Synthesizing Real-Time Schedulability Tests using Evolutionary Algorithms: A Proof of Concept

AbstractSince December 2019, a novel coronavirus responsible for a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is accountable for a major pandemic situation. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 strain, as a highly transmissible variant has accelerated the world-wide interest in tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants’ occurrence. Similarly, other extremely infectious variants, were described and further others are expected to be discovered due to the long period of time on which the pandemic situation is lasting. All described SARS-CoV-2 variants present several mutations within the gene encoding the Spike protein, involved in host receptor recognition and entry into the cell. Hence, instead of sequencing the whole viral genome for variants’ tracking, herein we propose to focus on the SPIKE region to increase the number of candidate samples to screen at once; an essential aspect to accelerate diagnostics, but also variants’ emergence/progression surveillance. This proof of concept study accomplishes both at once, population-scale diagnostics and variants' tracking. This strategy relies on (1) the use of the portable MinION DNA sequencer; (2) a DNA barcoding and a SPIKE gene-centered variant’s tracking, increasing the number of candidates per assay; and (3) a real-time diagnostics and variant’s tracking monitoring thanks to our software RETIVAD. This strategy represents an optimal solution for addressing the current needs on SARS-CoV-2 progression surveillance, notably due to its affordable implementation, allowing its implantation even in remote places over the world.

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Characterisation of Textile Embedded Electrodes for Use in a Neonatal Smart Mattress Electrocardiography System

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21030999 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 999

Author(s):

Henry Dore ◽

Rodrigo Aviles-Espinosa ◽

Zhenhua Luo ◽

Oana Anton ◽

Heike Rabe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Intensive Care ◽

High Resolution ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽

Real Time ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Delivery Room ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Heart Rate Monitoring

Heart rate monitoring is the predominant quantitative health indicator of a newborn in the delivery room. A rapid and accurate heart rate measurement is vital during the first minutes after birth. Clinical recommendations suggest that electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring should be widely adopted in the neonatal intensive care unit to reduce infant mortality and improve long term health outcomes in births that require intervention. Novel non-contact electrocardiogram sensors can reduce the time from birth to heart rate reading as well as providing unobtrusive and continuous monitoring during intervention. In this work we report the design and development of a solution to provide high resolution, real time electrocardiogram data to the clinicians within the delivery room using non-contact electric potential sensors embedded in a neonatal intensive care unit mattress. A real-time high-resolution electrocardiogram acquisition solution based on a low power embedded system was developed and textile embedded electrodes were fabricated and characterised. Proof of concept tests were carried out on simulated and human cardiac signals, producing electrocardiograms suitable for the calculation of heart rate having an accuracy within ±1 beat per minute using a test ECG signal, ECG recordings from a human volunteer with a correlation coefficient of ~ 87% proved accurate beat to beat morphology reproduction of the waveform without morphological alterations and a time from application to heart rate display below 6 s. This provides evidence that flexible non-contact textile-based electrodes can be embedded in wearable devices for assisting births through heart rate monitoring and serves as a proof of concept for a complete neonate electrocardiogram monitoring system.

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Comparison of Searching Behaviour of Three Evolutionary Algorithms Applied to Water Distribution System Design Optimization

Water ◽

10.3390/w12030695 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 695 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Weiwei Bi ◽

Yihui Xu ◽

Hongyu Wang

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Algorithms ◽

Real Time ◽

Distribution System ◽

Optimization Design ◽

Distribution Systems ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Optimal Solutions ◽

Great Ability ◽

Searching Behaviour ◽

Run Time

Over the past few decades, various evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been applied to the optimization design of water distribution systems (WDSs). An important research area is to compare the performance of these EAs, thereby offering guidance for the selection of the appropriate EAs for practical implementations. Such comparisons are mainly based on the final solution statistics and, hence, are unable to provide knowledge on how different EAs reach the final optimal solutions and why different EAs performed differently in identifying optimal solutions. To this end, this paper aims to compare the real-time searching behaviour of three widely used EAs, which are genetic algorithms (GAs), the differential evolution (DE) algorithm and the ant colony optimization (ACO). These three EAs are applied to five WDS benchmarking case studies with different scales and complexities, and a set of five metrics are used to measure their run-time searching quality and convergence properties. Results show that the run-time metrics can effectively reveal the underlying searching mechanisms associated with each EA, which significantly goes beyond the knowledge from the traditional end-of-run solution statistics. It is observed that the DE is able to identify better solutions if moderate and large computational budgets are allowed due to its great ability in maintaining the balance between the exploration and exploitation. However, if the computational resources are rather limited or the decision has to be made in a very short time (e.g., real-time WDS operation), the GA can be a good choice as it can always identify better solutions than the DE and ACO at the early searching stages. Based on the results, the ACO performs the worst for the five case study considered. The outcome of this study is the offer of guidance for the algorithm selection based on the available computation resources, as well as knowledge into the EA’s underlying searching behaviours.

