Automatic sleep apnea detection using fuzzy logic

The obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most important sleep disorders characterized by obstruction of the respiratory tract and cessation in respiratory flow level. Currently, apnea diagnosis is mainly based on the Polysomnography (PSG) testing during sleeping hours, however, recording the entire signals during nights is a very costly, time-consuming and difficult task. The goal of this study is to provide and validate an automatic algorithm to analyze four PSG-recordings and detect the occurrence of sleep apnea by noninvasive features. Four PSG signals were extracted from oxygen saturation (SaO2), Transitional air flow (Air Flow), abdominal movements during breathing (Abdomen mov.) and movements of the chest (Thoracic mov.). We describe a fuzzy algorithm to compensate the imprecise information about the range of signal loss, regarding the expert opinions. Signal classification is implemented minute-by-minute and for 30 labeled samples of MIT/BIH data sets (acquired from PhysioNet). The obtained data from 18 apnea subjects (11 males and 7 females, mean age 43 years) were categorized in three output signals of apnea, hypopnea and normal breathing. The proposed algorithm shows proficiency in diagnosing OSA with acceptable sensitivity and specificity, respectively 86% and 87%

{2,2′-[o-Phenyl­enebis(nitrilo­methanylyl­idene)]diphenolato-κ4 O,N,N′,O′}nickel(II) monohydrate

The NiII atom in the title monohydrate, [Ni(C20H14N2O2)]·H2O, is coordinated within a cis-N2O2 square-planar donor set provided by the tetra­dentate Schiff base ligand. Overall, the mol­ecule has a curved shape with the dihedral angle formed between the planes of the outer benzene rings being 13.92 (18)°. The water mol­ecule was found to be disordered over two positions [ratio 0.80 (1):0.20 (1)] and the major component is linked to the complex via an O—H⋯O hydrogen bond

A case report of variant scimitar syndrome

Background: Scimitar syndrome (SS) or congenital pulmonary venolobar syndrome is a rare anomaly, most commonly including partial pulmonary venous drainage into the inferior vena cava, right lung hypoplasia, dextroposition of the heart, and anomalous systemic arterial supply from aorta or one of its branches to the right lung. Case report: A 10-day-old female infant was referred to our hospital with systolic murmur and tachypnea. Initial chest x-ray suggested cardiomegaly and displacement of cardiac structures into the right hemithorax, and initial echocardiogram indicated patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of aorta, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect in this infant who was diagnosed as having SS. Conclusions: We can consider Scimitar syndrome for infants with tachypnea, cyanosis, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and right lobe opacity in chest x-ray

Marshall and Rotterdam Computed Tomography scores in predicting early deaths after brain trauma

Trauma is one of the most important issues of most healthcare systems accompanying with head trauma in the most cases. We sought to determine the scoring system and initial Computed Tomography (CT) findings predicting the death at hospital discharge (early death) in patients with traumatic brain injury based on Marshall and Rotterdam CT scores. This is a cross sectional study on traumatic neurosurgical patients with mild-to-severe traumatic brain injury admitted to the emergency department of Emam Reza Hospital, Birjand University of Medical Sciences. Patients≥18 years old with TBI during last 24 hours with GCS≤13 were included and exclusion criteria were multiple trauma, penetrating injuries, previous history of anticoagulant therapy, pregnancy, not willingness for participation. Their initial CT and status at hospital discharge, one and three months (dead or alive) were reviewed, and both CT scores were calculated. We examined whether each score is related to death using SPSS11 by The Mann–Whitney U at the level of p≤0.05. Overall, 98 patients were included. Mean age was 43.52±21.29. Most patients were male (63.3%). Mean Marshall and Rotterdam CT scores were 3.2±1.3 and 2.5±1. The mortality at two weeks, one moth and three months were 19.4%, 20.4%, and 20.4%. Rotterdam CT score was significantly different based on type of hematoma. Median GCS score in alive and dead patients on 2 weeks were 10 and 4 (p=0.0001), at one month were 10 and 4 (p=0.0001), and at three months were 10 and 4 (p=0.0001). The median Marshall CT score on 2 weeks were 2 and 4 (p=0.0001), at one month were 2 and 4 (p=0.0001), and at three months were 2 and 4 (p=0.0001). The median Rotterdam CT score on 2 weeks were 2 and 4 (p=0.0001), at one month were 2 and 3 (p=0.001), and at three months were 2 and 3 (p=0.001). The Rotterdam CT score was significantly correlated with mortality at two weeks, one month and three months (p=0.004, p=0.001, and p=0.001, respectively). The Marshall CT score was not significantly correlated with mortality at any time. The Rotterdam CT score was more accurate for prediction of mortality on 2 weeks (ROC80.9), at one month (ROC80.7), and at three months were (ROC80.7) than The Rotterdam CT score (ROC 76, 74.1, and 74.1, respectively). This study concluded that The Marshall CT score was more accurate for prediction of mortality on 2 weeks, at one month, and at three months were than The Marshall CT score with higher ROC. The correlation of the Rotterdam CT score with mortality was significant

