An automatic selections method for cerebral blood flow autoregulation signals from neonates

Interpretation and quantification of cerebral blood flow autoregulation can be carreid out from step responses to arterial blood pressure changes estimated with various identification methods. However estimates usually need to be visually inspected to rejected some that are not physiologically acceptable...

Gynaecologic cancer incidence, Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica, 1973-1997, and gynaecologic cancer mortality, Jamaica, 1999

The incidence of gynaecologic cancers in women from Kingston and St Andrew for the period 1973-1997 were reviewed by analyzing data previously published by the Jamaica Cancer Registry. Gynaecologic cancer-related mortality statistics for the entire island for 1999 were compiled from data obtained from the Registrar General's Department (RGD) and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). Data were compared to gynaecologic cancer statistics for women from the United States of America for 1973-1997. A total of 2862 gynaecologic cancers were registered for the years 1973-1997, which represents 26.8 of all female cancers from Kingston and St Andrew. Cervical cancer accounted for 62 of these gynaecologic cancers. The 268 cancer-related deaths (168 due to cervical cancer) registered in Jamaican women for 1999 represent approximately 15 of all female cancer-related deaths. The present incidence (27.9 per 100,000) and mortality rate (15.8 per 100,000) of cervical cancer are much higher than that documented for American women--both African Americans and Caucasians--and signify the limited success, to date, of efforts to decrease the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer by the implementation of cervical cancer screening programmes. For the time period reviewed, an increase was noted in the incidence of cancer of the corpus uteri while decreases were recorded for the incidence of choriocarcinoma, ovarian cancer and cancers arising from the vulva, vagina and fallopian tube

Jamaica cancer mortality statistics, 1999

A total of 2697 cancer-related deaths were documented among Jamaicans for the year 1999, accounting for 17.7 of all deaths. Males accounted for 1466 and females for 1231. The age-adjusted cancer mortality rate was 171.7 per 100,000 for males, 122.0 per 100,000 for females and 140.5 per 100,000 for the total population. Leading cancer mortality sites for males were prostate, lung and stomach and in females, breast, cervix uteri and large bowel. Most deaths were recorded in the 55-64 and 65-74 year-age groups. Despite well-established cervical cancer screening programmes, the calculated mortality rate for cancer of the cervix uteri in Jamaican females (15.8 per 100,000) is approximately two and a half times that seen in African-American females.

Photic driving in the electroencephalogram of children and adolescents: harmonic structure and relation to the resting state

In order to identify latent bioelectrical oscillators, 15 normal subjects (aged 9-17 years, 8 males, 7 females) were subjected to intermittent photic stimulation. The EEG amplitude spectra corresponding to the 11 fixed frequencies of stimulation presented (3-24 Hz) were combined to form "profiles" of the driving reaction in the right occipital area. The driving response varied with frequency, and was demonstrable in 70-100 percent of cases (using as criterion peak amplitudes 20 percent larger than those of the neighbors). The strongest responses were observed at the frequency closest to the alpha peak of the resting EEG. A secondary profile maximum was in the theta band. In 10 subjects, this maximum exceeded half the alpha peak (with an average of 72.4 percent of the alpha peak), while in the resting spectra, theta amplitudes were much lower than the alpha maxima. This responsiveness in theta activity seems to be characteristic of prepubertal and pubertal subjects. The profiles and resting EEG spectra showed a highly significant Pearson's correlation, with the peak in the theta band of the profiles being the main difference observed between them. The correlation coefficient was significantly correlated with the ratio of the maxima in the theta and alpha bands (R = -0.77, P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between profile and resting spectrum may be a useful indicator in screening methods used to reveal latent cerebral oscillators. Profiles for the second and third harmonics were correlated with those of the first harmonic (fundamental frequency), when considering the corresponding EEG frequencies. Peak frequencies in all three profiles were close to those of the individual's background alpha rhythm, and peak amplitudes in higher harmonics were not much lower than those of the fundamental frequency (mean values of 84 and 63 percent, for second and third harmonics, respectively)

