Analysis of ECG signal by chaos principle to help automatic diagnosis of myocardial infarction

866-870Chaotic behavior of electrocardiogram (ECG) signal of myocardial and non-myocardial infarctions is differentiated using neuro-GA approach, incorporating heuristically chosen phase space fractal dimension (PSFD) of ECG data. A remarkable improvement of diagnostic efficiency, sensitivity and specificity was observed in case study

A computed tomography-based localizer to determine the entry site of the ventricular end of a parietal ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Background: One of the major principles of shunt insertion into the brain involves choosing an entry site that avoids eloquent cortex. Objetive: We describe a novel tool to accurately locate the burr hole for insertion of the ventricular end of a catheter during parietal ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. Methods: Computed tomography (CT)-based measurements in 2 dimensions were used to mark the entry point with the help of an indigenously designed Vellore burr hole localizer (VL). Patients underwent surgery with either the conventional method to localize the burr hole (Keen point; group A; n = 28) or the VL (group B; n = 28). An independent observer determined the accuracy of shunt placement on postoperative CT scans. The VL is designed with a fixed horizontal arm that can be aligned with the CT or magnetic resonance reference plane and a vertical arm with a flexible sliding horizontal arm that is attached to it with an adjustable screw. By manipulating the flexible arm along the contour of the skull and using the scale provided on both the vertical and horizontal arms, we can mark the burr hole site for placement of a parietal ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Results: Overall accuracy in group A was 32.1%, whereas in group B, an accuracy of 82.1% could be achieved (P < .01). Conclusion: Placement of a burr hole guided by the VL increases the accuracy of the desired entry point of the ventricular catheter

Dietary and environmental risk factors in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease: A semi-quantitative pilot study

Objective: Environmental influence and dietary variations are well-known risk factors for various diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. Preliminary evidence suggests that diet in early-life and living environment might influence the incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) in later phase of life. There have been limited epidemiologic studies on this aspect especially in India. In this hospital-based case-control study, we intended to identify dietary and environmental risk factors of PD. Methods: Patients with PD (n = 105), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 53) and healthy individuals (n = 81) were recruited. Dietary intake and environmental exposures were assessed using a validated Food-Frequency and Environmental Hazard Questionnaire. Their demographic details and living environment were also recorded using the same questionnaire. Results: Pre-morbid consumption of carbohydrate and fat was significantly higher whereas dietary fiber and fruit content was significantly lesser in PD as compared to AD and healthy age-matched controls. Meat and milk intake was the highest among all the food groups in PD patients. Rural living and their habitation near water bodies were significantly more frequent in PD patients. Conclusion: We found that past intake of carbohydrate, fat, milk, and meat are associated with increased risk of PD. On the other hand, rural living and habitat near water bodies might be associated with incidence and severity of PD. Hence, preventive strategies related to dietary and environmental modulators in PD might be clinically useful in the future