Software Tool For Monitoring Research Articles

OP12 Therapeutic antibody clearance better predicts endoscopic outcomes than trough concentrations in patients with Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Monitoring of monoclonal antibody (mAb) clearance has been suggested for prediction and follow-up of treatment outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. We investigated clearance monitoring in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) using data from clinical trials. Methods Data from patients with moderate-to-severe CD starting infliximab (n=108; TAILORIX trial [1]) and ustekinumab (n=80; a real-life cohort study [2]) therapy were repurposed. Endoscopic remission (CD Endoscopic Index of Severity <3) was assessed at week (w)12 and w54 of infliximab therapy. Endoscopic response (≥50% reduction in Simple Endoscopic Score for CD) was assessed at w24 of ustekinumab therapy. We performed Bayesian forecasting to estimate time-varying mAb clearance using measured drug concentrations, covariates, and population pharmacokinetics models (NONMEM 7.5). A novel software tool for clearance monitoring of infliximab and ustekinumab was developed using the Shiny and mapbayr packages in R. Results Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics of the patients are summarized in Table 1. Patients achieving endoscopic remission at w12 had significantly lower infliximab clearance and higher infliximab serum trough concentrations (Ctrough) at w2 and w6 of standard 5 mg/kg infliximab induction therapy, than patients without endoscopic remission (p<0.05). During infliximab maintenance therapy (with eventual dose optimisations), patients achieving endoscopic remission at w54 had significantly lower infliximab clearance (p<0.001) but not higher infliximab Ctrough (p=0.92) than patients without endoscopic remission. Moreover, infliximab clearance during maintenance had similar discriminative ability as faecal calprotectin (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve 0.63 [95% confidence interval 0.57–0.69] vs. 0.67 [0.61–0.73], respectively) (Figure 1). Ustekinumab clearance (p<0.05), but not Ctrough, was significantly different between endoscopic responders and non-responders during standard ustekinumab induction and maintenance therapy. We developed an evidence-based interactive software tool that can predict the probability of achieving endoscopic outcomes in a clinical setting based on the estimated clearance of infliximab and ustekinumab (https://lpmx.shinyapps.io/clearance_monitoring/). Conclusion While Ctrough loses its ability to predict treatment response when doses are optimised or not administered by bodyweight, mAb clearance remains a reliable predictor. Our interactive clearance monitoring tool can forecast the chance of achieving endoscopic outcomes and distinguish between exposure-driven and mechanistic failure when patients with CD are dose-optimised.

Technologization of Legal Solutions in the field of International Trade Compliance

Modern technologies, and above all — information technologies, do play a significant role in navigating the complex regulatory and organizational landscape of compliance with international trade rules and management in the international trade system. The technologization of international trade compliance programs, internal compliance programs, the processes of systematization and automation of work with databases should be developed and implemented in all organizations engaged in international trade as an integral part of doing business and systematization of international trade operations. Taking into account the nature of international trade operations and their even minimal connection with specific States, in addition to clearly developing programs for compliance with international standards of trade and customs operations, the author substantiates a differentiated approach to international trade compliance, involving consideration of regulatory requirements of individual States and separate monitoring of compliance with the requirements of the State with which the relationship is associated. The author also dwells on a differentiated substantive approach to compliance procedures in trade using various software tools for monitoring and ensuring compliance in the absence, in most cases, of detailed international legal regulation (based on international treaties) of export-import operations.

Od ideje do realizacije vetroparka - Pregled administrativne procedure i zakonske regulative u Republici Srbiji

The paper presents a typical course of realization of a wind park project in the Republic of Serbia. Through a review of the legal regulations and administrative procedures in the process of obtaining the necessery permits and consents, as well as the preparation of all stages of project-technical documentation, the flow of activities that must be carried out on the way from the idea to obtaining a use permit and connecting the wind farm to the power grid is presented in detail. On the example of a wind farm project with a total installed capacity of over 10 MW, an analysis of the administrative procedure, legal regulations and technical requirements was carried out with an explanation of each activity during the realization of this project. A methodology was formed that can be used for a more thorough assessment of the scope and complexity of activities during the development of such projects, including photovoltaic power plants. Accordingly, it is desirable to use software tools for project monitoring and management. It is expected that this paper will be useful in considering the necessary activities for the development of such and similar projects in the field of renewable energy sources.

Precision Agriculture Using Soil Sensor Driven Machine Learning for Smart Strawberry Production.

