scholarly journals Automated Medical Care: Bradycardia Detection and Cardiac Monitoring of Preterm Infants

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (11) ◽  
pp. 1199
Author(s):  
Beatrice Arvinti ◽  
Emil Radu Iacob ◽  
Alexandru Isar ◽  
Daniela Iacob ◽  
Marius Costache

Background and Objectives: Prematurity of birth occurs before the 37th week of gestation and affects up to 10% of births worldwide. It is correlated with critical outcomes; therefore, constant monitoring in neonatal intensive care units or home environments is required. The aim of this work was to develop solutions for remote neonatal intensive supervision systems, which should assist medical diagnosis of premature infants and raise alarm at cardiac abnormalities, such as bradycardia. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a worldwide stress upon the medical staff and the management of healthcare units. Materials and Methods: A traditional medical diagnosing scheme was set up, implemented with the aid of powerful mathematical operators. The algorithm was tailored to the infants’ personal ECG characteristics and was tested on real ECG data from the publicly available PhysioNet database “Preterm Infant Cardio-Respiratory Signals Database”. Different processing problems were solved: noise filtering, baseline drift removal, event detection and compression of medical data using the à trous wavelet transform. Results: In all 10 available clinical cases, the bradycardia events annotated by the physicians were correctly detected using the RR intervals. Compressing the ECG signals for remote transmission, we obtained compression ratios (CR) varying from 1.72 to 7.42, with the median CR value around 3. Conclusions: We noticed that a significant amount of noise can be added to a signal while monitoring using standard clinical sensors. We tried to offer solutions for these technical problems. Recent studies have shown that persons infected with the COVID-19 disease are frequently reported to develop cardiovascular symptoms and cardiac arrhythmias. An automatic surveillance system (both for neonates and adults) has a practical medical application. The proposed algorithm is personalized, no fixed reference value being applied, and the algorithm follows the neonate’s cardiac rhythm changes. The performance depends on the characteristics of the input ECG. The signal-to-noise ratio of the processed ECG was improved, with a value of up to 10 dB.

Tomography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Veerle Kersemans ◽  
Stuart Gilchrist ◽  
Philip Danny Allen ◽  
Sheena Wallington ◽  
Paul Kinchesh ◽  
...  

Standardisation of animal handling procedures for a wide range of preclinical imaging scanners will improve imaging performance and reproducibility of scientific data. Whilst there has been significant effort in defining how well scanners should operate and how in vivo experimentation should be practised, there is little detail on how to achieve optimal scanner performance with best practices in animal welfare. Here, we describe a system-agnostic, adaptable and extensible animal support cradle system for cardio-respiratory-synchronised, and other, multi-modal imaging of small animals. The animal support cradle can be adapted on a per application basis and features integrated tubing for anaesthetic and tracer delivery, an electrically driven rectal temperature maintenance system and respiratory and cardiac monitoring. Through a combination of careful material and device selection, we have described an approach that allows animals to be transferred whilst under general anaesthesia between any of the tomographic scanners we currently or have previously operated. The set-up is minimally invasive, cheap and easy to implement and for multi-modal, multi-vendor imaging of small animals.


2018 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 09005 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.-L. Gallin-Martel ◽  
L. Abbassi ◽  
A. Bes ◽  
G. Bosson ◽  
J. Collot ◽  
...  

The MoniDiam project is part of the French national collaboration CLaRyS (Contrôle en Ligne de l’hAdronthérapie par RaYonnements Secondaires) for on-line monitoring of hadron therapy. It relies on the imaging of nuclear reaction products that is related to the ion range. The goal here is to provide large area beam detectors with a high detection efficiency for carbon or proton beams giving time and position measurement at 100 MHz count rates (beam tagging hodoscope). High radiation hardness and intrinsic electronic properties make diamonds reliable and very fast detectors with a good signal to noise ratio. Commercial Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) poly-crystalline, heteroepitaxial and monocrystalline diamonds were studied. Their applicability as a particle detector was investigated using α and β radioactive sources, 95 MeV/u carbon ion beams at GANIL and 8.5 keV X-ray photon bunches from ESRF. This facility offers the unique capability of providing a focused (~1 μm) beam in bunches of 100 ps duration, with an almost uniform energy deposition in the irradiated detector volume, therefore mimicking the interaction of single ions. A signal rise time resolution ranging from 20 to 90 ps rms and an energy resolution of 7 to 9% were measured using diamonds with aluminum disk shaped surface metallization. This enabled us to conclude that polycrystalline CVD diamond detectors are good candidates for our beam tagging hodoscope development. Recently, double-side stripped metallized diamonds were tested using the XBIC (X Rays Beam Induced Current) set-up of the ID21 beamline at ESRF which permits us to evaluate the capability of diamond to be used as position sensitive detector. The final detector will consist in a mosaic arrangement of double-side stripped diamond sensors read out by a dedicated fast-integrated electronics of several hundreds of channels.


