Immersive and desktop virtual reality in virtual fashion stores: a comparison between shopping experiences

Virtual Reality - With the high growth and prosperity of e-commerce, the retail industry needs to explore new technologies that improve digital shopping experiences. In the current technological...     

Percutaneous mechanical revascularization of chronic iliac artery occlusion with "first intention" stent placement

The selective inactivation of genes, in a tissue-specific or temporally controlled manner, is now an important requirement for the analysis of nervous system development and function. Hammerhead ribozymes--catalytic RNA enzymes that specifically bind to and then cleave target RNAs--may provide a way to meet this requirement, particularly for organisms in which gene inactivation by homologous recombination is not feasible. However, ribozyme application has to some extent been hampered by limited knowledge as to the base-pairing accessibility of RNA target sites in vivo. In an attempt to circumvent this limitation, we have used a computer program based on free energy minimization to predict secondary structures for 128 RNA sequences for which corresponding ribozymes or antisense oligonucleotides have been synthesized, tested, and reported in the literature. A comparative analysis of the predicted structures of these targets with the reported efficacy of their corresponding antisense reagents has allowed us to formulate a set of rules for the rational choice of hammerhead ribozyme flanking arms and cleavage sites.     

Time-of-flight measurement of ultrasonic pulse echoes using wavelet networks

This paper deals with the digital processing method based on wavelet network (WN) to measure the time-of-flight (ToF) between the ultrasonic pulse and echo reflected by the target. The measure is carried out once the WN is trained to model the cross correlation between the signals coming from the ultrasonic transducer and the reference one. The aspects concerning the modeling by the WN of the cross correlation and, in general, of the nonlinear function are taken into account. An innovative procedure to initialize and to train the WN is pointed out to ensure high accuracy and good generalization. After a brief outline of the theory underlying the WNs, all the fundamental steps of the measurement method are described in detail. The results of the experimental tests carried out for method validation and characterization are shown. Finally, comparative tests between the virtual instrument based on the proposed measurement method and the ultrasonic digital indicating tester are given and discussed.     

The use of Holmstrom's flap in breast reconstruction

The authors consider 12 cases of breast-reconstruction after mastectomy, made with the Holmstrom's flap, to verify the validity and the real utility of this way of reconstruction. It has been made a follow-up of 4 years, to verify, in course of time, the characteristics of the reconstructed breasts. All the patients have been operated in a general surgery department. The Holmstrom's flap has been prevalently used in patients, during immediate reconstruction. The breast reconstruction, made with this fascio-cutaneous transposition flap, requires the use of prosthesis. The operating time has a very short duration. The breast reconstruction, made with this method, requires a very short staying in hospital. The nipple-areola complex reconstruction has been made in a second time, few months later. The patients have been examined periodically, to verify, immediately, the result of the flap and, later, the quality of the new breast's shape and the occurrence of capsular contracture. The results achieved with this reconstructive method are a good shape and ptosis as to confer great naturalness to the new breast. The authors conclude that, even if they use the TRAM-flap as first choice in breast-reconstruction, the Holmstrom's flap is a reconstructive technique of great utility in immediate breast reconstruction, that is able to give very good aesthetic results.     

Medicare Part C means more choices

The types of health plans that may contract with Medicare have been expanded significantly. Medicare beneficiaries will have to make a determined effort to decipher the assortment of choices they now face. Health plans are required to take prescribed steps to educate Medicare beneficiaries about their choices and must contribute to cost the federal government incurs for related outreach efforts.     

Two steps to enhance managed care quality

AIM: The study of physical performance of ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients in comfortable and uncomfortable (summer) weather conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systemic reserves were assessed by physical performance tests in comfortable weather (equivalent-effective temperature--EET 18-24 degrees C) and in heat discomfort (EET 25-30 degrees C), i.e. in summer when atmospheric oxygen is low (hyperthermic hypoxia). RESULTS: In uncomfortable weather, compared to comfortable one, general performance was significantly reduced evidencing uneffective function of the cardiovascular system. Comparison of the main ergometric parameters under the same load provides more accurate definition of the same trends in dynamics. CONCLUSION: General reserve in IHD patients is reduced under conditions of heart discomfort.     

Proinflammatory cytokines regulate antigen-independent T-cell activation by two separate calcium-signaling pathways in multiple sclerosis patients

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the prevalence of low birth weight among biracial infants of black and white parents, by region of the United States. METHODS: Using the national linked live birth-death infant file for 1991, low birth weight (<2,500 g) was examined among 50,980 biracial singleton infants according to parental race (black mother-white father vs. white mother-black father). RESULTS: Nationally, the rate of low birth weight was 31% higher in the black mother-white father group (8.4%) than in the white mother-black father group (6.4%). The difference was smaller in the Northeast, reflecting a high rate (9.8%) for biracial infants of Puerto-Rican white mothers. The difference in the West was larger (75%), due to both a high rate in the black mother-white father group (9.1%) and a low rate for the white mother-black father group (5.2%), and persisted after controlling for parental education and a variety of maternal risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are needed to identify the maternal factors involved in the regional differences in the prevalence of low birth weight among biracial infants.     

Microbiological characteristics of poultry patties in relation to packaging atmospheres

Microbial characteristics under different atmospheres (vacuum, air, MAP₁: 80% O₂/20% CO₂ and MAP₂: 5% O₂/65% N₂/30% CO₂) of poultry patties made of a mixture of ostrich, chicken and turkey meat were evaluated. The meat preparations were examined for changes in pH, colour properties (CIE L*, a*, b*), headspace composition, and bacterial counts (total viable cell, psychrotrophs, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, Staphylococcus spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, Pseudomonas spp.). The use of a high O₂ atmosphere (MAP₁) quickly leads to a loss of the appealing red colour. A limited alteration occurred with use of MAP₂ and vacuum. For total viable counts a cell load higher than 8 log cfu g^?1 for the samples packaged in air, MAP₁ and MAP₂ at the end of storage was observed. Whereas, for the vacuum packed samples the cell load never reached values higher than 8 log cfu g^?1. Enterobacteriaceae, B. thermosphacta and Pseudomonas spp. cell load was less with the vacuum (7.60, 5.06 and 7.17 log cfu g^?1, respectively) and MAP₂ packaging (7.08, 5.60 and 7.40 log cfu g^?1, respectively). However, the high microbial loads suggest that an improvement of the microbiological quality of poultry meat is necessary if the producers are going to propose this new meat preparation on the market.     

Analysis of Yq microdeletions in infertile males by PCR and DNA hybridization techniques

Defects in spermatogenesis have been found associated with deletions of different portions of Y chromosome long arm (Yq), suggesting the presence of the azoospermia factor in the control of spermatogenesis. We studied 67 men with idiopathic azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia, cytogenetically normal, for the presence of microdeletions on Yq chromosome. By using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blotting techniques we analysed the AZFa, AZFb and AZFc loci on Yq, where deletions have been associated with defects in spermatogenesis. Deletions of a portion of the Y chromosome were detected in five patients. Four of these patients shared deletions in distal Yq11 interval 6, including the DAZ gene, while one patient lacked loci in the proximal Yq11. Testicular histology of two patients bearing distal Yq11 deletions showed two different spermatogenic defects including Sertoli cell-only (SCO) syndrome and maturation arrest, while the patient with microdeletions in the proximal Yq11 showed a SCO phenotype.