Optimization of the position of single-lead wireless sensor with low electrodes separation distance for ECG-derived respiration

A classical method for estimation of respiratory information from electrocardiogram (ECG), called ECG - derived respiration (EDR), is using flexible electrodes located at standard electrocardiography positions. This work introduces an alternative approach suitable for miniaturized sensors with low inter-electrode separation and electrodes fixed to the sensor encapsulation. Application of amplitude EDR algorithm on single-lead wireless sensor system with optimized electrode positions shows results comparable with standard robust systems. The modified method can be applied in daily physiological monitoring, in sleep studies or implemented in smart clothes when standard respiration techniques are not suitable

Pre-imaginal stages of the blowfly Protocalliphora falcozi in nests of the tree sparrow (Passer montanus)

This paper offers the initial description ofthe first instar larva of Protocalliphora falcozi Séguy, 1928 (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and redescription of the second and third instar larvae and puparium, as well as distinction between P. falcozi and its relative P. azurea Fallén (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The material was sampled in the National Nature Reserve Šúr (SW Slovakia) from nests of the tree sparrow (Passer montanus), which has not previously been classified as a host of P. falcozi. Knowledge of diagnostically relevant characterics to determine bird blowfly larvae and puparia will undoubtedly contribute to the current accepted phylogeny and classification of the genus Protocalliphora

Graph cutting and its application to biological data

In this paper we introduce the concept of segmentation based on mathematical approach using graph theory algorithms using the family of augmenting paths algorithms. We present a new program, an implementation, algorithms and obtained results devoted to segmentation of biomedical data. We implement our program for handling with segmentation, counting a measure of the existence of the minerals in the biomedical data. As a consequence we prove the existence of minerals in the data obtained from the brain of rabbits

Magnetic Deposits of Iron Oxides in the Human Brain

Deposits of iron oxides in the human brain (globus pallidus) are visible under electron microscopy as object of regular and or/irregular shape but giving sharp diffraction patterns in the transmission mode. The SQUID magnetometry reveals that the magnetization curves decline form an ideal Langevin function due to the dominating diamagnetism of organic tissue. The fitting procedure yields the quantitative characteristics of the overall magnetization curves that were further processed by statistical multivariate method

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of human liver samples with Wilson’s disease

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an elemental analytical technique with various applications. The paper demonstrates the first LIBS measurements of human liver samples for the purpose of detecting the higher copper content related with the advanced stage of Wilson’s disease. These measurements were implemented using a Nd:YAG laser working at the wavelength of 532 nm and an echelle type spectrometer equipped with an intensified CCD camera allowing for a wide spectral range coverage (200–950 nm) and rapid camera gating (minimum gating time of 5 ns). Seven liver samples with suspected Wilson’s disease and five reference samples were investigated. The main parameter of interest was the Cu/C ratio obtained at first from spectra and secondly directly from an iCCD image. Our experiment is a pilot study, which shows LIBS analysis of human liver samples for the purpose of detecting the normal and higher copper content for the first time. The method proved to be a quick and a low-cost approach for the detection of pathological accumulation of copper in the affected tissue

Various Approaches to the Quantitative Evaluation of Biological and Medical Data Using Mathematical Models

Biomedical data (structured and unstructured) has grown dramatically in strength and volume over the last few years. Innovative, intelligent, and autonomous scientific approaches are needed to examine the large data sets that are gradually becoming widely available. In order to predict unique symmetric and asymmetric patterns, there is also an increasing demand for designing, analyzing, and understanding such complicated data sets. In this paper, we focused on a different way of processing biological and medical data. We provide an overview of known methods as well as a look at optimized mathematical approaches in the field of biological data analysis. We deal with the RGB threshold algorithm, new filtering based on the histogram and on the RGB model, the Image J program, and the structural similarity index method (SSIM) approaches. Finally, we compared the results with the open-source software. We can confirm that our own software based on new mathematical models is an extremely suitable tool for processing biological images and is important in research areas such as the detection of iron in biological samples. We study even symmetric and asymmetric properties of the iron existence as a design analysis of the biological real data. Unique approaches for clinical information gathering, organizing, analysis, information retrieval, and inventive implementation of contemporary computing approaches are all part of this research project, which has much potential in biomedical research. These cutting-edge multidisciplinary techniques will enable the detection and retrieval of important symmetric and asymmetric patterns, as well as the faster finding of pertinent data and the opening of novel learning pathways

Various Approaches to the Quantitative Evaluation of Biological and Medical Data Using Mathematical Models

Biomedical data (structured and unstructured) has grown dramatically in strength and volume over the last few years. Innovative, intelligent, and autonomous scientific approaches are needed to examine the large data sets that are gradually becoming widely available. In order to predict unique symmetric and asymmetric patterns, there is also an increasing demand for designing, analyzing, and understanding such complicated data sets. In this paper, we focused on a different way of processing biological and medical data. We provide an overview of known methods as well as a look at optimized mathematical approaches in the field of biological data analysis. We deal with the RGB threshold algorithm, new filtering based on the histogram and on the RGB model, the Image J program, and the structural similarity index method (SSIM) approaches. Finally, we compared the results with the open-source software. We can confirm that our own software based on new mathematical models is an extremely suitable tool for processing biological images and is important in research areas such as the detection of iron in biological samples. We study even symmetric and asymmetric properties of the iron existence as a design analysis of the biological real data. Unique approaches for clinical information gathering, organizing, analysis, information retrieval, and inventive implementation of contemporary computing approaches are all part of this research project, which has much potential in biomedical research. These cutting-edge multidisciplinary techniques will enable the detection and retrieval of important symmetric and asymmetric patterns, as well as the faster finding of pertinent data and the opening of novel learning pathways

