Classification of breast thermal images using artificial neural networks

In this paper we present classification of the thermal images in order to discriminate healthy and pathological cases during breast cancer screening. Different image features and approaches for data reduction and classification have been used. The most promised method was based on wavelet transformation and nonlinear neural network classifier.

[Clinical picture of spinocerebellar ataxia type I (SCA1)]

Spinocerebellar ataxia is a group of diseases with autosomal dominant inheritance heterogenous both clinically and genetically. So called dynamic mutations underlie most these nosological units. The clinical patterns of various SCA types have not yet been defined completely. The purpose of the present report was description of the typical symptoms and signs of type 1 SCA. Seventeen patients from 13 families (M-2, F-15) were studied clinically in detail. The diagnosis was confirmed by DNA analysis. The assessment included neurological status, cognitive functions, the results of EEG, EMG, SEP, VEP, BAER and MRI examinations. The pedigrees indicated autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. The mean age at onset was 35.5 +/- 6.8 years (range 23-45 years) and it suggested negative correlation with the number of CAG repetitions. Cerebellar syndrome limb and truncal, ataxia and dysarthria was present in all cases. Six patients had nystagmus, 3 had slow saccades, 2 had gaze limitation upward, and lateral and 6 had dysphagia. Signs of pyramidal system involvement were found in 10 cases, one had athetotic movements, one had orthostatic hypotension. Two patients had dementia features, 9 had some decline of intellectual functions, mainly with difficulties of memorization, learning and concentration. In 16 cases MRI demonstrated vermis atrophy and atrophy of cerebellar hemispheres, 14 had fourth ventricle dilatation, 8 had flattening of pons base, 8 had narrowing of cervical spinal cord, 8 had dilated CSF spaces over frontal lobes and in 6 cases lateral ventricles were dilated. Electrophysiological peripheral nervous system investigations showed in 16 cases long-standing damage to the motor and sensory peripheral neurons at the level of nerve trunks, more pronounced in sensory nerves. In 13 cases peripheral neuron damage was subclinical. SEP showed in all patients disturbed function of ascending sensory pathways at peripheral and spinocortical levels.

[Concentration of attention and learning processes in patients with schizophrenic psychosis. Part II. Process of acquisition of verbal material]

All examined patient groups did worse in tests of auditory acquisition of new verbal material than healthy controls. Long term schizophrenic patients scored lower in these tests than those hospitalized for the first time.

[Concentration of attention and learning processes in patients with schizophrenic psychosis. Part I. Attention disorders]

Test of the ability to focus attention on the task at hand revealed attention deficits in each group of patients under study. The decision taking time in simple reaction test was longest in schizophrenic patients, significantly longer then in patients with affective disorder. It was also fund that chronic schizophrenics performed relatively better in the vigilance test then patients hospitalized for the first time.

[Assessment of early treatment results with antineoplaston AS2-1 in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis]

A tentative treatment with Antineoplaston AS2-1 was carried out in a group of 16 patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Most patients were in phase II of SSPE (after Jabbour) with mean disease duration 6.4 months. Their age ranged from 13 to 28 years. They were given for 6 months 15 capsules of Antineoplaston AS2-1 and 6 tablets of isoprinosine daily. Despite that treatment progression was observed of the disturbances of higher nervous functions, less so of motor functions. The treatment had no effect on MRI results, EEG and antimeasles antibodies levels. No adverse effects were observed.

[Changes of cognitive and emotional processes during immunostimulatory treatment in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis]

In 35 cases of SSPE sensibilized neuropsychological testing was done before and after 6 months of immunostimulatory and virostatic treatment. Three groups of patients were studied. All groups received isoprinosine, one group was given additionally TFX-thymus extract Polfa, and another group received additionally Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45. A tendency for improvement of verbal function and emotional status was observed only in the group receiving isoprinosine with propionibacterium. In both remaining groups, receiving only isoprinosine or isoprinosine with TFX worsening was noted, particularly in the isoprinosine-only group. This was particularly evident in the visuospatial orientation. Prolongation of survival time in SSPE owing to specific treatment increases the need for psychoreactive and therapeutic influences for stimulation of cognitive processes.

[Early signs of cognition disorders in children with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in initial stage]

The purpose of the study was to find some characteristic features of cortical defects in the neuropsychological examination of children with SSPE. These findings could be very useful in early differential diagnosis. We analysed the results of the neuropsychological assessment of 13 children selected from a group of 100 patients. The most frequent defects were found in the visuo-spatial functions. The clinical analysis of the obtained results was studied in view to establish, whether there are the signs of the dysfunction of the right or both cerebral hemispheres.

[Health status of children born to mothers with epilepsy]

The authors studied 168 children of mothers with the diagnosis of epilepsy, with 94 of them aged below 15 years whose conception occurred already during the disease of the mother. The control group included 94 children of healthy mothers. These groups of children were matched for sex and age. The general condition was analysed with particular reference to congenital anomalies, neurological condition and psychological investigation. A statistically significantly higher frequency of seizures was observed in the children of epileptic mothers as compared with controls. Occurrence of epileptic seizures and treatment with anticonvulsants in pregnancy create an additional risk of congenital anomalies developing in offsprings, it is possible that they predispose also to premature labours. No significant effect on the psychic state of the children was found.

[Clinical pattern of epilepsy with abortive temporal lobe attacks]

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the clinical course of epilepsy with infrequent partial attacks with complex manifestations derived from the temporal lobe. Thirty patients aged 14 to 64 years treated on an outpatient basis and discovered during epidemiological investigations were followed-up. In half the cases only attacks without generalization occurred, in the remaining cases isolated generalized seizures appeared during many years of disease duration. In both groups a decrease was observed in the frequency of seizures in patients treated systematically or irregularly, as well as in those who had never been treated. Despite a long duration of the disease (above 6 years in 24 cases) the patients had normal mental level and good social adaptation.