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PubMed2003

A network-reactive model for distributed telemicroscopy.

We have developed a network-reactive robotic telemicroscopy system that uses high-speed image processing and quality of service (QoS) feedback to maximize performance. In tests, four magnifications (4x, 10x, 40x, 60x) of a section stained with haematoxylin and eosin were used. Up to 25 clients, distributed across two Internet domains, accessed the server. When given control of the microscope, any of the clients could direct the microscope to change focus and objectives within 3 s and move the stage to any x-y position within 1 s. Transmission rates of 50-200 kbit/s were achieved for video (320 x 240 pixels at 24 bit/pixel). Performance varied according to the complexity of the images being transmitted. The 25 simultaneous users were supported without affecting the operation of the server and the system overhead was relatively small. The server's message-processing time and the network transmission delay amounted to 83 ms. The compression ratio of five previously stored video-sequences ranged from 336:1 to 1213:1. The underlying model for this system could serve a wide range of telemedicine and distance-learning applications.

Humans↗
PubMed2003

Novel and traditional biomarkers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women.

Urinary markers of bone collagen degradation such as N-terminal telopeptide, deoxypyridinoline, hydroxyproline and proline-hydroxyproline dipeptide as a novel marker were measured in both morning and daily urine samples collected from 40 postmenopausal women on 10 consecutive days. In addition, osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase and procollagen C-terminal propeptide were analyzed in one serum sample from each of the women. DXA densitometry was employed to differentiate between osteopenic and osteoporotic women. Spearman rank correlation, factor analysis and receiver-operating characteristics were computed to evaluate the results. The highest correlation with a single common factor was found between telopeptide assayed in daily urine, followed by the dipeptide and hydroxyproline assayed in morning urine. These markers also showed high sensitivity for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, while osteocalcin had a high sensitivity for the diagnosis of bone disease. The concentrations of telopeptide, dipeptide and osteocalcin differed significantly between the osteopenic and osteoporotic subjects. Because of the ease of non-hydrolyzed urine processing, the speed of chromatographic analysis and the negligible costs, the dipeptide assay opens new possibilities in the field.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1977

Lateral eye movements during verbal and nonverbal dichotic listening.

A dichotic listening paradigm was used to study the relation of eye movement to cerebral lateralization. The eye movements of right-handed subjects were recorded during verbal and nonverbal dichotic-listening tasks. Subjects given a verbal dichotic-listening task made significantly more rightward than leftward eye movements and showed more accuracy and speed in processing information presented to the right than to the left ear. Subjects given a nonverbal dichotic-listening task made significantly more leftward eye movements and processed better information presented to the left ear. These findings suggest a potentially strong link between the direction of lateral eye movement during dichotic listening tasks and left- and right-ear advantages in performance on such tasks. They also suggest that both eye movement and ear performance may be related to cerebral laterality and when examined in combination both could provide valuable information for the further study of hemispheric specialization.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1990

A new approach to cerebral asymmetry: RT differences in simultaneous bimanual finger movement during verbal and nonverbal tasks.

This study was aimed at testing a new approach for examination of functional laterality based on hemispheric specialization. The subjects had to perform verbal (words/nonwords) and nonverbal (similar/different patterns) discrimination. The separation of the two hemispheres during information processing was realized by requiring a simultaneous response of both index fingers. The obtained over-all reaction times (RT) were faster for verbal than for pattern tasks. Considering the RTs for solely the particular, faster response of one or the other index finger, the right index finger turned out to be faster on verbal tasks whereas the left one dominated on pattern tasks. According to the hypothesis that the faster hand indicates the more active (contralateral) hemisphere, it can be assumed that words are responded to more quickly when processed in the left hemisphere. On the other hand, patterns are responded to more quickly when the right hemisphere is active. These results suggest that each hemisphere may be capable of processing verbal and nonverbal material; the speed of information processing, however, is faster in the more adept one.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Time course analysis of the reverse-Stroop effect in Japanese Kanji.

