Classification of Brain Tumors Using Hybridized Convolutional Neural Network in Brain MRI images

In this research article, we have proposed a novel technique to operate on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data images which can be classified as image classification, segmentation and image denoising. With the efficient utilization of MRI images the medical experts are able to identify the medical disorders such as tumors which are correspondent to the brain. The prime agenda of the study is to organize brain into healthy and brain with tumor in brain with the test MRI data as considered. The MRI based technique is an methodology to study brain tumor based information for the better detailing of the internal body images when compared to other technique such as Computed Tomography (CT).Initially the MRI image is denoised using Anisotropic diffusion filter, then MRI image is segmented using Morphological operations, to classify the images for the disorder CNN based hybrid technique is incorporated, which is associated with five different set of layers with the pairing of pooling and convolution layers for the comparatively improved performance than other existing technique. The considered data base for the designed model is a publicly available and tested KAGGLE database for the brain MRI images which has resulted in the accuracy of 88.1%.

Brand new norms for a good old test: Northern Italy normative study of MiniMental State Examination

Aim Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is one of the most used tests for the screening of global cognition in patients with neurological and medical disorders. Norms for the Italian version of the test were published in the 90 s; more recent norms were published in 2020 for Southern Italy only. In the present study, we computed novel adjustment coefficients, equivalent scores and cut-off value for Northern Italy (Lombardia and Veneto) and Italian speaking Switzerland. Methods We recruited 361 healthy young and old (range: 20–95 years) individuals of both sexes (men: 156, women: 205) and from different educational levels (range: 4–22 years). Neuropsychiatric disorders and severe medical conditions were excluded with a questionnaire and cognitive deficits and were ruled out with standardized neuropsychological tests assessing the main cognitive domains. We used a slightly modified version of MMSE: the word ‘fiore’ was replaced with ‘pane’ in verbal recalls to reduce the common interference error ‘casa, cane, gatto’. The effect of socio-demographic features on performance at MMSE was assessed via multiple linear regression, with test raw score as dependent variable and sex, logarithm of 101—age and square root of schooling as predictors. Results Mean raw MMSE score was 28.8 ± 1.7 (range: 23–30). Multiple linear regression showed a significant effect of all socio-demographic variables and reported a value of R2 = 0.26. The new cut off was ≥ 26 /30. Conclusion We provide here updated norms for a putatively more accurate version of Italian MMSE, produced in a Northern population but potentially valid all over Italy.

Maternal and foetal outcome in preterm births in a rural tertiary care centre: a retrospective study

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is one of the main causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. It can also result in long term health consequences for both mother and the newborn. The objective was to assess maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in PTBs.Methods: A retrospective study was done in the department of obstetrics and gynecology in a tertiary care hospital during January 2020 and June 2020. Ninety-three women with records of preterm births were analyzed for maternal and fetal outcomes. coGuide statistical software was used for data analysis.Results: 48.39% of the women were between 20 to 24 years of age. The majority (50.54%) were primigravida. The main causes for PTB among the study participants were medical disorders (39.78%), PPROM (29.03%), spontaneous labor without any underlying cause (18.28%). 51.61% had a vaginal delivery, 88.17% had a live birth. The majority of 52 (55.91%) neonates had birth weights between 1.51 to 2.5 kg. Fifty-nine neonates (63.44%) needed NICU admission. The reason for NICU admission in majority 25 (26.88%) was respiratory distress.Conclusions: Timely, early diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders among antenatal women can aid in reducing the occurrence of preterm births and their associated morbidity and mortality. Medical disorders and premature preterm rupture of membrane remain the main causes of preterm birth.

The role of Mediterranean diet in the course of subjective cognitive decline in the elderly population of Greece: results from a prospective cohort study

Very few data are available regarding the association of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) with Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) evolution over time. A cohort of 939 cognitively normal individuals reporting self-experienced, persistent cognitive decline not attributed to neurological, psychiatric or medical disorders from the Hellenic Epidemiological Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD study) was followed-up for a mean period of 3.10 years. We defined our SCD score as the number of reported SCD domains (memory, language, visuoperceptual and executive), ranging from 0 to 4. Dietary intake at baseline was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire; adherence to the MeDi pattern was evaluated through the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) that ranged from 0 to 55, with higher values indicating greater adherence to the MeDi. The mean SCD score in our cohort increased by 0.20 cognitive domains during follow-up. After adjustment for multiple potential confounders, we showed that an MDS higher by 10 points was associated with a 7% reduction in the progression of SCD within one year. In terms of food groups, every additional vegetable serving consumption per day was associated with a 2.3% reduction in SCD progression per year. Our results provide support to the notion that MeDi may have a protective role against the whole continuum of cognitive decline, starting at the first subjective complaints. This finding may strengthen the role of the MeDi as a population-wide, cost-effective preventive strategy targeting the modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline.

