Critical Knowledge Monitor System Model: healthcare context

In order to provide a better service, sharing knowledge with partners and communities is becoming part of the healthcare organizations culture. Data, information and clinic knowledge require specific cautious, because it involves ethical and legal issues. The constant evolution of Information and Communication Technologies brings new opportunities with multiple forms of communication (web 2.0), therefore, new ways of sharing knowledge. Further, there is a wide knowledge sources: patient’s feedback; knowledge from Internet sources; knowledge from decision support systems; and inference knowledge (e.g. Knowledge from Data Mining techniques) justifying the use of knowledge management systems to get its benefits. The Critical Knowledge Monitor System Model, proposed here, allows knowledge sharing in a controlled ambient and could be a part of the answer to this paradigm that healthcare organizations face. To implement the Critical Knowledge Monitor System model we’ll need to apply knowledge engineering techniques such as ontology construction, text mining, techniques, Information retrieval, among others. Since not all knowledge manage by healthcare organizations could be considered critical (or much critical), it’s necessary to define constructs to classify clinic knowledge. To achieve this, we’ll implement a focus group approach with the use of risk management techniques to classify knowledge as critical and its critical level to driven ontology with the class and terms used by the healthcare organization under study. Essentially, these are the motives of this research.This work is financed by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program – COMPETE and Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação para a ciência e tecnologia in project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-022674

Healthcare Critical Knowledge Monitor System Model : healthcare critical knowledge ontology component

“Proceedings of Safety, Health and Environment World Congress, ISSN 2317-3173. Vol. 13, nr. 1 (2013)”Healthcare organizations manage with personal information concerning to patients from many sources that, typically, are supported by computer-based systems therefore, demands cautious when there are ethical and legal aspects involved. Since not all clinical knowledge managed by healthcare organizations could be considered critical (or much critical) we need to define the value of clinical knowledge for further handle in risk management. With the key aspects of InfoSec: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and Privacy we intent to achieve the core critical knowledge that will be the source of the healthcare critical knowledge ontology. Critical knowledge ontology should be tailored to the healthcare organization in focus to comply with multiple factors, such as: organizational culture, terminology used, health department specifications, among others. With topic model approach we intent to automatically driven document topics and match with critical healthcare knowledge from ontology, thus, give value to the documents concerning its critical knowledge.This work is financed by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program – COMPETE and Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação para a ciência e tecnologia in project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER- 022674

An ontology based approach to data surveillance

Nowadays the terrorist threat took proportions that concern governments and the national security organizations, all over the world. A successful terrorist incident usually brings catastrophic results. However if a terrorist attack can be predicted and characterized, it may be possible to organize a proper intervention in order to avoid it or to reduce its impact. The management of information is becoming an important issue in the domain of security information systems. The information access and association, analysis and assessment, and finally exploitation have become the focus for all security information services and governments. Current surveillance approaches are not very efficient leading innocent citizen to the confrontation of law enforcement services. One reason for this, result from the difficulties of the current system to extract knowledge or concepts abstracted from massive databases of information. Knowledge based methods, such as ontologies can integrate data surveillance, and enable a proper data analyse improving the performance of the security information services. This paper intends to present a perspective about the use of ontologies in the context of data surveillance, and present its importance in the current security services domain.(undefined

Feasibility study of a multimodal biometric authentication solution based on pointer dynamics and skin conductivity

Due to the constant need to improve authentication systems, since they are constantly emerging new forms of intrusion, based on the current state of knowledge, we intend to study the acceptance of a recognition system based on the combination of two non-physical methods of biometric authentication: pointer dynamics and skin conductivity. With this combination, firstly, it is improved what each can offer individually and, secondly, the problem of replicability present in physical biometric is minimized. We conducted a survey with a representative sample of the Portuguese population, whose construction method and obtained results are presented in this article. We also present an introductory explanation of the involved technologies

Streaming contents and RSS feed in a pedagogical environment

A group of university teachers have been developing several contents using streaming technology, since it promotes the support of pedagogical activity as a dynamic resource and due to the fact that is oriented to a model of shared learning contents. Now, a new challenge can be stated: the share and the reutilization of these learning contents. Apart from being an enhanced experience only concerning the sharing of knowledge, it promotes a desired partnership inter/intra-department. In this context the RSS technology introduces a new dimension in the access to streaming media contents. The RSS is a format to syndicate contents enabling users to be aware of new contents that are periodically published. The RSS technology, through the use of RSS Aggregators or RSS Readers, help the user to keep up to date all their favourite information sources that provide their contents as RSS feeds. In the scope of the streaming media contents the definition of RSS feeds enable the students to be up to date of new educational resources that are provided by the teacher. Therefore the students instead of checking the updates that are published in several educational information resources can locally see the new resources that are described and provided in the RSS feed. Some preliminaries results are presented and discussed

