STAR splicing mutations cause the severe phenotype of lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia: insights from a novel splice mutation and review of reported cases

OBJECTIVE The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) transports cholesterol to the mitochondria for steroidogenesis. Loss of StAR function causes lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia (LCAH) which is characterized by impaired synthesis of adrenal and gonadal steroids causing adrenal insufficiency, 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) and failure of pubertal development. Partial loss of StAR activity may cause adrenal insufficiency only. PATIENT A newborn girl was admitted for mild dehydration, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia and hypoglycaemia and had normal external female genitalia without hyperpigmentation. Plasma cortisol, 17OH-progesterone, DHEA-S, androstendione and aldosterone were low, while ACTH and plasma renin activity were elevated, consistent with the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency. Imaging showed normal adrenals, and cytogenetics revealed a 46,XX karyotype. She was treated with fluids, hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone. DESIGN, METHODS AND RESULTS Genetic studies revealed a novel homozygous STAR mutation in the 3' acceptor splice site of intron 4, c.466-1G>A (IVS4-1G>A). To test whether this mutation would affect splicing, we performed a minigene experiment with a plasmid construct containing wild-type or mutant StAR gDNA of exons-introns 4-6 in COS-1 cells. The splicing was assessed on total RNA using RT-PCR for STAR cDNAs. The mutant STAR minigene skipped exon 5 completely and changed the reading frame. Thus, it is predicted to produce an aberrant and shorter protein (p.V156GfsX19). Computational analysis revealed that this mutant protein lacks wild-type exons 5-7 which are essential for StAR-cholesterol interaction. CONCLUSIONS STAR c.466-1A skips exon 5 and causes a dramatic change in the C-terminal sequence of the protein, which is essential for StAR-cholesterol interaction. This splicing mutation is a loss-of-function mutation explaining the severe phenotype of our patient. Thus far, all reported splicing mutations of STAR cause a severe impairment of protein function and phenotype.

Effects of arm training with the robotic device ARMin I in chronic stroke: three single cases

BACKGROUND: Several clinical studies on chronic stroke conducted with end-effector-based robots showed improvement of the motor function in the affected arm. Compared to end-effector-based robots, exoskeleton robots provide improved guidance of the human limb and are better suited to train task-oriented movements with a large range of motions. OBJECTIVE: To test whether intensive arm training with the arm exoskeleton ARMin I is feasible with chronic-stroke patients and whether it improves motor function in the paretic arm. METHODS: Three single cases with chronic hemiparesis resulting from unilateral stroke (at least 14 months after stroke). A-B design with 2 weeks of multiple baseline measurements (A), 8 weeks of training (B) with repetitive measurements and a follow-up measurement 8 weeks after training. The training included shoulder and elbow movements with the robotic rehabilitation device ARMin I. Two subjects had three 1-hour sessions per week and 1 subject received five 1-hour sessions per week. The main outcome measurement was the upper-limb part of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). RESULTS: The ARMin training was well tolerated by the patients, and the FMA showed moderate, but significant improvements for all 3 subjects (p < 0.05). Most improvements were maintained 8 weeks after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that intensive training with an arm exoskeleton is feasible with chronic-stroke patients. Moderate improvements were found in all 3 subjects, thus further clinical investigations are justified.

Effects of intensive arm training with the rehabilitation robot ARMin II in chronic stroke patients: four single-cases

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted therapy offers a promising approach to neurorehabilitation, particularly for severely to moderately impaired stroke patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of intensive arm training on motor performance in four chronic stroke patients using the robot ARMin II. METHODS: ARMin II is an exoskeleton robot with six degrees of freedom (DOF) moving shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. Four volunteers with chronic (>or= 12 months post-stroke) left side hemi-paresis and different levels of motor severity were enrolled in the study. They received robot-assisted therapy over a period of eight weeks, three to four therapy sessions per week, each session of one hour.Patients 1 and 4 had four one-hour training sessions per week and patients 2 and 3 had three one-hour training sessions per week. Primary outcome variable was the Fugl-Meyer Score of the upper extremity Assessment (FMA), secondary outcomes were the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS), the Maximal Voluntary Torques (MVTs) and a questionnaire about ADL-tasks, progress, changes, motivation etc. RESULTS: Three out of four patients showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the main outcome. The improvements in the FMA scores were aligned with the objective results of MVTs. Most improvements were maintained or even increased from discharge to the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Data clearly indicate that intensive arm therapy with the robot ARMin II can significantly improve motor function of the paretic arm in some stroke patients, even those in a chronic state. The findings of the study provide a basis for a subsequent controlled randomized clinical trial.

