A comparative analysis of machine learning methods for classification type decision problems in healthcare

Advanced analytical techniques are gaining popularity in addressing complex classification type decision problems in many fields including healthcare and medicine. In this exemplary study, using digitized signal data, we developed predictive models employing three machine learning methods to diagnose an asthma patient based solely on the sounds acquired from the chest of the patient in a clinical laboratory. Although, the performances varied slightly, ensemble models (i.e., Random Forest and AdaBoost combined with Random Forest) achieved about 90% accuracy on predicting asthma patients, compared to artificial neural networks models that achieved about 80% predictive accuracy. Our results show that non-invasive, computerized lung sound analysis that rely on low-cost microphones and an embedded real-time microprocessor system would help physicians to make faster and better diagnostic decisions, especially in situations where x-ray and CT-scans are not reachable or not available. This study is a testament to the improving capabilities of analytic techniques in support of better decision making, especially in situations constraint by limited resources

Role of carotid body for neuronal protection in experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage

Objective: Carotid bodies are known as main arterialchemoregulatory units. Despite well known that carotidbodies have an important role in cerebral circulation andblood pH regulation, their roles has not been investigatedin subarachnoid haemorrhage. We investigated whetherthere is neuroprotective effect of neuron density of carotidbodies on the brain in subarachnoid haemorrhage.Methods: Twenty hybrid rabbits were studied. Four ofthem were used as reference group (n=4) and the remainingwas obliged to subarachnoid haemorrhage by injectingautologous blood into their cisterna magna (n=16)and sacrificed after one month. All carotid bodies andbrains examined histopathologically using by stereologicmethods. The relationship between the neuronal densityof carotid body and degenerated neuron density of thehippocampus were compared statistically.Results: Five rabbits with subarachnoid haemorrhagedead during the follow-up time (n=5). The average neuronaldensity of carotid body was 4500±500 cells/mm3and of hippocampus 170.000±17.000 cell/mm3 in normalrabbit family. The degenerated neuron density ofthe hippocampus was 20.000±3.000 cells/mm3 in rabbitswith have high neuron density of carotid body and was65.000±8.000 cells/mm3 in rabbits with low neuron densityof carotid body. The differences between the neuronaldensity of carotid body and the degenerated neuron numbersof the hippocampus were significant.Conclusion: The neuron density of carotid body mayplay an important role on the protection of brain in subarachnoidhaemorrhage.Key words: Subarachnoid haemorrhage, carotid body,hippocampus, neurodegeneration, cerebral ischemi

Vascular mechanism of axonal degeneration in peripheral nerves in hemiplegic sides after cerebral hemorrhage: An experimental study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Though retrograde neuronal death and vascular insufficiency have been well established in plegics following intracerebral hemorrhage, the effects of plegia on arterial nervorums of peripheral nerves have not been reported. In this study, the histopathological effects of the intracerebral hemorrhage on the dorsal root ganglions and sciatic nerves via affecting the arterial nervorums were investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was conducted on 13 male hybrid rabbits. Three animals were taken as control group and did not undergo surgery. The remaining 10 subjects were anesthetized and were injected with 0.50 ml of autologous blood into their right sensory-motor region. All rabbits were followed-up for two months and then sacrificed. Endothelial cell numbers and volume values were estimated a three dimensionally created standardized arterial nervorums model of lumbar 3. Neuron numbers of dorsal root ganglions, and axon numbers in the lumbar 3 nerve root and volume values of arterial nervorums were examined histopathologically. The results were analyzed by using a Mann-Whitney-U test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Left hemiplegia developed in 8 animals. On the hemiplegic side, degenerative vascular changes and volume reduction in the arterial nervorums of the sciatic nerves, neuronal injury in the dorsal root ganglions, and axonal injury in the lumbar 3 were detected. Statistical analyses showed a significant correlation between the normal or nonplegic sides and plegic sides in terms of the neurodegeneration in the dorsal root ganglions (p < 0.005), axonal degeneration in the lumbar 3 nerve roots (p < 0.005), endothelial cell degeneration in the arterial nervorums (p < 0.001), and volume reduction in the arterial nervorums (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Intracerebral hemorrhage resulted in neurodegeneration in the dorsal root ganglion and axonolysis in the sciatic nerves, endothelial injury, and volume reduction of the arterial nervorums in the sciatic nerves. The interruption of the neural network connection in the walls of the arterial nervorums in the sciatic nerves may be responsible for circulation disorders of the arterial nervorums, and arterial nervorums degeneration could result in sciatic nerves injury.</p

Identification of recent tuberculosis exposure using QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, a multicenter study.