Ubiquitous sensor networks collecting real-time data have been adopted in many industrial settings. This paper describes the second stage of an end-to-end system integrating modern hardware and software tools for precise monitoring and control of soil conditions. In the proposed framework, the data are collected by the sensor network distributed in the soil of a commercial strawberry farm to infer the ultimate physicochemical characteristics of the fruit at the point of harvest around the sensor locations. Empirical and statistical models are jointly investigated in the form of neural networks and Gaussian process regression models to predict the most significant physicochemical qualities of strawberry. Color, for instance, either by itself or when combined with the soluble solids content (sweetness), can be predicted within as little as 9% and 14% of their expected range of values, respectively. This level of accuracy will ultimately enable the implementation of the next phase in controlling the soil conditions where data-driven quality and resource-use trade-offs can be realized for sustainable and high-quality strawberry production.

Principles of Construction of Hybrid Microsystems for Biomedical Applications

The paper analyzes the existing non-invasive methods and tools for measuring and monitoring heart rate (HR), glucose saturation and human blood glucose level (BGL), shows ways of improving them to increase accuracy and expand the number of parameters obtained by these methods, which became the basis for creating a hybrid microsystem device for biomedical applications.
 A block diagram of the microsystem and a prototype of software and hardware tools for continuous monitoring of heart rate, BGL, saturation level and other blood parameters by photoplethysmography (PPG) have been developed. The proposed algorithms and tools provide primary processing of signals from optical sensors, calculation of pulse wave parameters, data transmission to mobile devices and a remote server, the possibility of calibration during operation based on research results.

Dynamic modeling and parameter estimation of biomethane production from microalgae co-digestion.

This work proposes a dynamic modeling procedure applied to biomethane production from microalgae residual co-digestion. A two-stage anaerobic digestion representation is selected, considering acidogenesis and methanogenesis as main reaction pathways. Based on the experimental database generated in the University of Mons Laboratories, several candidate models, assuming the presence or absence of biomass dynamics, are suggested, and parametric structural and local identifiability studies are performed. An original parameter estimation procedure is applied to a data-set partition used for model direct validation. The remaining experiment data are dedicated to cross-validation. The results point out how these dynamic models may serve as advanced monitoring software tools such as digital twins, even in the presence of incomplete process data.

Business Poster B1: Measurement best practice: ‘To the standards and beyond!’

Poster B1 Ultrasonic flow measurement technology has been used in practical applications for more than 50 years, and for over 30 years in custody transfer oil and gas applications. To acquire optimal results, local regulatory, buyer–seller contracts and international standards are applied. One aspect, recalibration, is often specific to the local regulations within the country of use. In this paper, we will discuss the past, present and future of ultrasonic flowmeter diagnostics. Starting at the beginning, we will discuss the first patent on ultrasonic flow measurement in 1928, to the present condition-based monitoring (CBM) software tools automating data evaluation and providing users with audit trails. The purpose of the modern ultrasonic meter is both to provide high-accuracy flow measurement, and to monitor the health of the meter. Modern diagnostic features help identify any potential cause(s) of measurement deviations. To access the poster click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here

Measurement best practice: ‘To the standards and beyond!’

Ultrasonic flow measurement technology has been used in practical applications for more than 50 years, and for over 30 years in custody transfer oil and gas applications. To acquire optimal results, local regulatory, buyer–seller contracts and international standards are applied. One aspect, recalibration, is often specific to the local regulations within the country of use. In this paper, we will discuss the past, present and future of ultrasonic flowmeter diagnostics. Starting at the beginning, we will discuss the first patent on ultrasonic flow measurement in 1928, to the present condition-based monitoring (CBM) software tools automating data evaluation and providing users with audit trails. The purpose of the modern ultrasonic meter is both to provide high-accuracy flow measurement, and to monitor the health of the meter. Modern diagnostic features help identify any potential cause(s) of measurement deviations.