Salivary Thiobarbituric Acid Reacting Substances and Malondialdehyde – Their Relationship to Reported Smoking and to Parodontal Status Described by the Papillary bleeding index

Background. Thiobarbituric reacting substances (TBARS) are markers of lipoperoxidation. The best-known specific TBARS is malondialdehyde (MDA). Results from our previous studies have shown that TBARS can be measured in saliva and are increased in patients with gingivitis. Whether MDA is the main TBARS in saliva from patients with altered parodontal status is unknown. Aim. To observe the relationship between the parodontal status and TBARS, MDA and the number of epithelial cells in saliva. Subjects & Methods. In Study I saliva and plasma samples of 15 patients (8F, 7M) suffering from inflammatory periodontal diseases were gathered and TBARS levels were measured in these samples. In Study II saliva samples from 217 consecutive stomatologic patients were collected and analysed for TBARS spectrofluorometrically, MDA by high-performance liquid chromatography and epithelial cell count by light microscopy. Papillary bleeding index (PBI) was determined in standard stomatologic examination. Results. In Study I results from our previous studies showing no correlation between salivary and plasma TBARS levels were confirmed. This indicates that the local salivary level of TBARS is unlikely to be directly affected by systemic oxidative stress. In Study II higher PBI was associated independently (adjusted for age and sex) tightly with higher TBARS (p < 0.001) and with lower number of epithelial cells in saliva (p < 0.05). Smokers had higher salivary MDA levels (p < 0.003) and lower number of epithelial cells in saliva (p < 0.01). Conclusion. Salivary TBARS are a simple parameter that partially reflects the parodontal status with a potential usefulness in the clinical stomatology. We show herein that salivary MDA is dependent on age and smoking, but there is no correlation between MDA and PBI. Further studies should uncover the main salivary TBARS compound in patients with altered parodontal status and trace the origin of these salivary lipoperoxidation markers

Elektro – optický monitoring citrátu sodného aplikovatelného v hemodialýze

V této práci se popisují naše počáteční experimenty ve vývoji „on-line“ senzoru na monitoring koncentrace citrátu sodného (Na3C6H2O7) v mimo mozkovém proudění krve v průběhu hemodialýzy. Přesný a rychlý monitoring by umožnil regulaci koncentrace citrátu a návrat do krevního řečiště těla v jeho původních hodnotách, tím pacienta významně méně zatíženého než v přítomnosti. Nedávno jsme se soustředili na stanovení koncentrace měřením elektrické impedance a odrazivosti ve zkoumané krvi. Našim cílem je zkoumat trendy vlivu těchto signálů na koncentraci a vyvinout vhodnou metodiku, která může být použita později v senzorech. Částečně začínáme pracovat také na citlivosti metodiky, přičemž bychom rádi výpočtem dosáhli ekvivalentní elektrický model řešení. To je založeno na elektrochemickém dvouvrstvém modelu a korespondenci s Cole-Cole grafyIn this paper, we describe our initial steps in the development of online sensor to monitor the tri-sodium citrate concentration in extra-cerebral blood flow during haemodialysis. Accurate and fast monitoring would allow the regulation of the concentration of citrate returning to the human bloodstream to its original values, thereby, making the patient significantly less burdened than at present. In the early stages, we focused on the determination of concentration by measuring of electrical impedance and reflection in the collected blood. Our aim is to study the trends of influencing these signals by concentration and to develop a suitable methodology that can be used later in the sensor. In part, we begin working on the selectivity of the methodology that we would like to achieve by calculating the equivalent electrical model of the solution. It is based on the electrochemical double layer model and the corresponding Cole-Cole graphs

Deposits of iron oxides in the human globus pallidus

Samples taken from the human brain (Globus Pallidus) have been investigated by physical techniques such as light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry. SEM-EDX/TEM investigation reveals multielemental composition of hematite and magnetite nanocrystals with sizes ranging from 40 nm to 100 nm and hematite microcrystals from 3 μm to 7 μm. Room temperature Mössbauer spectra show quadrupole doublets assigning to hematite and ferrihydrite. SQUID measurements of temperature dependence of the mass magnetic susceptibility between T = 2 – 300 K at DC field B0 = 0.1 T, the field dependence of the mass magnetization taken at the fixed temperature T0 = 2.0 and 4.6 K and the zero-field cooled and field cooled magnetization experiments (ZFCM/FCM) confirm a presence of ferrimagnetic phases such as maghemite and/or magnetite with hysteresis loops surviving until the room temperature. Differences between these measurements from the point of view of iron oxides detected can indicate important processes in human brain and interactions between ferritin as a physiological source of iron and surrounding environment