Data classification is an automatic or semi-automatic process that, utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms, learns the variable and class relationships of a dataset for use a posteriori in ...situations where the class result is unknown. For many years, work on this topic has been aimed at increasing the hit rates of algorithms. However, when the problem is restricted to applications in healthcare, besides the concern with performance, it is also necessary to design algorithms whose results are understandable by the specialists responsible for making the decisions. Among the problems in the field of medicine, a current focus is related to COVID-19: AI algorithms may contribute to early diagnosis. Among the available COVID-19 data, the blood test is a typical procedure performed when the patient seeks the hospital, and its use in the diagnosis allows reducing the need for other diagnostic tests that can impact the detection time and add to costs. In this work, we propose using self-organizing map (SOM) to discover attributes in blood test examinations that are relevant for COVID-19 diagnosis. We applied SOM and an entropy calculation in the definition of a hierarchical, semi-supervised and explainable model named TESSOM (tree-based entropy-structured self-organizing maps), in which the main feature is enhancing the investigation of groups of cases with high levels of class overlap, as far as the diagnostic outcome is concerned. Framing the TESSOM algorithm in the context of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) makes it possible to explain the results to an expert in a simplified way. It is demonstrated in the paper that the use of the TESSOM algorithm to identify attributes of blood tests can help with the identification of COVID-19 cases. It providing a performance increase in 1.489% in multiple scenarios when analyzing 2207 cases from three hospitals in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This work is a starting point for researchers to identify relevant attributes of blood tests for COVID-19 and to support the diagnosis of other diseases.
Background: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased in the last 30 years from 0.04 to 0.50. This condition increase the parents’ awareness and understanding in early ...diagnosis, education, management and health services for children with ASD. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the relationship between the uses of visual support for clinical improvement of children with ASD. Method: This study is an observational analytic study. The research was conducted at UPTD ABK Sidoarjo from March to June 2018. The research subjects in this study were four to seven years children with ASD condition. The sampling technique was consecutive sampling and was accomplished during the pre-test and post-test design. The measurement tool for using the Indonesian version of childhood autism rating scale (CARS) that has been validated. Management of visual support has been done for 120 minutes in three months (12 times) consisted of six activities, each activity for 20 minutes with one-one technique (one subject with one therapist). Results: There was no relationship improvement of the CARS based on the pre and post visual support management for three months (12 times) on general impression data, level, and consistency of intellectual responses. The results of paired t-test on the pre and post visual support management for three months (12 times) showed decreasing value of CARS. This result means that social, communication and psychomotor interactions have p<0.01. Conclusion: Management of visual support is associated with clinical improvement in social interaction, communication (non-verbal) and psychomotor (especially gross motoric).
A teleoperation system for a construction robot works effectively in a hazardous environment. However, it has problems with work precision and mental workload. In this study, a moving visual support ...system using a drone is developed to solve these operability problems. The usability of the system is confirmed through a subjective experiment.
Cerebral visual impairment (CVI), including perceptual visual dysfunction (PVD), is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Inventories of questions relating to practical aspects of visual ...perception in everyday life, in particular the closed-ended Insight Questions Inventory (IQI), can be used to assess CVI/PVD. Studies linking responses to the inventory with specific visual support strategies, aimed at modifying the child's environment and/or behaviour to minimize the impact of the CVI/PVD, have been piloted. The IQI and tailored strategies have not been used in an African population, nor have they been tested in a controlled trial. This trial will compare the effectiveness of the IQI and linked visual support strategies versus general supportive treatments on the quality of life of children with CVI/PVD and CP through a randomized controlled trial.
This is a prospective, double-blind, parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome is change in quality of life scores between the two arms of the trial at 6 weeks, assessed using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic 4.0 and CP 3.0 module. All children will undergo baseline assessment including the Open Questions Inventory, IQI, PedsQL 3.0, PedsQL 4.0 generic, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Eligible children with CP aged 4 years to < 16 years will be stratified and blocked by the age groups 4-9 and 10 to < 16 years and by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels 1-3 and 4-5. Families in the intervention arm will receive tailored insight visual support strategies and telephone calls during the 6-week trial period. The control arm will receive standard treatment and the intervention after the 6-week trial period. Follow-up interviews will be performed in both arms at 6 weeks with a repeat administration of the PedsQL CP 4.0 and 3.0, the IQI and the SDQ. Secondary outcomes include a change in functional vision.
This randomized controlled trial will provide evidence of the effectiveness of this intervention for children with CP in a resource-poor setting.
Pan African Clinical Trials Registration, PACTR201612001886396 . Registered on 3 December 2016.