A robust reference signal generator for synchronized ventricular assist devices

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are blood pumps that offer an option to support the circulation of patients with severe heart failure. Since a failing heart has a remaining pump function, its interaction with the VAD influences the hemodynamics. Ideally, the heart's action is taken into account for actuating the device such that the device is synchronized to the natural cardiac cycle. To realize this in practice, a reliable real-time algorithm for the automatic synchronization of the VAD to the heart rate is required. This paper defines the tasks such an algorithm needs to fulfill: the automatic detection of irregular heart beats and the feedback control of the phase shift between the systolic phases of the heart and the assist device. We demonstrate a possible solution to these problems and analyze its performance in two steps. First, the algorithm is tested using the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. Second, the algorithm is implemented in a controller for a pulsatile and a continuous-flow VAD. These devices are connected to a hybrid mock circulation where three test scenarios are evaluated. The proposed algorithm ensures a reliable synchronization of the VAD to the heart cycle, while being insensitive to irregularities in the heart rate.

A Parametric Test of Perfect Ranking in Balanced Ranked Set Sampling

Many techniques based on data which are drawn by Ranked Set Sampling (RSS) scheme assume that the ranking of observations is perfect. Therefore it is essential to develop some methods for testing this assumption. In this article, we propose a parametric location-scale free test for assessing the assumption of perfect ranking. The results of a simulation study in two special cases of normal and exponential distributions indicate that the proposed test performs well in comparison with its leading competitors.

Alleviation of chronic venous leg ulcers with a hand-held dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator (PlasmaDerm(®) VU-2010): results of a monocentric, two-armed, open, prospective, randomized and controlled trial (NCT01415622).

BACKGROUND Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP, i.e. ionized air) is an innovating promising tool in reducing bacteria. OBJECTIVE We conducted the first clinical trial with the novel PlasmaDerm(®) VU-2010 device to assess safety and, as secondary endpoints, efficacy and applicability of 45 s/cm(2) cold atmospheric plasma as add-on therapy against chronic venous leg ulcers. METHODS From April 2011 to April 2012, 14 patients were randomized to receive standardized modern wound care (n = 7) or plasma in addition to standard care (n = 7) 3× per week for 8 weeks. The ulcer size was determined weekly (Visitrak(®) , photodocumentation). Bacterial load (bacterial swabs, contact agar plates) and pain during and between treatments (visual analogue scales) were assessed. Patients and doctors rated the applicability of plasma (questionnaires). RESULTS The plasma treatment was safe with 2 SAEs and 77 AEs approximately equally distributed among both groups (P = 0.77 and P = 1.0, Fisher's exact test). Two AEs probably related to plasma. Plasma treatment resulted in a significant reduction in lesional bacterial load (P = 0.04, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). A more than 50% ulcer size reduction was noted in 5/7 and 4/7 patients in the standard and plasma groups, respectively, and a greater size reduction occurred in the plasma group (plasma -5.3 cm(2) , standard: -3.4 cm(2) ) (non-significant, P = 0.42, log-rank test). The only ulcer that closed after 7 weeks received plasma. Patients in the plasma group quoted less pain compared to the control group. The plasma applicability was not rated inferior to standard wound care (P = 0.94, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Physicians would recommend (P = 0.06, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test) or repeat (P = 0.08, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test) plasma treatment by trend. CONCLUSION Cold atmospheric plasma displays favourable antibacterial effects. We demonstrated that plasma treatment with the PlasmaDerm(®) VU-2010 device is safe and effective in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers. Thus, larger controlled trials and the development of devices with larger application surfaces are warranted.