Doença Meningocócica Invasiva: Aplicação do Base Excess and Platelets Score numa Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos Portuguesa

INTRODUCTION: Meningococcal infection has a high mortality and morbidity. Recently a new prognostic scoring system was developed for paediatric invasive meningococcal disease, based on platelet count and base excess â base excess and platelets score. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of base excess and platelets score to predict mortality in children admitted to intensive care due to invasive meningococcal disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational study, with retrospective data collection, during a 13.5 years period (01/2000 to 06/2013). Mortality by invasive meningococcal disease and related factors (organ dysfunction and multi-organ failure) were analysed. The base excess and platelets score was calculated retrospectively, to evaluate its accuracy in predicting mortality and compared with Paediatric Risk of Mortality and Paediatric Index of Mortality2. RESULTS: Were admitted 76 children with invasive meningococcal disease. The most frequent type of dysfunction was cardiovascular (92%), followed by hematologic (55%). Of the total, 47 patients (62%) had criteria for multi-organ failure. The global mortality was 16%. Neurologic and renal dysfunction showed the strongest association with mortality, adjusted odds ratio 315 (26 - 3 804) and 155 (20 - 1 299). After application of receiver operating characteristic curves, Base Excess and Platelets score had an area under curve of 0.81, Paediatric Index of Mortality2 of 0.91 and Paediatric Risk of Mortality of 0.96. DISCUSSION: The Base Excess and Platelets score showed good accuracy, although not as high as Paediatric Risk of Mortality or Paediatric Index of Mortality 2. CONCLUSIONS: The Base Excess and Platelets score may be useful tool in invasive meningococcal disease because is highly sensitive and specific and is objectively measurable and readily available at presentation

Personality and well-being in adolescents

Different profiles of the character dimensions of self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence result in different levels of wellbeing among adults. However, the description of the multidimensional character profiles on adolescents’ composite wellbeing remains unexplored. This study builds on previous studies with adults, and examines the linear and non-linear associations between the dimensions of the psychobiological model of personality and well-being in adolescents. Participated in this study 1540 adolescents (M=15.44, SD=1.731). Personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Well-being was evaluated in a composite perspective: satisfaction with social support, health-related quality of life, satisfaction with life and affect. Variable-centered and individual-centered analyses were performed.Self-directedness was strongly associated with all dimensions of affective and cognitive well-being regardless of the other two character traits. Cooperativeness was associated with non-affective well-being and with positive affect, but only when associated to elevation of Self-directedness and Self-transcendence. Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness explained 15.5% of the non-affective well-being variance. Self-Directedness and Self-Transcendence explained 10.4% of the variance in affective well-being. This study confirms the tendencies found in previous studies with adults from other societies, where each character dimension gives an independent contribution to well-being depending on the interactions with other Character dimensions. Also, this study highlights the importance of considering the non-linear influences of the character dimensions in understanding of adolescents’ wellbeing. These results have strong implications for youth positive mental health promotion, including for school-based policies and practices

La composition en acides aminés, dans le régime alimentaire des larves de daurade royale, affecte-t-elle leur performance ?