ПРОГРАММНО-АППАРАТНЫЕ СРЕДСТВА МОНИТОРИРОВАНИЯ АРТЕРИАЛЬНОГО ДАВЛЕНИЯ ПРИ АРТЕРИАЛЬНОЙ ГИПЕРТЕНЗИИ И САХАРНОМ ДИАБЕТЕ

The development of effective diagnostic tools for arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus is one of the most urgent problems of modern medicine. The aim of the project is to develop software and hardware tools for daily monitoring of blood pressure and blood glucose levels based on the patterns of correlation between systemic hemodynamics and blood glucose concentration. 24-hour monitoring of blood pressure and blood glucose level was carried out, the circadian rhythm and daily indices of blood pressure were calculated. Daily pro les and cycle diagrams of diurnal uctuations in blood pressure in groups of patients were constructed. It was found that in 48% of patients with arterial hypertension and 70% of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is a deviation of the biphasic rhythm compared to the «dipper» norm, which must be taken into account to detect nocturnal hypertension. Statistical indicators of «pressure load» - daily measurement of time indices are calculated. The method of using software and hardware re ects the correlation between uctuations in blood pressure parameters and the concentration of glucose in the blood, which allows for a comparative analysis of indicators in arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Study of levels of readiness of future specialists of physical culture for health preservation of students

It has been established, that the training of future physical culture specialists for health preservation of students in the context of the development of education in Ukraine is characterized by active innovative shifts, associated with the formation of the content of new higher education, in connection with which its purpose is expanding and changing. Health preservation and health-preserving technologies constitute one of the most promising educational systems.
 It has been determined, that today the development of a comprehensive program of a higher educational institution is urgent, which would allow solving problems of creating conditions, conducive to preservation and strengthening of health; introduction of a methodology, principles and methods of health-preserving education, software and hardware tools for monitoring, shaping, developing and maintaining the health of participants in the educational process; control over the observance of legislative and regulatory legal acts, regulating the activities of an educational institution on the issues of health preservation.
 It is believed, that health-preserving activity of physical culture specialists is a set of actions, operations and procedures that functionally and technologically ensure the achievement of a result in maintaining and strengthening health. We understand health-preserving activity as a professional property, which expresses the degree of assimilation of social experience in the field of ensuring education and health of students by means of physical culture by a future specialist, as well as the ability to use this experience in professional activity. The most significant structural components of the readiness of future physical culture specialists for health preservation of students have been revealed, namely: motivational and creative components. The levels of the readiness of the subjects for the motivational, cognitive, activity, creative and organizational and educational aspects have been determined

NaturaSat—A Software Tool for Identification, Monitoring and Evaluation of Habitats by Remote Sensing Techniques

The NaturaSat software integrates various image processing techniques together with vegetation data, into one multipurpose tool that is designed for performing facilities for all requirements of habitat exploration, all in one place. It provides direct access to multispectral Sentinel-2 data provided by the European Space Agency. It supports using these data with various vegetation databases, in a user-friendly environment, for, e.g., vegetation scientists, fieldwork experts, and nature conservationists. The presented study introduces the NaturaSat software, describes new powerful tools, such as the semi-automatic and automatic segmentation methods, and natural numerical networks, together with validated examples comparing field surveys and software outputs. The software is robust enough for field work researchers and stakeholders to accurately extract target units’ borders, even on the habitat level. The deep learning algorithm, developed for habitat classification within the NaturaSat software, can also be used in various research tasks or in nature conservation practices, such as identifying ecosystem services and conservation value. The exact maps of the habitats obtained within the project can improve many further vegetation and landscape ecology studies.

Monitoring remote employees: implications for HR

PurposeMore and more organizations have resorted to the employment of monitoring software to keep track of employees’ everyday performance and task completion. The current paper aims to outline the capabilities, pros and cons of monitoring for employees. Several recommendations for Human Resources (HR) professionals are outlined to inform best practice.Design/methodology/approachThis paper summarizes recent literature and trends on electronic monitoring aimed at remote workers, focusing specifically on trends observed in the UK and the USA.FindingsThe number of pros and cons, as well as the resulting recommendations for HR professionals, outline how technology may aid – but also undermine – performance.Originality/valueThe summary of capabilities, pros and cons represents a snapshot of current monitoring practices. The recommendations will give readers an overview of all the aspects and factors that ought to be considered when monitoring software and related tools are selected.

Software for Monitoring and Controlling the VEPP-5 Damping-Ring Operation with Upgraded Electronics of Beam-Position Sensors

Work on developing new software tools for monitoring and controlling the VEPP-5 damping-ring (DR) operation with upgraded stations of beam-position sensors is in progress. Using them, the DR can be calibrated using its theoretical model, the beam orbit can be steered and locally distorted, the linac-beam capture into the DR can be simulated, and a number of other tasks can be performed. This paper reports the initial results of the DR calibration based on its numerical model and of the measurements of its parameters obtained using the already-available codes of the software toolkit.

