Search results for " function"

Structure-function relationship between FDF, FDT, SAP, and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in glaucoma patients.

2012

Purpose Flicker defined form perimetry (FDF) and frequency doubling technology perimetry (FDT) are alleged to detect glaucoma at an earlier stage than standard automated perimetry (SAP). It is the purpose of this study to investigate the structure-function relationship between FDF, FDT, SAP, and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) in patients with glaucoma. Methods Seventy-six patients with glaucoma were included in the study. Patients were tested with SAP, Matrix-FDT, FDF perimetry, and cSLO. Structure-function relationships between global and sectoral cSLO parameters and global and sectoral mean sensitivity (MS) of SAP, Matrix-FDT, and FDF were calculated using Spearman's rank c…

Factors limiting performance in a multitone intensity-discrimination task: disentangling non-optimal decision weights and increased internal noise.

2013

To identify factors limiting performance in multitone intensity discrimination, we presented sequences of five pure tones alternating in level between loud (85 dB SPL) and soft (30, 55, or 80 dB SPL). In the "overall-intensity task", listeners detected a level increment on all of the five tones. In the "masking task", the level increment was imposed only on the soft tones, rendering the soft tones targets and loud tones task-irrelevant maskers. Decision weights quantifying the importance of the five tone levels for the decision were estimated using methods of molecular psychophysics. Compatible with previous studies, listeners placed higher weights on the loud tones than on the soft tones i…

Physical capacity in performing daily activities is reduced in scleroderma patients with early lung involvement

2014

BACKGROUND: Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) often complain reduced capacity at submaximal exercise; conversely physical capacity in performing daily duties has never been measured in SSc. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate this performance and its correlates, in patients with SSc compared to healthy controls, in a free-living setting. METHODS: Twenty-seven outpatients with stable SSc and 11 controls were recruited. Physical activity was assessed by portable multiple sensor device (SenseWear Armband) worn for at least six days. Physical activity duration (PAD; in minutes) for non-sedentary activities and physical activity level (PAL= total daily energy/resting energy expenditure) per day were ca…

The Construct of Sexual Openness for Females in Steady Intimate Relationships

2017

The analysis of open-minded attitudes towards sexuality in general requires a construct based on attitudinal dimensions. Although several existing studies involve sexual attitudes, they differ substantially and standardized conceptual work is missing. Thus, the authors introduce the latent variable sexual openness to develop a construct based on self-oriented attitudes towards different sexual topics. Available survey data of female German students in a steady relationship allowed providing a first empirical test for the applicability of this construct. Five subdimensions are acknowledged central for sexual openness: sexual practices, masturbation, bisexuality, permissiveness, and pornograp…

Hypogonadism-related symptoms: development and evaluation of an empirically derived self-rating instrument (HRS ‘Hypogonadism Related Symptom Scale’)

2009

While self-report screening instruments are highly sensitive to hypogonadism in the ageing male, they have lacked specificity as evidenced by low or absent correlations with testosterone. The purpose of this paper was to develop an economical and specific screening instrument for identifying hypogonadal ageing men. Based on a comprehensive study of physical, somatoform and affective complaints, sexual behaviour and function and hormonal parameters of 263 outpatients aged 40 years and above (M = 56.2; 40-84 years) recruited from six andrological outpatient departments in Germany, we identified those items correlating significantly with testosterone. By factor analyses, five factors were iden…

[Effects of ACE inhibition with enalapril on the renal function of patients with essential arterial hypertension].

1987

Effects of resistance training on strength, pain and shoulder functionality in paraplegics

2012

Study design: Time series design. Objectives: To determine the effects of a shoulder resistance training programme on isokinetic and isometric strength, body composition, pain and functionality in paraplegic subjects. Setting: University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Methods: A total of 15 subjects with thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) performed three testing sessions with an 8-week period between the sessions. Subjects were not disturbed between the first and the second testing sessions. Subjects performed an 8-week resistance training programme after the second testing session. Variations in isometric and isokinetic shoulder muscle strength, body composition, reported pain and shoulder f…

Cognitive and social impairments in patients with superficial siderosis

2005

Superficial siderosis of the CNS is a rare condition, caused by deposition of haemosiderin in the superficial layers of the CNS due to repeated chronic subarachnoid or intraventricular haemorrhage. Typically, the hindbrain structures, especially the cerebellum, are most affected. There is a surprising lack of studies investigating in detail the behavioural functioning of patients with such a condition. In this study, we document for the first time the cognitive, social and emotional processing of six patients with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of superficial siderosis. They were aged between 40 and 62 years, with a mean age of 50.2 years; four were male. We administered a comprehensive bat…

Intraoperative brain mapping of language, cognitive functions, and social cognition in awake surgery of low-grade gliomas located in the right non-do…

2020

Abstract Objective The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of cortical-subcortical intraoperative brain mapping (ioBM) in resective awake surgery of low-grade gliomas (LGG) of the right non-dominant hemisphere (RndH). It was estimated how ioBM may affect both the extent of resection and postoperative outcome of language, spatial cognition, social cognition, and executive functions including attention and working memory. Patients and Methods : Fifteen patients that underwent ioBM in resective awake surgery of LGG located on the RndH, were included. A cohort of 15 patients with the same tumour location operated under general anaesthesia without brain mapping was used as control. S…

Conceptual proposition selection and the LIFG: neuropsychological evidence from a focal frontal group.

2010

Much debate surrounds the role of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG). Evidence from lesion and neuroimaging studies suggests the LIFG supports a selection mechanism used in single word generation. Single case studies of dynamic aphasic patients with LIFG damage concur with this and extend the finding to selection of sentences at the conceptual preparation stage of language generation. A neuropsychological group with unselected focal frontal and non-frontal lesions is assessed on a sentence generation task that varied the number of possible conceptual propositions available for selection. Frontal patients with LIFG damage when compared to Frontal patients without LIFG damage and Posterio…