Cross-Frequency Coupling Between Brain and Body Biosignals: A Systemic Physiology Augmented Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the brain and body processes during interaction or cooperation between two or more subjects is an important topic in current neuroscientific research. In a previous study, we introduced a novel approach that enables investigation of the coupling of biosignals (brain and systemic physiology, SP) from two subjects: systemic physiology augmented functional near-infrared spectroscopy (SPA-fNIRS) hyperscanning. AIM: The aim was to extend our signal analysis approach by the cross-frequency time-dependent wavelet transform coherence (WTC) of the fNIRS and SP biosignals to gain new insights into the nature and cause of functional hyperconnectivity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 24 pairs of adults took part in a closed-eye versus prolonged eye-contact task of 10 min each. Brain and body activity was measured continuously by SPA-fNIRS hyperscanning. We calculated the time-dependent WTC of the biosignals for four different frequency bands: very low-frequency band (VLF, 0.002-0.08 Hz), low-frequency band 1 (LF1, 0.015-0.15 Hz), low-frequency band 2 (LF2, 0.08-0.15 Hz) and heart rate band (HR, 1-2 Hz). We then performed the cross-frequency correlated-coherence coupling analysis. RESULTS: A stronger cross-frequency coupling during the eye-contact condition (between 99 pairs of biosignals) was found than during the eye-closed condition (between 50 pairs of biosignals). Prolonged eye contact led to entrainment of the brain and body between different frequency bands and two subjects. The strongest hyperconnectivity was between the LF1-VLF frequency band. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: With this exploratory study, we reveal further benefits of the SPA-fNIRS approach for future hyperscanning studies.

Machine Learning Distinguishes Familiar from Unfamiliar Pairs of Subjects Performing an Eye Contact Task: A Systemic Physiology Augmented Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study.

BACKGROUND: Eye contact is an important aspect of human communication and social interactions. Changes in brain and systemic physiological activity associated with interactions between humans can be measured with systemic physiology augmented functional near-infrared spectroscopy (SPA-fNIRS) hyperscanning, enabling inter-brain and inter-body synchronisation to be determined. In a previous study, we found that pairs of subjects that are socially connected show higher brain and body synchrony. AIM: To enable a deeper understanding, our aim was to build and automatically detect the best set of features to distinguish between two different groups (familiar and unfamiliar pairs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We defined several features based on the Spearman correlation and wavelet transform coherence (WTC) of biosignals measured on 23 pairs of subjects (13 familiar and 10 unfamiliar pairs) during eye contact for 10 min. Additional custom features that identify the maximum brain-to-body coupling instants between pairs were generated. RESULTS: After testing on combinations of different feature extraction methods, four subsets of features with the strongest discrimination power were taken into account to train a decision tree (DT) machine learning (ML) algorithm. We have obtained 95.65% classification accuracy using a leave-one-out cross-validation. The coupling features which represent the two maximum mean values resulting from the sum of 7 time-dependent WTC signals (oxyhaemoglobin concentration of the right prefrontal region, total haemoglobin concentration of the left and right prefrontal region, heart rate, electrodermal activity on the left and right wrist, and skin temperature on the right wrist) played an essential role in the classification accuracy. CONCLUSION: Training the DT-ML algorithm with combined brain and systemic physiology data provided higher accuracy than training it only with brain or systemic data alone. The results demonstrate the power of the SPA-fNIRS hyperscanning approach and the potential in applying ML to investigate the strength of social bonds in a wide range of social interaction contexts.

[Structured quality report of urologic clinics according to section 137 SGB V. Useful information for the patient, marketing tool of the hospitals, leverage wielded by the health insurance companies, or junk data?]. / Strukturierte Qualitätsberichte urologischer Hauptabteilungen gemäss 137 SGB V. Entscheidungshilfe für den Patienten, Marketing-Instrument der Kliniken, Druckmittel der Krankenkassen oder Datenmüll?

In 2005, German hospitals were legally obliged to publish a structured quality report on their data of 2004 including the top 10 diagnosis-related groups, top 10 diagnoses, and top 10 procedures for every specialty. The aim was to increase the transparency for patients, doctors, and health insurance companies. Comparing the quality reports of 248 departments of urology revealed very uniform distributions of diagnoses and diagnosis-related groups. There was a large variety of top 10 procedures, resulting from different interpretations of the coding system, leading to diminished accuracy. The quality reports provide coding specialists with important data, but for patients and nonspecialized doctors, this system is not helpful in improving transparency.

[Clinical and morphological findings and problems in malacoplakia of the urinary bladder (author's transl)]. / Klinische und morphologische Befunde und Probleme bei Malakoplakie der Harnblase.

Malacoplakia of the urinary bladder (observations on 4 female patients, average age 47 years, longest duration 8 years) is, under light microscopy, arranged in 4 layers. Zone 1 contains inflammatory granulation tissue. Zone 2 is composed of von Hansemann cells (macrophages). In zone 3, Michaelis-Gutmann bodies appear. Finally, the deepest zone 4 contains connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymphoplasmacellular infiltrates. By electron microscopy, the gradual formation of residual bodies from the remains of phagocytosed materials in the macrophages in these layers can be observed. Through loading with calcium and iron compounds, the residual bodies take on the characteristic appearance of Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Etiologically, the origin of malacoplakia is probably involved with coliform bacteria, but apparently additional factors are required for the development of a disease process: e.g., disturbance of macrophage function. There are certain parallels between malacoplakia and Whipple's disease. With atypical localization outside the urinary bladder, differential diagnostic difficulties can arise in separating malacoplakia from inflammatory-granulomatous processes (granulomatous orchitis, xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis). The prognosis of malacoplakia in the urinary bladder is good in all cases, but timely treatment of recurrence and constant supervision are indicated.

[Intraoperative use of an image intensifier in coral calculus operations (author's transl)]. / Die intraoperative Anwendung des Bildverstärkers bei Korallensteinoperationen

The applicability of the image converter in kidneys stone operations, and particularly in coral calculus operations, is discussed. A comparison is made with other X-ray methods and the advantages of an extended area of use of the image converter is presented.

[Operative therapy of elephantiasis penis by skin transplantation (author's transl)]. / Zur operativen Therapie der Elephantiasis penis mittels Hauttransplantation

From 1960 to date, there have been four cases of elephantiasis penis in the urologic clinic of the Katharinenhospital in Stuttgart, which were operated on by skin transplantation. The causes of elephantiasis penis are discussed, and the surgical procedure is presented in detail. Finally, the outcome as far as appearance and function are concerned, is discussed.

[The operative treatment of primary vesicoureteral reflux in adults with the Politano-Leadbetter method (author's transl)]. / Die operative Behandlung des primären vesiko-ureteralen Refluxes (VUR) bei Erwachsenen mit der Methode nach Politano-Leadbetter

The following is an account of the Politano-Leadbetter method of maintenance of 47 reflux ureters in 35 adults. In all cases the reflux is eliminated. Of the 26 controlled patients, 9 still experienced a continuance of ureter infection. With regard to the operative indications it is evident that the limit of serum creatinine may lie around 2.3 mg%. Higher values do not yield operative indications, the low secretion pressure and the disturbed ureteral dynamics of the implantation obstruct secretion which exaggerates the kidney insufficiency.