Compensatory fuzzy neural networks-based intelligent detection of abnormal neonatal cerebral Doppler ultrasound waveforms.

Compensatory fuzzy neural networks (CFNN) without normalization, which can be trained with a backpropagation learning algorithm, is proposed as a pattern recognition technique for intelligent detection of Doppler ultrasound waveforms of abnormal neonatal cerebral hemodynamics. Doppler ultrasound signals were recorded from the anterior cerebral arteries of 40 normal full-term babies and 14 mature babies with intracranial pathology. The features of normal and abnormal groups as inputs to pattern recognition algorithms were extracted from the maximum velocity waveforms by using principal component analysis. The proposed technique is compared with the CFNN with normalization and other pattern recognition techniques applied to Doppler ultrasound signals from various arteries. The results show that the proposed method is superior to the others, and can be a powerful technique to be used in analyzing Doppler ultrasound signals from various arteries.

Detection of ECG waveforms by neural networks.

In this study, ECG waveform detection was performed by using artificial neural networks (ANNs). Initially, the R peak of the QRS complex is detected, and then feature vectors are formed by using the amplitudes of the significant frequency components of the DFT spectrum. Grow and Learn (GAL) and Kohonen networks are comparatively investigated to detect four different ECG waveforms. The comparative performance results of GAL and Kohonen networks are reported.

Augmentation of mucosal adaptation following small-bowel resection by electromagnetic field stimulation in rats.

Survival following massive resection of the small intestine is often possible due to substantial hyperplasia of the mucosal surface in the remaining small intestine. While nutrients provide the major stimulus for hyperplasia in the clinical setting, the availability of drugs to augment this process would have obvious therapeutic implications. Electromagnetic field stimulation (EMF) of connective tissue and skin increased the DNA and messenger RNA and protein synthesis in experimental studies. We evaluated the ability of electromagnetic field stimulation to augment mucosal hyperplasia following massive small bowel resection in the rat. Two groups of 10 Wistar rats, 250 gr body weight, were subjected to 70% jejunoileal resection. The first group received EMF stimulation for ten days at a dosage of 43.20 gauss, the second group did not receive any stimulation. After fourteen days, segmental evaluation of mucosal mass in the remaining small intestine was determined by measuring mucosal protein, and disaccharidase levels, as well as intestinal length and circumference. EMF stimulation appears to augment mucosal adaptation following massive small bowel resection in rat, in the proximal and distal small intestine.

The effect of electromagnetic field stimulation on corticosteroids-inhibited intestinal wound healing.

Electromagnetic field (EMF) stimulation has been used successfully in the clinical setting to promote healing of ununited fractures. In a few studies, EMF stimulation enhanced soft tissue healing. To investigate the effect of EMF stimulation on intestinal wound healing in normal rats and in those treated with corticosteroids, 80 Wistar rats received twice-daily injections of either saline dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Animals then underwent creation of single-layer, inverting small intestine anastomoses. All injections were continued postoperatively. Animals were grouped as intestinal anastomoses; intestinal anastomoses plus EMF stimulation; intestinal anastomoses plus dexamethasone; and intestinal anastomoses plus dexamethasone plus EMF. On postoperative days 7 and 14, the anastomosed intestines were removed and the tensile strength (TS) and hydroxyproline (OH-P) contents measured. EMF stimulation significantly increased intestinal wound healing in normal animals by the 7th and 14th day. Corticosteroids significantly impaired the healing of the small intestine anastomoses, with decreased TS and OH-P contents after the first and second weeks. However, EMF stimulation significantly reversed this inhibitory effect.