An automatic correction tool for relational database schemas

A Web-based tool developed to automatically correct relational database schemas is presented. This tool has been integrated into a more general e-learning platform and is used to reinforce teaching and learning on database courses. This platform assigns to each student a set of database problems selected from a common repository. The student has to design a relational database schema and enter it into the system through a user friendly interface specifically designed for it. The correction tool corrects the design and shows detected errors. The student has the chance to correct them and send a new solution. These steps can be repeated as many times as required until a correct solution is obtained. Currently, this system is being used in different introductory database courses at the University of Girona with very promising results

Measurement with an automated oscillometric wrist device with position sensor leads to lower values than measurements obtained with an automated oscillometric arm device from the same manufacturer in elderly persons

Introduction : Le monitoring de la tension artérielle à domicile est recommandé par plusieurs guidelines et a été montré être faisable chez la personne âgée. Les manomètres au poignet ont récemment été proposés pour la mesure de la tension artérielle à domicile, mais leur précision n'a pas été au préalable évaluée chez les patients âgés. Méthode : Quarante-huit participants (33 femmes et 15 hommes, moyenne d'âge 81.3±8.0 ans) ont leur tension artérielle mesurée avec un appareil au poignet avec capteur de position et un appareil au bras dans un ordre aléatoire et dans une position assise. Résultats : Les moyennes de mesures de tension artérielle étaient systématiquement plus basses avec l'appareil au poignet par rapport à celui du bras pour la pression systolique (120.1±2.2 vs. 130.5±2.2 mmHg, P < 0.001, moyenneidéviation standard) et pour la pression diastolique (66.011.3 vs. 69.7±1.3 mmHg, P < 0.001). De plus, une différence de lOmmHg ou plus grande entre l'appareil au bras et au poignet était observée dans 54.2 et 18,8% des mesures systoliques et diastoliques respectivement. Conclusion : Comparé à l'appareil au bras, l'appareil au poignet avec capteur de position sous-estimait systématiquement aussi bien la tension artérielle systolique que diastolique. L'ampleur de la différence est cliniquement significative et met en doute l'utilisation de l'appareil au poignet pour monitorer la tension artérielle chez la personne âgée. Cette étude indique le besoin de valider les appareils de mesures de la tension artérielle dans tous les groupes d'âge, y compris les personnes âgées.

Fault-finding device

El projecte es va fer al KHLim a Diepenbeek. Es tractava de dissenyar un nou dispositiu de localització d'avaries del relè del motor, per tal de de substituir el que ja hi havia, per raons de seguretat

Comparison of automatic traps to capture mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in rural areas in the tropical Atlantic rainforest

In several countries, surveillance of insect vectors is accomplished with automatic traps. This study addressed the performance of Mosquito Magnet® Independence (MMI) in comparison with those of CDC with CO2 and lactic acid (CDC-A) and CDC light trap (CDC-LT). The collection sites were in a rural region located in a fragment of secondary tropical Atlantic rainforest, southeastern Brazil. Limatus durhami and Limatus flavisetosus were the dominant species in the MMI, whereas Ochlerotatus scapularis was most abundant in CDC-A. Culex ribeirensis and Culex sacchettae were dominant species in the CDC-LT. Comparisons among traps were based on diversity indices. Results from the diversity analyses showed that the MMI captured a higher abundance of mosquitoes and that the species richness estimated with it was higher than with CDC-LT. Contrasting, difference between MMI and CDC-A was not statistically significant. Consequently, the latter trap seems to be both an alternative for the MMI and complementary to it for ecological studies and entomological surveillance.

A mixed H2/H∞-based semiactive control for vibration mitigation in flexible structures

In this paper, we address this problem through the design of a semiactive controller based on the mixed H2/H∞ control theory. The vibrations caused by the seismic motions are mitigated by a semiactive damper installed in the bottom of the structure. It is meant by semiactive damper, a device that absorbs but cannot inject energy into the system. Sufficient conditions for the design of a desired control are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). A controller that guarantees asymptotic stability and a mixed H2/H∞ performance is then developed. An algorithm is proposed to handle the semiactive nature of the actuator. The performance of the controller is experimentally evaluated in a real-time hybrid testing facility that consists of a physical specimen (a small-scale magnetorheological damper) and a numerical model (a large-scale three-story building)

Measurement with an automated oscillometric wrist device with position sensor leads to lower values than measurements obtained with an automated oscillometric arm device from the same manufacturer in elderly persons.

