Wavelet analysis of epileptic spikes

Interictal spikes and sharp waves in human EEG are characteristic signatures of epilepsy. These potentials originate as a result of synchronous, pathological discharge of many neurons. The reliable detection of such potentials has been the long standing problem in EEG analysis, especially after long-term monitoring became common in investigation of epileptic patients. The traditional definition of a spike is based on its amplitude, duration, sharpness, and emergence from its background. However, spike detection systems built solely around this definition are not reliable due to the presence of numerous transients and artifacts. We use wavelet transform to analyze the properties of EEG manifestations of epilepsy. We demonstrate that the behavior of wavelet transform of epileptic spikes across scales can constitute the foundation of a relatively simple yet effective detection algorithm.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Sorption isotherms of ingredients and diets for poultry.

Abstract: This study aimed to determine sorption isotherms of ingredient and poultry diet. The samples were encapsulated in capsules and dehydrated by oven-drying in a desiccator for more than 24 hours. The samples were transferred to desiccator containing water in the base and placed in the oven, with one sample of each material being removed at incremental intervals. The sample was weighed and for determination of water activity and for dry matter. The moisture and water activity data were evaluated by eight mathematical models. The GAB mathematical model fitted the experimental data to constitute the isotherm for each material. Type II sorption isotherms were found, except for BHT: demonstrated values that did not fit the isotherm determination. The hygroscopic behavior of the ingredients in ascending order were: L- threonine, limestone, BHT, DL- methionine, L-valine, L- tryptophan, phosphate, kaolin, vitamin supplement, salt, mycotoxin deactivator, pelleted rooster diet, mash rooster diet, mash layer diet, pelleted layer diet, corn, bacitracin zinc, vitamin mineral supplement, phytase, rice bran, wheat bran, mineral supplement, soybean meal, coccidiostat, L- Lysine HCl and choline chloride. Ingredients and diets have different hygroscopic behavior: can lead to deterioration and low accuracy in nutritional values of diet, since formulation is based on as-is fed basis. Resumo: Objetivou-se determinar as isotermas de adsorção dos ingredientes e da dieta das aves. As amostras foram encapsuladas e desidratadas por secagem em forno em um dessecador durante mais de 24 horas. As amostras foram transferidas para o dessecador contendo água na base e colocadas na estufa, com uma amostra de cada material a ser retirada em intervalos crescentes. A amostra foi pesada para a determinação da atividade da água e da matéria seca. Os dados relativos à humidade e à atividade da água foram avaliados por oito modelos matemáticos. O modelo matemático GAB foi o que melhor ajustou os dados experimentais para constituir a isoterma de cada material. Foram encontradas isotermas de adsorção de tipo II, exceto para BHT: valores demonstrados que não se encaixavam na determinação de isotermas. O comportamento higroscópico dos ingredientes em ordem crescente foi: L-treonina, calcário, BHT, DL-metionina, L-valina, L-triptofano, fosfato, caulim, suplemento vitamínico, sal, desativador de micotoxinas, ração peletizada para galo, ração farelada para galo, ração farelada para postura, ração peletizada para postura, milho, bacitracina-zinco, suplemento vitamínico-mineral, fitase, farelo de arroz, farelo de trigo, suplemento mineral, farelo de soja, coccidiostático, L-lisina, HCl e cloreto de colina. Os ingredientes e dietas têm comportamentos higroscópicos diferentes: podem levar à deterioração e baixa precisão nos valores nutricionais da dieta, uma vez que a formulação é baseada na matéria natural. Resumen : Este estudio tenía como objetivo determinar las isotermas de absorción de los ingredientes y la dieta de las aves. Las muestras se encapsularon en cápsulas y se deshidrataron por secado en horno en un desecador durante más de 24 horas. Las muestras se transfirieron al desecador que contiene agua en la base y se colocaron en el horno, retirándose una muestra de cada material a inter valos incrementales. La muestra se pesó y para la determinación de la actividad del agua y la materia seca. Los datos de humedad y actividad del agua fueron evaluados por ocho modelos matemáticos. El modelo matemático del GAB ajustó los datos experimentale s para constituir la isoterma de cada material. Se encontraron isotermas de sorción de tipo II, excepto para el BHT: valores demostrados que no encajaban en la determinación de la isotermia. El comportamiento higroscópico de los ingredientes fue: L treonin a, piedra caliza, BHT, DL metionina, L valina, L triptófano, fosfato, caolín, suplemento vitamínico, sal, desactivador de micotoxinas, dieta del gallo en pellets, dieta de la capa de puré, dieta de capas peletizadas, maíz, bacitracina zinc, suplemento vita mínico mineral, fitasa, salvado de arroz, salvado de trigo, suplemento mineral, salvado de soja, coccidiostático, L lisina HCl y cloruro de colina. Los ingredientes y las dietas tienen diferentes comportamientos higroscópicos: pueden llevar a un deterioro y a una baja precisión en los valores nutricionales de la dieta, ya que la formulación se basa en su estado

Spike pattern recognition by supervised classification in low dimensional embedding space

© The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Epileptiform discharges in interictal electroencephalography (EEG) form the mainstay of epilepsy diagnosis and localization of seizure onset. Visual analysis is rater-dependent and time consuming, especially for long-term recordings, while computerized methods can provide efficiency in reviewing long EEG recordings. This paper presents a machine learning approach for automated detection of epileptiform discharges (spikes). The proposed method first detects spike patterns by calculating similarity to a coarse shape model of a spike waveform and then refines the results by identifying subtle differences between actual spikes and false detections. Pattern classification is performed using support vector machines in a low dimensional space on which the original waveforms are embedded by locality preserving projections. The automatic detection results are compared to experts’ manual annotations (101 spikes) on a whole-night sleep EEG recording. The high sensitivity (97 %) and the low false positive rate (0.1 min−1), calculated by intra-patient cross-validation, highlight the potential of the method for automated interictal EEG assessment.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Cinaciguat prevents the development of pathologic hypertrophy in a rat model of left ventricular pressure overload

