ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: the purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review regarding clinical and histopathological characteristics, immunopathological findings, and treatment for chronic ulcerative stomatitis (CUS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: articles in English, published from January 1962 up to November 2017, assessing clinical and immunological features, treatment, and follow-up of patientes with CUS, were retrieved from three databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library and SCOPUS). A manual literature search was also conducted. A total of 12 studies met inclusion criteria, therefore, were analyzed in this review. RESULTS: CUS shares similiar clinical and microscopic features to those found in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL). Hence, direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is indispensable to define a final diagnosis. Due to the poor sample availability in the current literature, it is not possible to accurately confirm the prevalence and features of CUS. CONCLUSION: in order to better evaluate this condition's findings, further studies with a greater amount of similar immune-mediated diseases should be performed.
Subject(s)
Gingivitis, Necrotizing Ulcerative , Lichen Planus, Oral , Chronic Disease , HumansABSTRACT
This study analyzes the effects of the Rapha® system, which employs red light therapy (RLT) and a natural latex biomembrane in the healing of neuropathic ulcers associated with the diabetic foot. We conducted a randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial with 15 participants that were divided into three groups (GI, GII and GIII): (i) Rapha® system application by the participant and a health professional at home, with clinical status evaluation every 2 weeks at the hospital (GI); (ii) standard protocol used in Brazil, performed by a health professional at the hospital (GII; control); and (iii) the Rapha® system applied by the participant at home and clinical status evaluation every 2 weeks at the hospital (GIII). We used image processing techniques on photographic recordings of the lesions, and several statistical tests were used to analyze the data, allowing for the comparison of the average results for all groups. The average healing rates of GI, GII, and GIII were 77.0, 51.4, and 80%, respectively. The granulation tissue evaluation indicated a higher efficacy in the tissue repair of lesions treated with the Rapha® system. In conclusion, the Rapha® system proved to be an effective healing system, even when self-applied at the patient's home.
Subject(s)
Bandages , Diabetic Foot/therapy , Latex , Membranes, Artificial , Phototherapy , Wound Healing , Aged , Diabetic Foot/pathology , Diabetic Foot/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Radiofrequency ablation has become an accepted treatment option of patients with primary and metastatic liver tumors. We propose an ablation electrode array consisting of 4-8 blade shaped electrodes arranged in a circular geometry for the treatment of large liver tumors. We developed a 3D code based on the finite difference method for evaluating the effect of different numbers of electrodes (4, 6 and 8) and electrode distance on lesion size. The configuration with six electrodes can ablate a volume of 70 x 70 x 40 mm(3) in approximately 5 min, with tissue temperature above 50 degrees C throughout the treatment volume. We then performed an experimental study in polyacrylamide gel in order to validate the theoretical results. The average temperature error between the simulation and the experiment was 3.8% at the center of the electrode array. This study shows that the proposed device potentially allows more rapid treatment of large tumors than current radiofrequency ablation devices.
Subject(s)
Catheter Ablation/instrumentation , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Animals , Cattle , Computer Simulation , Electric Conductivity , Electrodes , Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted , Temperature , Thermal Conductivity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
This article presents a framework that allows the automated gathering of medical evidence, using a methodology based on Bayesian Networks (BN). For such purpose, system software and a programming methodology were developed. The proposed methodology is generic and can be applied to different contexts (application domains) were evidence gathering is executed in mobile devices.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Artificial Intelligence , Bayes Theorem , Computer Communication Networks , Monitoring, Ambulatory/methods , Pattern Recognition, Automated/methods , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Computers, Handheld , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , User-Computer InterfaceABSTRACT
This work presents a study on the influence of the aqueous environment on the surface EMG (sEMG) signal recorded in bipolar montage from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle, when only the forearm is immersed in water. Ten men, 30.1+/-4.0 (mean +/- SD) years old, performed ten 2-s 40% MVC isometric contractions of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle in two controlled environments (air and water, at a temperature of 32 degrees C). They were always equipped with electrodes protected with a waterproof adhesive tape. No significant variations (paired Wilcoxon test) due to the environments were observed in the median frequency of the power spectrum (MDF) and in the root mean square (RMS) value of the sEMG signal. These results allow us to assess the methodological criteria to properly record sEMG signals in water and provide the basis to explain different findings obtained by other authors.
Subject(s)
Electromyography/standards , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Adult , Air , Electromyography/methods , Forearm , Humans , Isometric Contraction , Male , Statistics, Nonparametric , WaterABSTRACT
The objective of this work was the study and the development of techniques for acquiring and processing electromyographic signals that can be used for analysis of the behavior of electromyographic variables during fatiguing dynamic activities. Two of the techniques were the RMS value and the MPF, which are commonly used for the analysis of electromyographic signals measured during isometric contractions. A new technique, called MAEC, was proposed, based on the domain of the Wavelet transform. The results showed that the combination of the three techniques together with the protocol for recording electromyographic signals lead to a useful characterization of the behavior of electromygraphic variables.
