Hypertension Detection Based on Photoplethysmography Signal Morphology and Machine Learning Techniques

In our modern digitalized world, hypertension detection represents a key feature that enables self-monitoring of cardiovascular parameters, using a wide range of smart devices. Heart rate and blood oxygen saturation rate are some of the most important ones, easily computed by wearable products that are provided by the photoplethysmography (PPG) technique. Therefore, this low-cost technology has opened a new horizon for health monitoring in the last decade. Another important parameter is blood pressure, a major predictor for cardiovascular characterization and health related events. Analyzing only PPG signal morphology and combining the medical observation with machine learning (ML) techniques, this paper develops a hypertension diagnosis tool, named the ANC Test™. During the development process, distinguishable characteristics have been observed among certain waveforms and certain types of patients that leads to an increased confidence level of the algorithm. The test was enchanted by machine learning models to improve blood pressure class detection between systolic normotensive and hypertensive patients. A total of 359 individual recordings were manually selected to build reference signals using open-source available databases. During the development and testing phases, different ML models accuracy of detecting systolic hypertension scored in many cases around 70% with a maximum value of 72.9%. This was resulted from original waveform classification into four main classes with an easy-to-understand nomenclature. An important limitation during the recording processing phase was given by a different PPG acquisition standard among the consulted free available databases

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF IPOMOEA HEDERACEA

Abstract Research on antimicrobial and anti-oxidant activity from plant sources is increasing due to positive effects on human health. However relatively little work has been done to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of methanolic extracts from Ipomoea hederacea. In the present study methanolic extracts of leaves, flowers, stem, seed and roots from Ipomoea hederacea were evaluated using an antimicrobial assay, the determination of total phenolic content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and the total antioxidant capacity. Our results suggested that methanolic extracts exhibited high antimicrobial effects when tested against various bacterial and fungal strains (i.e. B. subtilis, P. multocida, S. aureus, E. coli, A. niger, A. flavus, A. alternate and R. solani). The total phenolic content showed the highest value for stem extract (131.11±1.22 mg/g), and the lowest for root extract (74.44±1.52 mg/g). The tested extracts were able to reduce the stable DPPH radical, reaching IC50 values from 83.14±1.02 µg/mL for stem extract to 123.32±1.83 µg/mL for root extract. A positive linear correlation was observed when total phenolic content was correlated with the total antioxidant capacity. Our study sustains the fact that methanolic extracts from Ipomoea hederacea can be used as components in a range of phytochemical formulation due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. FARMACIA, 2014, Vol. 62, 6 1182 Rezumat Cercetările asupra potenţialului antimicrobian şi antioxidant a unor specii vegetale se îndreaptă către efectele acestora asupra sănătăţii umane. În literatura de specialitate se regăsesc puţine studii ştiinţifice privind efectele antimicobiene şi antioxidante ale extractelor metanolice de Ipomoea hederacea. În studiul de faţă, extractele metanolice din frunze, flori, tulpini şi rădacini de Ipomoea hederacea au fost evaluate în ceea ce privește testarea antimicrobiană, determinarea conținutului fenolic total, a activității radicalilor liberi de 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil (DPPH), cât și a capacităţii totale antioxidante. Rezultatele noastre au arătat faptul că extractele metanolice prezintă efecte antimicrobiene crescute la testarea pe diferite tulpini bacteriene şi fungice (de exemplu B. subtilis, P. multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, A. niger, A. flavus, A. alternate și R. solani). Conţinutul fenolic total a prezentat cea mai mare valoare în extractul de tulpină (131,11±1,22 mg/g), iar cea mai mică valoare în extractul de rădăcină (74,44±1,52 mg/g). Extractele testate au fost capabile să reducă radicalul DPPH, atingând o valoare a IC 50 de la 83,14±1,02 µg/mL pentru extractul de tulpină până la 123,32±1,83 µg/mL pentru extractul de rădăcină. A fost observată o corelaţie pozitivă când conţinutul fenolic a fost comparat cu capacitatea totală antioxidantă. Studiul nostru susţine faptul că extractele metanolice de Ipomoea hederacea pot fi folosite într-o serie de compoziţii fitochimice datorită potenţialului antimicrobian şi antioxidant

Clinical and Biological Risk Factors Associated with Increased Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Two South-East HIV-AIDS Regional Centers in Romania

Background and Objectives: The occurrence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in children in Romania has been reported since 1989. This retrospective study was aimed at assessing clinical and biological risk factors for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in two HIV-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) Regional Centers (RCs), Constanta and Craiova in Romania. Materials and Methods: During the study period (2008–2019), 408 HIV-positive pregnant women, 244 from Constanta RC and 164 from Craiova RC who attended antenatal visits, were included. All HIV-positive pregnant women were under combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) during pregnancy and childbirth, being followedup with their infants up to 18 months after delivery. We investigated the clinical as well as biological risk factorsassociated with increased MTCT of HIV. Results: Comparing different variables of HIV-positive pregnant women from the two HIV-AIDS CRs, we find that there are significant differences between the mean value of hemoglobin, CD4 level, environmental area, marital and amniotic membranes status, and HIV patient stage in the last trimester of pregnancy (p Conclusions: In 408 HIV-positive pregnant women followed up at two HIV-AIDS RCs in Romania, the most important clinical and biological risk factors associated with increased MTCT of HIV are represented by anemia, CD4 level, and HIV patient stage

CMV and HIV Coinfection in Women from a Region in Eastern Europe

(1) Background: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most frequent opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed patients. Romania has one of the highest incidences of patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which determines an immunosuppressive state. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of CMV infection among women living with HIV in Southeastern Romania and also to evaluate and correlate antiretroviral therapy (ART) with CD4 level and CMV disease evolution. (2) Methods: Seventy women living with HIV from Southeastern Romania were screened for CMV infection using antigen quantification. Of these, 50 were included in the study. First, the patients filled out a questionnaire regarding social conditions and other associated diseases. Then, we explored the statistical correlations between the data and HIV status, CD4+ cell counts, viral load, and antiretroviral therapy (ART). (3) Results: Median age of the patients was 33 years. Twenty-nine cases were diagnosed with HIV after sexual life beginning and 21 before. Most of the patients had a CD4 level over 200 cells/µL. ART duration in the CD4 under 200 cells/µL group was a bit longer than that in the CD4 over 200 cells/µL group. Forty-one patients had undetectable viremia. CD4 average value in the lot of patients with undetectable viremia was 704.71 cells/µL and in the lot with detectable viremia was 452.44 cells/µL. Viremia values correlated negatively with CD4 level. A positive correlation between IgG CMV values and ART therapy length was identified. A negative significant correlation between values of IgG CMV and values of CD4 was identified. CD4 value correlated negatively with IgG CMV values and with CMV avidity. (4) Conclusions: IgG CMV values had a weak positive correlation with ART therapy length, and a negative statistically significant correlation with values of CD4. CMV avidity has a negative correlation with CD4 value