1,721,707 research outputs found
RANTES/CCL5 and risk for coronary events: results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg case-cohort, Athero-Express and CARDIoGRAM studies.
Get PDFThe chemokine RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted)/CCL5 is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in mice, whereas less is known in humans. We hypothesised that its relevance for atherosclerosis should be reflected by associations between CCL5 gene variants, RANTES serum concentrations and protein levels in atherosclerotic plaques and risk for coronary events. We conducted a case-cohort study within the population-based MONICA/KORA Augsburg studies. Baseline RANTES serum levels were measured in 363 individuals with incident coronary events and 1,908 non-cases (mean follow-up: 10.2±4.8 years). Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, metabolic factors and lifestyle factors revealed no significant association between RANTES and incident coronary events (HR [95% CI] for increasing RANTES tertiles 1.0, 1.03 [0.75-1.42] and 1.11 [0.81-1.54]). None of six CCL5 single nucleotide polymorphisms and no common haplotype showed significant associations with coronary events. Also in the CARDIoGRAM study (>22,000 cases, >60,000 controls), none of these CCL5 SNPs was significantly associated with coronary artery disease. In the prospective Athero-Express biobank study, RANTES plaque levels were measured in 606 atherosclerotic lesions from patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy. RANTES content in atherosclerotic plaques was positively associated with macrophage infiltration and inversely associated with plaque calcification. However, there was no significant association between RANTES content in plaques and risk for coronary events (mean follow-up 2.8±0.8 years). High RANTES plaque levels were associated with an unstable plaque phenotype. However, the absence of associations between (i) RANTES serum levels, (ii) CCL5 genotypes and (iii) RANTES content in carotid plaques and either coronary artery disease or incident coronary events in our cohorts suggests that RANTES may not be a novel coronary risk biomarker. However, the potential relevance of RANTES levels in platelet-poor plasma needs to be investigated in further studies
Cardiogram: Visual Analytics for Automotive Engineers
Get PDFInternational audienceWe present Cardiogram, a visual analytics system that supports automotive engineers in debugging masses of traces each consisting of millions of recorded messages from in-car communication networks. With their increasing complexity, ensuring these safety-critical networks to be error-free has become a major task and challenge for automotive engineers. To overcome shortcomings of current analysis tools, Cardiogram combines visualization techniques with a data preprocessing approach to automatically reduce complexity based on engineers' domain knowledge. In this paper, we provide the findings from an exploratory, three-year field study within a large automotive company, studying current practices of engineers, the challenges they meet and the characteristics for integrating novel visual analytics tools into their work practices. We then introduce Cardiogram, discuss how our field analysis influenced our design decisions, and present a qualitative, long-term, in-depth evaluation. Results of this study showed that our participants successfully used Cardiogram to increase the amount of analyzable information, to externalize domain knowledge, and to provide new insights into trace data. Our design approach finally led to the adoption of Cardiogram into engineers' daily practices
Multi-Function Electro-Cardiogram Measurement System Design and Implementation
No full text[[abstract]]In this research, a multi-function electro-cardiogram measurement system is designed and constructed. The system applies the structure of virtual
instrument built by software part, Labview、hardware part, DAQ card and some external circuits is applied in the development process. This research integrates different fields that include physiological signals, circuits, virtual instrument, and physiology. The functions of system include
waveform display, auto signal processing, data saving, histogram display, heartbeat display, irregular heart rhythms warning and remote measurement. Practical measurements have been carried out to demonstrate the capabilities of this measurement technique
Assessment of the impedance cardiogram recorded by an automated external defibrillator during clinical cardiac arrest
