Systems and methods for physiological signal enhancement and biometric extraction using non-invasive optical sensors

A system and method for signal processing to remove unwanted noise components including: (i) wavelength-independent motion artifacts such as tissue, bone and skin effects, and (ii) wavelength-dependent motion artifact/noise components such as venous blood pulsation and movement due to various sources including muscle pump, respiratory pump and physical perturbation. Disclosed are methods, analytics, and their uses for reliable perfusion monitoring, arterial oxygen saturation monitoring, heart rate monitoring during daily activities and in hospital settings and for extraction of physiological parameters such as respiration information, hemodynamic parameters, venous capacity, and fluid responsiveness. The system and methods disclosed are extendable to include monitoring platforms for perfusion, hypoxia, arrhythmia detection, airway obstruction detection and sleep disorders including apnea.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Methods and systems for extracting venous pulsation and respiratory information from photoplethysmographs

A system and method for separating a venous component and an arterial component from a red signal and an infrared signal of a PPG sensor is provided. The method uses the second order statistics of venous and arterial signals to separate the venous andarterial signals. After reliable separation of the venous and thearterial component signals,the component signals can be used for different purposes. In a preferred embodiment, the respiratory signal, pattern, and rate are extracted from the separated venous component and a reliable ?ratio of ratios? is extracted for SpO, using only the arterial component of the PPG signals. The disclosed embodiments enable real-time continuous monitoring of respiration pattern/rate and site-independentarterial oxygen saturation.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide on the Antibacterial Substantivity of Chlorhexidine

The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the effect of hydrogen peroxide on the antibacterial substantivity of chlorhexidine (CHX). Seventy-five dentine tubes prepared from human maxillary central and lateral incisor teeth were used. After contamination with Enterococcus faecalis for 14 days, the specimens were divided into five groups as follows: CHX, H2O2, CHX + H2O2, infected dentine tubes (positive control), and sterile dentine tubes (negative control). Dentine chips were collected with round burs into tryptic soy broth, and after culturing, the number of colony-forming units (CFU) was counted. The number of CFU was minimum in the first cultures in all experimental groups, and the results obtained were significantly different from each other at any time period (P < .05). At the first culture, the number of CFU in the CHX + H2O2 group was lower than other two groups. At the other experimental periods, the CHX group showed the most effective antibacterial action (P < .05). Hydrogen peroxide group showed the worst result at all periods. In each group, the number of CFU increased significantly by time lapse (P < .05). In conclusion, H2O2 had no additive effect on the residual antibacterial activity of CHX

Antibacterial Efficacy of Calcium Hydroxide and Chlorhexidine Mixture for Treatment of Teeth with Primary Endodontic Lesions: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: This study compared the root canal microbial count of necrotic teeth after irrigation with 6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (single session treatment) and two-session root canal treatment with two-week application of calcium hydroxide (CH) mixed with 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) as intracanal medicament. Methods and Materials: In this randomized clinical trial, single-rooted necrotic teeth were divided into two groups. Root canal was irrigated with 2 mL of 6% NaOCl in one group, and a mixture of 0.2% CHX and CH powder as an intracanal medicament for two weeks, in the other group. Root canal samples were obtained before and after the intervention and number of colony forming units (CFUs) was counted in each phase. Results: The reduction of Enterococcus faecalis CFU was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.233) but the CFU of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was significantly lower in CH+CHX group (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Two-week application of CH+CHX caused significant reduced the aerobic, anaerobic and E. faecalis colony counts. Thus, it may be beneficial to carry out primary root canal treatment of necrotic teeth with endodontic lesions in two sessions with intracanal medicaments to achieve predictable results.Keywords: Calcium Hydroxide; Chlorhexidine; Endodontic Treatment; Periapical Abscess; Root Canal Therap

Efficacy of a Novel Rotary System in Reduction of Intracanal Bacteria: An in Vitro Study

Introduction: This in vitro study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a single-file rotary system (OneShape) in reduction of intracanal bacteria. Methods and Materials: Eighty one single-rooted mandibular first premolars with single canals were used. Six samples were selected as aseptic control group. Seventy five remaining specimens were infected by Enterococcus faecalis and incubated for 72 h at 37°C. Then they were randomly divided into three groups (n=25). In each group, cleaning and shaping procedures were done using either two conventional rotary systems (ProTaper and iRace), or the single-file system (OneShape). Microbial samples from the intracanal environment were taken by paper points in two steps, before and after instrumentation. Then, they were diluted and plated in blood agar. In order to compare bacterial reduction and turbidity, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used followed by the Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests for pairwise comparison. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The control group didn’t show any bacterial growth. The pre- and post-instrumentation samples were significantly different between three groups (P=0.02). Hence, there was no significant differences between turbidity of samples (P&gt;0.05). Conclusion: OneShape system is efficient in bacterial reduction. In this regard ProTaper is the most effective system in intracanal bacterial reduction followed by iRaCe and OneShape, respectively.Keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; iRace; OneShape; ProTape

The phenotypic and molecular analysis of the production of broad-spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) among strains of Escherichia coli isolated from food in Hamedan

