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BackgroundHeart rate variability (HRV) is an important indicator of autonomic modulation of cardiovascular function. Diabetes can alter cardiac autonomic modulation by damaging afferent inputs, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. We applied nonlinear analytical methods to identify parameters associated with HRV that are indicative of changes in autonomic modulation of heart function in diabetic patients. ObjectiveWe analyzed differences in HRV patterns between diabetic and age-matched healthy control subjects using nonlinear methods. MethodsLagged Poincaré plot, autocorrelation, and detrended fluctuation analysis were applied to analyze HRV in electrocardiography (ECG) recordings. ResultsLagged Poincare plot analysis revealed significant changes in some parameters, suggestive of decreased parasympathetic modulation. The detrended fluctuation exponent derived from long-term fitting was higher than the short-term one in the diabetic population, which was also consistent with decreased parasympathetic input. The autocorrelation function of the deviation of inter-beat intervals exhibited a highly correlated pattern in the diabetic group compared with the control group. ConclusionThe HRV pattern significantly differs between diabetic patients and healthy subjects. All three statistical methods employed in the study may prove useful to detect the onset and extent of autonomic neuropathy in diabetic patients.

Magnetoresistance and magnetization of an amorphous ferromagnetic wire having nominal composition Co68 &Fe44Si», B» are measured from 77 to 300 K and in the presence of tensile stress o.(0~o .~240 MPa). A large negative magnetoresistance is observed with accompanying hysteresis. The maximum change in resistance that occurs at small field increases from 8.8% at o. =0 to 12.2% at o. =240 MPa; this occurs at 300 K but the change is much reduced with the decrease of temperature. The results are discussed in terms of the scattering of carriers by a domain wall and it is suggested that the magnetization reversal is mainly due to coherent rotation.

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Acoustic stimulus can modulate the Autonomic Nervous System. However, previous reports on this topic are conflicting and inconclusive. In this study we have shown, how rotating acoustic stimulus, a novel auditory binaural stimulus, can change the autonomic balance of the cardiac system. We have used Heart rate Variability (HRV), an indicator of autonomic modulation of heart, both in time and frequency domain to analyze the effect of stimulus on 31 healthy adults.A decrease in the heart rate accompanied with an increase in SD and RMSSD indices on linear analysis was observed post-stimulation. In the Poincaré Plot, Minor Axis (SD1), Major Axis (SD2) and the ratio SD12 (SD1/SD2) increased after the stimulation. Post stimulus greater increment of SD12 with higher lag numbers of (M) beat to beat intervals, when compared to pre stimulus values, resulted in increased curvilinearity in the SD12 vs. Lag number plot. After stimulation,value of exponent alpha of Dretended Flactuation Analysis of HRV was found to be decreased. From these characteristic responses of the heart after the stimulus, it appears that rotating acoustic stimulus may be beneficial for the sympathovagal balance of the heart.