First cases of besnoitiosis in cattle in Switzerland

Bovine besnoitiosis has been diagnosed in neighboring countries but not in Switzerland so far. This disease occurs endemically in France and focal outbreaks have been reported in Germany and Italy. To determine if Besnoitia besnoiti is introduced into Switzerland through the import of breeding cattle from France, a systematic serological survey was performed. A total of 412 breeding cattle (from 114 farms) imported from France into Switzerland between 2005 and 2011, were serologically examined for antibodies against B. besnoiti using a commercial ELISA kit (PrioCHECK© Besnoitia Ab 2.0, Prionics AG, Zurich, Switzerland). Sixty-four (15.5 %) animals reacted positive in ELISA. The serologic diagnosis was confirmed by an indirect immunfluorescence test (IFAT) and a Western blot (WB) in only 2 Limousin cows imported from France on a farm in Eastern Switzerland. Subsequently, this whole herd (n = 16) was examined clinically and serologically and 2 additional Limousin cows imported from Germany also reacted positive in the three serological tests. One of these cows presented B. besnoiti tissue cysts in the scleral conjunctiva and typical skin lesions in the head region. The infection was further confirmed cytologically, histopathologically and by PCR. It can be concluded that the parasite is most likely being introduced into Switzerland through the import of infected animals.

Early Improvement As a Predictor of Later Response to Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: A Diagnostic Test Review

OBJECTIVE How long clinicians should wait before considering an antipsychotic ineffective and changing treatment in schizophrenia is an unresolved clinical question. Guidelines differ substantially in this regard. The authors conducted a diagnostic test meta-analysis using mostly individual patient data to assess whether lack of improvement at week 2 predicts later nonresponse. METHOD The search included EMBASE, MEDLINE, BIOSIS, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and reference lists of relevant articles, supplemented by requests to authors of all relevant studies. The main outcome was prediction of nonresponse, defined as <50% reduction in total score on either the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) or Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) (corresponding to at least much improved) from baseline to endpoint (4-12 weeks), by <20% PANSS or BPRS improvement (corresponding to less than minimally improved) at week 2. Secondary outcomes were absent cross-sectional symptomatic remission and <20% PANSS or BPRS reduction at endpoint. Potential moderator variables were examined by meta-regression. RESULTS In 34 studies (N=9,460) a <20% PANSS or BPRS reduction at week 2 predicted nonresponse at endpoint with a specificity of 86% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 90%. Using data for observed cases (specificity=86%, PPV=85%) or lack of remission (specificity=77%, PPV=88%) yielded similar results. Conversely, using the definition of <20% reduction at endpoint yielded worse results (specificity=70%, PPV=55%). The test specificity was significantly moderated by a trial duration of <6 weeks, higher baseline illness severity, and shorter illness duration. CONCLUSIONS Patients not even minimally improved by week 2 of antipsychotic treatment are unlikely to respond later and may benefit from a treatment change.

Decreasing Proportion of Recent Infections among Newly Diagnosed HIV-1 Cases in Switzerland, 2008 to 2013 Based on Line-Immunoassay-Based Algorithms.

BACKGROUND: HIV surveillance requires monitoring of new HIV diagnoses and differentiation of incident and older infections. In 2008, Switzerland implemented a system for monitoring incident HIV infections based on the results of a line immunoassay (Inno-Lia) mandatorily conducted for HIV confirmation and type differentiation (HIV-1, HIV-2) of all newly diagnosed patients. Based on this system, we assessed the proportion of incident HIV infection among newly diagnosed cases in Switzerland during 2008-2013. METHODS AND RESULTS: Inno-Lia antibody reaction patterns recorded in anonymous HIV notifications to the federal health authority were classified by 10 published algorithms into incident (up to 12 months) or older infections. Utilizing these data, annual incident infection estimates were obtained in two ways, (i) based on the diagnostic performance of the algorithms and utilizing the relationship 'incident = true incident + false incident', (ii) based on the window-periods of the algorithms and utilizing the relationship 'Prevalence = Incidence x Duration'. From 2008-2013, 3'851 HIV notifications were received. Adult HIV-1 infections amounted to 3'809 cases, and 3'636 of them (95.5%) contained Inno-Lia data. Incident infection totals calculated were similar for the performance- and window-based methods, amounting on average to 1'755 (95% confidence interval, 1588-1923) and 1'790 cases (95% CI, 1679-1900), respectively. More than half of these were among men who had sex with men. Both methods showed a continuous decline of annual incident infections 2008-2013, totaling -59.5% and -50.2%, respectively. The decline of incident infections continued even in 2012, when a 15% increase in HIV notifications had been observed. This increase was entirely due to older infections. Overall declines 2008-2013 were of similar extent among the major transmission groups. CONCLUSIONS: Inno-Lia based incident HIV-1 infection surveillance proved useful and reliable. It represents a free, additional public health benefit of the use of this relatively costly test for HIV confirmation and type differentiation.