A reverse of the Stroop effect was obtained with Japanese kanji (logographic script) but not with Japanese kana (syllabic scripts) by Morikawa in 1981. In the present study, the normal effect on reaction times by word and color was altered by presenting the words before or after the color. The reverse Stroop effect was observed with kanji but not with kana even when the color was presented prior to the word. It was shown that the difference between kanji and kana in the reverse-Stroop effect could not be explained by the relative speed of processing of word and color and that the reading process of kanji is different from that of kana.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Control of striking velocity by table tennis players.

This study investigated how 7 skilled table tennis players controlled velocity of a forehand drive stroke when the ball's trajectory, velocity, and spin were modified. They hit a target in response to balls launched under four different conditions. The relative and absolute times used in the backswing phase showed no significant differences among conditions. When subjects hit fastballs, there was a significant change in the time required for them to reach the peak of velocity in the forward swing phase. In addition, players decreased the velocity of their strokes to hit fast-approaching balls. These results indicate that highly skilled table tennis players need to adjust the striking velocity and striking time (relative and absolute) required to reach the peak of velocity in the forward swing phase for these task modifications. Since they used slower movement velocities to hit faster-approaching balls, skilled table tennis players may override this speed-coupling process.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cognitive, social, and economic costs of allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a highly prevalent, chronic condition. In addition to physical discomfort, rhinitis symptoms have been associated with detrimental effects on the psychological and social aspects of patients' lives. In allergy-specific questionnaires, subjects with allergic rhinitis consistently report lower quality of life than nonallergic controls. Untreated patients are embarrassed and frustrated by their allergy symptoms. Atopic individuals consistently exhibit significant declines in cognitive processing, psychomotor speed, verbal learning, and memory during allergy season. The discomfort, cognitive impairment, and absenteeism associated with allergic rhinitis exact a significant economic toll on U.S. businesses through decreased productivity. When combined with direct medical expenditures, the economic burden of allergic rhinitis is considerable. The effect of treatment on the economics of allergic rhinitis is highly variable: relatively inexpensive medications (lower direct costs) have central nervous system side effects that can cause somnolence and impair learning, memory, and performance (higher indirect costs). Health outcomes data on the effects of allergic rhinitis and its treatments can help establish, monitor, and improve standards of care; as well as inform priority setting, direct resource allocation, and eliminate unnecessary practices.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1989

Audiological rehabilitation of older people: visual and vibrotactile considerations.

This paper discusses the peripheral and central visual and tactile pathways with respect to the diminishing integrity of the ageing nervous system. This discussion is based upon extant data derived from investigators in vision and vibrotactile sensation. The purpose in examining these investigations is to ascertain the problems associated with the use of vision and vibrotactile stimulation in the auditory rehabilitation of older people. Speed of processing and simultaneous use of pathways are factors to be considered carefully in order not to contribute to perceptual confusions. The writers hypothesize that the rehabilitative audiologist, when using the visual and tactile pathways of older patients for language processing is confronted with difficulties that are often encountered when using the auditory pathway in the presence of central auditory ageing effects. In view of the implications of the research findings in vision and vibrotactile sensation, suggestions are made to those professionals who work with older hearing-impaired people.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Error detection in text: do feedback and familiarity help?

In the present study, the authors examined the extent to which familiarity and feedback (auditory and/or articulatory) might be beneficial to proofreading. Participants proofread unfamiliar and familiar (repeated) passages while (a) concurrently reading either aloud or silently, (b) concurrently listening to the passages being read to them, or (c) reading without either auditory or articulatory feedback. Errors were one-letter changes that transformed function words into contextually inappropriate words. Familiarity improved reading times largely irrespective of feedback, and it enhanced error detection only when auditory feedback was available to participants. Proofreaders' enhanced error detection in familiar text reflected a change in their sensitivity to errors rather than any change in the placement of the response criterion for reporting errors. These findings suggest that familiarity can produce two kinds of functional fluency, one involving speed of processing, which is largely independent of feedback, and the other concerned with accuracy of processing, which relies on feedback.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Size congruity effects with two-digit numbers: expanding the number line?

