Computerised Analysis, Interpretation, Storage and Retrieval of Electrocardiograms

A study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of introducing a computerised electrocardiographic analysis and interpretive system as a service to a teaching and referral hospital. Available computer equipment and programmes are considered. The accuracy and quality of the analysis and interpretation of the electrocardiographic contours are basically dependent on such factors as pattern recognition, the criteria adopted for determining abnormalities, the relative values placed on scalar and orthogonal leads and the role of review by the physician. It is concluded that such systems are at a stage where they can feasibly be introduced and should be of advantage in freeing the physician from ,routine measuring and screening of electrocardiograms, thus saving many hours of professional and academic time. Furthermore, such systems can contribute greatly as an educational tool and increase the general knowledge of electrocardiography. Systems for storage and retrieval are also being developed and becoming available. The whole field is a developing one and continuous updating of programmes by the addition of more data, particularly for children, and the introduction of electrocardiographic comparison programmes need to be expedited.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1141 (1974)

Effect of time to onset on clinical features and prognosis of post-sternotomy mediastinitis

AbstractIncubation time affects the clinical features and outcome of many nosocomial infections. However, its role in the setting of post-sternotomy mediastinitis (PSM) has not been specifically studied. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of time to onset of PSM on the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients. Hospital records of 197 patients who developed PSM over a 10-year period and were treated by closed drainage using Redon catheters were reviewed retrospectively. Follow-up was complete for all included patients (median of 19 months); 98 patients developed early-onset PSM (time from initial operation to PSM <14 days) and 99 patients had late-onset PSM (≥14 days). Patients with late-onset PSM had a higher rate of internal thoracic artery harvest and mediastinal re-exploration after initial operation. Patients with early-onset PSM presented more frequently with septic shock. Microbiological findings differed between early- and late-onset PSM by a higher incidence of Enterococcus species in the former and of Staphylococcus aureus in the latter. Overall mortality reached 34% (n = 66). Rates of superinfection, treatment failure, mediastinitis-related death, mortality at 1 year and overall mortality were all significantly higher in patients with early-onset PSM. Multiple regression procedures identified early-onset PSM as a significant and independent risk factor for both 1-year (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.12-5.11) and overall (OR 2.11; 95% 1.26-3.53) mortality. In conclusion, the results obtained in the present study support the distinction between early- and late-onset PSM with different clinical and pathophysiological features. Early-onset PSM is associated with a significantly higher morbidity and mortality compared to late-onset PSM

From Research to Operational Biomonitoring of Freshwaters: A Suggested Conceptual Framework and Practical Solutions

International audienceThe contradictory demands of managers (quick relevant operational responses) and ecologists (need time for in-depth research) involved in freshwater biomonitoring are still relevant today. To contribute to solving this dilemma, we are proposing a novel biomonitoring approach, which among many others, could be used in this field and further developed in the future. Biomonitoring actions are integrated in conceptual schemes, in which hydrology, chemistry, hydrogeology and geomorphology bear as much importance as biology. Among biomonitoring tools, a harmonization system allows end-users to use a set of qualitative indicators (various biotic indices) and integrate the information given by individual biotic indices. Functional traits and calculation of an ecological potential in porous aquatic habitats (surficial coarse sediments and the hyporheic system) are regarded as a basis for assessing ecological functioning of streams and rivers. This last methodology takes into account the dynamics of water exchanges between surface water and groundwater. Objectives of ecological quality, ecological potentials and resilience capacity that need to be preserved or rehabilitated in aquatic habitats are established. In lakes, a similar approach was followed and a general typology of lake functioning was proposed, including that for urban lakes. All those biomonitoring tools are transferred to end-users and subject to further research. The final purpose is to promote practical high-tech tools which are continually and interactively connected with ongoing research

Characterisation of activated sludge by automated image analysis : validation on full-scale plants

Automated methods based on the analysis of macro- and meso-scale images has been developed to characterise activated sludge in terms of size and shape (fractal dimension) of flocs and abundance of filamentous bacteria. After tests on pilot-scale reactors, the method has been validated on full-scale samples from twelve different wastewater treatment plants in France and Portugal

Survey of a wastewater treatment plant microfauna by image analysis

The microfauna present in the activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant is mainly composed by bacteria, protozoa and metazoa. The protozoan species are quite sensitive to physical, chemical and operational processes making them, thus, precious indicators of the state of the plant. Several authors already established relationships between the predominance of certain species or group and some parameters of the plant, such as the biotic indices namely the Sludge Biotic Index. All the above-mentioned procedures demand the identification, classification and quantification of the different species. Normally this is done manually, which implies both time and expertise. In the present work a semi-automatic protozoan recognition procedure by means of image analysis is attempted. The program built for this purpose (ProtoRec v.3) was also used to study the evolution of the microfauna during transient operation times (stoppage and re-run). The results were rather satisfactory in terms of protozoa recognition and the survey of the transient phase allowed verifying the aging and degradation of the microfauna by means of the different predominant species

Estudo por Análise de Imagem do Comportamento de uma Estação de Tratamento de Efluentes sob Condições Transientes

A microfauna presente numa estação de tratamento de efluentes por lamas activadas é composta essencialmente por bactérias, protozoários e metazoários. Os protozoários apresentam uma sensibilidade aos fenómenos físico-químicos e operacionais que os tornam indicadores do estado de funcionamento da estação. A literatura apresenta relações entre a abundância de uma certa espécie ou grupo e parâmetros da estação. Uma outra possibilidade é a qualificação do estado da ETAR através de índices bióticos como o SBI. Todos estes procedimentos exigem uma identificação, classificação e quantificação das espécies presentes. Geralmente isto é feito manualmente, o que implica tempo e muitas vezes a presença de um técnico especializado. Neste trabalho é proposto um procedimento para reconhecimento semi-automático das espécies de protozoários por análise de imagem. Este programa (ProtoRec v.2) foi em seguida utilizado para estudar a evolução da microfauna durante períodos de transição (paragem e arranque da estação). Os resultados obtidos foram satisfatórios em relação ao reconhecimento das espécies pelo programa e o acompanhamento da estação permitiu-nos verificar a degradação e envelhecimento da lama e o aparecimento de protozoários que evidenciam tal facto

Semi-automated recognition of protozoa by image analysis

A programme was created to semi-automatically analyse protozoal digitised images. Principal Component Analysis technique was used for species identification. After data collection and mathematical treatment, a threedimensional representation was generated and several protozoa (Opercularia, Colpidium, Tetrahymena, Prorodon, Glaucoma and Trachelophyllum) species could be positively identified.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - Praxis XXI BD/5080/95, Praxis XXI 2/2.1/BIO/1118/95