A virtual haptic-audio drawing program prototype designed for visually impaired children, has been gradually developed in a design-evaluation loop involving users in four stages. Three qualitative evaluations focused on recognizing drawn shapes and creating drawings have been conducted together with a reference group of 5 visually impaired children. Additionally, one formal pilot test involving I

Apelin is the endogenous ligand of the G-protein coupled apj receptor. Apelin is expressed in the brain, the hypothalamus and the stomach and was recently shown also to be an adipokine secreted from the adipocytes. Although apelin has been suggested to be involved in the regulation of food intake, it is not known whether the peptide affects islet function and glucose homeostasis. We show here that

In this work, arabinoxylan, the primary hemicellulose in barley husks, was isolated from barley husks by steam explosion and ultrafiltration. Ultrafiltration and diafiltration were used to concentrate and to increase the purity of the product which was intended for use as an oxygen barrier film in food packaging. A composite fluoropolymer membrane with a nominal molecular mass cut-off of 10,000 g/

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of minimising contrast-medium (CM) doses using 80-peak kilovoltage (kVp) 16-channel multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with CM dose tailored to body weight, when diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) in azotaemic patients. Twenty-nine patients (68–93 years; 38–79 kg) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 12–49 ml/min underwent 80 kVp

Boswellic acids are the effective components of gum resin of Boswellia serrata, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies on brain tumors and leukemic cells indicate that boswellic acids may have antiproliferative and apoptotic effects with the mechanisms being not studied in detail. We studied their antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on colon cancer cells and the pathway leading

Impaired serotonin transmission has been suggested to be implicated in the pathophysiology of bulimia nervosa. As an indirect measure of brain serotonergic activity, the binding of tritiated ligands to platelet serotonin transporters has been studied in bulimia nervosa as well as in other putatively serotonin-related psychiatric disorders. In this study, the density and affinity of platelet seroto

PURPOSE: To evaluate, preclinically, the potential for dose escalation of continuous, hyperfractionated, accelerated radiation therapy (CHART) for non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we examined the strategy of omission of elective nodal irradiation with and without the application of three-dimensional conformal radiation technology (3DCRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: 2D, conventional therapy plans we

The angular pattern of scattered synchrotron x-ray radiation has been used to measure the composition of molecules and nanometer-sized particles in flames. The measured patterns were compared with patterns obtained from calculations for different species compositions. After ensuring that the calculations could reproduce the experiments for air and for ethylene flames under two different combustion

Neuronal apoptosis was observed in the rat dentate gyrus in two experimental models of human limbic epilepsy. Five hours after one hippocampal kindling stimulation, a marked increase of in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) of fragmented DNA was observed in nuclei located within and on the hilar border of the granule cell layer and in the polymorphic

Objective: Preventive measures to contain the epidemic of obesity have become a major focus of attention. This report reviews the scientific evidence for medical interventions aimed at preventing obesity during childhood and adolescence. Design: A systematic literature review involving selection of primary research and other systematic reviews. Articles published until 2004 were added to an earlie

The beta-triketone core of the antidepressant phloroglucinol hyperforin (1) undergoes a series of peroxide-induced oxidative rearrangements leading to compound 5, which is formed by opening of ring A, and compound 6, which is formed by removal of the C-1 carbonyl bridge. A mechanistic rationale for this process is proposed. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004).

In recent years, thermographic phosphors used for surface temperature measurements have been developed to suit combustion applications. Pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation at 266 nm and 7 ns duration was used to excite a thermographic phosphor, Mg4FGeO6:Mn, which was adapted to the surface of the investigated material. The laser-induced emission from the phosphor was recorded. A calibration of the

A role for genetic factors in the etiology of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (LPL/WM) is implicated based on prior findings from multiply affected families and small case-control and cohort studies. We identified 2144 LPL/WM patients (1539 WM [72%] and 605 LPL [28%]) diagnosed in Sweden, 8279 population-based matched controls, and linkable first-degree relatives of patien

Gold compounds are widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but their mechanisms of action remain unclear. We demonstrate here that auranofin (AF) (0.1-3 microM), but neither the hydrophilic gold compounds aurothiomalate (ATM) and aurothioglucose nor methotrexate or D-penicillamine, inhibits the induction of interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha mRNA and protein by

A participatory methodology, based on dialogues between stakeholders and experts has been developed and tested in the drainage area to Kaggebo Bay in the Baltic Sea. This study is focused on the EU Water Framework Directive, with emphasis on reduction of eutrophication. The drainage area is included in the WFD administrative area of the Motala Strom River basin. A similar approach is now applied i

A tiling path 33K BAC array was used to study 28 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) who had normal or failed G-banded karyotypes. Twenty-two patients (79%) had a total of 135 copy number alterations (CNA) (69 gains and 66 losses); most of these patients showed CNA that were below the resolution of G-banding. Molecular cytogenetic and array comparative genomic hybridization results e

In a very few years, the video capsule for small bowel enteroscopy has gained widespread clinical acceptance. It is readily ingested, disposable, and allows for a complete, low-invasive endoscopic examination of the entire mucosa of the small bowel. It is a patient-friendly method and a first-line procedure in the difficult evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. It has the highest proven