Predictive modelling and identification of key risk factors for stroke using machine learning.

Strokes are a leading global cause of mortality, underscoring the need for early detection and prevention strategies. However, addressing hidden risk factors and achieving accurate prediction become particularly challenging in the presence of imbalanced and missing data. This study encompasses three imputation techniques to deal with missing data. To tackle data imbalance, it employs the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE). The study initiates with a baseline model and subsequently employs an extensive range of advanced models. This study thoroughly evaluates the performance of these models by employing k-fold cross-validation on various imbalanced and balanced datasets. The findings reveal that age, body mass index (BMI), average glucose level, heart disease, hypertension, and marital status are the most influential features in predicting strokes. Furthermore, a Dense Stacking Ensemble (DSE) model is built upon previous advanced models after fine-tuning, with the best-performing model as a meta-classifier. The DSE model demonstrated over 96% accuracy across diverse datasets, with an AUC score of 83.94% on imbalanced imputed dataset and 98.92% on balanced one. This research underscores the remarkable performance of the DSE model, compared to the previous research on the same dataset. It highlights the model's potential for early stroke detection to improve patient outcomes.

Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformation Embolization Using Squid.

Materials and Methods: Between January 2018 and December 2020, twenty patients (7 men and 13 women) with peripheral high-flow arteriovenous malformations who were treated primarily with arterial embolization using squid were retrospectively included. Anatomical sites being treated included the head and neck (16), extremities (2), uterus (1), and pelvis (1). Squid was used as the sole embolic agent in 15 patients, and transarterial embolization was employed in all cases except one where direct puncture embolization was used. Treatments were delivered over one or two sessions, with or without surgery. A total of 27 sessions were carried out with an interval time ranging from 6 to 36 months between sessions. Results: Technical success was achieved in all cases. In those patients treated with squid alone, 13 exhibited total devascularization following embolization, and a further 4 required surgical excision to achieve complete obliteration of the arteriovenous malformation. There were no major complications, cases of microcatheter entrapment, or dimethyl sulfoxide-related pain recorded. On follow-up, one patient reported persistent pain, and another patient developed a garlicky taste. All other patients reported complete resolution of symptoms following treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the successful use of squid in managing peripheral arteriovenous malformations with low complication rates and long-term stable results, therefore validating its efficacy when used alone or in combination with other embolic agents. Squid may be the preferred embolic agent in any interventional radiologist's armamentarium as it offers formulations with varying viscosities (squid-18 and squid-12). We conclude that squid should be considered as a first-line embolic agent in the management of peripheral arteriovenous malformations.

Myopericarditis following both BNT162b2 and NVX-CoV2373.

BACKGROUND: Myopericarditis is a well reported complication associated with SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) infection and vaccinations; particularly with mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273), and in the young male population. The risk-to-benefit ratio in sequential vaccination dosing in young males is further clouded in the era of the omicron variant with its reported enhanced immune escape. STUDY DESIGN: A case series of two cases of post vaccination myopericarditis following the NVX-CoV2373 after also developing myopericarditis with BNT162b2. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, we are the first to describe post vaccination myopericarditis following NVX-CoV2373 after also developing myopericarditis with BNT162b2. The similarities in presentation between the reactions of both platforms would suggest a similar pathogenesis, although the exact mechanism remains unknown. Further studies are necessary to identify these mechanisms, as well as to identify biomarkers that may identify vulnerable populations. On-going vigilance is necessary to identify those who may be at an increased risk of post-COVID vaccine myopericarditis.

Sensing and Artificial Intelligent Maternal-Infant Health Care Systems: A Review.

Currently, information and communication technology (ICT) allows health institutions to reach disadvantaged groups in rural areas using sensing and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Applications of these technologies are even more essential for maternal and infant health, since maternal and infant health is vital for a healthy society. Over the last few years, researchers have delved into sensing and artificially intelligent healthcare systems for maternal and infant health. Sensors are exploited to gauge health parameters, and machine learning techniques are investigated to predict the health conditions of patients to assist medical practitioners. Since these healthcare systems deal with large amounts of data, significant development is also noted in the computing platforms. The relevant literature reports the potential impact of ICT-enabled systems for improving maternal and infant health. This article reviews wearable sensors and AI algorithms based on existing systems designed to predict the risk factors during and after pregnancy for both mothers and infants. This review covers sensors and AI algorithms used in these systems and analyzes each approach with its features, outcomes, and novel aspects in chronological order. It also includes discussion on datasets used and extends challenges as well as future work directions for researchers.

