Acute Stroke Imaging: Recent Updates

Acute ischemic stroke imaging is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Neuroimaging plays a crucial role in early diagnosis and yields essential information regarding tissue integrity, a factor that remains a key therapeutic determinant. Given the widespread public health implications of stroke and central role of neuroimaging in overall management, acute stroke imaging remains a heavily debated, extensively researched, and rapidly evolving subject. There has been recent debate in the scientific community due to divided opinions on the use of CT perfusion and access-related limitations of MRI. In this paper we review and summarize recent updates relevant to acute stroke imaging and propose an imaging paradigm based on the recently available evidence

Smart Automation System and Control Using Raspberry PI and ESP 8266

Automation is a technique or system of controlling a processor by electronic devices with reducing human involvement to a minimum. This paper presents a design of monitoring andcontrolling home automation system from an android application based on Raspeberry Pi. A system uses Wi-Fi technology as a communication protocol to connect system components. A home automation system consist of two main components; the first part is android application that can give orders to units that one wishes to control by locally or remotely and the second part is RaspberryPi that has an appropriate interface to sensors and appliances of a home automation system and communicates with android application through wireless technology . The home automation system can have a vital role in reducing the total energy consumed by home appliances

Thyroid abnormality in abnormal uterine bleeding: an observational study from Medical College in Western UP, India

Background: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) is one of the commonest gynecological complain in reproductive age group. Menstrual abnormalities are commonly seen when there is any alteration in thyroid function. Objective of present study was to investigate the prevalence of AUB and to determine the menstrual pattern in cases with thyroid dysfunction.Methods: The present cross sectional observational study was conducted Teerthankar Mahaveer Medical College and Research Center Moradabad. Total 400 cases presenting with AUB were included in the study. Routine blood test, ultrasonography and thyroid function tests were done in these cases.Results: Among all the cases presenting with menstrual abnormalities 26% had hypothyroidism and 9% have hyperthyroidism and rest had euthyroid status. Menorrhagia (45.2%) and polymenorrhoea (37.5%) were commonest menstrual abnormality seen in cases with hypothyroidism. Most cases with hyperthyroidism presented with hypomenorrhoea (27.8%).Conclusions: Thyroid function abnormality is common in cases presenting with AUB and it gets relieved in correcting hormonal imbalance

NS-HGlio: A generalizable and repeatable HGG segmentation and volumetric measurement AI algorithm for the longitudinal MRI assessment to inform RANO in trials and clinics.

BACKGROUND Accurate and repeatable measurement of high-grade glioma (HGG) enhancing (Enh.) and T2/FLAIR hyperintensity/edema (Ed.) is required for monitoring treatment response. 3D measurements can be used to inform the modified Response Assessment in Neuro-oncology criteria. We aim to develop an HGG volumetric measurement and visualization AI algorithm that is generalizable and repeatable. METHODS A single 3D-Convoluted Neural Network, NS-HGlio, to analyze HGG on MRIs using 5-fold cross validation was developed using retrospective (557 MRIs), multicentre (38 sites) and multivendor (32 scanners) dataset divided into training (70%), validation (20%), and testing (10%). Six neuroradiologists created the ground truth (GT). Additional Internal validation (IV, three institutions) using 70 MRIs, and External validation (EV, single institution) using 40 MRIs through measuring the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of Enh., Ed. ,and Enh. + Ed. (WholeLesion/WL) tumor tissue and repeatability testing on 14 subjects from the TCIA MGH-QIN-GBM dataset using volume correlations between timepoints were performed. RESULTS IV Preoperative median DSC Enh. 0.89 (SD 0.11), Ed. 0.88 (0.28), WL 0.88 (0.11). EV Preoperative median DSC Enh. 0.82 (0.09), Ed. 0.83 (0.11), WL 0.86 (0.06). IV Postoperative median DSC Enh. 0.77 (SD 0.20), Ed 0.78. (SD 0.09), WL 0.78 (SD 0.11). EV Postoperative median DSC Enh. 0.75 (0.21), Ed 0.74 (0.12), WL 0.79 (0.07). Repeatability testing; Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.95 Enh. and 0.92 Ed. CONCLUSION NS-HGlio is accurate, repeatable, and generalizable. The output can be used for visualization, documentation, treatment response monitoring, radiation planning, intra-operative targeting, and estimation of Residual Tumor Volume among others

NS-HGlio: A generalizable and repeatable HGG segmentation and volumetric measurement AI algorithm for the longitudinal MRI assessment to inform RANO in trials and clinics