Collect Earth: An online tool for systematic reference data collection in land cover and use applications

Land cover monitoring efforts are important for resource planning and ecosystem services in many countries. Collect Earth Online (CEO) is a new, free open source and user-friendly software tool for land monitoring. It is the product of a collaborative effort between NASA, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), US Forest Service and Google. This paper provides a full overview of CEO's structure and functionality. Based on the cloud, CEO's structure supports simultaneous data entry by multiple users. No desktop installation is required and only an internet connection is required setting minimal requirements for using the software. Google Earth Engine widgets can be created for assisted plot interpretation such as image collection, time series graphs featuring indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and related statistics. We also provide a case study and related findings from a CEO workshop held in Myanmar.

Improving strategic decision making with big data-based media analysis - the case of coal power

Big-data based methods are developed to aid corporate decision-making. This study utilises big-data based global media-analysis to clarify the role of coal-power related media-image in company decision-making. Opinion mining by a specific software tool for media-analysis and monitoring is utilised. The analysis bases on the notion that the media-image of company products - or specific technologies - may impact corporate investment and divestment decisions in the energy sector. The assumption is that coal-power related media-image may cause corporate brandimage pressures. The findings indicate that the general media-sentiment towards coal-power is negative, possibly influencing corporate decisions. The large negative media-sentiment towards coal-power may override the benefits of developing cleaner coal-power and related technologies such as carbon capture and storage and utilisation. The negative media-sentiment towards coal-power may mitigate the more positive image of related less-known technologies. Evidence is provided on the media-impact of coal-power related divestment decisions and potential impacts on decision making.

Studio dosimetrico nelle SPECT/CT miocardiche di perfusione Dosimetric study in myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT

Purpose We have evaluated, using a software tool for monitoring and tracking radiation dose, the radiation exposures in hybrid myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) before and after the optimization of the SPECT/CT acquisition protocol. Methods and materials Examination data was collected from a SPECT/CT scanner Siemens Symbia T6 using Radimetrics version 2.6 (Bayer HealthCare, Whippany, NY). Data of MPI performed between 1st March 2016 and 1st March 2017 have been extracted from the DICOM header and Dose Report files produced by the scanner and stored in PACS. All analysis were made for exams in two days (TD) and in single day (SD). CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, administered activity and Effective Dose were collected. A new optimized acquisition protocol was created changing CT parameters (mAs and pitch) and defining a new administered dose activity card with a reduction of the administered dose of about 18% for TD protocol and of only 4% for SD protocol because it was already well optimised. Examinations performed between 29th May 2017 and 30th November 2017 have been extracted and all dosimetric param eters were compared between old and new protocol. Results The dose reduction for CT part of the MPI was approximately 52% for all the parameters analysed (CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, Effective Dose) both for TD and SD protocol. The dose reduction for SPECT part was aligned with the reduction introduced in the new administered dose activity card. In MPI study we have achieved, with the new optimized protocol, a total dose reduction of about 30% in TD exams and of about 24% in SD exams (see table below). Conclusion Using a software tool for monitoring and tracking radiation dose was possible to monitor, in real time, radiation exposure in SPECT/CT exams and analyze how to optimize the protocol to reduce effective dose to the patients. We have evaluated, using a software tool for monitoring and tracking radiation dose, the radiation exposures in hybrid myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) before and after the optimization of the SPECT/CT acquisition protocol. Examination data was collected from a SPECT/CT scanner Siemens Symbia T6 using Radimetrics version 2.6 (Bayer HealthCare, Whippany, NY). Data of MPI performed between 1st March 2016 and 1st March 2017 have been extracted from the DICOM header and Dose Report files produced by the scanner and stored in PACS. All analysis were made for exams in two days (TD) and in single day (SD). CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, administered activity and Effective Dose were collected. A new optimized acquisition protocol was created changing CT parameters (mAs and pitch) and defining a new administered dose activity card with a reduction of the administered dose of about 18% for TD protocol and of only 4% for SD protocol because it was already well optimised. Examinations performed between 29th May 2017 and 30th November 2017 have been extracted and all dosimetric param eters were compared between old and new protocol. The dose reduction for CT part of the MPI was approximately 52% for all the parameters analysed (CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, Effective Dose) both for TD and SD protocol. The dose reduction for SPECT part was aligned with the reduction introduced in the new administered dose activity card. In MPI study we have achieved, with the new optimized protocol, a total dose reduction of about 30% in TD exams and of about 24% in SD exams (see table below). Using a software tool for monitoring and tracking radiation dose was possible to monitor, in real time, radiation exposure in SPECT/CT exams and analyze how to optimize the protocol to reduce effective dose to the patients.