Transarterial Embolization of Intracranial Arteriovenous Fistulas with Large Venous Pouches in the Form of Venous Outlet Ectasia and Large Venous Varix or Aneurysm : Two Centers Experience.

OBJECTIVE: There are different types of cerebral vascular malformations. Pial arteriovenous fistulas (PAVFs) and dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are two entities; they consist of one or more arterial connections to a single venous outlet without a true intervening nidus. The high turbulent flow of PAVFs and aggressive DAVFs with cortical venous reflux can result in venous outflow varix and aneurysmal dilatation. They pose a significant challenge to transvenous embolization (TVE), stereotactic radiosurgery, and surgical treatment. We aim to share our centers' experience with the transarterial embolization (TAE) for arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) with large venous pouches and to report the outcome. METHODS: The authors' two institutions' databases were retrospectively reviewed from February 2017 to February 2021. All patients with intracranial high flow PAVFs and aggressive DAVFs with venous outlet ectasia and large venous varix and were treated by TAE were included. RESULTS: Fifteen patients harboring 11 DAVFs and four PAVFs met our inclusion criteria. All patients underwent TAE in 17 sessions. Complete angiographic obliteration was achieved after 14 sessions in 12 patients (80%). Four patients (25%) had residual after one TAE session. Technical failure was documented in one patient (6.7%). Fourteen patients (93.3%) had favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin score 0-2). CONCLUSIONS: TAE for high flow or aggressive intracranial AVFs is a safe and considerable treatment option, especially for those associated with large venous pouches that are challenging and relatively high-risk for TVE.

Decline in subarachnoid haemorrhage volumes associated with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported. The study's objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions demonstrated similar declines. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study across 6 continents, 37 countries and 140 comprehensive stroke centres. Patients with the diagnosis of SAH, aneurysmal SAH, ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions and COVID-19 were identified by prospective aneurysm databases or by International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. The 3-month cumulative volume, monthly volumes for SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling procedures were compared for the period before (1 year and immediately before) and during the pandemic, defined as 1 March-31 May 2020. The prior 1-year control period (1 March-31 May 2019) was obtained to account for seasonal variation. FINDINGS: There was a significant decline in SAH hospitalisations, with 2044 admissions in the 3 months immediately before and 1585 admissions during the pandemic, representing a relative decline of 22.5% (95% CI -24.3% to -20.7%, p<0.0001). Embolisation of ruptured aneurysms declined with 1170-1035 procedures, respectively, representing an 11.5% (95%CI -13.5% to -9.8%, p=0.002) relative drop. Subgroup analysis was noted for aneurysmal SAH hospitalisation decline from 834 to 626 hospitalisations, a 24.9% relative decline (95% CI -28.0% to -22.1%, p<0.0001). A relative increase in ruptured aneurysm coiling was noted in low coiling volume hospitals of 41.1% (95% CI 32.3% to 50.6%, p=0.008) despite a decrease in SAH admissions in this tertile. INTERPRETATION: There was a relative decrease in the volume of SAH hospitalisations, aneurysmal SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm embolisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings in SAH are consistent with a decrease in other emergencies, such as stroke and myocardial infarction.

Clinical outcome of endovascular coil embolization for cerebral aneurysms in Asian population in relation to risk factors: a 3-year retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Long term results of endovascular coiling are yet scarce. This study reviews the impact of comorbidities on the success of endovascular coiling of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Endovascular treatment has become thetreatment of choice after the ISAT trials. Independent risk factors that influence recovery are age, sex, smoking, and hypertension. METHODS: This is a 3-year retrospective analysis, performed to assess the clinical and radiological outcome of patients with cerebral aneurysms treated with detachable coils in an Asian population with relation to comorbidities including smoking and hypertension with age and gender as mediators. From July 2015 to August 2018, a total of 297 consecutive patients (mean age: 45.5 years) with cerebral aneurysms both ruptured and unruptured who were treated at a single center with endovascular coiling procedures are included in the study. Clinical information and radiological outcomes were evaluated on regular follow-ups and telephonic interviews. A modified Rankin Scale was used to measure the clinical outcomes in patients. RESULTS: We have found that smoking harmed clinical outcome, with smokers 35% less likely to recover, while hypertension played a smaller role with only 15%. It was found that while aneurysms are more prevalent in women than men, women not only have a higher chance of getting an aneurysm but also have poorer outcomes. Similarly, patients who were above the age of 40 had a lower chance of recovery compared to younger patients due to comorbidities irrespective of gender. CONCLUSION: Asian sub-continent has different genetic markers that lead to poorer outcomes of aneurysms in women, while outcomes are similar in men and women in developed nations. Smoking does not play a major role in women's recovery. Men with comorbidity seemed to be at higher risk and age played a major role in their recovery.

