Unusual perceptions at the end of life: limitations to the diagnosis of hallucinations in palliative medicine

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan Kellehear
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Palliative Medicine ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
Cultural Approach ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Current State ◽  
Deathbed Visions ◽  
Near Death Experiences

The diagnosis of hallucination for unusual perceptions such as deathbed visions, near-death experiences, or visions of the bereaved, is unhelpful in palliative medicine both academically and clinically. This paper reviews the broad prevalence data about unusual perceptions in the general population as background to identifying the more narrow epidemiological source from which the much smaller focus on hallucinations seem to emerge. Major debates and limitations of current hallucination research are reviewed to show that current academic and clinical certainties are largely confined to unusual perceptions that can be readily linked to psychopathology, quite specific organic disease states and psychoactive drug use. Current state-of-the-art in hallucination studies does not warrant broad or uncritical use of this type of diagnosis in end-of-life care. Conclusions from interdisciplinary (as opposed to single discipline) hallucination studies suggest that the way forward for clinical and research work in palliative medicine may lie in a more biographical and cultural approach to unusual perceptions at the end of life.

scholarly journals A PDTB-styled end-to-end discourse parser

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZIHENG LIN ◽  
HWEE TOU NG ◽  
MIN-YEN KAN
Keyword(s):  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Pipeline Architecture ◽  
Multiple Components ◽  
Current State ◽  
Discourse Relations ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
End To End ◽  
Discourse Connectives

AbstractSince the release of the large discourse-level annotation of the Penn Discourse Treebank (PDTB), research work has been carried out on certain subtasks of this annotation, such as disambiguating discourse connectives and classifying Explicit or Implicit relations. We see a need to construct a full parser on top of these subtasks and propose a way to evaluate the parser. In this work, we have designed and developed an end-to-end discourse parser-to-parse free texts in the PDTB style in a fully data-driven approach. The parser consists of multiple components joined in a sequential pipeline architecture, which includes a connective classifier, argument labeler, explicit classifier, non-explicit classifier, and attribution span labeler. Our trained parser first identifies all discourse and non-discourse relations, locates and labels their arguments, and then classifies the sense of the relation between each pair of arguments. For the identified relations, the parser also determines the attribution spans, if any, associated with them. We introduce novel approaches to locate and label arguments, and to identify attribution spans. We also significantly improve on the current state-of-the-art connective classifier. We propose and present a comprehensive evaluation from both component-wise and error-cascading perspectives, in which we illustrate how each component performs in isolation, as well as how the pipeline performs with errors propagated forward. The parser gives an overall system F1 score of 46.80 percent for partial matching utilizing gold standard parses, and 38.18 percent with full automation.

Transitions: Exploring the Frontier

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge B. Corless
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Death Awareness ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Deathbed Visions ◽  
Near Death Experiences

End-of-life experiences go by various terms, including near-death experiences (NDEs), deathbed visions, deathbed phenomena, deathbed coincidences, and nearing death awareness. Deathbed escorts is the term applied to the vision of deceased family members or friends who inform the dying person that they will be accompanied in the transition from life. In this article, I examine the subject of NDEs and deathbed escorts, starting with the rich body of work provided by Robert and Beatrice Kastenbaum. A subject of some interest to Robert Kastenbaum, he explored this frontier in his many writings on dying, death, and bereavement. Ever the pioneer and having made the ultimate transition, he may yet be exploring new frontiers.

On the Current State of Linked Open Data

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 110-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nosheen Fayyaz ◽  
Irfan Ullah ◽  
Shah Khusro
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Web ◽  
Semantic Information ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Linked Open Data ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Current State ◽  
Fast Pace

This article describes how Linked Open Data (LOD), under the umbrella of the Semantic Web, integrates the openly-published semantic information making it easily understandable and consumable by humans and machines. Currently, researchers have applied the principles of LOD in several domains including e-government, media, publications, geography, and life sciences. Besides the fast pace of research, the field is still an emerging one, where researchers face several prominent challenges and issues that need to resolve to exploit LOD to its fullest. In this article, the authors have identified challenges, issues, and research opportunities in the publishing, management, linking, and consumption of LOD. The research work presented here will grab the attention of researchers and may aid to the current state-of-the-art in this area.

Semantic Modelling of Resource Dependability for SLA-Based Service Governance

2012 ◽  
pp. 401-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hall-May ◽  
Ajay Chakravarthy ◽  
Thomas Leonard ◽  
Mike Surridge
Keyword(s):  
Functional Properties ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Semantic Model ◽  
Flexible Approach ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Current State ◽  
Semantic Modelling ◽  
Resource Capacity

In this chapter we present a survey of research work related to the semantic modelling of security, semantic SLA modelling, and the current state of the art in SLA-based system governance. Based on this survey, and after observing the essential aspects needed to semantically model an SLA, we first propose a semantic model of resource dependability. This model can be used to semantically encode in SLA the service commitments (to customers) and resource capacity (from suppliers) in terms of usage, performance, and other QoS characteristics that represent non-functional properties. On the basis of this model, we propose a flexible approach to SLA-based system governance that allows for elastic provisioning of resources (by autonomic processes) that meet NFP requirements. This approach can be used to monitor and manage services such that they meet (and continue to meet) agreed levels of QoS.

scholarly journals Interpreting genetic effects through models of cardiac electromechanics

2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (11) ◽  
pp. H1294-H1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Niederer ◽  
S. Land ◽  
S. W. Omholt ◽  
N. P. Smith
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Sequence Information ◽  
Expression Systems ◽  
Multiscale Models ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Genetic Sequence ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Current State ◽  
Cardiac Electromechanics