Usage of Urinary Antigen Test for Legionella on diagnosed community-acquired pneumonia in San Antonio hospitals

Purpose. To evaluate the use of the Legionella Urine Antigen Test as a cost effective method for diagnosing Legionnaires’ disease in five San Antonio Hospitals from January 2007 to December 2009. ^ Methods. The data reported by five San Antonio hospitals to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District during a 3-year retrospective study (January 2007 to December 2009) were evaluated for the frequency of non-specific pneumonia infections, the number of Legionella Urine Antigen Tests performed, and the percentage of positive cases of Legionnaires’ disease diagnosed by the Legionella Urine Antigen Test.^ Results. There were a total of 7,087 cases of non-specific pneumonias reported across the five San Antonio hospitals studied from 2007 to 2009. A total of 5,371 Legionella Urine Antigen Tests were performed from January, 2007 to December, 2009 across the five San Antonio hospitals in the study. A total of 38 positive cases of Legionnaires’ disease were identified by the use of Legionella Urinary Antigen Test from 2007-2009.^ Conclusions. In spite of the limitations of this study in obtaining sufficient relevant data to evaluate the cost effectiveness of Legionella Urinary Antigen Test in diagnosing Legionnaires’ disease, the Legionella Urinary Antigen Test is simple, accurate, faster, as results can be obtained within minutes to hours; and convenient because it can be performed in emergency room department to any patient who presents with the clinical signs or symptoms of pneumonia. Over the long run, it remains to be shown if this test may decrease mortality, lower total medical costs by decreasing the number of broad-spectrum antibiotics prescribed, shorten patient wait time/hospital stay, and decrease the need for unnecessary ancillary testing, and improve overall patient outcomes.^

Amino acid geochronology of foraminifera test from north Queensland margin

In this study, we demonstrate the utility of amino acid geochronology based on single-foraminiferal tests in Quaternary sediment cores from the Queensland margin, Australia. The large planktonic foraminifer Pulleniatina obliquiloculata is ubiquitous in shelf, slope, and basin sediments of north Queensland as well as pantropical oceans. Fossil tests are resistant to dissolution, and retain substantial concentrations of amino acids (2-4 nmol/mg of shell) over hundreds of thousands of years. Amino acid D and L isomers of aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu) were separated using reverse phase chromatography, which is sensitive enough to analyze individual foraminifera tests. In all, 462 Pulleniatina tests from 80 horizons in 11 cores exhibit a systematic increase in D/L ratios down core. D/L ratios were determined in 32 samples whose ages are known from AMS 14C analyses. In all cases, the Asp and Glu D/L ratios are concordant with 14C age. D/L ratios of equal-age samples are slightly lower for cores taken from deeper water sites, reflecting the sensitivity of the rate of racemization to bottom water temperature. Beyond the range of 14C dating, previously identified marine oxygen-isotope stage boundaries provide approximate ages of the sediments up to about 500,000 years. For this longer time frame, D/L ratios also vary systematically with isotope-correlated ages. The rate of racemization for Glu and Asp was modeled using power functions. These equations can be used to estimate ages of samples from the Queensland margin extending back at least 500,000 years. This analytical approach provides new opportunities for geochronological control necessary to understand fundamental sedimentary processes affecting a wide range of marine environments.

Governance Structure Choices in Supply Chain Management Evidence from Spanish and Chinese Pork Chain Cases

