Novel (2E,4E,6Z)-7-(2-alkoxy-3,5-dialkylbenzene)-3-methylocta-2,4,6-trienoic acid retinoid X receptor modulators are active in models of type 2 diabetes.

Previous data have shown that RXR-selective agonists (e.g., 3 and 4) are insulin sensitizers in rodent models of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Effects of meal size, meal type, body temperature, and body size on the specific dynamic action of the marine toad, Bufo marinus.

Specific dynamic action (SDA), the accumulated energy expended on all physiological processes associated with meal digestion, is strongly influenced by features of both the meal and the organism. We assessed the effects of meal size, meal type, body temperature, and body size on the postprandial metabolic response and calculated SDA of the marine toad, Bufo marinus. Peak postprandial rates of O(2) consumption (.

Simulations of tonotopically mapped speech processors for cochlear implant electrodes varying in insertion depth.

It has been claimed that speech recognition with a cochlear implant is dependent on the frequency alignment of analysis bands in the speech processor with characteristic frequencies (CFs) at electrode locations. However, the most apical electrode location can often have a CF of 1 kHz or more. The use of filters aligned in frequency to relatively basal electrode arrays leads to the loss of lower frequency speech information.

Spectral and temporal cues to pitch in noise-excited vocoder simulations of continuous-interleaved-sampling cochlear implants.

Four-band and single-band noise-excited vocoders were used in acoustic simulations to investigate spectral and temporal cues to melodic pitch in the output of a cochlear implant speech processor. Noise carriers were modulated by amplitude envelopes extracted by half-wave rectification and low-pass filtering at 32 or 400 Hz. The four-band, but not the single-band processors, may preserve spectral correlates of fundamental frequency (F0).

Effective communication in health care: exploring the skills of the teachers.

Following the growing commitment to teach communication skills in health care, a project was designed to identify a group of Health Professionals with a responsibility for teaching communication skills in Health Care. This group would have their communication skills assessed, using positive feedback, and attend workshops to improve both their communication and teaching skills. Four key tutors were recruited to the study and were each asked to identify a further three tutors, in their own geographical area, to form a "cell".

Effects of the number of channels and speech-to-noise ratio on rate of connected discourse tracking through a simulated cochlear implant speech processor.

Objective: To investigate the effects of number of channels and speech-to-noise ratio on connected discourse tracking (CDT) through simulations of cochlear implant speech processing. Previous studies have used citation-form vowel and consonant materials or simple sentences. CDT rates were expected to be less likely to be limited by ceiling effects and more representative of everyday speech communication.

Innovation and regulation in human implant technologies: developing comparative approaches.

Human implant technologies are subject to continual innovation and proliferation, raising important issues for technology testing, healthcare sciences, clinical performance and risk assessment, and regulation. The regulatory environment of medical devices is being shaped by harmonisation of standards in the European Union. The aim of this paper is to compare the histories and current regulatory environment of two technologies, breast implants and artificial hips, and to consider the implications of this comparison for a sociological healthcare research agenda to investigate the issues raised.

Effects of the salience of pitch and periodicity information on the intelligibility of four-channel vocoded speech: implications for cochlear implants.

Recent simulations of continuous interleaved sampling (CIS) cochlear implant speech processors have used acoustic stimulation that provides only weak cues to pitch, periodicity, and aperiodicity, although these are regarded as important perceptual factors of speech. Four-channel vocoders simulating CIS processors have been constructed, in which the salience of speech-derived periodicity and pitch information was manipulated. The highest salience of pitch and periodicity was provided by an explicit encoding, using a pulse carrier following fundamental frequency for voiced speech, and a noise carrier during voiceless speech.

A selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) modulator blocks adipocyte differentiation but stimulates glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) agonists such as the thiazolidinediones are insulin sensitizers used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These compounds induce adipogenesis in cell culture models and increase weight gain in rodents and humans. We have identified a novel PPARgamma ligand, LG100641, that does not activate PPARgamma but selectively and competitively blocks thiazolidinedione-induced PPARgamma activation and adipocyte conversion.

