Early Autism Detection using Machine Learning Techniques: A Review

Abstract- This article provides a comprehensive literature review on technology-based interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It emphasizes the challenges in early detection and treatment of ASD, highlighting the spectrum nature of the disorder. The review discusses traditional diagnostic strategies such as behavioural observations, developmental screening and medical testing and goes on to explore advanced machine learning and deep learning models, including SVM, k-nearest neighbours, decision tree and LSTM, for predicting ASD characteristics in toddlers and children. Additionally, recent techniques employing more than ten strategies for ASD detection are summarized and various datasets used in early detection are described. The study underscores the utility of artificial intelligence in early ASD detection and recommends integrating advanced techniques, such as eye tracking, EEG, brain imaging, exome sequencing, urine analysis and behaviour coding, with conventional methods for potentially earlier and more effective solutions

Cost-effectiveness of non-invasive methods for assessment and monitoring of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease: systematic review and economic evaluation

BACKGROUND: Liver biopsy is the reference standard for diagnosing the extent of fibrosis in chronic liver disease; however, it is invasive, with the potential for serious complications. Alternatives to biopsy include non-invasive liver tests (NILTs); however, the cost-effectiveness of these needs to be established. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of NILTs in patients with chronic liver disease. DATA SOURCES: We searched various databases from 1998 to April 2012, recent conference proceedings and reference lists. METHODS: We included studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of NILTs using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Diagnostic studies were assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using the bivariate random-effects model with correlation between sensitivity and specificity (whenever possible). Decision models were used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the NILTs. Expected costs were estimated using a NHS perspective and health outcomes were measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Markov models were developed to estimate long-term costs and QALYs following testing, and antiviral treatment where indicated, for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C (HCV). NILTs were compared with each other, sequential testing strategies, biopsy and strategies including no testing. For alcoholic liver disease (ALD), we assessed the cost-effectiveness of NILTs in the context of potentially increasing abstinence from alcohol. Owing to a lack of data and treatments specifically for fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the analysis was limited to an incremental cost per correct diagnosis. An analysis of NILTs to identify patients with cirrhosis for increased monitoring was also conducted. RESULTS: Given a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20,000 per QALY, treating everyone with HCV without prior testing was cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £9204. This was robust in most sensitivity analyses but sensitive to the extent of treatment benefit for patients with mild fibrosis. For HBV [hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative)] this strategy had an ICER of £28,137, which was cost-effective only if the upper bound of the standard UK cost-effectiveness threshold range (£30,000) is acceptable. For HBeAg-positive disease, two NILTs applied sequentially (hyaluronic acid and magnetic resonance elastography) were cost-effective at a £20,000 threshold (ICER: £19,612); however, the results were highly uncertain, with several test strategies having similar expected outcomes and costs. For patients with ALD, liver biopsy was the cost-effective strategy, with an ICER of £822. LIMITATIONS: A substantial number of tests had only one study from which diagnostic accuracy was derived; therefore, there is a high risk of bias. Most NILTs did not have validated cut-offs for diagnosis of specific fibrosis stages. The findings of the ALD model were dependent on assuptions about abstinence rates assumptions and the modelling approach for NAFLD was hindered by the lack of evidence on clinically effective treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Treating everyone without NILTs is cost-effective for patients with HCV, but only for HBeAg-negative if the higher cost-effectiveness threshold is appropriate. For HBeAg-positive, two NILTs applied sequentially were cost-effective but highly uncertain. Further evidence for treatment effectiveness is required for ALD and NAFLD. STUDY REGISTRATION: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42011001561. FUNDING: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme

Efficiency of shape memory alloy seismic restrainers for several conditions of bridge joints

