Real-Time Recognition of Feedback Error-Related Potentials during a Time-Estimation Task

Feedback error-related potentials are a promising brain process in the field of rehabilitation since they are related to human learning. Due to the fact that many therapeutic strategies rely on the presentation of feedback stimuli, potentials generated by these stimuli could be used to ameliorate the patient's progress. In this paper we propose a method that can identify, in real-time, feedback evoked potentials in a time-estimation task. We have tested our system with five participants in two different days with a separation of three weeks between them, achieving a mean single-trial detection performance of 71.62% for real-time recognition, and 78.08% in offline classification. Additionally, an analysis of the stability of the signal between the two days is performed, suggesting that the feedback responses are stable enough to be used without the needing of training again the user

New tracheal stainless steel stent pilot study: twelve month follow-up in a rabbit model

Background Canine tracheal collapse is a complex airway pathology without promising treatment results. Currently nitinol stents are the best surgical option; however, some professionals are doubting if stent placement is the best option due to the associated complications. Objective Determine the technical feasibility, safety, and long-term follow-up after the implantation of a new tracheal stent designed for canine tracheal collapse. Methods Thirteen healthy, adult female New Zealander rabbits were involved in this pilot study.A new intra-tracheal device (Reference number 902711 patent registered as CasMin-Twine) was implanted in ten animals. Deployment was performed under general anesthesia, making a puncture incision via a 21 Gauge needle in the intra-tracheal space where the stent was introduced with a screwing process. The device was fixed to the tracheal wall with a non-absorbable suture. Computerized Tomography (CT) and an endoscopy to study structural abnormalities were performed after 30, 90 and 365 days after stent placement. Results Technical and clinical success was 100%. There was no significant change in behavior or respiratory disorders. CT studies showed no significant alterations. After the 30 days, 60% of the animals showed partial endothelization in the endoscopy study, and only one animal still presented partial endothelization after 12 months. Mucus accumulation was only present in 40% of cases and classified as low, without respiratory consequences. Only one animal presented a single granuloma at caudal stent tip. Conclusions This new tracheal stent (CasMin-Twine) is an effective and safe procedure with promising results, and also shows the possibility of removing the device after endothelization has been produced. New studies should be carried out to evaluate the effectiveness in patients with tracheomalacia. Clinical Significance/Impact This new product can give veterinarians a new option of treatment for this complicated pathology. Minimizing specific equipment for its deployment, CasMin-Twine will be more accessible for all professionals

A new airway spiral stent designed to maintain airway architecture with an atraumatic removal after full epithelization - Research of feasibility and viability in canine patients with tracheomalacia

Objective: Surgical management of tracheomalacia is a challenge, with current treatments still presenting numerous complications. In the field of veterinary medicine, this same pathology is present in a significant number of dogs. For this reason, we present an experimental clinical trial performed on canines with tracheobronchomalacia, using a new atraumatic removable tracheal spiral stent (SS). Both implantation procedure and clinical improvement have been analyzed in this study.Methods: In this study, four small dogs, a mean weight of 4.89 kg and body condition scores IV‐V, were included. SS was implanted by two different surgical approaches. Image and clinical follow‐up have been performed during 90 days. Symptoms were evaluated from 1 to 10 every week. Results: This study achieved 100% technical and clinical success. Median tracheal diameters were as follows: cervical 10.85 (3.3), inlet 7.75 (2.1), and carina 7.75 (1.9) mm, and length was 77.5 (26) mm. A 12 × 10 × 100‐mm SS was implanted in all cases. Goose honk cough punctuation improved from 8 to 1; also, there were important changes in exercise intolerance, a mean weight loss of 8.76%. The values of modified Karnofsky scale varied from 50 (20) before surgery to 90 (10) after 30 days of surgery. Neither granuloma tissue nor fractures of the prosthesis was observed.Conclusion: The results in dogs are promising, and a new therapeutic alternative seems to be available for veterinarian field. The similarity of this disease between dogs and newborns suggests that this SS design can also be useful for human trials

Three-dimensional power Doppler angiography in endometrial cancer: correlation with tumor characteristics

To assess the correlation between intratumoral vascularization using three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) and several histological tumor characteristics in a series of patients with endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Ninety-nine women (mean age, 61.7 (range, 31-84) years) diagnosed as having endometrial cancer were assessed by transvaginal 3D-PDA before surgical staging. Endometrial volume (EV) and 3D-PDA vascular indices (vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI)) were calculated using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL) method. All patients were surgically staged. Individual tumor features such as histological type, tumor grade, myometrial infiltration depth, lymph-vascular space involvement, cervical involvement, lymph node metastases and tumor stage were considered for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) analysis was used to determine which 3D-PDA parameters were independently associated with each histological characteristic. RESULTS: MLR analysis showed that only EV and VI were independently associated with myometrial infiltration (EV: odds ratio (OR), 1.119 (95% CI, 1.025-1.221), P = 0.012; VI: OR, 1.127 (95% CI, 1.063-1.195), P = 0.001) and tumor stage (EV: OR, 1.103 (95% CI, 1.012-1.202), P = 0.025; VI: OR, 1.120 (95% CI, 1.057-1.187), P = 0.001), only VI was independently associated with tumor grade (OR, 1.056 (95% CI, 1.023-1.091), P = 0.001) and only EV was independently associated with lymph node metastases (OR, 1.086 (95% CI, 1.017-1.161), P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: 3D-PDA analysis of tumor vascularization in endometrial cancer correlates with some prognostic histological characteristics