Unusual case of papillary thyroid carcinoma mimicking paraganglioma in a 16-year-old girl.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a common neoplasm arising from follicular cells of the thyroid. Differentiating the neck mass between thyroid paraganglioma and papillary thyroid carcinoma is often difficult. CASE REPORT: We report a 16-year-old girl with painless neck mass. Physiological goiter was suspected initially but we found papillary thyroid carcinoma. RESULTS: CT neck revealed hyper vascular lesions in bilateral lobes of thyroid. DSA imaging was done for further evaluation which showed high flow fistulous type of lesion supplying from superior thyroidal artery raising suspicion of paraganglioma. Postoperative biopsy ultimately revealed papillary carcinoma of thyroid in the background of hashimotos' thyroiditis with metastatic deposits in neck lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Thyroid paraganglioma is a rare type of tumor, it arises from inferior laryngeal paraganglioma within thyroid capsule and is as thus difficult to distinguish from thyroid carcinomas. A biopsy is the best diagnostic choice but immunohistochemistry is the only investigation which is considered as the gold standard for distinguishing between these two diseases.

Efficacy of Percutaneous Sclerotherapy in Low Flow Venous Malformations - A Single Center Series.

PURPOSE: We analyzed results of percutaneous sclerotherapy for venous malformations (VMs) in head, neck and extremities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with head and neck and extremities VM treated by sclerotherapy with bleomycin and sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS) were retrospectively reviewed. A pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging was done for all patients to diagnose the lesion. Each lesion received 1 to 11 sessions (average, 2.7; standard deviation [SD], 2.03). We evaluated percentage reduction in swelling size and a Likert scale review of subjective feelings of the patients. RESULTS: Sixteen had a complete obliteration; by sclerotherapy alone (n=13) and surgery after a 75% reduction (n=3). Ten patients had a significant reduction up to 75% and three patients by 50%. Four had a minimal decrease with reduction of 25% or less. Follow-up duration of the patients varied from a minimum of 6 months up to 3 years (average, 15.7 months; SD, 7.8 months). Of all patients, three refused further treatment and were lost to follow-up, while another two were referred to a dermatologist. Thirteen patients reported feeling excellent after the sessions. Eight patients claimed to feel slightly better compared to before the sessions started. Only three patients complained of feeling the same before and after the sessions. None of the patients still in follow-up have reported a recurrence of a lesion thus far. CONCLUSION: Sclerotherapy using bleomycin and STS as sclerosants is a safe and effective primary treatment for VMs in the head and neck as well as in extremities.

Basilar Tip Aneurysm in Takayasu Arteritis.

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic, inflammatory, progressive and idiopathic disease that mainly effects the aorta, its branches and pulmonary artery. It causes narrowing and occlusion of major vessels which manifest as a cerebrovascular insufficiency. Intracranial aneurysms are rarely observed in these patients. We report a case of basilar tip aneurysm with Takayasu arteritis. To our knowledge only 26 cases of Takayasu disease with basilar aneurysm have been reported in the literature. Management of Takayasu disease includes immunosuppression therapy; but coil embolization of co-incidental aneurysm can be hampered by limited and tortuous access routes. Hence, management of these patients requires great care and accurate selection of suitable guiding catheter, microcatheters and microwires. Microsurgery is the treatment of choice in case of intracranial aneurysm due to limited and tortuous access routes, however, coil embolization can be done with great care and accurate selection of suitable guiding catheter, microcatheters and microwires.

Percutaneous sclerotherapy of para-orbital and orbital venous malformation: A single center, case series.

PURPOSE: To present a case series of percutaneous sclerotherapy of para-orbital and orbital venous malformations. METHOD: Seven patients with venous malformations in the orbital and para-orbital region were reviewed. Puncture venogram was performed on all patients and image guided bleomycin injections using biplane digital subtraction in angiography suite. RESULTS: Average age of patients at the time of the procedure was 22 years old with the youngest being five years of age and the oldest being 50 years. Follow-ups ranged from 3 months to 18 months and the average follow-up duration was 13 months. The patients had no intraprocedural complications and reported symptomatic relief of pain as per the last follow-up. Patients have shown no symptoms or signs of recurrence of lesions with uneventful recovery so far. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous sclerotherapy of orbital Venous Malformations with bleomycin is a safe and well-controlled procedure done in real time; it has no major systemic adverse side effects and higher efficacy than other sclerosing agents.