We investigated whether the difference of antigen tube 2 (TB2) minus antigen tube 1 (TB1) (TB22TB1) of the QuantiFERON-TB gold plus test, which has been postulated as a surrogate for the CD81 T-cell response, could be useful in identifying recent tuberculosis (TB) exposure. We looked at the interferon gamma (IFN-g) responses and differences in TB2 and TB1 tubes for 686 adults with QFT-plus positive test results. These results were compared among groups with high (368 TB contacts), low (229 patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases [IMID]), and indeterminate (89 asylum seekers or people from abroad [ASPFA]) risks of recent TB exposure. A TB22TB1 value .0.6 IU ml21 was deemed to indicate a true difference between tubes. In the whole cohort, 13.6%, 10.9%, and 11.2% of cases had a TB2.TB1 result in the contact, IMID, and ASPFA groups, respectively (P = 0.591). The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for an association between a TB22TB1 result of .0.6 IU ml21 and risk of recent exposure versus contacts were 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31 to 1.61) for the IMID group and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.49 to 1.52) for the ASPFA group. In TB contact subgroups, 11.4%, 5.4%, and 17.7% with close, frequent, and sporadic contact had a TB2.TB1 result (P = 0.362). The aORs versus the close subgroup were 1.29 (95% CI, 0.63 to 2.62) for the frequent subgroup and 1.55 (95% CI, 0.67 to 3.60) for the sporadic subgroup. A TB22TB1 difference of .0.6 IU ml21 was not associated with increased risk of recent TB exposure, which puts into question the clinical potential as a proxy marker for recently acquired TB infection

Qualité de vie des immigrés turcs en Suède: étude d’évaluation des propriétés métriques de l’instrument 100 de la qualité de vie de l’OMS