Blood Lead Levels in Asymptomatic Opium Addict Patients; a Case Control Study

Introduction: One of the newest non-occupational sources of lead contamination is drug addiction, which has recently been addressed as a major source of lead poisoning in some countries. The present study aimed to investigate the blood lead level (BLL) of asymptomatic opium addicts.Methods: This case-control study was conducted during a one-year period to compare BLL of three groups consisting of opium addicts, patients under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT), and healthy individuals.Results: 99 participants with the mean age of 55.43±12.83 years were studied in three groups of 33 cases (53.5% male). The mean lead level in opium addicts, MMT and control groups were 80.30 ± 6.03 μg/L, 67.94 ± 4.42 μg/L, and 57.30±4.77 μg/L, respectively (p=0.008). There was no significant difference in BLL between MMT and healthy individuals (p=0.433) and also between opium addicts and MMT individuals (p=0.271).Oral opium abusers had significantly higher lead levels (p = 0.036). There was a significant correlation between BLL and duration of drug abuse in opium addict cases (r=0.398, p=0.022). The odds ratio of having BLL ≥ 100 in oral opium users was 2.1 (95% CI: 0.92 - 4.61; p = 0.43).Conclusion:  Based on the result of present study, when compared to healthy individuals, opium addicts, especially those who took substance orally had significantly higher levels of blood lead, and their odds of having BLL ≥ 100 was two times. Therefore, screening for BLL in opium addicts, particularly those with non-specific complaints, could be useful

A hospital base epidemiology and pattern of acute adult poisoning across Iran: a systematic review

Introduction: Poisoning is one of the most important health issues in the world. There is no exact statistic regarding the epidemiology of poisoning in Iran. The aim of this systematic review was to study the epidemiology of poisoning of adults in Iran. Methods: All the published papers regarding the epidemiology and patterns of adult poisonings in different parts of Iran were reviewed in bibliographical databases, including SID, Iran Medex, Medlib, Magiran and Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, without time limitation up to March 21, 2016. We searched for the terms poisoning, Iran, and epidemiology. After the final analysis, 38 articles that fulfilled all the required conditions were selected. Result: In this article, we show that in most Iranian cities, except Ahvaz, pharmaceutical drugs, especially psychiatric pharmaceutical drugs, are the most common cause of poisoning in adults. In the Southwest region of Iran, poisoning due to envenomation is a very common. Although pesticide and opioid poisonings are less common, they are an important cause of death due to poisoning in Iran. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical drugs are the most common cause of poisoning in most Iranian cities and it is recommended not to store pharmaceutical drugs at home and to set special rules regarding proper description of pharmaceutical drugs. More public health instruction is essential in the Southwest cities of Iran in order to reduce animal poisoning

The Conference of the Birds: An Old Artistic Concept Making Sense in Modern Sciences

In this article, we will discuss scientific aspects of an old Persian story, Simorgh, in the book of The Conference of the Birds. The story is fulfilled with artistic and philosophical metaphors that make sense in two hot topics of the contemporary modern sciences i.e. cognitive science and complexity science. The poet addresses some humanity bygone concerns and fundamental questions about self, the quality that shapes a person uniqueness, and essential existence. The sophisticated language used in the poem contains allusions, symbols, and implications that are interpreted in five main topics. We think that the story deserves to be the touchstone for questions on the nature of the mind, including the profound question of humanity search for self and meaning of life

Epstein-Barr virus and herpes simplex infection assessment in schizophrenia and bipolar patients compared to healthy subjects

Background and Aim: Some viruses (including herpes viruses) due to  neurotropic properties and latency  are considered as a possible factor in many central nervous system disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The aim of the current study was to assess the level of IgG antibodies against Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in these diseases. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 92 serum samples including those of 46  patients admitted to Iran Psychiatric Hospital and 46 samples of the healthy personnel of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, as a control group, were assessed. The level of IgG antibodies against HSV 1 & 2 and EBV were tested using ELISA kits and  the presence or absence of EBV genome (active infection) was examined by Real-time PCR.  Finally, the obtained. Data were analyzed by means of IBM SPSS( V:22) software using Chi square test and T- test. Results: Prevalence of HSV 1 & 2 antibodies in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (case group.) and healthy individuals (control group.) were 80/4% and 82/6% ,respectively. The results showed no significant difference in HSV 1 & 2 antibody regarding P value (P= 0.79). Prevalence of EBV antibodies in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and healthy controls were 100% and 89/1%, respectively. The results showed significant differences between the two groups in terms of anti-EBV antibody titers with P value of  0.02. Besides,  in order to detect the genome of EBV virus, Real-time PCR was u sedon 87 samples with positive EBV antibodies in which no EBV genome was detected. Conclusion: The findings showed a significant association between EBV infection with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but there was no significant association between herpes simplex viruses with the mentioned diseases