Long-term effect of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of chronic tinnitus: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Introduction: Tinnitus is an intrusive and chronic illness affecting a significant portion of the population, decreasing affected individuals' quality of life and socioeconomic functioning. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulatory method utilizing weak electrical currents to elicit short and long-term central nervous system changes. Several studies have proven its effect on tinnitus.

Feasibility of Brachial Occlusion Technique for Beat-to-Beat Pulse Wave Analysis.

Czech physiologist Penaz tried to overcome limitations of invasive pulse-contour methods (PCM) in clinical applications by a non-invasive method (finger mounted BP cuff) for continuous arterial waveform detection and beat-to-beat analysis. This discovery resulted in significant interest in human physiology and non-invasive examination of hemodynamic parameters, however has limitations because of the distal BP recording using a volume-clamp method. Thus, we propose a validation of beat-to-beat signal analysis acquired by novel a brachial occlusion-cuff (suprasystolic) principle and signal obtained from Finapres during a forced expiratory effort against an obstructed airway (Valsalva maneuver).

Emotional arousal in patients with functional movement disorders: A pupillometry study.

Objective: Pathophysiology explanations for functional movement disorders often assume a role for emotional hyperarousal. Pupillometry is a validated method for evaluation of emotional arousal by detecting changes in pupil size in response to emotional stimuli. In a case-control study design, we aimed to study objective and subjective emotional arousal using pupillometry and affective ratings.

Author Correction: Pupil size reflects successful encoding and recall of memory in humans.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Non-invasive assessment of arterial pulsatility in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

Introduction: Long-term use of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices may have negative consequences for autonomic, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function. It has thus been suggested that non-invasive monitoring of arterial pulsatility in patients with a left ventricular assist device is highly important for ensuring patient safety and longevity. We have developed a novel, semi-automated frequency-domain-based index of arterial pulsatility that is obtained during suprasystolic occlusions of the upper arm: the 'cuff pulsatility index'.

Noninvasive Assessment of Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity by the Brachial Occlusion-Cuff Technique: Comparative Study.

Cardiovascular diseases are one of most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. There is an emerging need for integrated, non-invasive, and easy-to-use clinical tools to assess accurately cardiovascular system primarily in the preventative medicine. We present a novel design for a non-invasive pulse wave velocity (PWV) assessment method integrated in a single brachial blood pressure monitor allowing for up to 100 times more sensitive recording of the pressure pulsations based on a brachial occlusion-cuff (suprasystolic) principle.

Unusual Set of Adverse Effects During Right-Unilateral Ultrabrief Electroconvulsive Therapy Led to the Discovery of a Brain Tumor: A Case Report.

We describe a case of a right-handed, 42-year-old, Caucasian female patient who manifested a set of unusual adverse effects during maintenance ultrabrief right-unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-generalized myoclonic secondary seizure with lateralization nonresponsive to repeated intravenous diazepam application, deviation of the tongue and the head to the left, ping-pong gaze with nystagmoid jerks, postictal hypoactive confusion state lasting 15 minutes (with a total time to recovery 30 minutes), and likely Todd's paralysis after the procedure (subsided within 24 hours). These adverse effects led to a thorough clinical investigation and eventually the discovery of a brain tumor. In the article, we hypothesize about the possible interaction between the intracranial mass and ECT and provide a literature overview on the topic.

Pupil size reflects successful encoding and recall of memory in humans.

Pupil responses are known to indicate brain processes involved in perception, attention and decision-making. They can provide an accessible biomarker of human memory performance and cognitive states in general. Here we investigated changes in the pupil size during encoding and recall of word lists.

Noninvasive Blood Pressure Monitor Designed for Patients With Heart Failure Supported with Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

The gold standard for noninvasive blood pressure (BP) measurement, the Doppler technique, does not provide systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and may limit therapy outcomes. To improve patient care, we tested specifically designed experimental BP (ExpBP) monitor and the Doppler technique by comparing noninvasive measures to the intraarterial (I-A) BP in 31 patients with end-stage heart failure (4 females) 2.6 ± 3.

Noninvasive assessment of cardiac output by brachial occlusion-cuff technique: comparison with the open-circuit acetylene washin method.

Cardiac output (CO) assessment as a basic hemodynamic parameter has been of interest in exercise physiology, cardiology, and anesthesiology. Noninvasive techniques available are technically challenging, and thus difficult to use outside of a clinical or laboratory setting. We propose a novel method of noninvasive CO assessment using a single, upper-arm cuff.

Differences in mean arterial pressure of young and elderly people measured by oscilometry during inflation and deflation of the arm cuff.

Systemic arterial blood pressure (BP) is one of the most important parameters of the cardiovascular system. An oscillometric NIBP monitor was specifically designed to measure oscillometric pulsations and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during inflation and deflation of the cuff. Nineteen healthy young (age 23.

Comparative study of non-invasive blood pressure measurement methods in elderly people.

Results obtained by the modern automatic blood pressure (BP) monitors using oscillometric method [5] are highly dependent on conditions of cardiovascular system of the monitored person. Especially, with people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases (e.g.