2010 ◽  
Vol 171-172 ◽  
pp. 274-277
Author(s):  
Yun Liang Tan ◽  
Ze Zhang

In order to quest an effective approach for predicate the rheologic deformation of sandstone based on some experimental data, an improved approaching model of RBF neural network was set up. The results show, the training time of improved RBF neural network is only about 10 percent of that of the BP neural network; the improved RBF neural network has a high predicating accuracy, the average relative predication error is only 7.9%. It has a reference value for the similar rock mechanics problem.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catriona L Scrivener ◽  
Jade B Jackson ◽  
Marta Morgado Correia ◽  
Marius Mada ◽  
Alexandra Woolgar

The powerful combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) concurrent with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides rare insights into the causal relationships between brain activity and behaviour. Despite a recent resurgence in popularity, TMS-fMRI remains technically challenging. Here we examined the feasibility of applying TMS during short gaps between fMRI slices to avoid incurring artefacts in the fMRI data. We quantified signal dropout and changes in temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) for TMS pulses presented at timepoints from 100ms before to 100ms after slice onset. Up to 3 pulses were delivered per volume using MagVenture's MR-compatible TMS coil. We used a spherical phantom, two 7-channel TMS-dedicated surface coils, and a multiband (MB) sequence (factor=2) with interslice gaps of 100ms and 40ms, on a Siemens 3T Prisma-fit scanner. For comparison we repeated a subset of parameters with a more standard single-channel TxRx (birdcage) coil, and with a human participant and surface coil set up. We found that, even at 100% stimulator output, pulses applied at least -40ms/+50ms from the onset of slice readout avoid incurring artifacts. This was the case for all three setups. Thus, an interslice protocol can be achieved with a frequency of up to ~10 Hz, using a standard EPI sequence (slice acquisition time: 62.5ms, interslice gap: 40ms). Faster stimulation frequencies would require shorter slice acquisition times, for example using in-plane acceleration. Interslice TMS-fMRI protocols provide a promising avenue for retaining flexible timing of stimulus delivery without incurring TMS artifacts.


Author(s):  
Kandarpa Kumar Sarma

The explosive growths in data exchanges have necessitated the development of new methods of image compression including use of learning based techniques. The learning based systems aids proper compression and retrieval of the image segments. Learning systems like. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have established their efficiency and reliability in achieving image compression. In this work, two approaches to use ANNs in Feed Forward (FF) form and another based on Self Organizing Feature Map (SOFM) is proposed for digital image compression. The image to be compressed is first decomposed into smaller blocks and passed to FFANN and SOFM networks for generation of codebooks. The compressed images are reconstructed using a composite block formed by a FFANN and a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) based compression-decompression system. Mean Square Error (MSE), Compression ratio (CR) and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) are used to evaluate the performance of the system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Pandey ◽  
Pooja Singh ◽  
Saumya Singh ◽  
Naresh Arora ◽  
Neha Quadir ◽  
...  