In this study, we propose a method of using a computer generated hologram is a three-dimensional display technology, to achieve a flexible maxwellian view system that can accommodate the movement of ...the eyes of the user. The proposed method, by the hologram calculated using the position of the eyes of the user, it is possible to move the focal point electronically in response to the eye position. Therefore, to realize the maxwellian view experimental system using a hologram introducing eyetracking, it confirmed the effectiveness.
► We developed two HLS: (A) without instructional aids; (B) with visual aids. ► The effects of individual differences on learning in these two HLS were examined. ► Individual differences: cognitive ...style, domain knowledge and computer experience. ► Significant findings revealed in both HLS in relation to individual differences. ► We distill design guidance from the findings to inform HLS development.
Research suggests that certain visual instructional aids can reduce levels of disorientation and increase learning performance in, and positive attitudes towards, HLS for learners with specific individual differences. However, existing studies have looked at only one or two individual differences at a time, and/or considered only a small number of visual instructional aids. No study has considered the impact of the three most commonly studied individual differences – cognitive style, domain knowledge and computer experience – on learning performance, disorientation and attitudes in a HLS incorporating a full range of visual instructional aids. The study reported here addresses this shortcoming, examining the effects of, and between, these three individual differences in relation to learning performance, disorientation and attitudes in two HLS versions: one that incorporated a full set of visual instructional aids and one that did not. Significant effects were found between the three individual differences with respect to disorientation, learning performance and attitudes in the HLS that provided no instructional aids, whereas no such effects were found for the other HLS version. Analysis of the results led to a set of HLS design guidelines, presented in the paper, and the development of an agenda for future research. Limitations of the study and their implications for the generalizability of the findings are also presented.
The education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to acquire concepts present in social interaction is essential for facilitating their inclusion in society. This paper proposes a novel ...portable device to digitalize sessions and provide Visual Support (VS) to aid children during their learning process. The device can record video and estimate the pose of participants during activities, which can be used for further analysis. It uses fisheye lenses for sensing and projecting and a new concept, called Panda Masking, to minimize light illumination on participants' eyes. Initial tests with the device indicate its feasibility to be used in monitoring therapy sessions and provide Visual Support while preventing face illumination.
A visual assistance system has become attractive as a technique to improve the efficiency and stability of remote control. While an operator controls a working robot, another autonomous monitoring ...robot evaluates a suitable viewpoint to observe the work site, and dynamically moves to the optimal viewpoint for monitoring. Choosing the observation region (ROI: region of interest) is equivalent to deciding the action of the following autonomous monitoring system. Therefore, we focus on ROI detection in our visual support system. We propose an ROI selection method to identify the most suitable observation point and interobject relations. The monitoring robot detects a gestalt of the scene in order to identify the relations between objects. Such an adaptive ROI in real time improves the efficiency of the remote control. The experimental results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed system in terms of execution time and number of errors.
Ensemble flood forecasts are an established tool to provide information about the uncertainty of runoff predictions. However, their interpretation may not be straightforward, especially when dealing ...with extreme events; therefore, the development of new tools to enhance their understanding and visualization is necessary. Recently, the so-called “peak-box” approach has been developed to help decision makers in the interpretation and verification of peak-flow forecasts, receiving positive feedbacks within the hydrological community. However, this method has proven to be limited when multiple peak-flow events occur within the forecast, being unable to separate close discharge peaks. The aim of this paper is then to develop a new algorithm designed to accomplish this task. To do so, we consider runoff probabilistic forecasts obtained with a coupled hydrometeorological flood forecasting system formed by the high resolution meteorological Ensemble model COSMO-E and the hydrological model PREVAH, for the small Verzasca basin, Switzerland, during October and November 2018. The application of this new method, despite the limitation given by the small sample size considered in this study, indicates a successful implementation: the new algorithm is able to distinguish among different events and to provide sharper and more skillful forecasts, and its verification yields slightly better timing estimations compared to the former approach.
The provision of visual support to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is widely recommended. We explored one mechanism underlying the use of visual supports: efficiency of language ...processing. Two groups of children, one with and one without an ASD, participated. The groups had comparable oral and written language skills and nonverbal cognitive abilities. In two semantic priming experiments, prime modality and prime–target relatedness were manipulated. Response time and accuracy of lexical decisions on the spoken word targets were measured. In the first uni-modal experiment, both groups demonstrated significant priming effects. In the second experiment which was cross-modal, no effect for relatedness or group was found. This result is considered in the light of the attentional capacity required for access to the lexicon via written stimuli within the developing semantic system. These preliminary findings are also considered with respect to the use of visual support for children with ASD.
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