Introduction One of the reasons for drug resistance in Escherichiacoli isolates is the production of broad-spectrum beta-lactamases. The widespread use of antibiotics in the agricultural and dairy industry has led to raisingin antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic and molecular ESBLs production among E. coli isolated from food. Materials and Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out by 93 E. coli isolated from food and poultry in Hamadan in 2017. Then, the microbial susceptibility of the beta-lactamase producing isolates was determined using the (Combined teat CT) method and according to CLSI (2015) guidelines. Also, molecular identification of genes producing ESBLs (blaSHV, blaCTX-1, and blaTEM-1) was performed by PCR method. Results Evaluation of microbial susceptibility showed that the highest antibiotic resistance was observed for nalidixic acid (%88.4), ampicillin (%76.8), tetracycline (%82.8), and sulfomethoxazole (%67). Resistance to ceftazidime, Cefoxitin, aztreonam, cefotaxime was not observed in this study. The genotypic study by PCR method showed that the frequency of blaSHV, blaCTX-1, and blaTEM-1genes in E. coli isolated from food (%5.37), (%19.35) and (%29.03), respectively. Conclusion E.coli isolated from food showed high resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin, sulfomethoxazole, and tetracycline. On the other hand, the PCR method is more sensitive than the culture method

Study of drug resistance of Staphylococcus aurous and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from environmental samples of Hamadan educational hospitals in 2017 using disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration

Background: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most important bacteria causing the nosocomial infections, which are resistant to most of the antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the drug resistance of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa strains isolated from environmental samples of Hamedan educational hospitals using disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 400 samples were collected from Hamedan educational hospitals. To assess the antibiotic susceptibility of 10 common antibiotics, the agar dilution (Kirby-Bauer) method was used. Also, to determine the MIC of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin antibiotics were used. Results: From a total of 400 samples, 39 (9.7) isolates were P. aeruginosa and 28 (7) were S. aureus. Staphylococcus aureus showed the highest resistance to ofloxacin (82.1) and the highest drug resistance to P. aeruginosa was related to meropenem (82). Also, the highest MIC and maximum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for S. aureus to vancomycin were 128 and 256, respectively. In P. aeruginosa, the highest MIC and MBC to ciprofloxacin were 128 and 256, respectively. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus and P. aeruginosa showed the highest resistance to ofloxacin and meropenem, respectively. Considering the rapid increase of antibiotic resistance, accurate evaluation of the antibiotic resistance pattern of the bacteria is required

Effects of Early Mobilization Protocol on Cognitive Outcome after Cardiac Surgery

Background: This study aimed at determining the effects of implementation of “early mobilization protocol” on incidence of cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 80 adult patients, who had undergone elective cardiac surgery were randomly assigned to intervention (early mobilization protocol; n = 40) and control (routine physical therapy; n = 40) groups. Early mobilization was initiated from the first post-op morning and continued until discharge from the ICU. Cognitive dysfunction was assessed by the mini mental state examination (MMSE) questionnaire. The MMSE questionnaire was completed at three occasions for every patient: one day before surgery, second post-op day, and at the time of discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU). Results: Preoperative cognitive status had no difference between the two groups (P = 0.310). Post-op cognitive dysfunction was significantly more commonly reported in the control group. The MMSE scores were higher in early mobilized patients compared to the control group on the first post-op day (median: 28; inter quartile range: 26 to 30 versus median: 25; IQR: 22 to 27; p = 0.001) and at the time of discharge from the ICU (median: 29; IQR: 28 to 30 versus median: 26; IQR: 25 to 28; p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, duration of tracheal intubation and “early mobilization protocol” had significant effects on patients’ length of ICU stay. Conclusions: Implementation of early mobilization protocol has positive effects on cognitive outcome and ICU stay after cardiac surgery

Global, regional, and national cancer incidence, mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-Adjusted life-years for 29 cancer groups, 1990 to 2017 : A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study

Importance: Cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are now widely recognized as a threat to global development. The latest United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs reaffirmed this observation and also highlighted the slow progress in meeting the 2011 Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and the third Sustainable Development Goal. Lack of situational analyses, priority setting, and budgeting have been identified as major obstacles in achieving these goals. All of these have in common that they require information on the local cancer epidemiology. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is uniquely poised to provide these crucial data. Objective: To describe cancer burden for 29 cancer groups in 195 countries from 1990 through 2017 to provide data needed for cancer control planning. Evidence Review: We used the GBD study estimation methods to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-Adjusted life-years (DALYs). Results are presented at the national level as well as by Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and total fertility rate. We also analyzed the influence of the epidemiological vs the demographic transition on cancer incidence. Findings: In 2017, there were 24.5 million incident cancer cases worldwide (16.8 million without nonmelanoma skin cancer [NMSC]) and 9.6 million cancer deaths. The majority of cancer DALYs came from years of life lost (97%), and only 3% came from years lived with disability. The odds of developing cancer were the lowest in the low SDI quintile (1 in 7) and the highest in the high SDI quintile (1 in 2) for both sexes. In 2017, the most common incident cancers in men were NMSC (4.3 million incident cases); tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer (1.5 million incident cases); and prostate cancer (1.3 million incident cases). The most common causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for men were TBL cancer (1.3 million deaths and 28.4 million DALYs), liver cancer (572000 deaths and 15.2 million DALYs), and stomach cancer (542000 deaths and 12.2 million DALYs). For women in 2017, the most common incident cancers were NMSC (3.3 million incident cases), breast cancer (1.9 million incident cases), and colorectal cancer (819000 incident cases). The leading causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for women were breast cancer (601000 deaths and 17.4 million DALYs), TBL cancer (596000 deaths and 12.6 million DALYs), and colorectal cancer (414000 deaths and 8.3 million DALYs). Conclusions and Relevance: The national epidemiological profiles of cancer burden in the GBD study show large heterogeneities, which are a reflection of different exposures to risk factors, economic settings, lifestyles, and access to care and screening. The GBD study can be used by policy makers and other stakeholders to develop and improve national and local cancer control in order to achieve the global targets and improve equity in cancer care. © 2019 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe