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Biomedical subjects

M Bracale

Publications and source records attributed to M Bracale.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Localisation and characterisation of auditory perception through Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

In the last few years, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has been widely accepted as an effective tool for mapping brain activities in both the neurosensorial and the cognitive field. The present work aims to assess the possibility of using fMRI methods to perform a non-invasive evaluation of the human auditory function. To this end the cortical response to different non speech stimuli (pure tones, pulsed tones) was examined for ten subjects with no audiological impairment. Our findings point out some remarkable differences in both the spatial and the temporal features of the primary auditory cortex response to pulsed tones and to pure tones.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

AUDIOMAT: an electronic newspaper for visually impaired people.

Electronic newspapers are now becoming available via wide-area computer networks, such as the internet. Unfortunately, the Windows-based graphical user interface of the client programs makes it difficult for visually impaired people to use such services. Furthermore, few visually impaired people have a PC. The AUDIOMAT project was designed to provide a reading system for the visually impaired, thus giving this community in the Campania region of southern Italy the opportunity to read their local newspaper. In a pilot trial, three blind subjects used the AUDIOMAT system daily for two months. Despite some minor technical problems the system performed well and a wider validation phase is now planned.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1996

A quantitative approach in the treatment of hemiplegic patients using an electropneumatic platform.

Exercise is the central feature in the rehabilitative treatment of hemiplegic patients. In cognitive rehabilitation, great importance is attributed to the recovery of a sufficient number of proprioceptive channels before expecting the patient to regain voluntary control. The PERM [Piattaforma (Platform), Elettropneumatica (Electropneumatic) per (for) Riabilitazione (Rehabilitation) Motoria (Motor)] is a new device that can be used in the treatment of the lower limbs to provide the patient with controlled and quantifiable mechanical stimuli, thus enabling the therapist to adopt a more rigorous approach to treatment even in the very early stages of rehabilitation. Alternatively, the system can be used in a different operating mode as a normal biofeedback system capable of displaying on-screen the extent to which voluntary load has been transferred to the lower limb.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy↗
PubMed1994

Medical technologies in developing countries: a feasibility study on the maintenance of medical equipment in Ethiopia.

The authors report the results of a feasibility study, sponsored by the Italian Foreign Ministry, of setting up a Regional Centre for the Management and Maintenance of Medical Technologies in Ethiopia. After some general considerations regarding the problems of co-operation in this field, the authors draft some concrete proposals for an operative programme.

Equipment and Supplies↗
PubMed1992

Medical technologies in developing countries: a pilot programme for the setting up of a regional centre for maintenance of medical equipment in Ethiopia.

In the last years a new approach to cooperation programmes with developing countries has been followed. It critically considers cooperation as donation and makes a big contribution to cooperation for the development of developing countries. For such reasons some topics such as 'education' and the 'management of the health services and technologies' have become more important than in the past. The authors report, first on some general aspects of the cooperation programmes in this field and, secondly, on some experiences relating to a cooperation programme for the management of medical technologies in Ethiopia.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1991

Pseudo velocity profiles in carotid artery through Doppler US signal processing.

In this paper a new method of obtaining hemodynamic information from spectral analysis of continuous wave Doppler ultrasound signals is presented. Some considerations of the evaluation of maximum and mean frequencies of the signal arising from scattering in the insonated volume are proposed. A new algorithm to compute the maximum frequency has been applied. Maximum and mean frequency are, respectively, proportional to the maximum and mean velocity in the insonated volume. Their application to mathematical models enables an estimate of velocity profiles into the vessels. The proposed method offers the possibility of matching an accurate evaluation of spectral broadening. In vitro tests and some clinical results involving healthy young people, arteriopathic and stenotic patients show the potential of the method in evaluating different hemodynamic conditions.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1991

An adjustment method for spinal cord stimulators based on simplified gait analysis (1).

The use of electrical stimulators, for pain relief, spasticity reduction, and other applications, is greatly increasing; the programming facilities of the new devices extend the application range and allow to reduce the manufacturing costs. On the other side it is necessary to define methodologies and protocols for a custom setting of these devices. This work, although for only one patient, is a proposal for a methodology, based on a simplified gait analysis, for the adjustment of a spinal cord electrical stimulator.

Electric Stimulation Therapy↗
PubMed1990

Benzyladenine induces the appearance of LHCP-mRNA and of the relevant protein in dark-grown excised watermelon cotyledons.

Cotyledons were excised from imbibed watermelon seeds, grown for 4 days in darkness on water or 10 microM benzyladenine (BA) and then tested for the presence of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (LHCP) and its mRNA. LHCP was assayed immunologically by western blotting of SDS gels: the protein was present in plastids, but it was not recovered with the thylakoid fraction. Antibodies directed against LHCP precipitated a 32 kDa polypeptide from translation products of poly(A) RNA of cotyledons only if these had been grown on BA. Taken together the data suggest that in absence of light cytokinins are necessary for the maintenance of a detectable level of LHCP-mRNA as well as for synthesis of the protein.

Adenine↗
PubMed1990

A flexible FFT algorithm for processing biomedical signals using a personal computer.

The aim was to demonstrate the possibility of using personal computer PC-DOS (or generally MS-DOS) for real-time (or quasi real-time) biomedical signal processing by adding a simple A/D conversion card and the mathematical coprocessor XXX87. We have realized an assembly written fast Fourier transform (FFT) routine derived from a radix-4 algorithm, which is autogenerated, i.e. an algorithm modified by another algorithm running off-line according to the number of FFT points. The program is implemented as a subroutine to be called upon by high-level language in different procedures. This approach reduces the computational time, which is particularly useful when many Fourier transforms on different data arrays are required. Reported here are two different applications of the routine as applied to the spectral analysis of Doppler ultrasound velocimetry and surface electromyography.

Algorithms↗