An Analysis of Resting-State Functional Transcranial Doppler Recordings from Middle Cerebral Arteries

Functional transcrannial Doppler (fTCD) is used for monitoring the hemodynamics characteristics of major cerebral arteries. Its resting-state characteristics are known only when considering the maximal velocity corresponding to the highest Doppler shift (so called the envelope signals). Significantly more information about the resting-state fTCD can be gained when considering the raw cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) recordings. In this paper, we considered simultaneously acquired envelope and raw CBFV signals. Specifically, we collected bilateral CBFV recordings from left and right middle cerebral arteries using 20 healthy subjects (10 females). The data collection lasted for 15 minutes. The subjects were asked to remain awake, stay silent, and try to remain thought-free during the data collection. Time, frequency and time-frequency features were extracted from both the raw and the envelope CBFV signals. The effects of age, sex and body-mass index were examined on the extracted features. The results showed that the raw CBFV signals had a higher frequency content, and its temporal structures were almost uncorrelated. The information-theoretic features showed that the raw recordings from left and right middle cerebral arteries had higher content of mutual information than the envelope signals. Age and body-mass index did not have statistically significant effects on the extracted features. Sex-based differences were observed in all three domains and for both, the envelope signals and the raw CBFV signals. These findings indicate that the raw CBFV signals provide valuable information about the cerebral blood flow which can be utilized in further validation of fTCD as a clinical tool. © 2013 Sejdić et al

Comparative efficacy of the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy versus Supportive Psychotherapy for early onset chronic depression: design and rationale of a multisite randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Effective treatment strategies for chronic depression are urgently needed since it is not only a common and particularly disabling disorder, but is also considered treatment resistant by most clinicians. There are only a few studies on chronic depression indicating that traditional psycho- and pharmacological interventions are not as effective as in acute, episodic depression. Current medications are no more effective than those introduced 50 years ago whereas the only psychotherapy developed specifically for the subgroup of chronic depression, the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), faired well in one large trial. However, CBASP has never been directly compared to a non-specific control treatment.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The present article describes the study protocol of a multisite parallel-group randomized controlled trial in Germany. The purpose of the study is to estimate the efficacy of CBASP compared to supportive psychotherapy in 268 non-medicated early-onset chronically depressed outpatients. The intervention includes 20 weeks of acute treatment with 24 individual sessions followed by 28 weeks of continuation treatment with another 8 sessions. Depressive symptoms are evaluated 20 weeks after randomisation by means of the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (HRSD). Secondary endpoints are depressive symptoms after 12 and 48 weeks, and remission after 12, 20, and 48 weeks. Primary outcome will be analysed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlled for pre-treatment scores and site. Analyses of continuous secondary variables will be performed using linear mixed models. For remission rates, chi-squared tests and logistic regression will be applied.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The study evaluates the comparative effects of a disorder-specific psychotherapy and a well designed non-specific psychological approach in the acute and continuation treatment phase in a large sample of early-onset chronically depressed patients.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov (<a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00970437">NCT00970437</a>).</p

Roflumilast in moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treated with longacting bronchodilators: two randomised clinical trials

Background Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have few options for treatment. The efficacy and safety of the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast have been investigated in studies of patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, but not in those concomitantly treated with longacting inhaled bronchodilators. The effect of roflumilast on lung function in patients with COPD that is moderate to severe who are already being treated with salmeterol or tiotropium was investigated. Methods In two double-blind, multicentre studies done in an outpatient setting, after a 4-week run-in, patients older than 40 years with moderate-to-severe COPD were randomly assigned to oral roflumilast 500 mu g or placebo once a day for 24 weeks, in addition to salmeterol (M2-127 study) or tiotropium (M2-128 study). The primary endpoint was change in prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV(1)). Analysis was by intention to treat. The studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00313209 for M2-127, and NCT00424268 for M2-128. Findings In the salmeterol plus roflumilast trial, 466 patients were assigned to and treated with roflumilast and 467 with placebo; in the tiotropium plus roflumilast trial, 371 patients were assigned to and treated with roflumilast and 372 with placebo. Compared with placebo, roflumilast consistently improved mean prebronchodilator FEV(1) by 49 mL (p<0.0001) in patients treated with salmeterol, and 80 mL (p<0.0001) in those treated with tiotropium. Similar improvement in postbronchodilator FEV(1) was noted in both groups. Furthermore, roflumilast had beneficial effects on other lung function measurements and on selected patient-reported outcomes in both groups. Nausea, diarrhoea, weight loss, and, to a lesser extent, headache were more frequent in patients in the roflumilast groups. These adverse events were associated with increased patient withdrawal. Interpretation Roflumilast improves lung function in patients with COPD treated with salmeterol or tiotropium, and could become an important treatment for these patients

