Effects of vagal neuromodulation and vagotomy on control of food intake and body weight in rats.
(17/195)
Food induced neurohumoral signals are conduced to data processing brain centers mainly as vagal afferent discharge resulting in food intake regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of vagal nerve neuromodulation in control of food intake with fed-pattern microchip (MC) pacing. Experiments were performed on 60 rats divided on 5 groups: I group 0,05Hz left vagal pacing, II - pacing of both vagal nerves with MC 0,05Hz, III- left vagal MC 0,1Hz pacing, IV - pacing of both vagal nerves with MC 0,1 Hz was performed. In group V left vagal pacing was combined with right side abdominal vagotomy. Body weight and total food intake decreased by 12% and 14% (I), 26% and 30%(II), 8% and 21%(III), 14% and 30%(IV), 38% and 41%(IV), respectively (p<0.05). Effects of both vagal nerves stimulation on final body weight and food intake was significantly more effective than only single nerve MC pacing however most effective was stimulation with 0,1Hz combined with right vagotomy. We conclude that vagal stimulation reduce food intake and body weight by increasing vagal afferent signals. Our results suggest that information in vagal afferents can be modulated resulting in changes of feeding behaviour and body weight. (+info)
Medical Image Resource Center--making electronic teaching files from PACS.
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A picture archive and communications system (PACS) is a rich source of images and data suitable for creating electronic teaching files (ETF). However, the potential for PACS to support nonclinical applications has not been fully realized: at present there is no mechanism for PACS to identify and store teaching files; neither is there a standardized method for sharing such teaching images. The Medical Image Resource Center (MIRC) is a new central image repository that defines standards for data exchange among different centers. We developed an ETF server that retrieves digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) images from PACS, and enables users to create teaching files that conform to the new MIRC schema. We test-populated our ETF server with illustrative images from the clinical case load of the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore. Together, PACS and MIRC have the potential to benefit radiology teaching and research. (+info)
Transition from film to electronic media in the first-year medical school gross anatomy lab.
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For the benefit of the first-year gross anatomy students, we digitized and published on a Web site images that had been collected over a 30-year period. We provided a CD-ROM (compact disk, read-only media) containing the image set in higher quality format to students and faculty. We supplemented basic images with hot topics such as CT angiography, virtual colonography, computer-aided diagnosis, and 3D post-processing. Full motion video and moving JPEG (Joint Photo Expert Group) animations were integrated into the atlas. On the post course questionnaire medical students reported that the images on CD-ROM were helpful during the course and for review prior to examinations. Faculty and medical students used the CD-ROM for problem-based learning sections and facilitator training. The images were clear and easily projected during review sessions and were useful for the small group sessions, where they served as examples of normal anatomy. (+info)
Does changing from mercury to electronic blood pressure measurement influence recorded blood pressure? An observational study.
(20/195)
Mercury sphygmomanometers have been commonly used in primary care to measure blood pressure but are associated with bias. Electronic blood pressure machines are being introduced in many practices and have anecdotally been associated with higher recorded blood pressure. This study examined recorded blood pressure in four practices before and after electronic blood pressure machine introduction. No consistent change in mean blood pressure was apparent following their introduction, but there was a large and significant fall in terminal digit preference suggesting improved precision of recording. (+info)
Towards optimal filtering of "standard" multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) recordings: findings in normal and diabetic subjects.
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AIMS: To study the effects of two commonly used pre-amplifier filtering bandwidths on normal multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) responses and their comparative abilities to detect retinal disease. METHODS: 103 standard mfERGs were recorded simultaneously in two channels with different pre-amplifier settings (10-100 Hz and 10-300 Hz) from one eye of each of 20 normal subjects, 17 diabetics with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and 12 diabetics without retinopathy. Signal to noise ratios (SNR) of the normal subjects' first order mfERGs were compared between channels. All subjects' amplitudes and implicit times were derived using a "template stretching" method. For comparison, implicit time was also measured using a "template sliding" method. mfERG amplitudes and implicit times were compared between the channels and among subject groups. RESULTS: Normal mean amplitudes and implicit times were similar for the two channels. However, normal 10-100 Hz recordings had significantly higher SNR and lower intersubject variability than 10-300 Hz recordings. In NPDR, the 10-100 Hz channel identified significantly more implicit time and amplitude abnormalities. In the diabetics without retinopathy, 10-100 Hz filtering identified significantly more implicit time abnormalities than 10-300 Hz filtering. For both filter settings, diabetic implicit times were more often abnormal than amplitudes. The 10-100 Hz channel was superior for both implicit time measurements. CONCLUSION: Standard mfERGs recorded from normal eyes and filtered 10-100 Hz contain less noise, higher SNR, and less intersubject variability than those filtered at 10-300 Hz. This underlies the finding that the 10-100 Hz filter setting identifies more retinal dysfunction than the 10-300 Hz setting. (+info)
A novel system of electronic tagging in patients with dementia and wandering.
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BACKGROUND: Wandering is a common problem in people with dementia. Current methods of physical or chemical restraint have serious adverse effects. Previous attempts at electronic tagging have been unsuccessful because of inadequacy of the technology. METHODS: This study tested equipment, derived from prisoner tagging systems, in three different scenarios: for 4 weeks in two wards at a large teaching hospital, 6 months in a medium sized residential home and 8 weeks in clients' own homes in the community. In the hospital setting five clients, in the residential home four clients and in the community three clients wore an electronic bracelet for the duration of the study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The system proved very reliable and two incidences of external wandering were successfully detected. Compliance was excellent. Ethical issues regarding the tagging of confused elderly people were raised by professional organisations but were not considered a contra-indication by the relatives, clients and staff. (+info)
Semi-chronic motorized microdrive and control algorithm for autonomously isolating and maintaining optimal extracellular action potentials.
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A system was developed that can autonomously position recording electrodes to isolate and maintain optimal quality extracellular signals. The system consists of a novel motorized miniature recording microdrive and a control algorithm. The microdrive was designed for chronic operation and can independently position four glass-coated Pt-Ir electrodes with micrometer precision over a 5-mm range using small (3 mm diam) piezoelectric linear actuators. The autonomous positioning algorithm is designed to detect, align, and cluster action potentials and then command the microdrive to optimize and maintain the neural signal. This system is shown to be capable of autonomous operation in monkey cortical tissue. (+info)
Medical devices; general hospital and personal use devices; classification of implantable radiofrequency transponder system for patient identification and health information. Final rule.
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the implantable radiofrequency transponder system for patient identification and health information into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Implantable Radiofrequency Transponder System for Patient Identification and Health Information." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is publishing a notice of availability of a guidance document that is the special control for this device. (+info)