EEG Single-Trial Classification of Visual, Auditive and Vibratory Feedback Potentials in Brain-Computer Interfaces

Feedback stimuli are fundamental components in Brain-Computer Interfaces. It is known that the presentation of feedback stimuli elicits certain brain potentials that can be measured and classified. As stimuli can be given through different sensory modalities, it is important to understand the effects of different types of feedback on brain responses and their impact on classification. This paper presents a protocol used to obtain brain potentials elicited by visual, auditive or vibrotactile feedback stimuli. Experiments were carried out with five different subjects for each modality. Four different single-trial classification strategies were compared, according to the information used to train the classifier, achieving a classification rate of approximately 80% for each modality

Single-Trial Classification of Feedback Potentials within Neurofeedback Training with an EEG Brain-Computer Interface

Neurofeedback therapies are an emerging technique used to treat neuropsychological disorders and to enhance cognitive performance. The feedback stimuli presented during the therapy are a key factor, serving as guidance throughout the entire learning process of the brain rhythms. Online decoding of these stimuli could be of great value to measure the compliance and adherence of the subject to the training. This paper describes the modeling and classification of performance feedback potentials with a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), under a real neurofeedback training with five subjects. LDA and SVM classification techniques are compared and are both able to provide an average performance of approximately 80%

Triage for surgical management of ovarian tumors in asymptomatic women: assessment of an ultrasound-based scoring system.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively evaluate an ultrasound-based scoring system as a method for triaging asymptomatic women presenting with an adnexal mass for surgical treatment. METHODS: Two hundred and four adnexal masses in 189 asymptomatic women undergoing elective surgical treatment at our institution were included in this prospective study. Patients were evaluated by transvaginal power Doppler ultrasound imaging before surgery. Patients were classified as low risk or high risk for malignancy according to an ultrasound-based scoring system. Women with a low risk for malignancy were scheduled for laparoscopy and patients with a high risk for malignancy were scheduled for laparotomy. However, patients classified as low risk by the ultrasound scoring system, but with a tumor size >or= 10 cm or clinical suspicion of pelvic adhesions, were instead considered to be at intermediate risk and were scheduled for laparotomy. Some patients classified as high risk were scheduled for an operative laparoscopy by an expert in gynecological oncology. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four (65.7%) masses were considered to be low risk and were treated by a laparoscopically guided procedure. All these tumors were benign. Forty-seven (23%) masses were classified as high risk, of which 39 tumors were malignant and eight benign. Twenty-three (11.3%) tumors were considered to be intermediate risk and were scheduled for primary laparotomy. In this group, 21 (91.3%) tumors proved to be benign and two (8.7%) were malignant. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-based triage of asymptomatic women diagnosed with a persistent adnexal mass is effective for selecting the surgical approach

Characterization of endosperm proteins and bread-making quality in wheat breeding lines carrying resistance genes for Mayetiola destructor and/or Heterodera avenae.

The experimental material included thirteen bread wheat-breeding lines that carry genes for resistance to M. destruc¬tor and/or H. avenae. The sources of these resistances are the wild species Ae. triuncialis and Ae. ventricosa (lines TR and H-93, respectively) (Delibes et al. 1993, 1997; Romero et al. 1998). We have determined the composition in HMW-glutenin subunits (related with bread-making quality), puroindoline proteins (related with hardness of grain), and waxy proteins (related with starch viscosity). In addition to, of prolamins by electrophoresis SDS-PAGE indicated the homogeneity of the lines

Karyotype characterization of wheat breeding lines carrying resistance genes from Aegilops ventricosa

We have used in situ hybridization combining genomic and repeated DNA fluorescent probes to determine the karyotype composition of two bread wheat introgression lines: H-93-33, which carries the gene H27 for resistance to the Hessian fly M. destructor (Delibes et al. 1997); and H-93-8, carrying the gene Cre2 which confers resistance to the cereal cyst nematode H. avenae (Delibes et al. 1993). Both introgression lines had been derived from an earlier cross between T. aestivum subsp. aestivum (2n=42; genome composition AABBDD) and a semi-fertile hybrid between T. turgidum subsp. turgidum (2n=28; genome composition AABB) and the wild grass Ae. ventricosa (2n=28; genome constitution DvDvN¬vNv). We also have examined several resistant advanced lines that were obtained from H-93-33 (lines ID-2151, ID-2193, Ma-1612-a and Ma-1612-b) or H-93-8 (line ID-2150) after 3 to 5 backcrosses with commercial wheats

