Measuring Spatial Presence: Introducing and Validating the Pictorial Presence SAM

The aim of the present study was to develop a pictorial presence scale using selfassessment- manikins (SAM). The instrument assesses presence sub-dimensions (selflocation and possible actions) as well as presence determinants (attention allocation, spatial situation model, higher cognitive involvement, and suspension of disbelief). To qualitatively validate the scale, think-aloud protocols and interviews (n = 12) were conducted. The results reveal that the SAM items are quickly filled out as well as easily, intuitively, and unambiguously understood. Furthermore, the instrument’s validity and sensitivity was quantitatively examined in a two-factorial design (n = 317). Factors were medium (written story, audio book, video, and computer game) and distraction (non-distraction vs. distraction). Factor analyses reveal that the SAM presence dimensions and determinants closely correspond to those of the MEC Spatial Presence Questionnaire, which was used as a comparison measure. The findings of the qualitative and quantitative validation procedures show that the Pictorial Presence SAM successfully assesses spatial presence. In contrast to the verbal questionnaire data (MEC), the significant distraction effect suggests that the new scale is even more sensitive. This points out that the scale can be a useful alternative to existing verbal presence selfreport measures.

Dental arch relationship in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate following one-stage and three-stage surgical protocols

The objective of this study is to compare dental arch relationship following one-stage and three-stage surgical protocols of unilateral cleft lip and palate. Dental casts of 61 children (mean age, 11.2 years; SD, 1.7), consecutively treated in one center with one-stage closure of the complete cleft at 9.2 months (SD, 2.0), were compared with a sample of 97 patients (mean age, 8.7 years; SD, 0.9), consecutively treated with a three-stage protocol including delayed hard palate closure in another center. The dental casts were assigned random numbers to blind their origin. Four raters graded dental arch relationship and palatal morphology using the EUROCRAN index. The strength of agreement of rating was assessed with kappa statistics. Independent t tests were run to compare the EUROCRAN scores between one-stage and three-stage samples, and Fisher's exact tests were performed to evaluate differences of distribution of the EUROCRAN grades. The intra- and inter-rater agreement was moderate to very good. Dental arch relationship in the one-stage sample was less favorable than in three-stage group (mean scores, 2.58 and 1.97 for one-stage and three-stage samples, respectively; p?

Delivery room management of very low birth weight infants in Germany, Austria and Switzerland--a comparison of protocols

Surveys from the USA, Australia and Spain have shown significant inter-institutional variation in delivery room (DR) management of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI, <1500g) at birth, despite regularly updated international guidelines.

Confocal imaging protocols for live/dead staining in three-dimensional carriers

In tissue engineering, a variety of methods are commonly used to evaluate survival of cells inside tissues or three-dimensional (3D) carriers. Among these methods confocal laser scanning microscopy opened accessibility of 3D tissue using live cell imaging into the tissue or 3D scaffolds. However, although this technique is ideally applied to 3D tissue or scaffolds with thickness up to several millimetres, this application is surprisingly rare and scans are often done on slices with thickness <20 μm. Here, we present novel protocols for the staining of 3D tissue (e.g. intervertebral disc tissue) and scaffolds, such as fibrin gels or alginate beads.

Effect of two beta-alanine dosing protocols on muscle carnosine synthesis and washout

Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle and chronic β-alanine (BA) supplementation can increase carnosine content. This placebo-controlled, double-blind study compared two different 8-week BA dosing regimens on the time course of muscle carnosine loading and 8-week washout, leading to a BA dose-response study with serial muscle carnosine assessments throughout. Thirty-one young males were randomized into three BA dosing groups: (1) high-low: 3.2 g BA/day for 4 weeks, followed by 1.6 g BA/day for 4 weeks; (2) low-low: 1.6 g BA/day for 8 weeks; and (3) placebo. Muscle carnosine in tibialis-anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GA) muscles was measured by 1H-MRS at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16. Flushing symptoms and blood clinical chemistry were trivial in all three groups and there were no muscle carnosine changes in the placebo group. During the first 4 weeks, the increase for high-low (TA 2.04 mmol/kgww, GA 1.75 mmol/kgww) was ~twofold greater than low-low (TA 1.12 mmol/kgww, GA 0.80 mmol/kgww). 1.6 g BA/day significantly increased muscle carnosine within 2 weeks and induced continual rises in already augmented muscle carnosine stores (week 4-8, high-low regime). The dose-response showed a carnosine increase of 2.01 mmol/kgww per 100 g of consumed BA, which was only dependent upon the total accumulated BA consumed (within a daily intake range of 1.6-3.2 g BA/day). Washout rates were gradual (0.18 mmol/kgww and 0.43 mmol/kgww/week; ~2%/week). In summary, the absolute increase in muscle carnosine is only dependent upon the total BA consumed and is not dependent upon baseline muscle carnosine, the muscle type, or the daily amount of supplemented BA.

Depletion of murine intestinal microbiota: effects on gut mucosa and epithelial gene expression

Background Inappropriate cross talk between mammals and their gut microbiota may trigger intestinal inflammation and drive extra-intestinal immune-mediated diseases. Epithelial cells constitute the interface between gut microbiota and host tissue, and may regulate host responses to commensal enteric bacteria. Gnotobiotic animals represent a powerful approach to study bacterial-host interaction but are not readily accessible to the wide scientific community. We aimed at refining a protocol that in a robust manner would deplete the cultivable intestinal microbiota of conventionally raised mice and that would prove to have significant biologic validity. Methodology/Principal Findings Previously published protocols for depleting mice of their intestinal microbiota by administering broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water were difficult to reproduce. We show that twice daily delivery of antibiotics by gavage depleted mice of their cultivable fecal microbiota and reduced the fecal bacterial DNA load by 400 fold while ensuring the animals' health. Mice subjected to the protocol for 17 days displayed enlarged ceca, reduced Peyer's patches and small spleens. Antibiotic treatment significantly reduced the expression of antimicrobial factors to a level similar to that of germ-free mice and altered the expression of 517 genes in total in the colonic epithelium. Genes involved in cell cycle were significantly altered concomitant with reduced epithelial proliferative activity in situ assessed by Ki-67 expression, suggesting that commensal microbiota drives cellular proliferation in colonic epithelium. Conclusion We present a robust protocol for depleting conventionally raised mice of their cultivatable intestinal microbiota with antibiotics by gavage and show that the biological effect of this depletion phenocopies physiological characteristics of germ-free mice.