Movement joints are needed in bridges to accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction. Enough joint width needs to be available to accommodate not only longitudinal expansion but also expected movements of joints during earthquakes. This may result in excessive joint openings. Devices that can dissipate energy have been suggested to reduce joint displacements. Shape memory alloy (SMA) is one of these energy dissipation devices, which is well known for its ability to return to its natural shape after being deformed. Several cases of bridges and different conditions of seismic events are modeled and tested using developed software programs in MATLAB to show the efficiency of using SMA inside bridge joint openings. These models include the case of two adjacent frames with SMA inside them (2�frames), the case of multi�frames with constant hysteretic SMAs between every two of them (N�frames), the case of multi�frames with constant hysteretic SMAs taking the delay of seismic forces between frames into consideration (delay), and the case of variable masses of bridge frames. Also, parametric studies are performed to show the impacts of all parameters of bridge frames and SMA retrofit devices on seismically joint openings. The results show that the superelastic SMA device plays a huge role in controlling bridge opening and enables limiting the joint width of all models during earthquakes with different values reaching 60% in some cases depending on bridge frame properties, ground motion characteristics, and the hysteretic properties of SMA devices

Agarase Production by Marine Pseudoalteromonas sp. MHS: Optimization, and Purification

Agar is an essential polysaccharide that has been utilized in numerous fields. Many kinds of literature have been published regarding agarolytic microorganisms’ isolation and agarases biochemical studies. In this search, a local marine agarolytic bacterium associated with marine alga Ulva lactuca surface was isolated and identified as Pseudoalteromonas sp. MHS. The agarase production was parallel to the growth of Pseudoalteromonas sp. MHS as cells displayed a lag phase (2 h), subsequently an exponential growth that prolonged till 10 h where maximum growth (OD550nm = 3.9) was achieved. The enzyme activity increased rapidly as cells increased exponentially where the maximum activity of 0.22 U/mL was achieved after 8h and remained constant till 12 h during the stationary phase of growth. Agarase production was optimized using Plackett-Burman statistical design by measuring enzyme activity as a response and the design was validated using a verification experiment; the activity of the enzyme increased from 0.22 U/mL to 0.29 U/mL. Pseudoalteromonas sp. MHS agarase was partially purified and its molecular weight (MW) was determined by SDSPAGE (15-25 kDa). Agarase showed approximately 94% of its activity at 40 °C. The enzyme stability decreased as the temperature increased; the enzyme could retain about 98, 90, 80, 75, and 60% of its activity at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 °C, respectively. Biomass of the red alga Pterocladia capillacea proved to be a suitable substrate for agarase production using Pseudoalteromonas sp. MHS; the enzyme activity recorded after 24 h of incubation was 0.35 U/mL compared to 0.29 U/mL from the optimized medium

Prey-Capture Behavior in Gymnotid Electric Fish: Motion Analysis and Effects of water Conductivity

ABSTRACT Animals can actively influence the content and quality of sensory information they acquire from the environment through the positioning of peripheral sensory surfaces. This study investigated receptor surface positioning during prey-capture behavior in weakly electric gymnotiform fish of the genus Apteronotus. Infrared video techniques and three-dimensional model-based tracking methods were used to provide quantitative information on body position and conformation as black ghost (A. albifrons) and brown ghost (A. leptorhynchus) knifefish hunted for prey (Daphnia magna) in the dark. We found that detection distance depends on the electrical conductivity of the surrounding water. Best performance was observed at low water conductivity (2.8 cm mean detection distance and 2 % miss rate at 35 μS cm−1, A. albifrons) and poorest performance at high conductivity (1.5 cm mean detection distance and 11 % miss rate at 600 μS cm−1, A. albifrons). The observed conductivity-dependence implies that nonvisual prey detection in Apteronotus is likely to be dominated by the electrosense over the range of water conductivities experienced by the animal in its natural environment. This result provides the first evidence for the involvement of electrosensory cues in the prey-capture behavior of gymnotids, but it leaves open the possibility that both the high-frequency (tuberous) and low-frequency (ampullary) electroreceptors may contribute. We describe an electrosensory orienting response to prey, whereby the fish rolls its body following detection to bring the prey above the dorsum. This orienting response and the spatial distribution of prey at the time of detection highlight the importance of the dorsal surface of the trunk for electrosensory signal acquisition. Finally, quantitative analysis of fish motion demonstrates that Apteronotus can adapt its trajectory to account for post-detection motion of the prey, suggesting that it uses a closed-loop adaptive tracking strategy, rather than an open-loop ballistic strike strategy, to intercept the prey.</jats:p