Performance comparison of machine learning techniques in sleep scoring based on wavelet features and neighboring component analysis

Introduction: Sleep scoring is an important step in the treatment of sleep disorders. Manual annotation of sleep stages is time-consuming and experience-relevant and, therefore, needs to be done using machine learning techniques. Methods: Sleep-EDF polysomnography was used in this study as a dataset. Support vector machines and artificial neural network performance were compared in sleep scoring using wavelet tree features and neighborhood component analysis. Results: Neighboring component analysis as a combination of linear and non-linear feature selection method had a substantial role in feature dimension reduction. Artificial neural network and support vector machine achieved 90.30 and 89.93 accuracy, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: Similar to the state of the art performance, the introduced method in the present study achieved an acceptable performance in sleep scoring. Furthermore, its performance can be enhanced using a technique combined with other techniques in feature generation and dimension reduction. It is hoped that, in the future, intelligent techniques can be used in the process of diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. © 2018 Alizadeh Savareh et al

Inactivation of the nucl. Accumbens Core Exerts No Effect on Nicotine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference

Effects of transient inhibition of the core part of the nucl. accumbens (NAcC) by lidocaine on nicotine-induced conditioned place preference in male Wistar rats were examined. Lidocaine (2%) was injected into the NAcC of nicotine-conditioned animals before each nicotine i.p. injection. On the test day, behavior of the animals in a two-compartment apparatus was recorded during 10 min. Results revealed that i.p. injections of nicotine (1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg) induced place preference. Transient lidocaine-induced inhibition of one or both sides of the NAcC did not change place preference but changed the numbers of compartment crossings, rearings, and sniffings. Inhibition of the left part and both parts of the structure reduced sniffing and increased place preference; inhibition of the right part of the nucleus increased the intensity of this phenomena.Вивчали впливи тимчасової інактивації серцевинної частини nucl. accumbens (NAcC) за допомогою лідокаїну на індуковану нікотином умовнорефлекторну преференцію місця у самців щурів. Лідокаїн (2 %) ін’єкували в NAcC кондиційованих уведеннями нікотину тварин за 5 хв перед кожною тест-ін’єкцією нікотину. У день тестування поведінка тварин у двокомпартментному пристрої реєструвалася протягом 10 хв. Внутрішньоочеревинні ін’єкції нікотину (1.0 або 1.5 мг/кг) індукували виражену преференцію місця. Унілатеральна або білатеральна тимчасова інактивація NAcC не призводила до змін преференції, але зменшувала кількість стійок та перетинів межі компартментів. Гальмування лівої половини або обох частин NAcC зменшувало кількість епізодів принюхування та збільшувало інтенсивність преференції місця, тоді як гальмування тільки правої частини ядра посилювало принюхування та зменшувало рівень преференції. Отже, наші результати підтвердили, що як ліва, так і права частини NAcC залучені у формування нікотинової преференції місця, але їх ролі можуть бути відмінними

Optimal heat distributions by a gradient-based shape optimization method

In this paper, we consider the problem of locating coated inclusions in a 2D dimensional conductor material in order to obtain a suitable thermal environment. The mathematical model is described by elliptic partial differential equation with linear boundary condition, including heat transfer coefficient. A shape optimization problem is formulated by introducing a cost functional to solve the problem under consideration. The shape sensitivity analysis is rigorously performed for the problem by means of a Lagrangian formulation. The optimization problem is solved by means of gradient-based strategy and numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach

An Evaluation of the Role of OTC [(−)-2-Oxo-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid] in Acquisition and Expression of Morphine Dependence in Male NMRI Mice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In morphine dependence, the concentration of natural antioxidants decreases and glutathione is one of the most important ones. Therefore, antioxidants may reduce morphine withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyze the effect of various concentrations of OTC [(&minus;)-2-Oxo-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid] (glutathione transferase activator) on acquisition and expression of morphine dependence. METHODS: In this experimental study, small male NMRI mice (20 &ndash; 30 g) were divided into 9 groups (n = 8). The mice became morphine-dependent using Marshall Method. The animals were administered with various concentrations of OTC (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) on days of inducing dependence (reception) or days of test (expression). Two main symptoms of withdrawal syndrome (the number of jumps and the weight of stools) were evaluated by administration of naloxone. FINDINGS: Administration of naloxone in the mice that received morphine on previous days increased the weight of stools (0.62&plusmn;0.2 and 0.3&plusmn;0.05 in morphine and saline group, respectively) and the number of jumps (46&plusmn;15 and 1&plusmn;0.2 in morphine and saline group, respectively; p<0.01). OTC administration did not cause significant changes in the weight of stools and the number of jumps compared with saline group. OTC administration on days of reception increased the weight of stools and the number of jumps (0.53&plusmn;0.01, 1.2&plusmn;0.5, 1&plusmn;0.04 and 0.62&plusmn;0.01 in 5, 10, 20 mg/kg OTC and saline, respectively; p<0.01) and increased the number of jumps on days of test (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Results of the study demonstrated that stimulating glutathione transferase by OTC improves the acquisition of physical dependence to morphine

Crocin attenuates the granular cells damages on the dentate gyrus and pyramidal neurons in the CA3 regions of the hippocampus and frontal cortex in the rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) are considered as a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that can induce synaptic loss and apoptosis in brain regions, particularly in the cortex and the hippocampus. Evidence suggests that crocin, as the major component of saffron, can exhibit neuromodulatory effects in AD. However, specific data related to their efficacy to attenuate the synaptic loss and neuronal death in animal models of AD are limited. Hence, we investigated the efficacy of crocin in the CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus and also in frontal cortex neurons employing a rat model of AD. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, sham, AD model, crocin, and AD model + crocin groups, with 8 rats per group. AD model was established by injecting Aβ1�42 into the frontal cortex rats, and thereafter the rats were administrated by crocin (30 mg/kg) for a duration of 12-day. The number of live cells, neuronal arborization and apoptosis were measured using a Cresyl violet, Golgi-Cox and TUNEL staining, respectively. Results showed that, the number of live cells in the hippocampus pyramidal neurons in the CA3 and granular cells in the DG regions of the AD rats significantly decreased, which was significantly rescued by crocin. Compared with the control group, the axonal, spine and dendrites arborization in the frontal cortex and CA3 region of the AD model group significantly decreased. The crocin could significantly reverse this arborization loss in the AD rats (P < 0.05). The apoptotic cell number in the CA3 and DG regions in the AD model group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05), while crocin significantly decreased the apoptotic cell number in the AD group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Crocin can improve the synaptic loss and neuronal death of the AD rats possibly by reducing the neuronal apoptosis. © 2020 Elsevier B.V