Analysis of medications change in Parkinson’s disease progression data

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects people worldwide. Careful management of patient’s condition is crucial to ensure the patient’s independence and quality of life. This is achieved by personalized treatment based on individual patient’s symptoms and medical history. The aim of this study is to determine patient groups with similar disease progression patterns coupled with patterns of medications change that lead to the improvement or decline of patients’ quality of life symptoms. To this end, this paper proposes a new methodology for clustering of short time series of patients’ symptoms and prescribed medications data, and time sequence data analysis using skip-grams to monitor disease progression. The results demonstrate that motor and autonomic symptoms are the most informative for evaluating the quality of life of Parkinson’s disease patients. We show that Parkinson’s disease patients can be divided into clusters ordered in accordance with the severity of their symptoms. By following the evolution of symptoms for each patient separately, we were able to determine patterns of medications change which can lead to the improvement or worsening of the patients’ quality of life.     

Study of Eye Drops Dispensing and Dose Variability by Using Plastic Dropper Tips

ABSTRACT

The application of eye drops from flexible dropper bottles fitted with different types of dropper tips is associated with the high variability of eye drop weights. The aim of this report was to investigate the simultaneous effect of three factors influencing the mean weight of drops dispensing from two plastic dropper tips. Using a designed experiment (Box-Behnken), the effect of the concentration of benzalkonium chloride solutions (BAC) in the range of 0–0.02%, the dispensing angle from 90° to 30° from horizontal, and the residual volume of liquid in the dropper bottle from 4 to 10 mL on the mean drop weights were examined. The significant effect of the increase in BAC concentration resulted in a linear decrease in drop weights for both of the dropper tips investigated. The significant effect of the dispensing angle was influenced by the dropper tip design. For the dropper tip A, the effect of the dropper tip tilt was described by the quadratic equation with a minimum, which corresponded to the dispensing angle equal to that of 48° from horizontal. Below this angle, the increase in drop weights occurred due to the drop formation from the wetted external surface of the tip orifice. The linear decrease in drop weights in response to the decrease in dispensing angle was detected for the dropper tip B. The regression equations and the contour line plots obtained allowed the drop weights to be estimated for the actual combinations of both the BAC concentration and the dispensing angle. The effect of the residual volume was found to be non-significant. Based on the formula of Tate's law, the direct proportion between surface tension of a solution and the radius of the effective perimeter of a dropper tip can be used to estimate the theoretical maximal weight of drops at the dispensing angle of 90°. Using the stalagmometric values of surface tension of the BAC solutions, the maximal drop weights were estimated for both of the dropper tips investigated. A comparison between the theoretical and the experimentally measured drop weights enabled the dropper tips behavior to be discussed by using Harkins and Brown correction factor F. The F-value of 0.74 noted for the dropper tip A differed from that of stalagmometer F-value (0.61) indicating a deviation from the simple drop formation process in answer to more complicated design of the dropper tip A. On the other hand, the F-value of 0.6 observed for the dropper tip B demonstrated the better consistency with stalagmometry. As a result, the dropper tip B with the linear decrease of drop weights in response to the increased concentration of BAC and the decreased dispensing angle without the adverse external drop formation could be recommended in real drop dispensing.     

Parameters of TSMG Process for Y1.5Ba2Cu3O x System with CeO2 Addition

The TSMG process of YBCO bulk superconductors with Y_1.5Ba₂Cu₃O _x composition and 1 wt% CeO₂ addition has been studied. It is shown that the window for isothermal growth of single-crystalline sample grown from Sm123 seed is between 988 ^°C and 1003 ^°C. At lower temperatures of this window, Y123 crystals grow with higher growth rate but the quality of crystals is worse due to the formation of steps at the growth front. During an isothermal dwell at the optimized temperature, the growth of Y123 single-crystal stops due to decreasing peritectic temperature with increasing CuO concentration in the melt. Additional slow cooling 1 ^°C/hour from the temperature of isothermal growth leads to epitaxial growth of Y123 crystal over the entire sample. Only very narrow part at the rim of the sample contains CuO phase and blocky Y123 crystals are formed there due to self-nucleation.     

The stretch zone of automotive steel sheets

The paper deals with an experimental determination of the stretch zone dimensions in the notch tip in thin steel sheets. The stretch zone dimensions depend on steel grade, on the rolling direction as well as on the loading rate. Stretch zones were observed and measured on three steel grades. Fracture area and stretch zones were analysed by SEM. Stable crack growth was monitored by videoextensometry techniques on CT (Compact Tension) specimens. Specimens were loaded under two loading rates by eccentric tension, whereby the deformation in the notch surrounding area was recorded using a non-contact measurement–videoextensometry technique. Linear relation between the stretch zone dimensions was determined.     

The functionality of woven fabric from air-jet yarn from the mixture of CO/PA and CO/PES fibres in the weft direction

The purpose of presented research is to find out the influence of air-jet yarn from the mixture of CO/PA (50/50) and CO/PES (67/33) fibres on functionality of woven fabric in the plain weave.The first part of the study is directed to the mechanical and physical properties of air-jet yarns (16.7 tex) from CO/PA and CO/PES fibres, while the second part of the study focuses on permeability properties of fabrics with air-jet yarns in the weft. The results show that air-jet yarn in the weft direction influences on the water vapor transmission and thermal conduction increase and air permeability decrease.Incorporation of air-jet yarn in the weft direction also improves breaking extension level.The results of presented research also show that the incorporation of air-jet yarn in the weft has statistical important influence on thermal conduction, water-vapor and air permeability changes.     

Anwendung eines Stranggieß-Simulationsmodells bei Štore Steel – II

This paper represents the elements and the use of the upgraded simulation system, developed in the last half decade for ?tore Steel billet caster. The simulation system is used in the context of the state-of-the-art automation and information of the twenty-five year-old three-strand Concast billet continuous caster for dimensions square 140 and 180 mm with the capacity of 160,000 tons/year. The simulation system is used in the off-line and on-line modes. The off-line mode is used in order to set the proper process parameters and to calculate the temperature field, macrosegregation, and grain structure of the strand. It is also used to calculate the changes in the caster design such as the secondary cooling and the position of the SEN. The on-line model is used in automatic casting control system. The paper represents an update of our BHM publication of 2005 (Application of Continous Casting Simulation at ?tore Steel, BHM, Vol. 150, No. 9, 300–306).