Higuchi Fractal Properties of Onset Epilepsy Electroencephalogram

Epilepsy is a medical term which indicates a common neurological disorder characterized by seizures, because of abnormal neuronal activity. This leads to unconsciousness or even a convulsion. The possible etiologies should be evaluated and treated. Therefore, it is necessary to concentrate not only on finding out efficient treatment methods, but also on developing algorithm to support diagnosis. Currently, there are a number of algorithms, especially nonlinear algorithms. However, those algorithms have some difficulties one of which is the impact of noise on the results. In this paper, in addition to the use of fractal dimension as a principal tool to diagnose epilepsy, the combination between ICA algorithm and averaging filter at the preprocessing step leads to some positive results. The combination which improved the fractal algorithm become robust with noise on EEG signals. As a result, we can see clearly fractal properties in preictal and ictal period so as to epileptic diagnosis

Extracting Fetal Electrocardiogram from Being Pregnancy Based on Nonlinear Projection

Fetal heart rate extraction from the abdominal ECG is of great importance due to the information that carries in assessing appropriately the fetus well-being during pregnancy. In this paper, we describe a method to suppress the maternal signal and noise contamination to discover the fetal signal in a single-lead fetal ECG recordings. We use a locally linear phase space projection technique which has been used for noise reduction in deterministically chaotic signals. Henceforth, this method is capable of extracting fetal signal even when noise and fetal component are of comparable amplitude. The result is much better if the noise is much smaller (P wave and T wave can be discovered)

Autologous Transplantation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Treat Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Evaluation of Clinical Signs, Mental Signs, and Quality of Life

BACKGROUD: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage that can cause a temporary or permanent change in spinal cord functions AIM: This work evaluates clinical signs, mental signs, and quality of life (QoL) after autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) transplantation to treat acute spinal cord injury (SCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, 47 SCI patients were recruited and divided into two groups: intervention and control. ADSCs were isolated and cultured under the cell culture quality control procedure. All patients in both groups underwent neurosurgery with or without ADSC transplantation. The recovery regarding neurological muscle, QoL, neurogenic bladder, and mental improvement was assessed after transplantation. RESULTS: All patients had improved in terms of motor function, bladder function, and daily living. No patients reported any side effect. MRI imaging showed significant changes in the lesion length of the spinal canal and the thickening of the spinal cord. Mental improvement was highest at six months after transplantation and lowest at one month after transplantation. The proportion of patients whose quality of life improved after treatment was 100%, while 80% of patients were satisfied with treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, our data suggested that ADSCs transplantation was safe and effective for the treatment of SCI patients. Neurological muscle and neurogenic bladder were improved significantly after transplantation

Analyzing surface EMG signals to determine relationship between jaw imbalance and arm strength loss

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between dental occlusion and arm strength; in particular, the imbalance in the jaw can cause loss in arm strength phenomenon. One of the goals of this study was to record the maximum forces that the subjects can resist against the pull-down force on their hands while biting a spacer of adjustable height on the right or left side of the jaw. Then EMG measurement was used to determine the EMG-Force relationship of the jaw, neck and arms muscles. This gave us useful insights on the arms strength loss due to the biomechanical effects of the imbalance in the jaw mechanism. METHODS: In this study to determine the effects of the imbalance in the jaw to the strength of the arms, we conducted experiments with a pool of 20 healthy subjects of both genders. The subjects were asked to resist a pull down force applied on the contralateral arm while biting on a firm spacer using one side of the jaw. Four different muscles – masseter muscles, deltoid muscles, bicep muscles and trapezoid muscles – were involved. Integrated EMG (iEMG) and Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD) were used to analyze the EMG signals. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) Imbalance in the jaw causes loss of arm strength contra-laterally; (2) The loss is approximately a linear function of the height of the spacers. Moreover, the iEMG showed the intensity of muscle activities decreased when the degrees of jaw imbalance increased (spacer thickness increased). In addition, the tendency of Higuchi fractal dimension decreased for all muscles. CONCLUSIONS: This finding indicates that muscle fatigue and the decrease in muscle contraction level leads to the loss of arm strength

Fabrication of Core-Shell PLGA-Chitosan Microparticles Using Electrospinning: Effects of Polymer Concentration

This investigation aims to fabricate the core-shell microparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and chitosan (PLGA-CS MPs) using electrospinning. The challenge of using electrospinning is that it has many parameters which change product outcome if any single parameter is changed. However, the advantage of this system is that we can fabricate either micro/nanofibers or micro/nanoparticles. To learn about the effect of liquid concentration, the electrospinning parameters (voltage, needle sizes, distance from needle to collector, and ejection speed) were fixed while the concentration of PLGA or chitosan was varied. The results showed that PLGA microparticles can be fabricated successfully when the concentration of PLGA is smaller than 10 wt%. Presence of the chitosan shell was confirmed by zeta potential measurements, FT-IR, optical observation, and fluorescence observation. Thickness of the chitosan shell can be controlled by changing the concentration of chitosan and measured by fluorescamine labeling method. Moreover, SEM observation showed that concentration of chitosan affected the size of PLGA-CS microparticles. The MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay test showed that PLGA-CS microparticles possess excellent biocompatibility

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Silver Nanoparticles Gel for Wound Dressing Applications

The purpose of this study was to fabricate chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/Ag nanoparticles (CPA) gels with microwave-assistance for skin applications. Microwave irradiation was employed to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles and to crosslink chitosan (CS) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The presence of silver nanoparticles in CPA gels matrix was examined using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The interaction of CS and PVA was analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of silver ions was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The antimicrobial properties of CPA gels against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were investigated using agar diffusion method. Finally, the biocompatibility and wound-healing ability of the gels were studied using fibroblast cells (in vitro) and mice models (in vivo). In conclusion, the results showed that CPA gels were successfully fabricated using microwave irradiation method. These gels can be applied to heal an open wound thanks to their antibacterial activity and biocompatibility

