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PubMed1990

[361 million problems].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMed2003

Identifying structural motifs in proteins.

In biological macromolecules, structural patterns (motifs) are often repeated across different molecules. Detection of these common motifs in a new molecule can provide useful clues to the functional properties of such a molecule. We formulate the problem of identifying a given structural motif (pattern) in a target protein (example) and discuss the notion of complete matches vis-a-vis partial matches. We describe the precise error criterion that has to be minimized and also discuss different metrics for evaluating the quality of partial matches. Secondly, we present a new polynomial time algorithm for the problem of matching a given motif in a target protein. We also use the sequence and (if available) secondary structure information to annotate the different points in motif and the target protein, thus reducing the search space size. Our algorithm guarantees the detection of a perfect match, if present. Even otherwise, the algorithm computes very good matches. Unlike other methods, the error minimized by our algorithm directly translates to root mean square deviation (RMSD), the most commonly accepted metric for structure matching in biological macromolecules. The algorithm does not involve any preprocessing and is suitable for the detection of both small and large motifs in the target protein. We also present experiments exploring the quality of matches found by the algorithm. We examine its performance in matching (both full and partial) active sites in proteins.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Parametric stability evaluation in computer experiments on the mathematical model of Drosophila control gene subnetwork.

Using the method of generalized threshold models, the problem is formulated and solved to evaluate the parametric stability of the model of a gene subnetwork controlling the early ontogenesis of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Computer experiments have been performed to test the parametric stability of the model. Quantitative evaluations have been obtained for parametric stability of the Drosophila gene subnetwork in nuclei along the embryo's anterior-posterior axis. The results of computer experiments have been compared with the previous research data on "sensitivity" of functioning regimes to random changes of the parameters in the models of prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, namely the system controlling the lambda-phage development and the subsystem controlling the flower morphogenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana. The obtained results confirm high parametric stability of gene networks that control the development of organisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The multi-trellis software architecture and the intelligent cardiovascular monitor.

A real-time, intelligent cardiovascular monitor is complex. It must process multiple waveforms, recognize artifacts, extract pertinent parameters, recognize a patient's clinical state, analyze the problem and formulate a response. This paper presents the multi-trellis (a collection of process trellises), a software architecture for building such a monitor. A process trellis is a uniform hierarchical framework for heterogeneous program modules. The multi-trellis extension allows one to compile several process trellis programs with widely varying run-time requirements into a single executable program that it is efficient, predictable and usable. Our prototype consists of two process trellises. The lower trellis contains processes to analyze three different analog signals: the blood pressure from a non-invasive monitor and an arterial catheter, and the ECG. The upper trellis contains processes to help detect evolving hemodynamic trends, identify abnormalities, and present a succinct summary to the clinician. Our prototype shows that the multi-trellis is a demonstrably useful software architecture for building these real-time, intelligent monitors.

Artificial Intelligence↗
PubMed2004

From patient data to information needs.

The goal of this paper is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of care. For physicians, it is a problem that they are often not aware of gaps in their knowledge and the corresponding information needs. Our research aim is to resolve this problem by formulating information needs automatically. Based on these information needs, patient-specific literature can be retrieved. As a first step, we investigate how to model a physician's information needs. Thereafter, we design and analyse an approach to instantiate the model with patient data, resulting in information-need templates that are able to represent patient-specific information needs. Our experiments show that a physician's information needs can be modelled adequately and can be substantiated into patient-specific information needs. Since the number of formulated information needs is rather high, future research will focus on methods that restrict the set of automatically formulated information needs to a more specialized set.

Information Storage and Retrieval↗
PubMed2004

Working time schedule of midwives in obstetric-neonatal unit versus the level of mother satisfaction with care.

The majority of studies by international and Polish authors focus on the evaluation of the level of patient satisfaction with health care. A relatively small number of reports concern factors which determine satisfaction. According to the modern approach towards care of mother and baby, a mother hospitalized in a rooming-in system is expected to independently take care of her baby and feed it on demand from its birth. A midwife should teach the mother the nursing of the baby and herself, inform, educate, support and communicate. Such care requires that the majority of time is spent with mothers and their babies. It was assumed that one of the organizational factors determining the level of satisfaction with care may be the time devoted by midwives to mothers. The following research problem was formulated: Does working time schedule of midwives taking care of women after labour affect the level of mother satisfaction with care? The results of preliminary studies showed that the percentage of direct nursing time offered to mothers by midwives in obstetric ward was small (29%), while that devoted by midwives to care of babies in neonatal unit was slightly higher (42.5%).