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Real-time observation, early warning and forecasting phytoplankton blooms by integrating in situ automated online sondes and hybrid evolutionary algorithms

Ecological Informatics ◽

10.1016/j.ecoinf.2014.04.001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 ◽

pp. 44-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Lin Ye ◽

Qinghua Cai ◽

Min Zhang ◽

Lu Tan

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Algorithms ◽

Real Time ◽

Early Warning ◽

Phytoplankton Blooms ◽

Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithms ◽

Time Observation ◽

Real Time Observation

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Four-dimensional modelling of the mitral valve by real-time 3D transoesophageal echocardiography: proof of concept

Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery ◽

10.1093/icvts/ivu357 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 200-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Thilo Noack ◽

Chirojit Mukherjee ◽

Philipp Kiefer ◽

Fabian Emrich ◽

Marcel Vollroth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Real Time ◽

Transoesophageal Echocardiography ◽

Proof Of Concept

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Abstract WP239: Real Time Prospective Measurement of aPTT Predicts Paradoxical Embolism in Cryptogenic Stroke

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.48.suppl_1.wp239 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Bo Song ◽

Wenjun Deng ◽

Lindsay Fisher ◽

I-ying Chou ◽

Max Oyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Protein C ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Protein S ◽

Paradoxical Embolism ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Neurologic Diseases ◽

Coagulation Testing ◽

Coagulation Status

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an important underlying source of cryptogenic stroke (CS) associated with hematologic procoagulability. However, the association of genetically identified hyperocagulability and paradoxical embolism has been difficult to establish due to retrospective analysis and the limited numbers of of known genetically identified hypercoagulable conditions. In this study, we explored the utility of conventional coagulation status in PFO related stroke, as the patients may harbor genetically unidentified hyperocoagulable conditions. Method: Eligible pts were prospectively recruited in accordance with IRB, and underwent conventional coagulation testing (PT/PTT) testing within 12 hours of stroke. All patients underwent full cryptogenic workup such as MRI/MRA, mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (>30 days), cardiac echo, and hypercoagulable testing. Results: We screened 4,831 pts admitted with acute neurologic diseases, and recruited 358 eligible acute ischemic stroke pts. 54 (15.1%) pts had CS and 32 pts had PFO related stroke. While there is no difference between PFO-related CS and PFO-unrelated CS on full hypercaogulable screen (protein S, protein C, FVL, PTGM, ATIII, APLAb, LA, hcy), aPTT was statistically significantly shortened in PFO-related stroke patients (PFO CS vs. non-PFO CS: aPTT 27.2±4.1s vs. 29.9±2.3s). ROC curve indicates early shortened aPTT can predict PFO related stroke (sensitivity 70%, specificity 81.5%, p=0.017) (see Figure). Conclusion: We found real time aPTT to be significantly shortened in patients eventually diagnosed with paradoxical embolism related to PFO. While studies in larger pt cohorts accounting for other potential confounders are underway, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates the importance and utility of early conventional coagulation testing in identifying paradoxical embolism. Pts with shortened aPTT may need additional workup for other underlying hypercoagulable conditions.

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Establishing a mesh communication backbone for disaster management: proof of concept

Proceedings of THE 9TH INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE AND HOMELAND SECURITY SIMULATION WORKSHOP, DHSS 2019 ◽

10.46354/i3m.2019.dhss.002 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chamnan Kumsap ◽

Somsarit Sinnung ◽

Suriyawate Boonthalarath

Keyword(s):

Data Management ◽

Real Time ◽

Disaster Management ◽

Database Management System ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Incident Command ◽

Response Unit ◽

Disaster Data ◽

Military Unit ◽

Quantitative Statistics

"This article addresses the establishment of a mesh communication backbone to facilitate a near real-time and seamless communications channel for disaster data management at its proof of concept stage. A complete function of the data communications is aimed at the input in near real-time of texts, photos, live HD videos of the incident to originate the disaster data management of a military unit responsible for prevention and solving disaster problems and in need of a communication backbone that links data from a Response Unit to an Incident Command Station. The functions of data flow were tested in lab and at fields. Texts encompassing registered name, latitude, longitude, sent time were sent from concurrent 6 responders. Photos and full HD live videos were successfully sent to a laptop Incident Command Station. However, a disaster database management system was needed to store data sent by the Response Unit. Quantitative statistics were suggested for a more substantial proof of concept and subject to further studies."

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Real-Time Fluoroscopic Needle Guidance Software Application for Cisterna Chyli Puncture in Lymphatic Interventions by the use of Tailored Route: Proof of Concept

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00270-021-03013-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alberto Balderi ◽

Enrico Peano ◽

Simone Bongiovanni ◽

Davide Castiglione

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Needle Guidance ◽

Software Application ◽

Cisterna Chyli

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Ecological mechanisms in cognitive science

Theory & Psychology ◽

10.1177/0959354319877686 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 676-696 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sabrina Golonka ◽

Andrew D. Wilson

Keyword(s):

Simple Model ◽

Circadian Rhythms ◽

Cognitive Science ◽

Real Time ◽

Mechanistic Model ◽

Mechanistic Explanation ◽

Perceptual Information ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Time Interaction ◽

Ecological Mechanisms

In 2010, Bechtel and Abrahamsen defined and described what it means to be a dynamic causal mechanistic explanatory model. They discussed the development of a mechanistic explanation of circadian rhythms as an exemplar of the process and challenged cognitive science to follow this example. This article takes on that challenge. A mechanistic model is one that accurately represents the real parts and operations of the mechanism being studied. These real components must be identified by an empirical programme that decomposes the system at the correct scale and localises the components in space and time. Psychological behaviour emerges from the nature of our real-time interaction with our environments—here we show that the correct scale to guide decomposition is picked out by the ecological perceptual information that enables that interaction. As proof of concept, we show that a simple model of coordinated rhythmic movement, grounded in information, is a genuine dynamical mechanistic explanation of many key coordination phenomena.

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