No full textOBJECTIVE: To assess the impedance cardiogram recorded by an automated external defibrillator during cardiac arrest to facilitate emergency care by lay persons. Lay persons are poor at emergency pulse checks (sensitivity 84%, specificity 36%); guidelines recommend they should not be performed. The impedance cardiogram (dZ/dt) is used to indicate stroke volume. Can an impedance cardiogram algorithm in a defibrillator determine rapidly circulatory arrest and facilitate prompt initiation of external cardiac massage? DESIGN: Clinical study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Phase 1 patients attended for myocardial perfusion imaging. Phase 2 patients were recruited during cardiac arrest. This group included nonarrest controls. INTERVENTIONS: The impedance cardiogram was recorded through defibrillator/electrocardiographic pads oriented in the standard cardiac arrest position. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Phase 1: Stroke volumes from gated myocardial perfusion imaging scans were correlated with parameters from the impedance cardiogram system (dZ/dt(max) and the peak amplitude of the Fast Fourier Transform of dZ/dt between 1.5 Hz and 4.5 Hz). Multivariate analysis was performed to fit stroke volumes from gated myocardial perfusion imaging scans with linear and quadratic terms for dZ/dt(max) and the Fast Fourier Transform to identify significant parameters for incorporation into a cardiac arrest diagnostic algorithm. The square of the peak amplitude of the Fast Fourier Transform of dZ/dt was the best predictor of reduction in stroke volumes from gated myocardial perfusion imaging scans (range = 33-85 mL; p = .016). Having established that the two pad impedance cardiogram system could detect differences in stroke volumes from gated myocardial perfusion imaging scans, we assessed its performance in diagnosing cardiac arrest. Phase 2: The impedance cardiogram was recorded in 132 "cardiac arrest" patients (53 training, 79 validation) and 97 controls (47 training, 50 validation): the diagnostic algorithm indicated cardiac arrest with sensitivities and specificities (+/- exact 95% confidence intervals) of 89.1% (85.4-92.1) and 99.6% (99.4-99.7; training) and 81.1% (77.6-84.3) and 97% (96.7-97.4; validation). CONCLUSIONS: The impedance cardiogram algorithm is a significant marker of circulatory collapse. Automated defibrillators with an integrated impedance cardiogram could improve emergency care by lay persons, enabling rapid and appropriate initiation of external cardiac massage. <br/
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
CardioPRINT: Biometric identification based on the individual characteristics derived from the cardiogram
No full textThis paper investigates the potential of cardiogram-derived traits from electrocardiogram (ECG) and impedance cardiogram (ICG) for biometric identification. Additionally, the influence of induced emotions on cardiogram attributes and their impact on identification accuracy is explored. Method We compare 7 machine learning classifiers using a dataset gathered from 202 individuals to identify the highest-performing classifiers. Subsequently, we analyze three different feature sets employing (ECG-only, ICG-only, and both ECG and ICG). Additionally, we investigate the performance of classifiers under altered emotional states to assess classifiers’ robustness. Results The analysis demonstrates that models employed with both ECG and ICG have the highest statistically significant accuracies. The best-performing Random Forest (RF) model using both ECG and ICG achieves an average accuracy of 97.2 %. All models reveal a decrease in classification accuracies (∼13 %) when not trained and tested under identical emotional conditions. Conclusion Our findings suggest that integration of ECG and ICG-based features could increase the accuracy of identification compared to a single-signal-based approach. Although certain models show slight robustness to altered emotional states, the effect of the emotion is evident and future selection of cardiogram-based features, as well as biometric models, should consider emotional responses
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
CardioPRINT: Biometric identification based on the individual characteristics derived from the cardiogram
No full textObjective: This paper investigates the potential of cardiogram-derived traits from electrocardiogram (ECG) and impedance cardiogram (ICG) for biometric identification. Additionally, the influence of induced emotions on cardiogram attributes and their impact on identification accuracy is explored.
Method: We compare 7 machine learning classifiers using a dataset gathered from 202 individuals to identify the highest-performing classifiers. Subsequently, we analyze three different feature sets employing (ECG-only, ICG-only, and both ECG and ICG). Additionally, we investigate the performance of classifiers under altered emotional states to assess classifiers’ robustness.
Results: The analysis demonstrates that models employed with both ECG and ICG have the highest statistically significant accuracies. The best-performing Random Forest (RF) model using both ECG and ICG achieves an average accuracy of 97.2%. All models reveal a decrease in classification accuracies (~13%) when not trained and tested under identical emotional conditions.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that integration of ECG and ICG-based features could increase the accuracy of identification compared to a single-signal-based approach. Although certain models show slight robustness to altered emotional states, the effect of the emotion is evident and future selection of cardiogram-based features, as well as biometric models, should consider emotional responses
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