The Use of Nanomedicine to Target Signaling by the PAK Kinases for Disease Treatment

P21-activated kinases (PAKs) are serine/threonine kinases involved in the regulation of cell survival, proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, and the regulation of cell morphology. Some members of the PAK family are highly expressed in several types of cancer, and they have also been implicated in several other medical disorders. They are thus considered to be good targets for treatment of cancer and other diseases. Although there are several inhibitors of the PAKs, the utility of some of these inhibitors is reduced for several reasons, including limited metabolic stability. One way to overcome this problem is the use of nanoparticles, which have the potential to increase drug delivery. The overall goals of this review are to describe the roles for PAK kinases in cell signaling and disease, and to describe how the use of nanomedicine is a promising new method for administering PAK inhibitors for the purpose of disease treatment and research. We discuss some of the basic mechanisms behind nanomedicine technology, and we then describe how these techniques are being used to package and deliver PAK inhibitors.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of The Geriatric Depression Scale Into Igbo Language: A Validation Study

Background: Late-life experiences such as protracted and indisposing medical disorders can negatively impact older adults’ psychological and mental health, making them vulnerable to depression. Majority of the assessment tools for depression were developed for use in western countries. There is therefore need for availability of culture- and environment- specific tools for assessment of depression in low and middle income countries. This study was designed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) into Igbo Language and culture. Methods: The English version of the GDS-15 was translated into Igbo language; synthesized, back-translated, and underwent expert panel review, pretesting and cognitive debriefing interview, according to Beaton’s guideline. The Igbo version of the GDS-15 was tested for concurrent and structural validities and internal consistency among consecutively recruited 140 consenting older adults (62.9% females) in Enugu North Senatorial District, at 0.05 level of significance.Results: The English version of the GDS-15 was successfully cross-culturally adapted to Igbo with all the 15 items still retained on the Igbo version of the GDS-15. The Igbo version of the GDS-15 exhibited the same structure as the English version. The Igbo version of the GDS-15 has Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.53. The correlation between the participants’ total scores on the Igbo and the English versions of the GDS-15 (rho = 0.86) was excellent. There was no significant difference between corresponding scores in the English and Igbo versions of the GDS-15 (p = 0.89).Conclusions: The Igbo version of the GDS-15 is a valid and culturally specific instrument, and can be used for assessing depression among Igbo older adults in Nigeria.

Psychobiological Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Current Knowledge and Clinical Implications

A large body of research has documented the long-term harms of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on an individual’s emotional-adaptive function and mental health. Recent studies have also provided evidence of the biological impact of CSA, implicating specific alterations in many systems, including the endocrine and immune systems, and in DNA and chromatin, in the pathogenesis of medical disorders. Although the effects of CSA are often examined with regard to the general impact of early-life traumatic experiences, the study of CSA per sè, as a trigger of specific pathogenic pathways, would be more appropriate to understand their long-term implications and develop tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Based on these premises, this narrative minireview summarizes the research on the short-term and long-term sequelae of CSA, focusing on dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the effects on the immune system, and the changes to DNA through altered methylation. Also, we discuss the literature that examines dysfunctional DNA telomere erosion and oxidative stress markers as a sign of CSA. Finally, recent evidence of the intergenerational transmission of the effects of CSA is reported. The impact of CSA on brain connectivity and functions is out of the scope of this review, thus brain imaging studies are not included. The results of this minireview are discussed, considering their implications for prevention and clinical practice.

Patterns of psychopathology and cognition in sex chromosome aneuploidy

Background Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are a collectively common family of genetic disorders that increase the risk for neuropsychiatric and cognitive impairment. Beyond being important medical disorders in their own right, SCAs also offer a unique naturally occurring model for studying X- and Y-chromosome influences on the human brain. However, it remains unclear if (i) different SCAs are associated with different profiles of psychopathology and (ii) the notable interindividual variation in psychopathology is related to co-occurring variation in cognitive ability. Methods We examined scores for 11 dimensions of psychopathology [Child/Adult Behavior Checklist (CBCL)] and general cognitive ability [full-scale IQ (FSIQ) from Wechsler tests] in 110 youth with varying SCAs (XXY = 41, XYY = 22, XXX = 27, XXYY = 20) and 131 typically developing controls (XX = 59, XY = 72). Results All SCAs were associated with elevated CBCL scores across several dimensions of psychopathology (two-sample t tests comparing the euploidic and aneuploidic groups [all |T| > 9, and p < 0.001]). Social and attentional functioning were particularly sensitive to the carriage of a supernumerary Y-chromosome. In particular, the XYY group evidenced significantly more social problems than both extra-X groups (Cohen’s d effect size > 0.5, Bonferroni corrected p < .05). There was marked variability in CBCL scores within each SCA group, which generally correlated negatively with IQ, but most strongly so for social and attentional difficulties (standardized β, − 0.3). These correlations showed subtle differences as a function of the SCA group and CBCL scale. Conclusions There is domain-specific variation in psychopathology across SCA groups and domain-specific correlation between psychopathology and IQ within SCAs. These findings (i) help to tailor clinical assessment of this common and impactful family of genetic disorders and (ii) suggest that dosage abnormalities of X- and Y-linked genes impart somewhat distinct profiles of neuropsychiatric risk.

Approach to Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are highly relevant in clinical practice given their prevalence as well as their impact on health outcomes and quality of life. The most common concerns are excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, disordered breathing, and abnormal movements or behaviors during sleep. A detailed but targeted history is vital, particularly from the sleep partner/witness. In-laboratory sleep testing (polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test) remains vital in the diagnosis of certain sleep disorders (such as sleep-disordered breathing and central hypersomnia) and in specific populations (such as in children and individuals with comorbid medical disorders). Advances in technology have allowed for a variety of methods in assessing a patient's sleep, from compact devices to evaluate for sleep apnea, wrist actigraphy, and mobile device-based applications. As the pathophysiology of various sleep disorders becomes better elucidated, disease-specific medications have been developed for these conditions. Nonetheless, a multidisciplinary approach to management is necessary, including improving sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioral therapy.