Quality of Life and Suitability with Vietnamese Harmonious Face Index in Class III Malocclusion Patients

BACKGROUND: Maxillary Lefort I osteotomy, mandibular bilateral sagittal split ramus was frequently used in correcting skeletal class III malocclusion. There was a lack of research on class III malocclusion patients’ quality of life (QoL) after bimaxillary osteotomy. AIM: Class I Intermaxillary relationship was achieved, aesthetic was significantly improved. Significant improvement in Class III skeletal patients’ quality of life was acquired. The achievement of harmonious face would be beneficial to the facial aesthetics of patients, thus improving the quality of life. METHODS: Harmonious face index is an effective criterion in assessing the surgery’s outcome. In this study was conducted on 30 patients at Hanoi National Hospital of Odontostomatology, Viet Duc Hospital, and Hong Ngoc Hospital from April 2017 to April 2018, and it was a quasi-experimental study with self-comparison, 12 months follow up. RESULTS: Orthognathic surgery effectively corrected malocclusion crossbite, dental compensation, and helped to improve facial aesthetics. 100% of patients had the quality of life improved, good quality of life consisted of 86.7%. In comparison with a harmonious facial index of Kinh ethnic in Vietnam, 70% of patients achieved skeletal harmony, 63.3% of patients achieved dental harmony, 80% achieved soft tissue harmony. CONCLUSIONS: Vietnamese harmonious facial index should be used in planning and pre-surgical simulatio

Neuromuscular Blockade Agents Reversal with Sugammadex Compared to Neostigmine in the Living Kidney Donors

Backround: The reversation of NMBA (neuromuscular blocking agents) prevents numerous postoperative complications, increases quality of recovery and decreases the time, expenditure spending in hospital. The choice of medicine used to reverse NMBA depends  considered as a key fators to gain the best outcome and to avoid the side effects. Aim: To evaluate the postoperative effect on muscle relaxation reversal and side effects of sugammadex 2 mg/kg versus the combination of  neostigmine and atropine sulfate in the living kidney donors. MethodS: A randomised controlled trial on 70 patients undergoing living kidney donation surgery were allocated to 2 groups. Patients in group I (SUGA) were reversed with sugammadex 2 mg/kg and in group II (NEO/ATR) with the combination of neostigmine and atropine sulfat. Results: With 35 patients in each group, the study results showed that after 3 mintutes of reversal patients reaching TOF value ≥ 0.9 in group SUGA is 91.4%, after 5 minutes 100% of patients in group SUGA reached TOF value ≥ 0.9 . In group NEO/ATR after 3 minutes 28.6% patients reached TOF ≥ 0.9 and 40% patients reached TOF≥ 0.9 after 5 minutes. The difference in percentage of patients reaching TOF ≥ 0.9 after 3 minutes, 5 minutes of reversal between two groups is significant (p<0.05). After 10 minutes, 100% patients in both group got TOF ≥ 0.9. Time to exutubation of group SUGA was 249.43 ± 81.75 seconds and it was 456.29 ± 146.45 seconds in group NEO/ATR. Nausea, bradycardia, and increased phlegm production in group NEO/ATR was 22.9%; 28.5%; 25.7% respectively; while those side effects were not met in group SUGA, the difference was significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: The muscle relaxation reversal effect of sugammadex was faster than that of neostigmine, the duration TOF ≥ 0.9 and the time to extubation was significantly faster. Sugammadex did not cause hemodynamic changes before and after muscle relaxation reversal, neostigmine resulted in the bradycardia, increased phlegm secreting and other side effects. The renal function after 24 hours postoperatively of two groups was similar

Preparation of self-assembly silica redox nanoparticles to improve drug encapsulation and suppress the adverse effect of doxorubicin

Background and Purpose: The utilization of doxorubicin (DOX) in clinal trials is also challenging owing to its adverse effects, including low oral bioavailability, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cardiotoxicity, and epithelial barrier damage. Recently, scavenging of ROS reduced the cytotoxicity of DOX, suggesting a new approach for using DOX as an anticancer treatment. Thus, in this study, non-silica and silica redox nanoparticles (denoted as RNPN and siRNP, respectively) with ROS scavenging features have been designed to encapsulate DOX and reduce its cytotoxicity. Experimental Approach: DOX-loaded RNPN (DOX@RNPN) and DOX-loaded siRNP (DOX@siRNP) were prepared by co-dissolving DOX with RNPN and siRNP, respectively. The size and stability of nanoparticles were characterized by the dynamic light scattering system. Additionally, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, and release profile of DOX@RNPN and DOX@siRNP were identified by measuring the absorbance of DOX. Finally, the cytotoxicity of DOX@RNPN and DOX@siRNP against normal murine fibroblast cells (L929), human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2), and human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were also investigated. Key results: The obtained result showed that RNPN exhibited a pH-sensitive character while silanol moieties improved the stability of siRNP in physiological conditions. DOX@RNPN and DOX@siRNP were formed at several tens of nanometers in diameter with narrow distribution. Moreover, DOX@siRNP stabilized under different pH buffers, especially gastric pH, and improved encapsulation of DOX owing to the addition of silanol groups. DOX@RNPN and DOX@siRNP maintained anticancer activity of DOX against HepG2, and MCF-7 cells, while their cytotoxicity on L929 cells was significantly reduced compared to free DOX treatment. Conclusion: DOX@RNPN and DOX@siRNP could effectively suppress the adverse effect of DOX, suggesting the potential to become promising nanomedicines for cancer treatments