4,528 research outputs found
1924-2004: 80 years of Benary's perceptual belongingness - from lightness perception to the synchronization hypothesis
No full textSmall, dense LDL: An update
No full textPurpose of review In this review, we summarize the latest findings on small, dense LDL (sdLDL) atherogenic particles, including their associations with other biomarkers. Recent findings Increased sdLDL levels have been reported not only in different metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, but also in patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis as well as hypothyroidism. A wide range of lipid-lowering, as well as other drug classes, including novel antidiabetic agents and nutraceuticals, exert favourable effects on these atherogenic particles. The 'gold standard' methodology for the assessment of sdLDL has not been established yet. However, the association between sdLDL and several biomarkers could facilitate their assessment. Summary Estimation of sdLDL in daily clinical practice may help with the identification of patients at high cardiovascular risk and further contribute in directing specific interventions to prevent and/or decrease such risk
1924-2004: From Benary to the synchronization hypothesis – 80 years of perceptual belongingness
No full textThe concept of perceptual belongingness was introduced by Benary (1924 Psychologische Forschung 5 131 - 142), observing that lightness perception is not a mere result of local interactions among visual features but depends on their perceptual organisation. For the past 80 years this concept has guided a number of scientists in the investigation of the principles of visual processing [Musatti, 1953 Archivio di Psicologia, Neurologia e Psichiatria 5 544 - 577; Kanizsa, 1979 Organization in Vision: Essays on Gestalt Perception (New York: Praeger/Greenwood Publishing Group); Agostini and Proffitt, 1993 Perception 22 263 - 272; Gilchrist et al, 1999 Psychological Review 10 795 - 834]. Nevertheless, for a long time, this concept has been considered blasphemous as regards the processes underlying contrast, while a similar concept emerged within the feature-binding theory (Treisman and Gelade, 1980 Cognitive Psychology 16 97 - 134) and had a great success. The reverse-contrast cube by Agostini and Galmonte (2002 Psychological Science 13 88 - 92) provided evidence that attentional binding mechanisms are responsible for belongingness and, then, for contrast induction. Therefore, this 80-year old concept provides a much needed framework for the investigation of the causal relationships between the synchronisation of neuronal activity as the prime candidate for the physiological counterpart of belongingness/binding (Singer, 1999 Neuron 24 49 - 65) and the neuronal discharge rates evoked by lightness contrast
1924-2004: 80 years of perceptual belongingness – from lightness perception to the synchronization hypothesis
No full textDrug evaluation: The combination of fenofibrate and simvastatin for the treatment of dyslipidemia: When and for whom?
No full textSimvastatin and fenofibrate are the most frequently co-prescribed drugs for the treatment of dyslipidemia, manifesting beneficial effects on non-lipid parameters as well. The combination of these two drugs has been shown to increase success in the management of combined hyperlipidemia. Their different mechanism of action allows for the targeting of two types of lipid abnormalities: increased cholesterol and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Clinical studies have demonstrated that statin and fibrate combination therapy is effective in improving multiple lipid abnormalities, that may further decrease overall cardiovascular (CV) risk of patients with combined dyslipidemia. However, the clinical use of this combination therapy is still limited due to persistent controversy with respect to clinical trial outcomes and safety issues. The available evidence supports fenofibrate/simvastatin therapy as a viable treatment for mixed dyslipidemia. It seems to be particularly beneficial in subjects with high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, including subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, larger prospective studies are needed to better quantitate the effect of this combination therapy on CVD morbidity and mortality of T2DM subjects as well as nondiabetic patients with mixed dyslipidemia
LIPOPROTEIN SUBCLASS DISTRIBUTION IN DIFFERENT CLINICAL PATTERNS AND THEIR VARIATION AFTER THERAPY
No full textDeveloping a Generic Agent-Based Model to Explore Servicising Policy
No full textContinuous economic growth, ignoring the incidental recession, is currently still coupled with increases in the use of resources and generation of wastes. The European Commission (EC) is looking for ways to achieve absolute decoupling between economic growth and environmental impacts. A shift from product-based to function-based production and consumption, known as `servicising' of the economy, has the potential to contribute to absolute decoupling. The EC is therefore looking for policy measures on all political levels that may stimulate a servicising shift and thereby contribute to absolute decoupling. In this thesis, I propose a generic agent-based model to inform policy towards absolute decoupling, with a focus on the role of servicising. The model captures interactions between selling and buying `agents' and can be parametrised for many different specific markets. It integrates rational and non-rational considerations, decision making on multiple levels of both producers and consumers, and resulting material flows and impacts, all in a generic way. Also, the model features sophisticated market research as a novel basis for the decision making of agents in an artificial market. The model was developed following the methodology for developing an agent-based model proposed by Van Dam, Nikolic and Lukszo \citep{Dam2012}. A substantial part of this thesis is reserved for a reflection on the methodology. The main conclusion from that part is that although the methodology provides valuable structure to help new modellers through model development, the recommended techniques and practices are mostly suitable for relatively small, domain-specific models. Additional practices are recommended in order to successfully build large and generic models. The proposed model is suitable for the three planned case studies in the pan-European SPREE project, of which the generic model development constituted a central part. The concluding sections of this thesis provide suggestions for future extensions of the model, including the inclusion of social networks, spatial explicitness and chain-level interactions.SEPAMESSTechnology, Policy and Managemen
Can the effects of gender, menopause and ageing on lipid levels be differentiated?
No full textN/A Editoria
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