Many instruments have been developed to measure the multidimensional construct of quality of life. One of them has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-100) and adapted into different languages and cultures around the world. The authors of this study wanted to assess the measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100, to find out the latent factors underlying quality of life, and to determine the direction and magnitude of the interdependent effects among these factors by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100 scale were assessed on 520 voluntary participants who were immigrants in Stockholm/Sweden. SEM gave us one second-order factor QOL and the five correlated first-order factors labelled: physical, social relations, psychological, environment and independence. In the model for total participants, all the factor loadings were high (ranging from 0.60 to 0.92 except for “sexuality” which was 0.47), indicating a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. In the models which were separately constructed regarding birthplace, the authors found a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. The most substantial possible effect on QOL was psychological domain (0.93), which was larger than physical health (0.84), social relations (0.82), level of independence (0.91) and environment (0.73). The effect of psychological domain on the overall quality of life is greater than those of other domains.Za mjerenje višedimenzionalnoga konstrukta kvalitete života razvijeni su mnogi instrumenti. Jedan od njih, WHOQOL-100, razvila je Svjetska zdravstvena organizacija te ga prilagodila raznim jezicima i kulturama širom svijeta. U ovom radu autori su željeli provjeriti metrijske karakteristike turske verzije WHOQOL-100 te odrediti latentne faktore koji se nalaze u podlozi kvalitete života, smjer i veličinu međusobno ovisnih učinaka tih faktora metodom modeliranja strukturalnih jednadžbi (SEM). Metrijske karakteristike turske verzije upitnika WHOQOL-100 procijenjene su na uzorku od 520 dobrovoljnih sudionika – imigranata u Stockholmu u Švedskoj. Rezultati SEM-a upućivali su na postojanje jednog faktora drugog reda, koji je interpretiran kao QOL, i pet međusobno povezanih faktora drugog reda označenih kao: tjelesni, društveni odnosi, psihološki, okolina i neovisnost. U modelu formiranom na ukupnom uzorku sva faktorska opterećenja bila su visoka (od 0,60 do 0,92, osim za »seksualnost«, 0,47) upućujući na visoku povezanost pojedinih latentnih faktora i njima pripadajućih čestica. U modelima konstruiranim na poduzorcima prema mjestu rođenja, dobivena je visoka povezanost između pojedinih latentnih faktora i njima pripadajućih čestica. Najveći učinak na QOL imala su moguća djelovanja psihološke domene (0,93), veći od učinka tjelesnog zdravlja (0,84), društvenih odnosa (0,82), stupnja neovisnosti (0,91) i okoline (0,73). Učinak psihološke domene na ukupnu kvalitetu života veći je od učinaka u drugim domenama.De nombreux instruments ont été développés afin de mesurer le construit multidimensionnel de la qualité de vie (QDV), dont l’un a été mis au point par l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), le WHOQOL-100, et adapté à une diversité de langues et de cultures à travers le monde. Les auteurs de l’étude ont eu pour ambition d’évaluer les propriétés métriques de la version turque de l’instrument précité dans le but de découvrir les facteurs latents sous-jacents à la qualité de vie et de déterminer la direction et l’ampleur des effets interdépendants parmi ces facteurs par l’application du modèle d’équations structurelles (MES). L’étude a été réalisée sur un échantillon de 520 volontaires, tous immigrés à Stockholm en Suède. Le MES a abouti à l’existence d’un facteur de second ordre de la qualité de vie ainsi que de cinq facteurs de premier ordre en corrélation, les domaines : physique, relations sociales, psychologique, environnement et indépendance. Le modèle appliqué à l’ensemble des participants a révélé des scores élevés de facteurs (variant entre 0,60 et 0,92 à l’exception de la « sexualité » de l’ordre de 0,47), révélateurs d’une forte corrélation entre chacun des facteurs latents et leurs items respectifs. Dans les modèles élaborés séparément en fonction du lieu de naissance, les auteurs ont conclu à une forte corrélation entre chaque facteur latent et ses items respectifs. Les effets probablement les plus importants sur la qualité de vie étaient ceux émanant du domaine psychologique (0,93), plus élevés que ceux de la santé physique (0,84), des relations sociales (0,82), du degré d’indépendance (0,91) et de l’environnement (0,73). En conclusion, l’effet du domaine psychologique sur la qualité de vie générale a été supérieur à celui des autres domaines

Quality of Life among Turkish Immigrants in Sweden: a Study for Assessing the Measurement Properties of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life 100 Instrument

Many instruments have been developed to measure the multidimensional construct of quality of life. One of them has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-100) and adapted into different languages and cultures around the world. The authors of this study wanted to assess the measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100, to find out the latent factors underlying quality of life, and to determine the direction and magnitude of the interdependent effects among these factors by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100 scale were assessed on 520 voluntary participants who were immigrants in Stockholm/Sweden. SEM gave us one second-order factor QOL and the five correlated first-order factors labelled: physical, social relations, psychological, environment and independence. In the model for total participants, all the factor loadings were high (ranging from 0.60 to 0.92 except for “sexuality” which was 0.47), indicating a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. In the models which were separately constructed regarding birthplace, the authors found a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. The most substantial possible effect on QOL was psychological domain (0.93), which was larger than physical health (0.84), social relations (0.82), level of independence (0.91) and environment (0.73). The effect of psychological domain on the overall quality of life is greater than those of other domains

Qualité de vie des immigrés turcs en Suède: étude d’évaluation des propriétés métriques de l’instrument 100 de la qualité de vie de l’OMS