Subject(s)
Action Potentials/physiology , Algorithms , Electromyography/methods , Muscle Contraction/physiology , Muscle Fatigue/physiology , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
This article presents an algorithm for compression of echocardiographic images. The algorithm is based on the JPEG algorithm and uses a fuzzy inference system to adapt the normalization process of the transformed coefficients through the analysis of the local characteristics of echocardiographic images. The images considered in this paper were acquired in actual echocardiography exams. The proposed encoder guarantees a maximum local signal-to-noise ratio, which is adapted to the characteristics of each sub-block of the image.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Data Compression/methods , Echocardiography/methods , Fuzzy Logic , Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods , Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods , Image Enhancement/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Despite the increasing number of experimental mapping showing that human arithmetic cognition is supported by widely spread neural circuits; the theoretical reasoning about these data remains mostly metaphorical and guided by a connectionist approach. Although neurons at distinct areas in the brain are assumed to take charge of different duties in the solution of the experimental task, the results are always discussed by hypothesizing some association between the different areas without questioning any difference of behavior at the level of the neurons at each of these areas. Here, the brain is assumed as Distributed Intelligent Processing System (DIPS) formed by collections of loosely interacting specialized agents (neurons), each agent specializing, for example, in data collection (sensors), problem solving (associative neurons), data communication (interneuronal systems) and in acting upon the surrounding environment (motorneurons). A new technique for EEG brain mapping is proposed and used to study arithmetic cognition in elementary school aged children and adults. Factor analysis showed three distinct patterns of neuronal recruitment for arithmetic calculations in all experimental groups which varied according to the type of calculation, age and sex.
Subject(s)
Brain Mapping/methods , Nerve Net/physiology , Problem Solving/physiology , Sex Characteristics , Adult , Child , Electroencephalography/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Mathematics , Models, Neurological , Regression AnalysisABSTRACT
The electrical membrane properties have been the key issues in the understanding of the cerebral physiology for more than almost two centuries. But, molecular neurobiology has now discovered that biochemical transactions play an important role in neuronal computations. Quantum computing (QC) is becoming a reality both from the theoretical point of view as well as from practical applications. Quantum mechanics is the most accurate description at atomic level and it lies behind all chemistry that provides the basis for biology ... maybe the magic of entanglement is also crucial for life. The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the dendrite spine as a quantum computing device, taking into account what is known about the physiology of the glutamate receptors and the cascade of biochemical transactions triggered by the glutamate binding to these receptors.
Subject(s)
Brain/physiology , Computers, Molecular , Computing Methodologies , Dendrites/physiology , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Models, Neurological , Receptors, Glutamate/metabolism , Algorithms , Brain Chemistry , Glutamic Acid/chemistry , Humans , Quantum Theory , Receptors, Glutamate/chemistry , Synaptic Transmission/physiologyABSTRACT
The knowledge accumulated about the biochemistry of the synapsis in the last decades completely changes the notion of brain processing founded exclusively over an electrical mechanism, toward that supported by a complex chemical message exchange occurring both locally, at the synaptic site, as well as at other localities, depending on the solubility of the involved chemical substances in the extracellular compartment. These biochemical transactions support a rich symbolic processing of the information both encoded by the genes and provided by actual data collected from the surrounding environment, by means of either special molecular or cellular receptor systems. In this processing, molecules play the role of symbols and chemical affinity shared by them specifies the syntax for symbol manipulation in order to process and to produce chemical messages. In this context, neurons are conceived as message-exchanging agents. Chemical strings are produced and stored at defined places, and ionic currents are used to speed up message delivery. Synaptic transactions can no longer be assumed to correspond to a simple process of propagating numbers powered by a factor measuring the presynaptic capacity to influence the postsynaptic electrical activity, but they must be modeled by more powerful formal tools supporting both numerical and symbolic calculations. It is proposed here that formal language theory is the adequate mathematical tool to handle such symbolic processing. The purpose of the present review is therefore: (a) to discuss the relevant and recent literature about trophic factors, signal transduction mechanisms, neuromodulators and neurotransmitters in order (b) to point out the common features of these correlated processes; and (c) to show how they may be organized into a formal model supported by the theory of fuzzy formal languages (d) to model the brain as a distributed intelligent problem solver.