OBJECTIVE: Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring is recommended by several clinical guidelines and has been shown to be feasible in elderly persons. Wrist manometers have recently been proposed for such home BP measurement, but their accuracy has not been previously assessed in elderly patients. METHODS: Forty-eight participants (33 women and 15 men, mean age 81.3±8.0 years) had their BP measured with a wrist device with position sensor and an arm device in random order in a sitting position. RESULTS: Average BP measurements were consistently lower with the wrist than arm device for systolic BP (120.1±2.2 vs. 130.5±2.2 mmHg, P<0.001, means±SD) and diastolic BP (66.0±1.3 vs. 69.7±1.3 mmHg, P<0.001). Moreover, a 10 mmHg or greater difference between the arm and wrist device was observed in 54.2 and 18.8% of systolic and diastolic measures, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with the arm device, the wrist device with position sensor systematically underestimated systolic as well as diastolic BP. The magnitude of the difference is clinically significant and questions the use of the wrist device to monitor BP in elderly persons. This study points to the need to validate BP measuring devices in all age groups, including in elderly persons.

New perspectives in the use of ink evidence in forensic science: Part II. Development and testing of mathematical algorithms for the automatic comparison of ink samples analysed by HPTLC

In the first part of this research, three stages were stated for a program to increase the information extracted from ink evidence and maximise its usefulness to the criminal and civil justice system. These stages are (a) develop a standard methodology for analysing ink samples by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) in reproducible way, when ink samples are analysed at different time, locations and by different examiners; (b) compare automatically and objectively ink samples; and (c) define and evaluate theoretical framework for the use of ink evidence in forensic context. This report focuses on the second of the three stages. Using the calibration and acquisition process described in the previous report, mathematical algorithms are proposed to automatically and objectively compare ink samples. The performances of these algorithms are systematically studied for various chemical and forensic conditions using standard performance tests commonly used in biometrics studies. The results show that different algorithms are best suited for different tasks. Finally, this report demonstrates how modern analytical and computer technology can be used in the field of ink examination and how tools developed and successfully applied in other fields of forensic science can help maximising its impact within the field of questioned documents.

Automatic landmarks detection in breast reconstruction aesthetic assessment.

This paper addresses a fully automatic landmarks detection method for breast reconstruction aesthetic assessment. The set of landmarks detected are the supraesternal notch (SSN), armpits, nipples, and inframammary fold (IMF). These landmarks are commonly used in order to perform anthropometric measurements for aesthetic assessment. The methodological approach is based on both illumination and morphological analysis. The proposed method has been tested with 21 images. A good overall performance is observed, although several improvements must be achieved in order to refine the detection of nipples and SSNs.

Segmentation and grid generation for numerical simulations of vad connections with patient-specific data

Objectives: We are interested in the numerical simulation of the anastomotic region comprised between outflow canula of LVAD and the aorta. Segmenta¬tion, geometry reconstruction and grid generation from patient-specific data remain an issue because of the variable quality of DICOM images, in particular CT-scan (e.g. metallic noise of the device, non-aortic contrast phase). We pro¬pose a general framework to overcome this problem and create suitable grids for numerical simulations.Methods: Preliminary treatment of images is performed by reducing the level window and enhancing the contrast of the greyscale image using contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization. A gradient anisotropic diffusion filter is applied to reduce the noise. Then, watershed segmentation algorithms and mathematical morphology filters allow reconstructing the patient geometry. This is done using the InsightToolKit library (www.itk.org). Finally the Vascular Model¬ing ToolKit (www.vmtk.org) and gmsh (www.geuz.org/gmsh) are used to create the meshes for the fluid (blood) and structure (arterial wall, outflow canula) and to a priori identify the boundary layers. The method is tested on five different patients with left ventricular assistance and who underwent a CT-scan exam.Results: This method produced good results in four patients. The anastomosis area is recovered and the generated grids are suitable for numerical simulations. In one patient the method failed to produce a good segmentation because of the small dimension of the aortic arch with respect to the image resolution.Conclusions: The described framework allows the use of data that could not be otherwise segmented by standard automatic segmentation tools. In particular the computational grids that have been generated are suitable for simulations that take into account fluid-structure interactions. Finally the presented method features a good reproducibility and fast application.