The size congruity effect is the interesting result that comparisons of the sizes of the physical formats in which numerals appear are affected by the numerical magnitudes of the respective numerals. We demonstrated that separating the physical and the numerical attributes in space leaves the effect unchanged. We then applied the spatially separated version to two-digit numerals and showed the effect to be comparable to that obtained with single numerals. We showed further that the effect is sensitive to the relative salience of the numeric and physical dimensions, to the extent that when the latter is the more salient dimension, a reverse effect obtains by which physical size interferes with number comparison. The results can be explained by a relative speed of processing account, but they are also compatible with an attention account that does not appeal to the notion of automaticity.

Attention↗
PubMed2001

Effects of luminance oscillations on simulated lightness discriminations.

The speed of processes underlying lightness constancy was studied by having observers discriminate small differences in simulated lightness under an oscillating illumination. The period of oscillation varied from 0.25 to 120 sec. The target was a 1 degrees square which appeared for 150 msec at random intervals either directly against a uniform background or separated from the background by a 1 degrees dark gap. When the target and background were adjacent to each other, discrimination accuracy approached control levels (fixed illumination) at all but the shortest periods of oscillation. When the gap was introduced, accuracy increased as the period of oscillation increased, but never approached control levels. The results suggest that a fast local contrast mechanism is the primary mediator of lightness constancy for this task, but that there is also a slower mechanism that may be related to adaptation.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Rate of processing and judgment of response speed: comparing the effects of alcohol and practice.

Both alcohol and practice affect choice reaction time. The present study was conducted to investigate the possibility that impairment from alcohol and improvement with practice could be attributed to changes in the efficiency of control mechanisms (Rabbitt, 1979a), some of which depend upon the ability to judge response speed accurately. Twenty subjects participated in a four-choice reaction time experiment in which they received no alcohol (NA) in Session 1 and either no alcohol (10 subjects) or 0.8 ml alcohol (A) per kilogram of body weight (10 subjects) in Session 2. The task was to respond as fast and as accurately as possible to each stimulus. In addition, subjects were required to press a fifth key after any response that they considered to be both fast and accurate. Subjects had no difficulty in performing this task: (1) there was a significant difference of 122 msec between the mean response time for correct responses indicated as fast and that for correct responses not indicated as fast, and (2) subjects indicated 1 in 4 correct responses but only 1 in 64 errors. Alcohol increased all response times by approximately 40 msec. In contrast, practice decreased response times less for correct responses not indicated as fast than for correct responses indicated as fast. The ability to distinguish between fast and slow responses was thus unaffected by alcohol, but was improved by practice. Responses indicated as "fast" were significantly faster than errors, and appeared to occur without warning (unlike errors, which tended to end a sequence of increasingly fast correct responses). The results suggest that alcohol and practice influence choice reaction time in qualitatively different ways: Alcohol impairs overall response speed but has no effect on the ability to judge response speed, whereas practice improves both.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Gamma dose estimation to the gastric wall after administration of a capsule containing a large dose of 131I (author's transl)].

Gamma dose to the gastric wall from a capsule containing 1.85 GBq (50 mCi) of 131I was estimated in 6 patients who had received total thyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma some years before. The tests were done with a 37 MBq (1 mCi) capsule each in 5 patiens and with a 185 MBq (5 mCi) capsule in one patient. All the patients were requested to fast in the morning. The capsule was given with a glass of water (200 ml). Then, the patient kept supine position under the scintillation camera for a period of one hour except one patient on whom the test was suspended at 30 minutes because of early clearance of the radioactivity from the stomach. In one of 5 patients who were tested for a period of one hour, serial scinticamera images showed almost no movement and minimum dissolution of the capsule. The remaining 4 patients showed slight to moderate movements of the capsules with a variety of dissolution speeds. Data processings were done by Scintipac-1200. The estimated doses at the distance of 0.5 cm from the source were 3.820, 2.074, 1.445, 1.154 and 1.462 grays (382.0, 207.4, 144.5, 115.4 and 146.2 rads) per initial one hour and 375 mGy (37.5 rad) per initial 30 minutes, respectively. From these data, it is thought to be wise to advise the patient to rotate or shake the body on bed occasionally after swallowing the capsules containing a large dose of 131I for the treatment of thyroid cancer. It is also desirable to recommend the patient to walk around even though the controlled patient's room is small. Additional water may be also meaningful to avoid unnecessary irradiation to the gastric wall.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Achieving and maintaining cognitive vitality with aging.

