Monitoring Breathing and Heart Rate Using Episodic Broadcast Data Transmission.

The paper presents a wearable sensor for breath and pulse monitoring using an inertial sensor and episodic broadcast radio transmission. The data transmission control algorithm applied allows for the transmission of additional information using the standard PDU format and, at the same time, goes beyond the Bluetooth teletransmission standard (BLE). The episodic broadcast transmission makes it possible to receive information from sensors without the need to create a dedicated radio link or a defined network structure. The radio transmission controlled by the occurrence of a specific event in the monitored signal is combined with the reference wire transmission. The signals from two different types of sensors and the simulated ECG signal are used to control the BLE transmission. The presented results of laboratory tests indicate the effectiveness of episodic data transmission in the BLE standard. The conducted analysis showed that the mean difference in pulse detection using the episodic transmission compared to the wire transmission is 0.038 s, which is about 4% of the mean duration of a single cycle, assuming that the average adult human pulse is 60 BPM.

Adaptive Data Transmission Algorithm for the System of Inertial Sensors for Hand Movement Acquisition.

Modern systems of intelligent sensors commonly use radio data transmission. Hand movement acquisition with the use of inertial sensors requires the processing and transmission of a relatively large amount of data, which may be associated with a significant load on the network structure. Network traffic limitation, without losing the quality of monitoring parameters from the sensor system, is therefore important for the functioning of the radio network which integrates both the teletransmission sensor system and the data acquisition server. The paper presents a wearable solution for hand movement acquisition, which uses data transmission in the Wi-Fi standard and contains 16 MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) sensors. An adaptive algorithm to control radio data transmission for the sensor system has been proposed. The algorithm implemented in the embedded system controls the change of the frame length, the length of the transmission frame and the frequency of its sending, which reduces the load on the network router. The use of the algorithm makes it possible to reduce the power consumption by the sensor system by up to 19.9% and to limit the number of data transferred by up to about 91.6%, without losing the quality of the monitored signal. The data analysis showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the signal reconstructed from the complete data and processed by the algorithm.

Bacteriological analysis of selected phenotypes of chronic rhinosinusitis with co-existing asthma, allergy and hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the commonest chronic diseases. It is a systemic disease caused by many factors, including bacterial infections. There are two main types of CRS phenotypes: with polyps (CRSwNP) and without polyps (CRSsNP). AIM: Analysis of sinus mucosal microbiome in patients with CRS depending on the phenotype. Investigating a possible link between the type of bacterial flora and the coexistence of diseases present in the CRS (asthma, allergy or hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as well as the number of performed operations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective study of the bacterial flora of the nasal cavity in patients with CRS operated endoscopically from March 2016 to June 2017. The study consisted od 222 women and 248 men. On the basis of an endoscopic examination, patients were qualified for the phenotype with or without polyps. Based on the medical interview patients were divided into group with asthma, allergy, NSAID hypersensitivity, first and repeated operations. The statistical analysis was made. RESULTS: There is no statistically significant relationship (p = 0.8519) between the CRS penotypes. In the group with CRSsNP, a statistically significant relationship was found between the observed flora and the coexistence of asthma (p = 0.0409), a trend towards significance was also noticed in the case of allergy (p = 0.0947). There was no relationship between the flora and NSAID hypersensitivity (p = 0.7356). In the group of CRSwNP patients, no statistically significant relationship was found between the observed bacterial flora and the presence of asthma (p = 0.7393), hypersensitivity to drugs (p = 0.1509) or allergy (p = 0.7427). There is no statistical significance between the occurrence of particular flora and the multiplicity of operations in both the CRSwNP (p = 0.4609) and CRSsNP phenotypes (p = 0.2469). CONCLUSIONS: Gram-positive cocci were equally common in CRSwNP and CRSsNP. In the CRSsNP, there was a correlation between the coexistence of asthma and allergy, and the presence of Gram-positive cocci. There was no statistical significance between the occurrence of particular flora and the multiplicity of operations in both CRS phenotypes.

Bacteriological analysis of isolated chronic sinusitis without polyps.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic sinusitis (CRS) is phenotypically divided into inflammation with polyps (CRSwNP) or without polyps (CRSsNP). AIM: To try to explain the reasons for isolated sinusitis by analysing medical history as well as anatomical and bacteriological data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2016, endoscopic surgery was performed in 103 patients with CRSsNP within 6 months. The authors evaluated 28 patients with lesions in one sinus. RESULTS: The patients did not report any previous facial trauma, dental procedures, there were no odontogenic causes of the disease. They had not been treated with antibiotics within 30 days prior to admission to hospital. Ninety-seven bacterial strains were grown, of which 32 in patients with isolated nasal sinusitis. Statistical analysis has shown that there is a trend toward a statistically significant (p = 0.0868) relationship between the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and the type of inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: There is an indication that the presence of Staphylococcus aureus is associated with isolated sinusitis, especially in women.

Giant fronto-ethmoidal osteoma - selection of an optimal surgical procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Osteomas of the paranasal sinuses are benign bone tumours that produce clinical signs depending on their size and location. In most reported cases large tumours are excised by an external approach or in conjunction with an endoscopic technique. Endoscopic treatment of such tumours is a huge challenge for the operator. OBJECTIVE: Determine the optimal surgical approach by analysing giant osteomas of the frontal and ethmoidal sinuses in the literature. METHODS: Group of 37 osteomas obtained from the literature review. A group of osteomas removed only by endoscopy was compared with a group in which an external approach (lateral rhynotomy or craniotomy) or combined external and endoscopic approach was applied. RESULTS: The authors, based on the statistical analysis of the literature data, have found that the average size of osteomas excised endoscopically and those removed by external approaches does not differ statistically, when the osteomas are located in the ethmoidal cells (p=0.2691) and the frontal sinuses (p=0.5891). CONCLUSION: The choice of surgical method appears to be independent of the osteoma size and the decision is likely to be taken based on the experience of the surgeon, available equipment and knowledge of different surgical techniques.

Increase in the incidence of parotid gland tumors in the years 2005-2014.

INTRODUCTION: Salivary gland tumours account for 3-6% of tumours of the head and neck. About 80% of salivary gland tumors occur in parotid glands, 10-17% of which are malignant The aim of the study was to assess whether there is an upward trend in cancer incidence within the parotid glands, with particular emphasis on cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 322 patients underwent surgery and 328 parotid gland tumours were removed in the years 2005-2014 at the Department of Laryngology and Laryngological Oncology of the Upper Silesian Medical Centre in Katowice-Ochojec. Clinical, histopathological and statistical analyses of the removed parotid gland tumours were performed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A significant increase in the incidence of benign tumours, especially mixed and Warthin tumours, was demonstrated. There was no significant increase in the number of malignant tumours over the analysed period of time.