Pathologic myocardial hypertrophy develops when the heart is chronically pressure-overloaded. Elevated intracellular cGMP-levels have been reported to prevent the development of pathologic myocardial hypertrophy, therefore we investigated the effects of chronic activation of the cGMP producing enzyme, soluble guanylate cyclase by Cinaciguat in a rat model of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Abdominal aortic banding (AAB) was used to evoke pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in male Wistar rats. Sham operated animals served as controls. Experimental and control groups were treated with 10 mg/kg/day Cinaciguat (Cin) or placebo (Co) p.o. for six weeks, respectively. Pathologic myocardial hypertrophy was present in the AABCo group following 6 weeks of pressure overload of the heart, evidenced by increased relative heart weight, average cardiomyocyte diameter, collagen content and apoptosis. Cinaciguat did not significantly alter blood pressure, but effectively attenuated all features of pathologic myocardial hypertrophy, and normalized functional changes, such as the increase in contractility following AAB. Our results demonstrate that chronic enhancement of cGMP signalling by pharmacological activation of sGC might be a novel therapeutic approach in the prevention of pathologic myocardial hypertrophy

A well-kept treasure at depth: precious red coral rediscovered in Atlantic deep coral gardens (SW Portugal) after 300 years

The highly valuable red coral Corallium rubrum is listed in several Mediterranean Conventions for species protection and management since the 1980s. Yet, the lack of data about its Atlantic distribution has hindered its protection there. This culminated in the recent discovery of poaching activities harvesting tens of kg of coral per day from deep rocky reefs off SW Portugal. Red coral was irregularly exploited in Portugal between the 1200s and 1700s, until the fishery collapsed. Its occurrence has not been reported for the last 300 years.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sea Urchins Predation Facilitates Coral Invasion in a Marine Reserve

Macroalgae is the dominant trophic group on Mediterranean infralittoral rocky bottoms, whereas zooxanthellate corals are extremely rare. However, in recent years, the invasive coral Oculina patagonica appears to be increasing its abundance through unknown means. Here we examine the pattern of variation of this species at a marine reserve between 2002 and 2010 and contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms that allow its current increase. Because indirect interactions between species can play a relevant role in the establishment of species, a parallel assessment of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, the main herbivorous invertebrate in this habitat and thus a key species, was conducted. O. patagonica has shown a 3-fold increase in abundance over the last 8 years and has become the most abundant invertebrate in the shallow waters of the marine reserve, matching some dominant erect macroalgae in abundance. High recruitment played an important role in this increasing coral abundance. The results from this study provide compelling evidence that the increase in sea urchin abundance may be one of the main drivers of the observed increase in coral abundance. Sea urchins overgraze macroalgae and create barren patches in the space-limited macroalgal community that subsequently facilitate coral recruitment. This study indicates that trophic interactions contributed to the success of an invasive coral in the Mediterranean because sea urchins grazing activity indirectly facilitated expansion of the coral. Current coral abundance at the marine reserve has ended the monopolization of algae in rocky infralittoral assemblages, an event that could greatly modify both the underwater seascape and the sources of primary production in the ecosystem

The effect of a preparation of minerals, vitamins and trace elements on the cardiac gene expression pattern in male diabetic rats

BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Although multivitamin products are widely used as dietary supplements, the effects of these products have not been investigated in the diabetic heart yet. Therefore, here we investigated if a preparation of different minerals, vitamins, and trace elements (MVT) affects the cardiac gene expression pattern in experimental diabetes. METHODS: Two-day old male Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (i.p. 100 mg/kg) or citrate buffer to induce diabetes. From weeks 4 to 12, rats were fed with a vehicle or a MVT preparation. Fasting blood glucose measurement and oral glucose tolerance test were performed at week 12, and then total RNA was isolated from the myocardium and assayed by rat oligonucleotide microarray for 41012 oligonucleotides. RESULTS: Significantly elevated fasting blood glucose concentration and impaired glucose tolerance were markedly improved by MVT-treatment in diabetic rats at week 12. Genes with significantly altered expression due to diabetes include functional clusters related to cardiac hypertrophy (e.g. caspase recruitment domain family, member 9; cytochrome P450, family 26, subfamily B, polypeptide; FXYD domain containing ion transport regulator 3), stress response (e.g. metallothionein 1a; metallothionein 2a; interleukin-6 receptor; heme oxygenase (decycling) 1; and glutathione S-transferase, theta 3), and hormones associated with insulin resistance (e.g. resistin; FK506 binding protein 5; galanin/GMAP prepropeptide). Moreover the expression of some other genes with no definite cardiac function was also changed such as e.g. similar to apolipoprotein L2; brain expressed X-linked 1; prostaglandin b2 synthase (brain). MVT-treatment in diabetic rats showed opposite gene expression changes in the cases of 19 genes associated with diabetic cardiomyopathy. In healthy hearts, MVT-treatment resulted in cardiac gene expression changes mostly related to immune response (e.g. complement factor B; complement component 4a; interferon regulatory factor 7; hepcidin). CONCLUSIONS: MVT-treatment improved diagnostic markers of diabetes. This is the first demonstration that MVT-treatment significantly alters cardiac gene expression profile in both control and diabetic rats. Our results and further studies exploring the mechanistic role of individual genes may contribute to the prevention or diagnosis of cardiac complications in diabetes