Computer-Aided Tinnitus Detection based on Brain Network Analysis of EEG Functional Connectivity

Background

Tinnitus known as a central nervous system disorder is correlated with specific oscillatory activities within auditory and non-auditory brain areas. Several studies in the past few years have revealed that in the most tinnitus cases, the response pattern of neurons in auditory system is changed due to auditory deafferentation, which leads to variation and disruption of the brain networks.

Objective

In this paper, we introduce an approach to automatically distinguish tinnitus individuals from healthy controls based on whole-brain functional connectivity and network analysis.

Material and Methods

The functional connectivity analysis was applied to the resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) data of both groups using Weighted Phase Lag Index (WPLI) for various frequency bands in 2-44 Hz frequency range. In this case- control study, the classification was performed on graph theoretical measures using support vector machine (SVM) as a robust classification method.

Results

Experimental results showed promising classification performance with a high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in all frequency bands, specifically in the beta2 frequency band.

Conclusion

The current study provides substantial evidence that tinnitus network can be successfully detected by consistent measures of the brain networks based on EEG functional connectivity.

Effects of grazing on chemical soil properties and vegetation cover (case study: Kojour rangelands, Noushahr, Islamic Republic of Iran)

This research is conducted to study the effects of grazing on chemical soil properties and vegetation cover in three areas separated as the key, reference and critical areas. The study area is located at the river basin of Kojour in the Southwestern of Noushahr (in the North of IR-Iran). Sampling and collecting the soil and vegetation cover data from the site areas are accomplished in the first step of the research. The vegetation cover data was collected in 20 sample plots of 1 m2 in each area. The data was collected through a random- systematic method in the early grazing season. The soil data was collected out of two layers (0-10, 10-30 cm), in two time intervals before and after grazing. Five samples were selected per layer. Some edaphical factors such as organic carbon, percentage of soil organic matters, total nitrogen, absorbable phosphorus and potassium, pH and EC were measured. The results revealed that there is an inverse relationship between the grazing intensity and amount of carbon, nitrogen, soil organic matter and EC. However, a direct relation exists between the grazing intensity and amount of soil potassium, phosphorus, pH and the ratio of carbon to nitrogen. Vegetation in class 1 and 2 which were cereals and forbs had greatest percentage in the reference area. Furthermore, the percentage forage cover increases with the grazing intensity. The more unpalatable vegetation of class 3 forms the prevailing coverage in the critical area. The conclusion of this study shows that overgrazing is considered as a threat for the nutritional elements of soil and vegetation cover.

Row distance method sowing of forage Kochia, eastern saltwort and winterfat

In this study, we used three native range species of eastern saltwort, winterfat and forage Kochia. These species are extremely adapted to dry lands and have high productivity comparison with other forage species. In order to increase range production in poor, dry and sub dry land in the province of Khorasan (Sabzevar) the seeds of these species naturally were sowed. They were sowed individually on rows and mixed of the two by 2 or 3 species on the alternative rows. The research was carried out statistically in Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) as a factorial experiment by two factors. The first factor was row distance of seeding (three levels, 50, 75 and 100 cm distance between each row) and the second was kinds of intercropping methods (seven level of individual seeding by three mentioned species and mixed alternative rows of two by 2 and 3 species together) with four replicates (3x7x4). Number of seed was accounted by the number of bushes were germinated or died in each experimental unit. The results showed that maximum abundant of seed germination of all treatments was occurred from late April to late May. Sowing in the row spaces of 50 cm had highly statistically significant production than the ones of 75 and 100 cm spaces. Also, by comparing relative frequency percentage of germinated seeds and relative germinated died seed revealed that individual sowing seed of Salsola orientalis and Eurotia ceratoides, by 50 cm row space in Sabzevar region had better result, respectively, because of lowest mortality of plants and highest productivity of biomass.