Cognitive vitality is essential to quality of life and survival in old age. With normal aging, cognitive changes such as slowed speed of processing are common, but there is substantial interindividual variability, and cognitive decline is clearly not inevitable. In this review, we focus on recent research investigating the association of various lifestyle factors and medical comorbidities with cognitive aging. Most of these factors are potentially modifiable or manageable, and some are protective. For example, animal and human studies suggest that lifelong learning, mental and physical exercise, continuing social engagement, stress reduction, and proper nutrition may be important factors in promoting cognitive vitality in aging. Manageable medical comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, also contribute to cognitive decline in older persons. Other comorbidities such as smoking and excess alcohol intake may contribute to cognitive decline, and avoiding these activities may promote cognitive vitality in aging. Various therapeutics, including cognitive enhancers and protective agents such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, may eventually prove useful as adjuncts for the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline with aging. The data presented in this review should interest physicians who provide preventive care management to middle-aged and older individuals who seek to maintain cognitive vitality with aging.

Aging↗
PubMed2004

Modafinil treatment for fatigue in HIV+ patients: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is widespread among human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) patients, yet few studies have assessed effective treatments. The authors conducted a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of modafinil for fatigue in this clinical population. METHOD: Response was evaluated after a 4-week open-label trial. Data were collected from February 2003 through January 2004. Responders were offered 8 additional weeks of modafinil. Inclusion criteria included written approval from the primary care physician, clinically significant fatigue, current use of anti-retroviral medications, and the absence of treatable medical conditions known to cause fatigue. Exclusion criteria included untreated major depression and current substance abuse. Major outcome measures were the Fatigue Severity Scale, Chalder Fatigue Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Beck Depression Inventory, and neuropsychological tests assessing verbal memory, speed of processing, and executive function. Immunologic and virologic measures were performed at baseline and week 4 to assess safety of treatment. RESULTS: All 30 patients who enrolled completed 4 weeks of treatment; 24 (80%) were rated as responders. Responders showed statistically significant improvement on all measures of fatigue, depressive symptoms, and executive function, while nonresponders did not. Mean values of CD4 cell count and HIV RNA viral load did not change. The most common side effect was headache, followed by irritability and feeling "hyper." CONCLUSION: This pilot study shows encouraging results for modafinil in alleviation of fatigue in HIV+ patients. In addition, depressive symptoms were substantially reduced. Improvements on measures of verbal memory and executive function were significant, but in the absence of a placebo control, the magnitude of effect due to practice cannot be determined.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Progress in the development of integrated mental health care in Scotland.

The development of integrated care through the promotion of 'partnership working' is a key policy objective of the Scottish Executive, the administration responsible for health services in Scotland. This paper considers the extent to which this goal is being achieved in mental health services, particularly those for people with severe and enduring mental illness. Distinguishing between the horizontal and vertical integration of services, exploratory research was conducted to assess progress towards this objective by examining how far a range of functional activities in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and their constituent Local Health Care Co-operatives (LHCCs) were themselves becoming increasingly integrated. All PCTs in Scotland were surveyed by postal questionnaire, and followed up by detailed telephone interviews. Six LHCC areas were selected for detailed case study analysis. A Reference Group was used to discuss and review emerging themes from the fieldwork. The report suggests that faster progress is being made in the horizontal integration of services between health and social care organisations than is the case for vertical integration between primary health care and specialist mental health care services; and that there are significant gaps in the extent to which functional activities within Trusts are changing to support the development of integrated care. A number of models are briefly considered, including the idea of 'intermediate care' that might speed the process of integration.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

[Neurodynamic functions in older school-age pupils with different levels of development in the properties of their basic neural processes].

The age peculiarities of higher nervous activity as well as the formation of temporary characteristics which are of different complication in motor reactions have been studied among 319 senior pupils of 14-17 years old with different levels of development the qualities of main nervous processes. It was shown to be true that the period of senior school age is characterized by further formation of neurodynamic function. Besides, reliable correlation between functional mobility, power of main nervous processes and speed parameters of complex sensorimotor reactions has been.

Adolescent↗