Multiscale models of cardiac electromechanics are being increasingly focused on understanding how genetic variation and environment underpin multiple disease states. In this paper we review the current state of the art in both the development of specific models and the physiological insights they have produced. This growing research body includes the development of models for capturing the effects of changes in function in both single and multiple proteins in both specific expression systems and in vivo contexts. Finally, the potential for using this approach for ultimately predicting phenotypes from genetic sequence information is discussed.

scholarly journals A Review of Mechanization and Automation in Malaysia’s Pineapple Production

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badril Abu Bakar ◽  
Siti Noor Aliah Baharom ◽  
Rohazrin Abdul Rani ◽  
Mohd Taufik Ahmad ◽  
Mohd Nizam Zubir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Cyber Physical Systems ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Physical Systems ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Current State ◽  
Manual Labour ◽  
Increase Productivity

This work reviews the current state of the art for pineapple production in Malaysia from the perspective of mechanization and automation. It examines the issues and challenges facing this industry. The review has led us to the conclusion that pineapple production still relies heavily on manual labour. The problems facing this industry is no different than other food crops in that low yield labour and high cost are the primary issues that need to be tackled. Although numerous engineering research work to overcome production issues has been done for crops such as rice and maize, engineering research for pineapples has been scarce. The lack of engineering research literature on this crop presents an opportunity for the scientific community to invest effort in this relatively untapped industry. This work further proposes areas where the use of Industry 4.0 technologies can be exploited in order to increase productivity and reduce input costs. Cyber-physical systems that could address issues in planting, crop maintenance and harvesting are put forth as a possible solution.

Behavioral Genetics: Concepts for Research and Practice in Language Development and Disorders

1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 1126-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Gilger
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Behavioral Genetics ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Behavioral Genetic ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Future Goals ◽  
Current State ◽  
Research Designs

This paper is an introduction to behavioral genetics for researchers and practioners in language development and disorders. The specific aims are to illustrate some essential concepts and to show how behavioral genetic research can be applied to the language sciences. Past genetic research on language-related traits has tended to focus on simple etiology (i.e., the heritability or familiality of language skills). The current state of the art, however, suggests that great promise lies in addressing more complex questions through behavioral genetic paradigms. In terms of future goals it is suggested that: (a) more behavioral genetic work of all types should be done—including replications and expansions of preliminary studies already in print; (b) work should focus on fine-grained, theory-based phenotypes with research designs that can address complex questions in language development; and (c) work in this area should utilize a variety of samples and methods (e.g., twin and family samples, heritability and segregation analyses, linkage and association tests, etc.).

Schizophrenia Research: Current State of the Art

1976 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 497-498
Author(s):  
STANLEY GRAND
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Current State

60. Using a pocket card to improve end-of-life care on clinical teaching units: A controlled trials

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
J. Downar ◽  
J. Mikhael
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Symptom Management ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Palliative Medicine ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Comfort Levels

Although palliative and end-of-life is a critical part of in-hospital medical care, residents often have very little formal education in this field. To determine the efficacy of a symptom management pocket card in improving the comfort level and knowledge of residents in delivering end-of-life care on medical clinical teaching units, we performed a controlled trial involving residents on three clinical teaching units. Residents at each site were given a 5-minute questionnaire at the start and at the end of their medicine ward rotation. Measures of self-reported comfort levels were assessed, as were 5 multiple-choice questions reflecting key knowledge areas in end-of-life care. Residents at all three sites were given didactic teaching sessions covering key concepts in palliative and end-of-life care over the course of their medicine ward rotation. Residents at the intervention site were also given a pocket card with information regarding symptom management in end-of-life care. Over 10 months, 137 residents participated on the three clinical teaching units. Comfort levels improved in both control (p < 0.01) and intervention groups (p < 0.01), but the intervention group was significantly more comfortable than the control group at the end of their rotations (z=2.77, p < 0.01). Knowledge was not significantly improved in the control group (p=0.07), but was significantly improved in the intervention group (p < 0.01). The knowledge difference between the two groups approached but did not reach statistical significance at the end of their rotation. In conclusion, our pocket card is a feasible, economical educational intervention that improves resident comfort level and knowledge in delivering end-of-life care on clinical teaching units. Oneschuk D, Moloughney B, Jones-McLean E, Challis A. The Status of Undergraduate Palliative Medicine Education in Canada: a 2001 Survey. Journal Palliative Care 2004; 20:32. Tiernan E, Kearney M, Lynch AM, Holland N, Pyne P. Effectiveness of a teaching programme in pain and symptom management for junior house officers. Support Care Cancer 2001; 9:606-610. Okon TR, Evans JM, Gomez CF, Blackhall LJ. Palliative Educational Outcome with Implementation of PEACE Tool Integrated Clinical Pathway. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2004; 7:279-295.

Umbral Calculus

10.37236/24 ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Di Bucchianico ◽  
D. Loeb
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Finite Differences ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Umbral Calculus ◽  
Current State ◽  
Logical Foundation ◽  
Complete Bibliography ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Mathematical Literature

We survey the mathematical literature on umbral calculus (otherwise known as the calculus of finite differences) from its roots in the 19th century (and earlier) as a set of “magic rules” for lowering and raising indices, through its rebirth in the 1970’s as Rota’s school set it on a firm logical foundation using operator methods, to the current state of the art with numerous generalizations and applications. The survey itself is complemented by a fairly complete bibliography (over 500 references) which we expect to update regularly.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document