Ensembling Brain Regions for Brain Decoding

In this study, we propose a new method which ensembles the brain regions for brain decoding. The ensemble is generated by clustering the fMRI images recorded during an experimental set-up which measures the cognitive states associated to semantic categories. Initially, voxel clusters are formed by using hierarchical agglomerative clustering with correlation as the similarity metric. Then, for each voxel cluster, a support vector machine (SVM) classifier is trained to estimate the class-posteriori probabilities. Lastly, the class-posteriori probabilities are ensembled by concatenating them under the same feature space, which are then used to train a meta-layer SVM for the final classification of the cognitive states

Cardiac functions in children with growth hormone deficiency: Effects of one year of GH replacement therapy

Introduction: Children with Growth Hormone deficiency (GHD) are prone to heart dysfunction and, if left untreated, will result in marked cardiac dysfunction in adulthood. The aim was to evaluate the effect of GHD and growth hormone (GH) therapy on cardiac structure in children and adolescents, and to investigate the role of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in this. Methods: M-mode, pulse-wave Doppler echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed in 49 children with GHD who were divided into those with a peak GH response 0.05). Using TDI in both two patients group revealed increased E/A, prolonged isovolumic relaxation time, shortened ejection time, and a significant increase in myocardial performance index compared to controls (p < 0.001). Significant improvement was observed in these parameters from the sixth month of GH treatment (p < 0.001), this improvement does not match parameters measured in healthy peers, even after one year of treatment in both patients group. (p < 0.001). No correlation was found between IGF-1 concentration and any echocardiographic parameter. Conclusion: Echocardiographic parameters were similar in children with a GH peak < 7 mu g/L and 7-10 mu g/L. In TDI, both systolic and diastolic function was impaired in GHD children compared to controls. These parameters improved after one year of GH therapy but did not recover to healthy control levels

Use of the modified myocardial performance index for evaluating fetal cardiac functions in pregestational diabetic pregnancy babies

The aim of this study is assessment of importance of use of the modified myocardial performance index (Mod-MPI) for the evaluation of foetal cardiac function in foetuses of women with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PDM). In this study, data of 30 pregnant patients aged 18–45 years diagnosed with PDM and 30 pregnant women aged 18–45 years with normal pregnancy and their babies were evaluated. Foetal echocardiographic and doppler measurements, foetal biometric measurements, umbilical artery and ductus venosus pulsatility indexes were measured in both PDM and control groups. The Mod-MPI was significantly higher in foetuses of PDM women. Many influences especially cardiac and postpartum complications are observed in infants of PDM women. The Mod-MPI is a simple and useful method for assessing foetal ventricular function. Our study has shown that PDM is associated with foetal ventricular dysfunction.Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Although MPI is frequently used in routine clinical assessment of neonates, it is not used adequately in foetuses. Many influences especially cardiac and postpartum complications are observed in infants of PDM women. However, there are few studies focussed specifically on the assessment of foetal cardiac function in PDM. What do the results of this study add? MPI, which shows both diastolic and systolic functions is independent of ventricular anatomy and foetal heart rate, was found significantly higher in diabetic mother foetuses, can be said to be a valuable parameter in evaluating foetal cardiac functions globally. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our study has shown that foetuses PDM are associated with foetal ventricular dysfunction. For this MPI measurement can be routinely performed at foetal cardiac measurements in foetuses of PDM mothers

Unintentional Monotherapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Tofacitinib and Drug Survival Rate of Tofacitinib

ObjectiveTo determine the rate of unintentional monotherapy (UM; switching to monotherapy from combination therapy of patients' own volition) in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving tofacitinib and to evaluate tofacitinib survival rate.MethodsThis national, multicenter study included patients' data from the TURKBIO Registry. Demographics, clinical characteristics, disease duration and activity, comorbidities, and treatments were analyzed.ResultsData of 231 rheumatoid arthritis patients (84.8% female, median age, 56 years) were included; 153 were initially prescribed combination therapy and continued to their therapies; 31 were initially prescribed combination therapy but switched to monotherapy on their own volition (UM); 21 were initially prescribed monotherapy and switched to combination therapy; 26 were initially prescribed monotherapy and continued to their therapies. The rate of comorbidities at the time of data retrieval was higher in the UM group than in the combination group (83.3% vs. 60.3%, p = 0.031). Presence of comorbidities was a significant factor affecting switching to monotherapy (p = 0.039; odds ratio, 3.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-10.18). The combination and UM groups did not differ regarding remission rate assessed by Disease Activity Score 28-joint count C-reactive protein (60.5% and 70%, respectively; p = 0.328). Drug survival rates of the UM and combination groups did not differ. The median drug survival duration of tofacitinib was 27+ months with 1- and 4-year drug survival rates of 89.6% and 60.2%, respectively, in the UM group.ConclusionsAlthough 13.4% of the study population started monotherapy unintentionally, drug survival and remission rates of the UM and combination groups were not different. Comorbidity was a factor affecting transition from combination therapy to monotherapy