Non-aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Objectives: To determine whether there is a difference in the relative efficacy of individual non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when used in the management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Search Strategy: We searched Medline (1966-1995) and Bids Embase (Jan-Dec, 1980-1995). The searches were limited to publications in the English language, and were last perfomed in November 1996.

General practitioners' use of computers during the consultation.

This study documents the extent of reported computer use by general practitioners (GPs) in consultations with patients, and identifies barriers to their use. There was a 65% response rate from a random sample of 600 GPs in the South and West National Health Service (NHS) region who were sent a questionnaire. Ninety-one per cent (357) had a desktop computer terminal in their consulting rooms.

General practitioners' use of guidelines in the consultation and their attitudes to them.

Background: There is concern about the apparent lack of uptake of management and referral guideline information by general practitioners (GPs) in their day-to-day consultations with patients. Little is understood about the barriers to the uptake of guidelines as perceived by GPs.

Aims: To explore how GPs gain access to and use guidelines, including computer-based guidelines, in day-to-day consultations with their patients; and to identify the perceived problems and barriers to the use of guidelines in such situations.

Adaptation by normal listeners to upward spectral shifts of speech: implications for cochlear implants.

Multi-channel cochlear implants typically present spectral information to the wrong "place" in the auditory nerve array, because electrodes can only be inserted partway into the cochlea. Although such spectral shifts are known to cause large immediate decrements in performance in simulations, the extent to which listeners can adapt to such shifts has yet to be investigated. Here, the effects of a four-channel implant in normal listeners have been simulated, and performance tested with unshifted spectral information and with the equivalent of a 6.

Contributions of temporal encodings of voicing, voicelessness, fundamental frequency, and amplitude variation to audio-visual and auditory speech perception.

Auditory and audio-visual speech perception was investigated using auditory signals of invariant spectral envelope that temporally encoded the presence of voiced and voiceless excitation, variations in amplitude envelope and F0. In experiment 1, the contribution of the timing of voicing was compared in consonant identification to the additional effects of variations in F0 and the amplitude of voiced speech. In audio-visual conditions only, amplitude variation slightly increased accuracy globally and for manner features.

Changes in plasma and milk concentrations of glucose and IGF-1 in response to exogenous growth hormone in lactating goats.

Exogenous growth hormone was administered subcutaneously to five lactating goats during the post-peak period of lactation. Milk yields increased significantly by approximately 20% in response to growth hormone. Blood and milk samples were taken in the periods before, during and after growth hormone treatment.

The LPP1 and DPP1 gene products account for most of the isoprenoid phosphate phosphatase activities in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Two genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, LPP1 and DPP1, with homology to a mammalian phosphatidic acid (PA) phosphatase were identified and disrupted. Neither single nor combined deletions resulted in growth or secretion phenotypes. As observed previously (Toke, D.

Insulin secretion and intestinal peptides during lactation in sheep.

Intravenous infusions of glucose and/or glucagon-like peptide-1(7-36)-amide (GLP) or somatostatin-28 (S28) were administered to dry and lactating sheep and changes in plasma glucose and serum insulin were followed before, during and after infusion. Basal serum insulin concentrations were significantly lower in lactating sheep but there was no significant difference in plasma glucose concentrations. During glucose infusion, changes in serum insulin concentrations were diminished by comparison with those in dry animals.

Obstacles on the path to a primary-care led National Health Service: complexities of outpatient care.

An interpretive qualitative study was carried out as part of a large cohort study of factors affecting outpatient re-attendance. Individuals from three groups involved in the provision of care across the primary-secondary interface were interviewed: patients, general practitioners and consultants. The aim was to explore understandings concerning referral to and re-attendance at outpatients, and to elicit detailed descriptions of the complexities of the outpatient experience for both providers and recipients of care at the primary/secondary interface, given the policy commitment to a 'primary-care led National Health Service'.