Presenting Morphing Shape Illusion: Enhanced Sense of Morphing Virtual Object With Weight Shifting VR Controller by Computational Perception Model.

The haptic sensation is crucial for virtual reality, as it gives the presence of objects in a virtual world and thus gives a greater sense of immersion. To provide a sense of the shape of handheld objects, a haptic device that changes weight distribution is proposed. It is known that the visual feedback enhances the haptic sensation of shape, and it is also known that it does for morphing shape as well.

Increased gene expression of collagen Types I and III is inhibited by beta-receptor blockade in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Aims: To elucidate the cellular mechanisms of cardioprotection of beta-blockers in patients with heart failure, we investigated the effects of beta-blockers on collagen synthesis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods And Results: We examined the gene expression before and 4 months after the administration of a beta-blocker in 17 DCM patients. The messenger ribonucleic acid expression of collagen Types I and III (Col I and III) and transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) of right ventricular tissues obtained by the endomyocardial biopsy were assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Effects of carvedilol on plasma B-type natriuretic peptide concentration and symptoms in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

Although the benefits of carvedilol in patients with heart failure and depressed ejection fraction (EF) have been elucidated, those in patients with preserved EF are not understood. We enrolled 40 patients with mild or moderate heart failure and EF >/=45%. They were randomly assigned to carvedilol (n = 19) or conventional therapy (n = 21).

Angiographic classification of coronary dissections after plain old balloon angioplasty for prediction of regression at follow-up.

Coronary dissection after plain old balloon angioplasty often shows regression during follow-up. This study sought to determine whether we can predict such phenomenon angiographically. We analyzed 64 patients with 71 type B-D coronary dissections determined by the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) criteria.

Beneficial application of quantitative coronary angiography (edge detection algorithm) in analysis of dissected coronary arteries to predict long-term patency.

The present study evaluated the application of quantitative coronary angiography (edge detection algorithm) for the analysis of coronary dissection lesions after balloon angioplasty. Acute and late results were obtained by the edge detection algorithm in 60 patients with 66 dissected lesions (NHLBI types B-C). The edge detection algorithm delineated the border of the true lumen in 32 lesions (group with automated analysis alone, 48.