Abstract Microscopy-based tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis i.e. Ziehl-Neelsen screening still remains the primary diagnostic method in resource poor and high TB burden countries, however this method has poor sensitivity (~60%). Bringing three million TB patients who are left undiagnosed under the treatment has been a major focus as part of END-TB strategy across the world. We have developed a portable set-up called ‘SeeTB’ that converts a bright-field microscope into fluorescence microscope (FM) with minimal interventions. SeeTB, a total internal reflection-based fluorescence excitation system allows visualization of auramine-O stained bacilli efficiently with high signal-to-noise ratio. Along with the device, we have developed a sputum-processing reagent called ‘CLR’ that homogenizes and digests the viscous polymer matrix of sputum. We have compared the performance of SeeTB system in 237 clinical sputum samples along with FM, GeneXpert and liquid culture. In comparison with culture as gold standard, FM has sensitivity of 63.77% and SeeTB has improved sensitivity to 76.06%. In comparison with GeneXpert, FM has sensitivity of 73.91% while SeeTB has improved sensitivity to 85.51%. However, there is no significant change in the specificity between FM and SeeTB system. In short, SeeTB system offers the most realistic option for improved TB case identification in resource-limited settings.


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
Silvanus Teneng Kiyang ◽  
Robert Van Zyl

Purpose – The purpose of this work is to assess the influence of ambient noise on the performance of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) empirically and, based on these findings, develop a mathematical tool to assist technicians to determine the maximum inter-node separation before deploying a new WSN. Design/methodology/approach – A WSN test platform is set up in an electromagnetically shielded environment (RF chamber) to accurately control and quantify the ambient noise level. The test platform is subsequently placed in an operational laboratory to record network performance in typical unshielded spaces. Results from the RF chamber and the real-life environments are analysed. Findings – A minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at which the network still functions was found to be of the order 30 dB. In the real-life scenarios (machines, telecommunications and computer laboratories), the measured SNR exceeded this minimum value by more than 20 dB. This is due to the low ambient industrial noise levels observed in the 2.4 GHz ISM band for typical environments found at academic institutions. It, therefore, suggests that WSNs are less prone to industrial interferences than anticipated. Originality/value – A predictive mathematical tool is developed that can be used by technicians to determine the maximum inter-node separation before the WSN is deployed. The tool yields reliable results and promises to save installation time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Taiyou Liu ◽  
Xinbo Ma ◽  
Pak Kin Wong ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Zhengchao Xie ◽  
...  

The multilayer plate has a great potential for automotive and aerospace applications. However, the complexity in structure and calculation of the response impede the practical applications of multilayer plates. To solve this problem, this work proposes a new plate finite element and a simplified finite element (FE) model for multilayer plates. The proposed new plate finite element consists of the shear and extension strains in all layers. The multilayer structure with the proposed new plate finite element is regarded as a reference to calculate the reference value of the transverse response. The simplified FE model of multilayer plates is proposed based on the equivalent bending stiffness by curve fitting of the reference value of the transverse response. Numerical study shows that this approach can be used to set up the simplified FE model of multilayer plates.


2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Kumar Gulati ◽  
Vijayeta Gambhir ◽  
M. N. Reddy

<p>Laser based time-gated Raman Spectroscopy experiments for detection and identification of nitro-aromatic sample which premixed with soil and sand in different concentrations are conducted. A back-scattered stand-off Raman spectroscopy set-up using a frequency double Nd:YAG pulsed laser (532 nm, 8 ns, 10 Hz) was employed to evaluate samples made up of standard nitro- aromatic compounds, p-nitro Benzoic acid (PNBA) premixed with soil and sand at different concentrations. A sensitive ICCD detector was used to capture the weak Raman signals buried in high background noise at optimised experiments parameters like laser pulse energy, ICCD gate width, background subtraction, number of laser pulses averaging etc. p- nitro benzoic acid up to 5 per cent (v/v) concentration in sand with appreciable signal to noise ratio has been detected. This feasibility study also becomes relevant to evaluate the remnants for post-blast detection of explosives in terrorist attack as most of the explosives used in such attacks contain nitro-aromatic based high energetic explosives.</p>


2011 ◽  
Vol 101-102 ◽  
pp. 365-368
Author(s):  
Zhan Fei Zhu ◽  
Quan Shi ◽  
Guang Yan Wang ◽  
Hang Lu

In order to study the influence of charge weight and blast position on damage effect of EPW (Earth Penetrating Weapon), theoretic analysis was combined with experiment data, the model of volume of funnel pit formed by blast was set up based on supposing that the warhead was instantaneous spherical explosion and the fragments’ destructive effect could be neglected, then the model was discussed in detail. The results are helpful to the launch and control of the EPW and have reference value for the building of contravallation and underground blindage.


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