Left ventricular assist device.

To the Editor: The value of angiotensin-converting– enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, and spironolactone has been well established by the results of numerous clinical trials. About 70 percent of the patients described by Rose et al. were treated with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II–receptor antagonists; 35 to 40 percent received spironolactone, and only about 20 percent received beta-blockers. Thus, this population cannot have been considered to be optimally treated from the point of view of medical therapy.

Modelling the cardiovascular system for automatic interpretation of the blood pressure curve

A four compartment model of the cardiovascular system is developed. To allow for easy interpretation and to minimise the number of parameters, an effort was made to keep the model as simple as possible. A sensitivity analysis is first carried out to determine which are the most important model parameters to characterise the blood pressure signal. A four stage process is then described which accurately determines all parameter values. This process is applied to data from three patients and good agreement is shown in all cases.

A novel pediatric biventricular assist device: in vitro test results.

Most ventricular assist devices (VADs) currently used in infants are extracorporeal. These VADs require long-term anticoagulation therapy and extensive surgery, and two devices are needed for biventricular support. We designed a biventricular assist device based on shape memory alloy that reproduces the hemodynamic effects of cardiomyoplasty, supporting the heart with a compressing movement, and evaluated its performance in a dedicated mockup system. Nitinol fibers are the device's key component. Ejection fraction (EF), cardiac output (CO), and generated systolic pressure were measured on a test bench. Our test bench settings were a preload range of 0-15 mm Hg, an afterload range of 0-160 mm Hg, and a heart rate (HR) of 20, 30, 40, and 60 beats/min. A power supply of 15 volts and 3.5 amperes was necessary. The EF range went from 34.4% to 1.2% as the afterload and HR increased, along with a CO from 180 to 6 ml/min. The device generated a maximal systolic pressure of 25 mm Hg. Cardiac compression for biventricular assistance in child-sized heart using shape memory alloy is technically feasible. Further testing remains necessary to assess this VAD's in vivo performance range and its reliability.

Automatic generation of active coordinates for quantum dynamics calculations: application to the dynamics of benzene photochemistry

A new practical method to generate a subspace of active coordinates for quantum dynamics calculations is presented. These reduced coordinates are obtained as the normal modes of an analytical quadratic representation of the energy difference between excited and ground states within the complete active space self-consistent field method. At the Franck-Condon point, the largest negative eigenvalues of this Hessian correspond to the photoactive modes: those that reduce the energy difference and lead to the conical intersection; eigenvalues close to 0 correspond to bath modes, while modes with large positive eigenvalues are photoinactive vibrations, which increase the energy difference. The efficacy of quantum dynamics run in the subspace of the photoactive modes is illustrated with the photochemistry of benzene, where theoretical simulations are designed to assist optimal control experiments

QDIUS2 (Query Device Information Using Specific Sensors)

QDius2 és una aplicació pensada per a persones amb discapacitat visual. Consisteix en realitzar una descripció verbalitzada de l’estat d’un electrodomèstic utilitzant un dispositiu mòbil amb sistema operatiu Android. L’aplicació guiarà verbalment l’usuari perquè pugui enfocar el panell de control de l’electrodomèstic amb la càmera. Es processarà la imatge obtinguda per extreure la seva informació, ja sigui en el mateix mòbil o al núvol, segons les preferències de l’usuari, i es llegirà la informació resultant. Aquest projecte està dividit en vuit memòries, una per a cada integrant del grup.