A thermometry software tool for monitoring laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to develop a thermometry software tool for temperature monitoring during laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT). C++ programming language and several libraries including DICOM Toolkit, Grassroots DICOM library, Insight Segmentation and Registration Toolkit, Visualization Toolkit and Quasar Toolkit were used. The software's graphical user interface creates windows displaying the temperature map and the coagulation extent in the tissue, determined by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) thermometry with the echo planar imaging sequence and a numerical simulation based on the radiation and heat transfer in biological tissues, respectively. The software was evaluated applying the MRI-guided LITT to ex vivo pig liver and simultaneously measuring the temperature through a fiber-optic thermometer as reference. Using the software, the temperature distribution determined by the MRI method was compared with the coagulation extent simulation. An agreement was shown between the MRI temperature map and the simulated coagulation extent. Furthermore, the MRI-based and simulated temperatures agreed with the measured one - a correlation coefficient of 0.9993 and 0.9996 was obtained, respectively. The precision of the MRI temperature amounted to 2.4°C. In conclusion, the software tool developed in the present study can be applied for monitoring and controlling the LITT procedure in ex vivo tissues.

A BPMN Based Notation for the Representation of Workflows in Hospital Protocols.

Flowcharts used for hospital protocols have a series of ambiguities and limitations in order to express some types of information. In this article, a notation proposal for flowcharts that partially avoids these problems is presented. This new notation is an adaptation of BPMNE2, an extension of the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), which allows direct modelling of procedures that follow the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) model. The new notation has been validated in the hospital context, specifically in the field of hazardous drugs (HDs). To measure usability from the perspective of the health staff and auditors, the System Usability Scale (SUS) was used. A total of 47 experts took part in the assessment, resulting in a SUS score of 71, that corresponds to an acceptable level of usability. The feedback provided by these participants allows us to discover benefits and drawbacks of the proposal. Also, it is noteworthy that 76.6% of professionals prefer to migrate to the new notation from the ISO 5807:1985 notation, the most commonly used model. In addition to the direct benefits of this notation from the human point of view, its machine-understandable nature provides the required support for its integration into software tools for intelligent monitoring and auditing.

Using artificial neural network-self-organising map for data clustering of marine engine condition monitoring applications

ABSTRACTCondition monitoring is the process of monitoring parameters expressing machinery condition, interpreting them for the identification of change which could indicate developing faults. Data processing is important in a ship condition monitoring software tool, as misinterpretation of data can significantly affect the accuracy and performance of the predictions made. Data for key performance parameters for a PANAMAX container ship main engine cylinder are clustered using a two-stage approach. Initially, the data is clustered using the artificial neural network (ANN)-self-organising map (SOM) and then the clusters are interclustered using the Euclidean distance metric into groups. The case study results demonstrate the capability of the SOM to monitor the main engine condition by identifying clusters containing data which are diverse compared to data representing normal engine operating conditions. The results obtained can be further expanded for application in diagnostic purposes, identifying faults, their causes and effects to the ship main engine.

A Platform with Multiple Head-Mounted Displays for Advanced Training in Modern Driving Schools

Automotive manufacturers and suppliers develop new vehicle systems, such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), to increase traffic safety and driving comfort. ADAS are technologies that provide drivers with essential information or take over demanding driving tasks. More complex and intelligent vehicle systems are being developed toward fully autonomous and cooperative driving. Apart from the technical development challenges, training of drivers with these complex vehicle systems represents an important concern for automotive manufacturers. This paper highlights the new evolving requirements concerning the training of drivers with future complex vehicle systems. In accordance with these requirements, a new training concept is introduced, and a prototype of a training platform is implemented for utilization in future driving schools. The developed training platform has a scalable and modular architecture so that more than one driving simulator can be networked to a common driving instructor unit. The participating driving simulators provide fully immersive visualization to the drivers by utilizing head-mounted displays instead of conventional display screens and projectors. The driving instructor unit consists of a computer with a developed software tool for training session control, monitoring, and evaluation. Moreover, the driving instructor can use a head-mounted display to participate interactively within the same virtual environment of any selected driver. A simulation model of an autonomous driving system was implemented and integrated in the participating driving simulators. Using this simulation model, training sessions were conducted with the help of a group of test drivers and professional driving instructors to prove the validity of the developed concept and show the usability of the implemented training platform.