Laserbeschuss von Metallen, Kunststoffen und Verbundwerkstoffen - Wirksamkeit und Gefährdung

Für einen effizienten und sicheren Betrieb von Laserwaffensystemen sind sowohl Abschätzungen der benötigten Laserleistung und Wirkungsdauer, als auch Modelle zur Gefährdungsabschätzung bzw. Risikoanalyse von großer Bedeutung. Am Institut für Technische Physik des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt werden experimentelle Arbeiten zur Materialschädigung sowie zur Charakterisierung des Streu- und Reflexionsverhaltens unter der Einwirkung von Hochenergielasern durchgeführt. Grundlegende experimentelle Daten werden am Standort Lampoldshausen durch die Bestrahlung von Materialproben mit verschiedenen Laserleistungen gewonnen. Dabei wird die gestreute und spekular reflektierte Laserleistung mit Hochgeschwindigkeitskameras bzw. schnellen Detektoren zeitaufgelöst erfasst. Zusätzlich werden mit weiteren in der Anlage integrierten Sensoren, z.B. Wärmebild-Kamera und Spektrometer, Informationen über die beim Versuch auftretenden Temperaturen aufgenommen. Die Auswahl der untersuchten Zielmaterialien orientiert sich dabei an bei einem Einsatz möglicherweise zu erwartenden Materialien. Untersucht wurden verschiedene Metallproben, Kunststoffe sowie faserverstärkte Verbundwerkstoffe. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem Institut für Bauweisen und Strukturtechnologie des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt wurde insbesondere C/C-SiC untersucht. Hier wurde auch eine umfangreiche Analyse der C/C-SiC-Proben nach der Bestrahlung durchgeführt sowie diese abschließend mittels Computertomographie vermessen. Herausfordernd ist, vor allem bei nicht-metallischen Proben, die Charakterisierung der Wirkung während der Bestrahlung, z.B. die Bestimmung der Durchbruchszeit. Hierzu wurden alternative Lösungsansätze, beispielsweise mit Hilfe der Thermographie, untersucht

Propagation, atmosphärische Streuung und Wirkung von Hochenergielasern

Die Wirkung mit Hochenergielasern über größere Distanzen wird gegebenenfalls signifikant durch die Wechselwirkung der Laserstrahlung mit der Atmosphäre beeinflusst. Zur Entwicklung vorhersagefähiger Modelle ist die Durchführung von Propagationsexperimenten mit Hochleistungslaserstrahlung unter Erfassung einer Vielzahl von atmosphärischen Daten unerlässlich. Das Institut für Technische Physik des DLR betreibt hierzu seit vielen Jahren am Standort Lampoldshausen eine Laserfreistrahlstrecke mit umfangreicher Diagnostik. Kürzlich durchgeführte Erweiterungen der Ausstattung sowie Eigenentwicklungen im Bereich der Sensorik haben die Möglichkeiten für Messungen deutlich erweitert, insbesondere bei der Diagnostik der Streustrahlung sowie hinsichtlich der Durchführbarkeit von Langzeitmessungen. Als Ergänzung zu den Wirkungs- und Propagationsexperimenten auf der Freistrahlstrecke wurde ein Laserwechselwirkungslabor aufgebaut, um die Wirkung auf kürzere Distanz reproduzierbar unter Ausschluss atmosphärischer Effekte zu untersuchen. Ein Schwerpunkt des Experiments ist die Diagnostik der Streuung und Reflektion der Hochenergielaserstrahlung am Target, da dies von besonderer Bedeutung für die Modellbildung zur Abschätzung des Risikos für Dritte beim Einsatz von Laserwaffen ist

Crystallization Caught in the Act with Terahertz Spectroscopy : Non-Classical Pathway for L-(+)-Tartaric Acid

Crystal formation is a highly debated problem. This report shows that the crystallization of l-(+)-tartaric acid from water follows a non-classical path involving intermediate hydrated states. Analytical ultracentrifugation indicates solution clusters of the initial stages aggregate to form an early intermediate. Terahertz spectroscopy performed during water evaporation highlights a transient increase in the absorption during nucleation; this indicates the recurrence of water molecules that are expelled from the intermediate phase. Besides, a transient resonance at 750 GHz, which can be assigned to a natural vibration of large hydrated aggregates, vanishes after the final crystal has formed. Furthermore, THz data reveal the vibration of nanosized clusters in the dilute solution indicated by analytical ultracentrifugation. Infrared spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering highlight that the intermediate is not a crystalline hydrate. These results demonstrate that nanoscopic intermediate units assemble to form the first solvent-free crystalline nuclei upon dehydration.publishe

Cultivation of Triphyophyllum peltatum (Dioncophyllaceae), the part-time carnivorous plant

Volume: 28Start Page: 7End Page: 1