The author participated in the 6 th EU Framework Project ―Q-pork Chains (FP6-036245-2)‖ from 2007 to 2009. With understanding of work reports from China and other countries, it is found that compared with other countries, China has great problems in pork quality and safety. By comparing the pork chain management between China and Spain, It is found that the difference in governance structure is one of the main differences in pork chain management between Spain and China. In China, spot-market relationship still dominates governance structure of pork chain, especially between the numerous house-hold pig holders and the great number of small slaughters. While in Spain, chain agents commonly apply cooperatives or integrations to cooperate. It also has been proven by recent studies, that in quality management at the chain level that supply chain integration has a direct effect on quality management practices (Han, 2010). Therefore, the author started to investigate the governance structure choices in supply chain management. And it has been set as the first research objective, which is to explain the governance structure choices process and the influencing factors in supply chain management, analyzing the pork chains cases in Spain and in China. During the further investigation, the author noticed the international trade of pork between Spain and China is not smooth since the signature of bi-lateral agreement on pork trade in 2007. Thus, another objective of the research is to find and solve the problems exist in the international pork chain between Spain and China. For the first objective, to explain the governance structure choices in supply chain management, the thesis conducts research in three main sections. 10 First of all, the thesis gives a literature overview in chapter two on Supply Chain Management (SCM), agri-food chain management and pork chain management. It concludes that SCM is a systems approach to view the supply chains as a whole, and to manage the total flow of goods inventory from the supplier to the ultimate customer. It includes the bi-directional flow of products (materials and services) and information, and the associated managerial and operational activities. And it also is a customer focus to create unique and individual source of customer value with an appropriate use of resources, leading to customer satisfaction and building competitive chain advantages. Agri-food chain management and pork chain management are applications of SCM in agri-food sector and pork sector respectively. Then, the research gives a comparative study in chapter three in the pork chain and pork chain management between Spain and China. Many differences are found, while the main difference is governance structure in pork chain management. Furthermore, the author gives an empirical study on governance structure choice in chapter five. It is concluded that governance structure of supply chain consists of a collection of rules/institutions/constraints structuring the transactions between the various stakeholders. Based on the overview on literatures closely related with governance structure, such as transaction cost economics, transaction value analysis and resource-based view theories, seven hypotheses are proposed, which are: Hypothesis 1: Transaction cost has positive relationship with governance structure choice Hypothesis 2: Uncertainty has positive relationship with transaction cost; higher uncertainty exerts high transaction cost Hypothesis 3: The relationship between asset specificity and transaction cost is positive Hypothesis 4: Collaboration advantages and governance structure choice have positive relationship11 Hypothesis 5: Willingness to collaborate has positive relationship with collaboration advantages Hypothesis 6: Capability to collaborate has positive relationship with collaboration advantages Hypothesis 7: Uncertainty has negative effect on collaboration advantages It is noted that as transaction cost value is negative, the transaction cost mentioned in the hypotheses is its absolute value. To test the seven hypotheses, Structural Equation Model (SEM) is applied and data collected from 350 pork slaughtering and processing companies in Jiangsu, Shandong and Henan Provinces in China is used. Based on the empirical SEM model and its results, the seven hypotheses are proved. The author generates several conclusions accordingly. It is found that the governance structure choice of the chain not only depends on transaction cost, it also depends on collaboration advantages. Exchange partners establish more stable and more intense relationship to reduce transaction cost and to maximize collaboration advantages. ―Collaboration advantages‖ in this thesis is defined as the joint value achieved through transaction (mutual activities) of agents in supply chains. This value forms as improvements, mainly in mutual logistics systems, cash response, information exchange, technological improvements and innovative improvements and quality management improvements, etc. Governance structure choice is jointly decided by transaction cost and collaboration advantages. Chain agents take different governance structures to coordinate in order to decrease their transaction cost and to increase their collaboration advantages. In China´s pork chain case, spot market relationship dominates the governance structure among the numerous backyard pig farmer and small family slaughterhouse 12 as they are connected by acquaintance relationship and the transaction cost in turn is low. Their relationship is reliable as they know each other in the neighborhood; as a result, spot market relationship is suitable for their exchange. However, the transaction between large-scale slaughtering and processing industries and small-scale pig producers is becoming difficult. The information hold back behavior and hold-up behavior of small-scale pig producers increase transaction cost between them and large-scale slaughtering and processing industries. Thus, through the more intense and stable relationship between processing industries and pig producers, processing industries reduce the transaction cost and improve the collaboration advantages with their chain partners, in which quality and safety collaboration advantages be increased, meaning that processing industries are able to provide consumers products with better quality and higher safety. It is also drawn that transaction cost is influenced mainly by uncertainty and asset specificity, which is in line with new institutional economics theories developed by Williamson O. E. In China´s pork chain case, behavioral uncertainty is created by the hold-up behaviors of great numbers of small pig producers, while big slaughtering and processing industries having strong asset specificity. On the other hand, ―collaboration advantages‖ is influenced by chain agents´ willingness to collaborate and chain agents´ capabilities to cooperate. With the fast growth of big scale slaughtering and processing industries, they are more willing to know and make effort to cooperate with their chain members, and they are more capable to create joint value together with other chain agents. Therefore, they are now the main chain agents who drive more intense and stable governance structure in China‘s pork chain. For the other objective, to find and solve the problems in the international pork chain between Spain and China, the research gives an analysis in chapter four on the 13 international pork chain. This study gives explanations why the international trade of pork between Spain and China is not sufficient from the chain perspective. It is found that the first obstacle is the high quality and safety requirement set by Chinese government. It makes the Spanish companies difficult to get authorities to export. Other aspects, such as Spanish pork is not competitive in price compared with other countries such as Denmark, United States, Canada, etc., Chinese consumers do not have sufficient information on Spanish pork products, are also important reasons that Spain does not export great quantity of pork products to China. It is concluded that China´s government has too much concern on the quality and safety requirements to Spanish pork products, which makes trade difficult to complete. The two countries need to establish a more stable and intense trade relationship. They also should make the information exchange sufficient and efficient and try to break trade barriers. Spanish companies should consider proper price strategies to win the Chinese pork market