Effects of Glutamine on Gastric Emptying of Low- and High-Nutrient Drinks in Healthy Young Subjects-Impact on Glycaemia.

Glutamine is a potent stimulus for the release of glucagon-like peptide-1, which increases postprandial insulin and slows gastric emptying (GE). We determined the effects of glutamine on GE of, and glycaemic responses to, low- and high-nutrient drinks in eight healthy males (mean age 21.6 ± 0.7 years and BMI 22.9 ± 0.7 kg/m²). Participants were studied on four occasions on which they consumed either a low-nutrient (beef soup; 18 kcal) or high-nutrient (75 g dextrose; 255 kcal) drink, each with or without 30 g of glutamine (120 kcal), in a randomised, crossover design. GE (2D ultrasound), blood glucose and plasma insulin concentrations were measured concurrently. Glutamine slowed GE (half emptying time (T50)) of both low- (45 ± 3 min vs. 26 ± 2 min, p < 0.001), and high-nutrient, (100 ± 5 min vs. 77 ± 5 min, p = 0.03) drinks, however, there was no effect on GE of the high nutrient drinks when expressed as kcal/min (3.39 ± 0.21 kcal/min vs. 3.81 ± 0.20 kcal/min, p = 0.25). There was no change in blood glucose after the low-nutrient drinks with or without glutamine, despite a slight increase in plasma insulin with glutamine (p = 0.007). The rise in blood glucose following the high-nutrient drink (p = 0.0001) was attenuated during the first 60 min by glutamine (p = 0.007). We conclude that in healthy subjects, glutamine slows GE of both low- and high-nutrient drinks comparably and attenuates the rise in blood glucose after the high-nutrient glucose drink.

Coil embolization of saccular frontopolar artery aneurysm.

In this case report, a distal anterior cerebral artery aneurysm was presented. While most distal anterior aneurysms occur at the bifurcation of the pericallosal and callosomarginal arteries, this particular aneurysm occurred at the frontopolar artery, a case rarely reported in published literature. The aneurysm had a recurrent subarachnoid haemorrhage due to the rupture of a saccular aneurysm and was treated through endovascular coiling.

Chronic Expanding Hematoma in the Dorsal Cervicothoracic Region as a Long-Term Complication of Retained Bullet Fragments: Case Report.

Chronic expanding hematoma is a rare pathology, which has not been previously described as a complication of gunshot injury with retained bullet fragments. Because of the similar characteristics of chronic expanding hematoma to malignancy, it can present a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Imaging and biopsy evaluation is needed to reach a conclusive diagnosis and implement appropriate treatment. In this case report, we will discuss the development, diagnosis, and management of a chronic superficial cervicothoracic mass in a patient who presented 30 years post-gunshot injury with retained bullet fragments.

Direct observation of turbulent magnetic fields in hot, dense laser produced plasmas.

Turbulence in fluids is a ubiquitous, fascinating, and complex natural phenomenon that is not yet fully understood. Unraveling turbulence in high density, high temperature plasmas is an even bigger challenge because of the importance of electromagnetic forces and the typically violent environments. Fascinating and novel behavior of hot dense matter has so far been only indirectly inferred because of the enormous difficulties of making observations on such matter. Here, we present direct evidence of turbulence in giant magnetic fields created in an overdense, hot plasma by relativistic intensity (10(18) W/cm(2)) femtosecond laser pulses. We have obtained magneto-optic polarigrams at femtosecond time intervals, simultaneously with micrometer spatial resolution. The spatial profiles of the magnetic field show randomness and their k spectra exhibit a power law along with certain well defined peaks at scales shorter than skin depth. Detailed two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations delineate the underlying interaction between forward currents of relativistic energy "hot" electrons created by the laser pulse and "cold" return currents of thermal electrons induced in the target. Our results are not only fundamentally interesting but should also arouse interest on the role of magnetic turbulence induced resistivity in the context of fast ignition of laser fusion, and the possibility of experimentally simulating such structures with respect to the sun and other stellar environments.