Many instruments have been developed to measure the multidimensional construct of quality of life. One of them has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-100) and adapted into different languages and cultures around the world. The authors of this study wanted to assess the measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100, to find out the latent factors underlying quality of life, and to determine the direction and magnitude of the interdependent effects among these factors by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The measurement properties of the Turkish version of WHOQOL-100 scale were assessed on 520 voluntary participants who were immigrants in Stockholm/Sweden. SEM gave us one second-order factor QOL and the five correlated first-order factors labelled: physical, social relations, psychological, environment and independence. In the model for total participants, all the factor loadings were high (ranging from 0.60 to 0.92 except for “sexuality” which was 0.47), indicating a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. In the models which were separately constructed regarding birthplace, the authors found a strong association between each of the latent factors and their respective items. The most substantial possible effect on QOL was psychological domain (0.93), which was larger than physical health (0.84), social relations (0.82), level of independence (0.91) and environment (0.73). The effect of psychological domain on the overall quality of life is greater than those of other domains.Za mjerenje višedimenzionalnoga konstrukta kvalitete života razvijeni su mnogi instrumenti. Jedan od njih, WHOQOL-100, razvila je Svjetska zdravstvena organizacija te ga prilagodila raznim jezicima i kulturama širom svijeta. U ovom radu autori su željeli provjeriti metrijske karakteristike turske verzije WHOQOL-100 te odrediti latentne faktore koji se nalaze u podlozi kvalitete života, smjer i veličinu međusobno ovisnih učinaka tih faktora metodom modeliranja strukturalnih jednadžbi (SEM). Metrijske karakteristike turske verzije upitnika WHOQOL-100 procijenjene su na uzorku od 520 dobrovoljnih sudionika – imigranata u Stockholmu u Švedskoj. Rezultati SEM-a upućivali su na postojanje jednog faktora drugog reda, koji je interpretiran kao QOL, i pet međusobno povezanih faktora drugog reda označenih kao: tjelesni, društveni odnosi, psihološki, okolina i neovisnost. U modelu formiranom na ukupnom uzorku sva faktorska opterećenja bila su visoka (od 0,60 do 0,92, osim za »seksualnost«, 0,47) upućujući na visoku povezanost pojedinih latentnih faktora i njima pripadajućih čestica. U modelima konstruiranim na poduzorcima prema mjestu rođenja, dobivena je visoka povezanost između pojedinih latentnih faktora i njima pripadajućih čestica. Najveći učinak na QOL imala su moguća djelovanja psihološke domene (0,93), veći od učinka tjelesnog zdravlja (0,84), društvenih odnosa (0,82), stupnja neovisnosti (0,91) i okoline (0,73). Učinak psihološke domene na ukupnu kvalitetu života veći je od učinaka u drugim domenama.De nombreux instruments ont été développés afin de mesurer le construit multidimensionnel de la qualité de vie (QDV), dont l’un a été mis au point par l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), le WHOQOL-100, et adapté à une diversité de langues et de cultures à travers le monde. Les auteurs de l’étude ont eu pour ambition d’évaluer les propriétés métriques de la version turque de l’instrument précité dans le but de découvrir les facteurs latents sous-jacents à la qualité de vie et de déterminer la direction et l’ampleur des effets interdépendants parmi ces facteurs par l’application du modèle d’équations structurelles (MES). L’étude a été réalisée sur un échantillon de 520 volontaires, tous immigrés à Stockholm en Suède. Le MES a abouti à l’existence d’un facteur de second ordre de la qualité de vie ainsi que de cinq facteurs de premier ordre en corrélation, les domaines : physique, relations sociales, psychologique, environnement et indépendance. Le modèle appliqué à l’ensemble des participants a révélé des scores élevés de facteurs (variant entre 0,60 et 0,92 à l’exception de la « sexualité » de l’ordre de 0,47), révélateurs d’une forte corrélation entre chacun des facteurs latents et leurs items respectifs. Dans les modèles élaborés séparément en fonction du lieu de naissance, les auteurs ont conclu à une forte corrélation entre chaque facteur latent et ses items respectifs. Les effets probablement les plus importants sur la qualité de vie étaient ceux émanant du domaine psychologique (0,93), plus élevés que ceux de la santé physique (0,84), des relations sociales (0,82), du degré d’indépendance (0,91) et de l’environnement (0,73). En conclusion, l’effet du domaine psychologique sur la qualité de vie générale a été supérieur à celui des autres domaines