Effects of binaural stimulation in attention and EEG

When two pure tones of slightly different frequency are presented separately to each ear, the listener perceives a third single tone with amplitude variations at a frequency that equals the difference between the two tones, this perceptual illusion is known as binaural auditory beat. There are anecdotal reports that suggest that the binaural beat can entrain EEG activity and may affect the arousal levels, although few studies have been published. There is a need for double-blind, well-designed studies in order to establish a solid foundation for these sounds, as most of the documented benefits come from self-reported cases that could be affected by placebo effect. As BB’s are a cheap technology (it even exists a free open source programmable bin aural-beat generator on the internet named Gnaural), any achievement in this area could be of public interest. The aim in our research was to explore the potential of BB’s in a particular field: tasks that require focus and concentration. In order to detect changes in the brain waves that could relate to any particular improvement, EEG recordings of a small sample of individuals were also obtained. In this study we compare the effect of different binaural stimulation in 7 EEG frequency ranges, 78 participants were exposed to 20 min binaural beat stimulation. The effects were obtained both qualitative with cognitive test and quantitative with EEG analysis. Results suggest no significant statistical improvement in 20 min stimulation.

Effect of binaural stimulation on attention and EEG

When two pure tones of slightly different frequency are presented separately to each ear, the listener perceives a third single tone with amplitude variations at a frequency that equals the difference between the two tones; this perceptual illusion is known as the binaural auditory beat (BB). There are anecdotal reports that suggest that the binaural beat can entrain EEG activity and may affect the arousal levels, although few studies have been published. There is a need for double-blind, well-designed studies in order to establish a solid foundation for these sounds, as most of the documented benefits come from self-reported cases that could be affected by placebo effect. As BBs are a cheap technology (it even exists a free open source programmable binaural- beat generator on the Internet named Gnaural), any achievement in this area could be of public interest. The aim in our research was to explore the potential of BBs in a particular field: tasks that require focus and concentration. In order to detect changes in the brain waves that could relate to any particular improvement, EEG recordings of a small sample of individuals were also obtained. In this study we compare the effect of different binaural stimulation in 7 EEG frequency ranges. 78 participants were exposed to 20-min binaural beat stimulation. The effects were obtained both quali- tative with cognitive test and quantitative with EEG analysis. Results suggest no significant statistical improvement in 20-min stimulation.

Post-fracture behavior of laminated plates after human impact test

For safety barriers the load bearing capacity of the glass when subjected to the soft body impact should be verified. The soft body pendulum test became a testing standard to classify safety glass plates. The classification of the safety glass do not consider the structural behavior when one sheet of a laminated glass is broken; in situations when the replacement of the plate could not be very urgent, structural behavior should be evaluated. The main objective of this paper is to present the structural behavior o laminated glass plates, though modal test and human impact test, including the post fracture behavior for the laminated cases. A god reproducibility and repeatability is obtained. Two main aspects of the structural behavior can be observed: the increment of the rupture load for laminated plates after the failure of the first sheet, and some similarities with a tempered monolithic behavior of equivalent thickness.