MUPs. Data from IP plots (turns/amplitude, activity/envelope and activity/NSS) were collected in order to build normal clouds which contain >90% of the data points. MUP parameters obtained from the GM are similar to those published in literature. IP analysis is not available for healthy GM to our knowledge and could be an objective tool to quantitate the degree of abnormality in muscle and nerve diseases.
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