Distância anogenital das mulheres e a relação com a exposição pré-natal da mãe

Anogenital distance (AGD) is a genital development marker which is a sexually dimorphic trait in mammals. Different experimental studies have shown that AGD at birth reflects the androgen exposure of the fetus during its in-utero development. The object of our study was to examine the relation between maternal prenatal exposures to different substances and compounds used on a daily basis during pregnancy and AGD of their daughters as an indirect marker of the intrauterine hormonal environment. This is a cross-sectional study of 100 healthy female undergraduates of ages ranging from 18 to 23. Every participant was subjected to a full gynecological examination, where two AGD variants were measured: AGDAC (anus-clitoris) and AGDAF (anus-fourchette). Both the young women and their mothers completed an epidemiological questionnaire on lifestyles, including prenatal exposure to products and gynecological history. Multiple linear and logistic regression analysis was used to study the relation between the mothers’ exposure to products and their daughters’ AGD. A longer AGDAF in the daughters was significantly associated with a higher prenatal exposure of their mothers to insecticides/pesticides and solvents/degreasers (aOR: 3.9; IC 95%: 1.2, 12.7 and 3.8; IC 95%: 1.1-12.6, respectively). Our results show that certain prenatal environmental exposures of mothers might be associated with significant variations of their daughters’ AGD, a sensitive biomarker that reflects androgen fetal exposure during in-utero development.La distancia anogenital (DAG) es un marcador de desarrollo genital que presenta un dimorfismo sexual en mamíferos. Diversos estudios experimentales han mostrado que la DAG al nacimiento refleja la exposición androgénica a la que el feto ha estado expuesto durante su desarrollo intraútero. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue explorar la relación entre exposiciones prenatales (maternas) a distintos productos o sustancias de uso cotidiano durante el embarazo y la DAG de sus hijas como marcador indirecto del ambiente hormonal intrauterino. Se trata de un estudio transversal que incluyó 100 jóvenes universitarias sanas entre 18 y 23 años. A cada participante se le realizó un examen ginecológico completo y se midieron dos variantes de DAG: ano-clítoris (DAGAC) y ano-horquilla vulvar (DAGAH). Tanto las jóvenes como sus madres completaron un cuestionario epidemiológico sobre estilos de vida, incluyendo exposición a productos prenatales e historia ginecológica. Las asociaciones entre la exposición a productos prenatales y las DAG de las hijas se realizaron mediante análisis de regresión lineal y logística múltiple. Una mayor exposición materna a insecticidas/plaguicidas y disolventes/desengrasantes se asoció significativamente con una DAGAH alargada en las hijas (ORa: 3,9; IC 95 % 1,2,- 12,7 y 3,8; IC 95 % 1,1 - 12,6, respectivamente). Nuestros resultados respaldan que ciertas exposiciones prenatales maternas ambientales podrían estar asociadas con variaciones significativas de las DAG en sus hijas, un biomarcador que refleja la exposición androgénica fetal durante el desarrollo intraútero.Distância anogenital (AGD) é um traço de dimorfismo sexual em mamíferos. Diversos estudos experimentais em animais sugerem que a AGD ao nascer reflete as concentrações de andrógenos a que o feto terá sido exposto durante o desenvolvimento uterino. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar as associações entre a exposição pré-natal da mãe a diferentes substâncias e compostos de uso quotidiano durante a gravidez e a AGD das suas filhas, como um marcador indireto do ambiente hormonal durante o desenvolvimento no útero. É um estudo transversal efetuado a 100 voluntárias, saudáveis, em idade universitária (18-23 anos) no sul da Espanha. Realizou-se um exame ginecológico completo a cada participante, tendo-se medido as diferenças da AGD: ânus- clitóris (AGDAC) e ânus-freio dos pequenos lábios (AGDAF). Foi também aplicado um questionário epidemiológico, tanto às jovens participantes como as suas mães, acerca dos estilos de vida, história ginecológica, incluindo a exposição a produtos na fase pré- natal. Para verificar a associação entre os produtos pré-natais e as AGD das filhas, foi usada a análise de regressão linear múltipla e a análise de regressão logística. Uma maior exposição materna a inseticidas/pesticidas e solventes teve uma associação significativa com uma AGDAF alargada nas filhas (ORa: 3,9; IC 95 % 1,2, 12,7 e 3,8; IC 95 % 1,1, 12,6, respetivamente). Os nossos resultados sugerem que determinadas exposições ambientais da mãe na fase pré-natal podem estar associadas com variações significativas das AGD das filhas, um biomarcador que reflete as concentrações de andrógenos durante o desenvolvimento uterino