BACKGROUND Accurate and repeatable measurement of high-grade glioma (HGG) enhancing (Enh.) and T2/FLAIR hyperintensity/edema (Ed.) is required for monitoring treatment response. 3D measurements can be used to inform the modified Response Assessment in Neuro-oncology criteria. We aim to develop an HGG volumetric measurement and visualization AI algorithm that is generalizable and repeatable. METHODS A single 3D-Convoluted Neural Network, NS-HGlio, to analyze HGG on MRIs using 5-fold cross validation was developed using retrospective (557 MRIs), multicentre (38 sites) and multivendor (32 scanners) dataset divided into training (70%), validation (20%), and testing (10%). Six neuroradiologists created the ground truth (GT). Additional Internal validation (IV, three institutions) using 70 MRIs, and External validation (EV, single institution) using 40 MRIs through measuring the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of Enh., Ed. ,and Enh. + Ed. (WholeLesion/WL) tumor tissue and repeatability testing on 14 subjects from the TCIA MGH-QIN-GBM dataset using volume correlations between timepoints were performed. RESULTS IV Preoperative median DSC Enh. 0.89 (SD 0.11), Ed. 0.88 (0.28), WL 0.88 (0.11). EV Preoperative median DSC Enh. 0.82 (0.09), Ed. 0.83 (0.11), WL 0.86 (0.06). IV Postoperative median DSC Enh. 0.77 (SD 0.20), Ed 0.78. (SD 0.09), WL 0.78 (SD 0.11). EV Postoperative median DSC Enh. 0.75 (0.21), Ed 0.74 (0.12), WL 0.79 (0.07). Repeatability testing; Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.95 Enh. and 0.92 Ed. CONCLUSION NS-HGlio is accurate, repeatable, and generalizable. The output can be used for visualization, documentation, treatment response monitoring, radiation planning, intra-operative targeting, and estimation of Residual Tumor Volume among others

Emotion regulation difficulties in alexithymia and mental health

Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty in identifying and describing feelings and a deficit in the cognitive modulation of emotions, has been linked with health related problems. Indirect empirical evidences suggest the possibility that alexithymia may potentially also relate with emotion regulation difficulties. However, the exact nature of the relationship between the two constructs has not been fully explored. The relationship between the two constructs may reflect the overlap of the content domains or dependence of one (e.g., emotion regulation difficulties) on the other (e.g., alexithymia). Given the link between the two constructs, it is also likely that alexithymics’ health related difficulties may result from their impaired ability to regulate emotions. The present study tested the above theoretical propositions on 27 alexithymic and 26 non-alexithymic participants who were assessed on self-report measures of emotion regulation difficulties and general mental health. The findings revealed that compared to non-alexithymics, the alexithymics showed greater emotion regulation difficulties and such affective difficulties differentiated the two groups with a very high accuracy. Further, the observation of two orthogonal components (emotion regulation difficulties and alexithymia) with a minimum overlap suggests that these constructs represent two independent domains of behavior. Findings also revealed that alexithymics reported more health related problems as compared to non-alexithymics and the health problems of alexithymics are likely to be an outcome of their emotion regulation difficulties (indicated by a non-significant health difference after controlling for emotion regulation difficulties). The findings imply that alexithymia is associated with emotion regulation difficulties and such difficulties largely contribute to health related problems

Individual differences in hemispheric preference and emotion regulation difficulties

Background: Hemisphericity or individual difference in the preference to use the left or the right hemispheric mode of information processing has been associated with various emotion-related differences. For example, the right hemisphericity has been linked with inhibition of emotional expression, feeling of tension, greater impulsivity etc. These observations suggest that right hemisphericity may be associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions. However, direct empirical tests of such theoretical proposition are very thin. Aim: In view of this, the present study aims to investigate how and to what extent individual difference in hemispheric preference relate to emotion regulation. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two right-handed male subjects in the age range 18 to 20 years were assessed on self-report measures of hemispheric preference and emotion regulation difficulties. The correlation between dimensions of hemispheric preference and difficulties in regulating emotions was computed. A series of stepwise multiple regression analyses were also done to explore the relative significance of various dimensions of hemispheric preference in predicting emotion regulation difficulties. Results: The findings revealed that in general a preference for the right hemispheric mode of information processing was associated with greater emotion regulation difficulties. The correlation analysis indicated that while impulse control difficulties and difficulties in engaging goal directed behavior was associated with preference for almost all the right hemispheric mode of information processing, the nonacceptance of emotional responses and limited access to emotion regulation was related to preference for only global/synthetic (a right hemispheric) mode of information processing. Similarly, the lack of emotional clarity facet of emotion regulation difficulties correlated significantly with a preference for the emotional mode of information processing (again a right hemispheric mode). The results of stepwise multiple regression analyses, however, indicated that "nonacceptance of emotional responses′ and ′limited access to emotion regulation strategies" facets of emotion regulation difficulties were best predicted by a preference for the global/synthetic mode of information processing. While others like difficulties engaging in goal-directed behaviour, impulse control difficulties, and lack of emotional clarity were best predicted by a preference for visuo-spatial rather than the verbal mode of information processing. Conclusion: Overall, the findings imply that greater preference for right hemispheric mode of information processing as compared to the left is associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions

Thyroid abnormality in abnormal uterine bleeding: an observational study from Medical College in Eastern UP, India

Background: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) is one of the commonest gynecological complain in reproductive age group. Menstrual abnormalities are commonly seen when there is any alteration in thyroid function. Objective of present study was to investigate the prevalence of AUB and to determine the menstrual pattern in cases with thyroid dysfunction.Methods: The present cross sectional observational study was conducted Teerthankar Mahaveer Medical College and Research Center Moradabad. Total 400 cases presenting with AUB were included in the study. Routine blood test, ultrasonography and thyroid function tests were done in these cases.Results: Among all the cases presenting with menstrual abnormalities 26% had hypothyroidism and 9% have hyperthyroidism and rest had euthyroid status. Menorrhagia (45.2%) and polymenorrhoea (37.5%) were commonest menstrual abnormality seen in cases with hypothyroidism. Most cases with hyperthyroidism presented with hypomenorrhoea (27.8%).Conclusions: Thyroid function abnormality is common in cases presenting with AUB and it gets relieved in correcting hormonal imbalance