Eye movements and brain oscillations to symbolic safety signs with different comprehensibility

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate eye movements and brain oscillations to symbolic safety signs with different comprehensibility. Methods: Forty-two young adults participated in this study, and ten traffic symbols consisting of easy-to-comprehend and hard-to-comprehend signs were used as stimuli. During the sign comprehension test, real-time eye movements and spontaneous brain activity [electroencephalogram (EEG) data] were simultaneously recorded. Results: The comprehensibility level of symbolic traffic signs significantly affects eye movements and EEG spectral power. The harder to comprehend the sign is, the slower the blink rate, the larger the pupil diameter, and the longer the time to first fixation. Noticeable differences on EEG spectral power between easy-to-comprehend and hard-to-comprehend signs are observed in the prefrontal and visual cortex of the human brain. Conclusions: Sign comprehensibility has significant effects on real-time nonintrusive eye movements and brain oscillations. These findings demonstrate the potential to integrate physiological measures from eye movements and brain oscillations with existing evaluation methods in assessing the comprehensibility of symbolic safety signs.open

A machine learning approach to predict perceptual decisions: an insight into face pareidolia

The perception of an external stimulus not only depends upon the characteristics of the stimulus but is also influenced by the ongoing brain activity prior to its presentation. In this work, we directly tested whether spontaneous electrical brain activities in prestimulus period could predict perceptual outcome in face pareidolia (visualizing face in noise images) on a trial-by-trial basis. Participants were presented with only noise images but with the prior information that some faces would be hidden in these images, while their electrical brain activities were recorded; participants reported their perceptual decision, face or no-face, on each trial. Using differential hemispheric asymmetry features based on large-scale neural oscillations in a machine learning classifier, we demonstrated that prestimulus brain activities could achieve a classification accuracy, discriminating face from no-face perception, of 75% across trials. The time–frequency features representing hemispheric asymmetry yielded the best classification performance, and prestimulus alpha oscillations were found to be mostly involved in predicting perceptual decision. These findings suggest a mechanism of how prior expectations in the prestimulus period may affect post-stimulus decision making

Combined spinal epidural anaesthesia for elective caesarean section in a patient with liver transplantion

European Anaesthesiology Congress (Euroanaesthesia) -- MAY 31-JUN 03, 2014 -- Stockholm, SWEDENWOS: 000209832000503European Soc Anaesthesio

Role of 3D power Doppler sonography in early prenatal diagnosis of Galen vein aneurysm [3D power Doppler sonografinin Galen ven anevrizmasi{dotless}ni{dotless}n erken prenatal tani{dotless}si{dotless}ndaki rolü]

Vein of Galen aneurysm malformation (VGAM) is a rare congenital vascular anomaly. Although the cause of VGAM remains to be elucidated, the current hypothesis is persistence of the embryonic vascular supply, which leads to progressive enlargement and formation of the aneurysmal component of a typical VGAM. Here, we present a 36-year-old woman at 23 weeks' gestation (gravida 3, para 2) who was evaluated using 3D power Doppler sonography for the prenatal diagnosis of a vein of Galen aneurysm. Investigation using 3D power Doppler sonography allowed for a non-invasive yet diffuse and detailed prenatal assessment of VGAM. Thus, we suggest that prenatal sonography with 3D power Doppler may be an option in cases of VGAM. © 2013 by the Turkish-German Gynecological Education and Research Foundation

Transperitoneal laparoscopic lymph node dissection on an experimental sheep model [Deneysel cerrahi koyun modelinde laparoskopik transperitoneal pelvik lenf bezi diseksiyonu]

Objective: To perform laparoscopy and laparoscopic transperitoneal lymph node dissection by creating an experimental sheep model. And also, to examine the laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection by measuring the operation duration and number of dissected lymph nodes. Material and Methods: The study was performed in the operating room of Experimental Surgery Department of Ege University. The main procedure was pelvic lymphadenectomy. Right pelvic lymph nodes were dissected by an experienced operator. Left pelvic lymph nodes were dissected by a resident who does not have any experience on lymph node dissection. Operation durations and the number of dissected lymph nodes were noted. Results: Duration to complete the dissection of pelvic lymph nodes on right side by the operator were 40, 45, 40, 30, 30, and 20 minutes for the first six sheep respectively . Sheep number seven were lost because of the intra-peritoneal anesthesia complication. And also duration to complete the dissection of pelvic lymph nodes on left side by the resident were 60 minutes for the sheep number one, and 30, 30 and 20 minutes for the sheep number three, four and five, respectively, and 30 minutes for sheep number seven. There was a pelvic venous damage at the time of dissection on sheep number two and were corrected by laparotomy. Sheep number six were also lost after the complication of anesthesia. Number of lymph nodes on right side which were dissected by the operator was 0, 3, 3, 3, 4 and 4 for the first six sheep respectively. Lymph node dissection were not performed at sheep number seven because of the complication of anesthesia. No lymph nodes could have been dissected from sheep number one and three. Number of lymph nodes on left side which were dissected by the resident was 3, 3 and 4 at sheep four, five and seven, respectively. Lymph node dissection were not performed at sheep number two and six because of the complications. Conclusion: Laparoscopic procedure durations of the experienced and inexperienced surgeons decreased with elevating procedure number, whereas the number of dissected lymph nodes increased. Experimental sheep model seems to be a useful in laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy education and can reduce the complication rate of laparoscopy on human. Copyright © 2011 by Türkiye Klinikleri

Prenatal diagnosis of Cantrell pentalogy in first trimester screening: Case report and review of literature [Birinci trimester anöploidi taramasi{dotless}nda Cantrell pentalojisinin erken tani{dotless}si{dotless}: Olgu sunumu ve literatür taramasi{dotless}]

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a heterogeneous and rare thoraco-abdominal wall closure defect with the estimated prevalence of 1/65.000 to 1/200.000 births. Supraumbilical midline wall defect (generally omphalocele), deficiency of the anterior diaphragm and diaphragmatic peritoneum, defect of the lower sternum and several intracardiac defects are the components of Cantrell pentalogy. Etiology is unknown but a defect on the lateral mesoderm during the early stage of pregnancy is the most accepted hypothesis. Nowadays both 2- dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) sonography are commonly used in diagnosis. In our case, a fetus with 11 weeks of gestation was reported as Cantrell pentalogy during first trimester screening. Additionally, unilateral limb defect and lumbar lordoscoliosis were detected through 3D sonography. Pregnancy was terminated according to parental desire. Karyotype was 46 XY. Early diagnosis is feasible in the first trimester if ectopia cordis and omphalocele exist. Additionally, development in ultrasound technology provides us with better visualization and early diagnosis. Prognosis seems to be poor in patients with complete Cantrell syndrome and patients with associated anomalies. Termination is the choice of treatment. Early diagnosis gives us a chance to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality related to termination. © 2011 by the Turkish-German Gynecological Education and Research Foundation