Subject(s)
Brain/physiology , Mental Processes/physiology , Animals , Humans , Synapses/physiologyABSTRACT
El test respiratorio utilizando urea marcada con C es un método no invasivo empleado desde 1988 para detectar la presencia de Helicobacter pylori en pacientes portadores de enfermedad ácido péptica. Este método ha demostrado una sensibilidad del 90,2 por ciento y especificidad de 83,8 por ciento . En el Centro de Medicina Nuclear de Guanabara fueron realizados 1.200 test respiratorios, de los cuales el 67 por ciento se reportaron positivos, realizándose nuevos controles después del tratamiento médico, con resultados negativos
Subject(s)
Humans , Breath Tests , Gastritis/etiology , Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis , Helicobacter pylori/isolation & purification , Carbon Radioisotopes , Carbon Dioxide , Stomach/microbiology , Ethanolamines , Gamma Cameras , Gamma Cameras/instrumentation , Gamma Cameras/standards , Gastritis/diagnosis , Helicobacter pylori/physiology , Gastroesophageal Reflux/microbiology , Peptic Ulcer/diagnosis , Peptic Ulcer/etiology , Urease , Urease/metabolism , Urease/pharmacologyABSTRACT
El test respiratorio utilizando urea marcada con C es un método no invasivo empleado desde 1988 para detectar la presencia de Helicobacter pylori en pacientes portadores de enfermedad ácido péptica. Este método ha demostrado una sensibilidad del 90,2 por ciento y especificidad de 83,8 por ciento . En el Centro de Medicina Nuclear de Guanabara fueron realizados 1.200 test respiratorios, de los cuales el 67 por ciento se reportaron positivos, realizándose nuevos controles después del tratamiento médico, con resultados negativos(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Helicobacter pylori/isolation & purification , Gastritis/etiology , Carbon Radioisotopes/diagnosis , Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis , Breath Tests/methods , Helicobacter pylori/physiology , Urease/pharmacology , Urease/metabolism , Urease/diagnosis , Gastritis/diagnosis , Stomach/microbiology , Peptic Ulcer/diagnosis , Peptic Ulcer/etiology , Gastroesophageal Reflux/microbiology , Ethanolamines/diagnosis , Carbon Dioxide/diagnosis , Gamma Cameras/instrumentation , Gamma Cameras/methods , Gamma Cameras/standardsABSTRACT
A model of a fuzzy neuron, one which increases the computational power of the artificial neuron, turning it also into a symbolic processing device, is presented. The model proposes the synapsis to be symbolically and numerically defined, by means of the assignment of tokens to the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. The matching or concatenation compatibility between these tokens is used to decide about the possible connections among neurons of a given net. The strength of the compatible synapsis is made dependent on the amount of the available presynaptic and postsynaptic tokens. The symbolic and numeric processing capacity of the new fuzzy neuron is used to build a neural net (JARGON) to disclose the existing knowledge in natural language databases such as medical files, sets of interviews and reports about engineering operations.
ABSTRACT
This paper proposes a methodology for knowledge acquisition (KA) from multiple experts, in an attempt to elicit the heuristic rules followed by the physician in diagnosing twelve frequently occurring congenital heart diseases (CHD). Twenty-two pediatric cardiologists and twenty-three general cardiologists were interviewed with this technique; 274 interviews were conducted, 169 with the 22 experts, 105 with the 23 non-experts. A graph formalism was employed to represent their reasoning model, leading to the construction of a "mean reasoning model" for each diagnosis, separately for experts and non-experts. The results indicate that experts, compared to non-experts, tend to build knowledge representation models (KRM) that are smaller and less complex. Qualitative differences in information utilization between the two groups were also observed. Entropy analysis suggests a greater objectivity and cohesion of the experts' model.
Subject(s)
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted , Expert Systems , Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnosis , Algorithms , Decision Trees , HumansABSTRACT
The gastric emptying time is studied with 99mTC-DTPA-labeled mixed meal in 18 patients with chronic gastritis, all confirmed by endoscopic examination and biopsy. Emptying was slow in all such patients, but the intensity of symptomatology showed no correlation with gastric emptying half time.
Subject(s)
Gastric Emptying , Gastritis/diagnostic imaging , Pentetic Acid , Technetium , Adolescent , Adult , Chronic Disease , Female , Gastritis/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radionuclide Imaging , Stomach/diagnostic imaging , Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate , Time FactorsABSTRACT
These experiments in the slowly adapting stretch receptor of crayfish test the effects of brief length perturbations (i.e., pulses) when presented in isolation at different constant elongations or superimposed on trapezoidal stretches of different amplitudes. Within "in vivo" lengths, during static responses, perturbations reduced firing rates to below control values and, in extreme cases, could silence the receptor. This effect, or "down-step," was sustained, occurred above a threshold pulse amplitude and background stretch, and increased with both stimulus characteristics, but was not present during dynamic responses. Beyond "in vivo" lengths, and in a few cases within those limits but close to the extremes, the receptor was silent but perturbations could restore activity. Lengthening pulses were more effective than shortening ones in generating after-effects. Perturbations change, during indefinitively long periods, the receptor's length or static sensitivity acting as a negative feedback which tends to maintain the discharge rate within fixed values. Perturbations disclose marked nonlinearities, which suggest that the classical view of a proportional control in the reflex loop in which the receptor participates may not operate in natural conditions.