Age-specific incidence of cancer in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica, 1993-1997

A total of 4285 malignant neoplasms were recorded in Kingston and St. Andrew during the period 1993-1997, 2344 in females and 1941 in males. The crude incidence rate per 100,000 (CIR) for males was 121.6 and for females 129.2. Age standardized rates per 100,000 (ASR) were 156.7 and 176.7 for males and females respectively. In males, the leading sites for cancer were prostate (619 cases), bronchus (265 cases) and large bowel (144 cases) while in females the leading sites were breast (627 cases) cervix uteri (376 cases) and large bowel (204 cases). The crude and age standardized incidence rates have remained stable as compared to those for the previous five year period (1998-1992). The leading sites for both males and females have also been maintained in the same order but there was a marked increase in prostate cancer (ASR 56.4 versus 36). Invasive cervical cancer has shown no significant change in incidence (ASR 25.2 versus 26.3) but the rate for in-situ cancers has decreased (ASR 27.4 versus 43.8). The incidence of cancer of the female breast has remained relatively stable (ASR 43.2 versus 47.1). The trends exhibited by both prostate cancer and in-situ cervical cancer probably represent the influence of screening methods for prostate cancer and ablative management for low grade dysplastic lesions of the cervix uteri respectively.

Detecção da resposta auditiva no EEG de crianças utilizando técnicas no domínio da freqüência / Detection of EEG auditory response in children, using frequency domain techniques

A triagem auditiva, especialmente de recém nascidos (RN) que apresentem fatores de risco, tem sido recomendada por diversas entidades internacionais. O exame de potencial evocado auditivo de tronco cerebral (BERA - Brainstem Evoked Responses Audiometry) é atualmente considerado como referência para detecção do limiar auditivo em RNs, embora seja um procedimento demorado e de interpretação subjetiva. Para detecção objetiva da resposta auditiva em crianças foram aplicadas duas técnicas que utilizam a Transformada de Fourier: o CSM (Component Synchrony Meadure) e o MSC (Magnitude Squared Coherence). Sinais EEG de 32 crianças foram adquiridos durante BERA com estimulação por clicks a 20 Hz. Colheram-se ao todo 73 sinais EEG, cada um abrangendo 1024 estímulos de 85 dBHL. Destes 73 sinais, a interpretação clínica dos potenciais evocados indicou haver resposta (audição intacta) em 55. Um critério heurístico de detecção de resposta baseado em um conjunto de harmônicos da freqüência de estimulação (20 a 900 Hz) resultou em sensibilidade de 93 por cento e especificidade de 78 por cento para o MSC, e 98 por cento e 72 por cento para o CSM, respectivamente. Como o desempenho na detecção da surdez (resultado negativo) é o desejado, MSC seria mais adequado à detecção de resposta auditiva no EEG de crianças e recém-nascidos.

Análise espectral e de coerência de padröes do siclo sono-vígilia do EEG neonatal / Spectral analysis of pastterns coherence of sllep-awake cicle of neonatal ECG

O espectro de potência e a coerência inter-hemisférica foram estimados para segmentos dos padrões do ciclo sono-vigélia Low Voltage Irregular, Misto e High Voltage Slow. Diferenças significativas entre estes padrões foram encontradas, através da ANOVA, em uma larga faixa de frequência, principalmente para o espectro de potência até 15 Hz.

Modelagem AR de sinais EEG multicanal usando o TMS320C30 / AR modelling of multicanal EEG signals using the TMS320C30

Uma placa processadora digital de sinais (DSP), com o TMS320C30, em conjunto com um PC foi empregada na modelagem autoregressiva (AR) de sinais EEG. O sistema PC-DSP mostrou-se capaz de realizar a análise espectral destes sinais com tempo de processamento compatível com monitoração em tempo real do espectro de 16 canais EEG.