Appointments and Schedules↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Congenital penile deviation: an integral diagnostic approach to correction].

A comparative analysis of diagnostic examination of 130 men with isolated congenital erectile penile deviation (EPD) aged 14-22 years (mean age 17 years) has demonstrated that true EPD can be determined objectively only at adequate erection. Therefore, the diagnosis should be based not on subjective opinion of the patient but on the results of artificial pharmacological erection or viagra-test in combination with visual erotic and genital stimulation. Vacuum erection test is not justified. In patients with congenital EPD rigidity depends much on correlation between perfusion volume and functional volume of the penis (cavernous volume). The problem of congenital EPD can be formulated as the problem of "long penis". Measurements of the penis in the group of 54 patients with congenital EPD registered a low penile coefficient in 67% cases while a mean length of the penis in all the examinees was longer than a mean standard one and was about 13 cm in relaxed condition. EPD patients often suffer from asthenodepressive disorders deteriorating the copulative function. Psychotherapy and medication of the depressive syndrome result in stabilization of the psychological condition improving quality of life 1.3 times. Thus, an integrative diagnostic and therapeutic approach, due selection of the patients for operative correction of penile deviation can improve quality of the treatment aimed both at correction of erectile malformation and psychosexual adaptation of the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Participatory supervision model: building health promotion capacity among health officers and the community.

INTRODUCTION: The Thai traditional health supervision model has been developed since 1991. However, many supervisors lack supervisory knowledge and skills. This study aimed to compare and identify the strengths and challenges of two different supervision models, in order to determine their effects on enhancing the health promotion capacity of health officers in two primary care units (PCU) in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. METHODS: The two models were implemented at two PCU in one semi-district, Chiang Mai Province, over a six-month period. The first model involved supervisors from the district level, with the full participation of health officers at the sub-district level. The second model was designed with the addition of community involvement in the supervision process. Before implementing the models, the district supervisors attended a retraining course to enhance their supervisory knowledge and ability. Questionnaires were used to assess health officers' job satisfaction, clients' perceived service quality and care satisfaction. Semi-structured interviews and qualitative observations were used to explore the involvement of health officers and the community, and to determine the strengths and challenges of each supervisory model. RESULTS: Both before and after the intervention, the PCU health officers appeared to have good and comparable job satisfaction levels. Bivariate analysis indicated that after the intervention, both supervisory models appeared effective in terms of clients' perceived service quality and satisfaction with care, among those who utilized the PCU. However, the second model, which allowed the community to participate in the supervision process, achieved better results. The qualitative findings suggested that the involvement of health officers caused a rapid change and improvement after the supervision. The involvement of the community helped the community itself to identify problems and formulate alternatives to meet the community's needs. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows positive outcomes for two forms of participatory supervision in a rural setting. There appear to be additional positive outcomes for the model that involved community participation. To ensure successful implementation, several issues, such as the supervisor's knowledge and ability, health officer workload and supervisory communication skills, need to be improved.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Effect of noise on human performance under variable load in a die casting industry--a case study.

The manual mode of working in industries is very common in the developing and under developed countries. Many industrial processes have generated high levels of noise and causing physiological effects on operators and thus leading to reduced performance. A survey was carried in various die casting industries to determine the levels of noise. It was found that the levels were in the range of 80-100dB(A). The survey also showed that the effects were more pronounced when the task was conducted under varying load conditions. Keeping this in view the problem was formulated to study whether the level of noise and amount of load has a bearing on human performance. For this purpose, experimental investigations in a simulated environment were carried out. Five subjects, all males and having no experience in the trade were selected for the task. The levels of noise under taken were 80, 90 and 100 dB(A) while the levels of load were 150, 200 and 250 N. A pulse oximeter was used to measure the human performance in terms of heart rate. The data was collected and analyzed on the basis of two factor repeated measure type of experimental design. Results of the study indicated that the level of noise and load both were having statistically significant effect on human performance. However, the interaction of level of noise and load was found to be statistically non-significant. The findings of the present work have been discussed in the light of the previous researches carried out on the topic. Suggestions have been made to reduce the levels of noise as per the recommendations of Occupational Safety and Health Association (1990). It is also suggested that instead of hand operated machines, foot operated versions should be used to reduce fatigue.

Adult↗