7 páginas, 2 figuras, 4 tablas.[EN] Live preys commonly used in fish larval rearing seem to be imbalanced in terms of amino acids. Manipulation of their amino acid composition is difficult, but the use of microencapsulated diets allows this manipulation. This study analysed the effect of amino acid supplementation, in order to compensate for dietary amino acid imbalances, on growth and survival of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae. Larvae were reared until 32 days after hatching, in a closed recirculating water system (19 °C), using only live food (rotifers and Artemia). Thereafter, larvae were fed Artemia or one of the experimental microencapsulated diets: supplemented with indispensable amino acids (IAAsup diet), or supplemented with dispensable amino acids (DAAsup diet). Experiment lasted for 10 days. Dietary supplementation with indispensable amino acids resulted in A/E ratios [(each indispensable amino acid) × (total indispensable amino acids)−1 × 1000] more similar to the ones of larval seabream and in higher IAA:DAA ratios than in the DAAsup diet. Survival was similar in larvae fed the IAAsup diet (75%) or Artemia (87%), but was significantly lower in larvae fed the DAAsup diet (52%). Larvae from all treatments more than doubled their average dry weight during the experimental period. Final dry weight was similar in larvae fed both microcapsules, but these were lighter than larvae fed with Artemia. Relative growth rate (RGR) and total biomass production tended to be higher in larvae fed the IAAsup (RGR = 9% day−1) than the DAAsup diet (RGR = 7.5% day−1) and only in this last treatment these parameters were significantly lower than in larvae fed with Artemia. Therefore, dietary supplementation with indispensable amino acids resulted in a more balanced dietary amino acid profile, which significantly increased survival. Further studies introducing microdiets earlier in the development seem necessary in order to optimise growth.[FR] Les proies vivantes utilisées dans les élevages larvaires semblent déséquilibrées en terme d'acides aminés. Manipuler la composition en acides aminés est difficile mais l'usage d'aliments encapsulés le permet. Cette étude analyse l'effet d'une supplémentation en acides aminés sur la croissance et la survie des larves de daurade royale (Sparus aurata) afin de compenser un déséquilibre. Les larves sont élevées jusqu'à 32 jours après éclosion en circuit fermé (eau à 19 °C), en utilisant des aliments vivants uniquement (rotifères et Artemia). Les larves sont ensuite nourries avec des Artemia ou bien avec des aliments microencapsulés expérimentaux, supplémentés en acides aminés soit indispensables (régime IAAsup) soit non-indispensables (régime DAAsup). La durée de l'expérience est de 10 jours. La supplémentation en acides aminés indispensables conduit à des ratios A/E [(chaque AA indispensable) × (total en AA indispensables)−1 × 1000] plus proches de ceux de la larve de dorade et des ratios IAA/DHA plus élevés que ne le fait la supplémentation en acides aminés non-indispensables. Le taux de survie est similaire chez les larves nourries avec le régime IAAsup (75 %) ou Artemia (87 %) mais inférieur significativement chez les larves soumises au régime DAAsup (52 %). Le poids sec moyen de ces larves, quel que soit leur régime alimentaire, a doublé durant la période expérimentale. Le poids sec est similaire chez les larves nourries de microcapsules mais moins élévé chez celles nourries d'Artemia. Le taux de croissance relative (RGR) et la production de biomasse totale tendent à être plus élevés chez les larves nourries en IAAsup (RGR = 9 % jour−1) que celles nourries en DAAsup (RGR = 7,5 % jour−1). C'est seulement dans ce dernier traitement que les paramètres sont plus faibles significativement que chez les larves nourries d'Artemia. Ainsi, les supplémentations alimentaires en acides aminés indispensables peuvent augmenter la survie. D'autres études, introduisant des micro-aliments de façon plus précoce dans le développement, semblent nécessaires afin d'optimiser la croissance.The authors acknowledge funding by project AGL2004-06669-C02-01 (MCYT, Spain) and grant SFRH/BPD/14835/2003 (FCT, Portugal).Peer reviewe

MILIARY TUBERCULOSIS IN THE XXI CENTURY – A CASE REPORT

Introdução: Atualmente, a tuberculose ainda representa um sério problema de saúde pública. A idade precoce e a infeção VIH constituem importantes fatores de risco para doença grave ou disseminada. Caso clínico: Apresentamos o caso de uma menina de três anos de idade observada por febre prolongada sem foco infecioso evidente ao exame físico. O estudo analítico inicial foi sugestivo de infeção urinária, pelo que iniciou antibioticoterapia empírica. A urocultura confirmou esse diagnóstico, mas a febre persistiu. Na investigação complementar, a radiografia torácica revelou um infiltrado pulmonar com padrão miliar. O Mycobacterium tuberculosis foi isolado no aspirado gástrico, líquor e urina. Iniciou tratamento com antituberculosos e corticóide, com melhoria clínica significativa. Conclusões: Nesta era de tecnologia médica avançada, a tuberculose ainda é um desafio diagnóstico, especialmente quando a apresentação clínica é atípica e extrapulmonar. Um elevado índice de suspeição clínica é fundamental, pois a instituição precoce do tratamento é decisiva para o prognóstico