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Abstract Consensus of regulatory decisions on the same Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) are critical for stakeholders. In this context, regulatory decision patterns from the Swissmedic (SMC), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) were analyzed for hemato‐oncology products (OP) and non‐oncology products (NOP). We compared 336 SMC regulatory decisions between 2009 and 2018 on new active substances with the EMA and the FDA for OP (n = 77) and NOP (n = 259) regarding approval rates, consensus, and divergent decisions. For OP MAA, we analyzed the underlying reasons for divergent decisions; for consensus decisions, the similarity and strictness of labeling. For OP, the approval rate for the SMC was 88.4%, the EMA 91.3%, and the FDA 95.7%. For NOP, the SMC had an approval rate of 86.2%, the EMA of 93.8%, and the FDA of 88.8%. The consensus decision rate among agencies was 88.4% for OP and 84.4% for NOP. The main clinical driver for divergent decisions for OP was nonrandomized trial design and low patient numbers. Comparing the approved indication wordings, the highest similarity was between the SMC and the EMA, and lowest for the FDA and the EMA. Investigating label strictness, the FDA numerically had the highest but not‐statistically significant number of strict labels. The approval rate stratified by disease area (OP and NOP) differed among the SMC, the EMA, and the FDA. High concordance in regulatory decisions was observed between agencies for OP as well as NOP. Reasons for divergent decisions regarding OP were mainly due to scientific uncertainties. Comparing strictness of indications, numerical but no statistically significant differences were observed between agencies.

Procedurally generated images and textures have been widely explored in evolutionary art. One active research direction in the field is the discovery of suitable heuristics for measuring perceived characteristics of evolved images. This is important in order to help influence the nature of evolved images and thereby evolve more meaningful and pleasing art. In this regard, particular challenges exist for quantifying aspects of style and shape. In an attempt to bridge the divide between computer vision and cognitive perception, we propose the use of measures related to image spatial frequencies. Based on existing research that uses power spectral density of spatial frequencies as an effective metric for image classification and retrieval, we posit that Fourier decomposition can be effective for guiding image evolution. We refine fitness measures based on Fourier analysis and spatial frequency and apply them within a genetic programming environment for image synthesis. We implement fitness strategies using 2D Fourier power spectra and phase, with the goal of evolving images that share spectral properties of supplied target images. Adaptations and extensions of the fitness strategies are considered for their utility in art systems. Experiments were conducted using a variety of greyscale and colour target images, spatial fitness criteria, and procedural texture languages. Results were promising, in that some target images were trivially evolved, while others were more challenging to characterize. We also observed that some evolved images which we found discordant and “uncomfortable” show a previously identified spectral phenomenon. Future research should further investigate this result, as it could extend the use of 2D power spectra in fitness evaluations to promote new aesthetic properties.

Research background. The electronic environment has become an integral part of today’s marketing environment. The transformation of information technology makes it possible to reach the desired customer through various business instruments, regardless of his location. The number of consumers using the Internet to search for goods and services is increasing. As a result, social networks are gaining in importance from both businesses and consumers. There are currently over 800 social networks in the world. Corporate social networking accounts where a variety of news can be posted: from company start-up history to the latest company prototype news, and often for small businesses, and represents the cost of the website. Most authors point out that the scope of e-marketing is wider than online marketing because online marketing refers only to the Internet. Businesses seek to disseminate information about goods through social networks, given their popularity and impact on consumers. Purpose of the article is to construct the theoretical model that would help to determine how the impact of social networks on online marketing of companies can be assessed. Methods: analysis of scientific literature, systematization, generalization. Findings and Value added. Based on the model, proposed by the authors, the elements of Internet marketing are analyzed, as well as research on the importance of social networks in information transfer and communication with the consumer is emphasized and the most commonly used indicators of social networks are singled out.

Regardless of age, it is always important to detect deviations in long-term blood pressure from normal levels. Continuous monitoring of blood pressure throughout the day is even more important for elderly people with cardiovascular diseases or a high risk of stroke. The traditional cuff-based method for blood pressure measurements is not suitable for continuous real-time applications and is very uncomfortable. To address this problem, continuous blood pressure measurement methods based on photoplethysmogram (PPG) have been developed. However, these methods use specialized high-performance hardware and sensors, which are not available for common users. This paper proposes the continuous systolic blood pressure (SBP) estimation method based on PPG pulse wave steepness for low processing power wearable devices and evaluates its suitability using the commercially available CMS50FW Pulse Oximeter. The SBP estimation is done based on the PPG pulse wave steepness (rising edge angle) because it is highly correlated with systolic blood pressure. The SBP estimation based on this single feature allows us to significantly reduce the amount of data processed and avoid errors, due to PPG pulse wave amplitude changes resulting from physiological or external factors. The experimental evaluation shows that the proposed SBP estimation method allows the use of off-the-shelf wearable PPG measurement devices with a low sampling rate (up to 60 Hz) and low resolution (up to 8-bit) for precise SBP measurements (mean difference MD = −0.043 and standard deviation SD = 6.79). In contrast, the known methods for continuous SBP estimation are based on equipment with a much higher sampling rate and better resolution characteristics.

Photoplethysmogram (PPG) is an exceptionally informative diagnostic tool, but the signal registered by wearable devices usually is corrupted, because the probe is affected by the external force and moves with respect to the point of the measurement during the physical activities of the human. This problem is solved usually applying some techniques for the PPG extraction from the corrupted (noisy) signal. The authors of this paper are suggesting the solutions, which prevent corruption of PPG instead of noise filtering or other PPG extraction from corrupted signal techniques. One of such solutions is described in this paper, by proposing special photoplethysmographic signal probe (PPGP). This device emits the amplitude modulated light beam with special code sequence, which like Barker code, can be easily recognized using correlation method. The experimental evaluation of proposed method showed, that even in case of a very high noise level SNR=0dB correlation between reference PPG and photoplethysmogram got using proposed method is remarkable, reaching corr = 0.985, while standard deviation of error is small and equal std(err)=0.33. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]