A field‐sequential‐color display with a local‐primary‐desaturation backlight scheme

Abstract— Field‐sequential‐color technology eliminates the need for color filters in liquid‐crystal displays (LCDs) and results in significant power savings and higher resolution. But the LCD suffers from color breakup, which degrades image quality and limits practical applications. By controlling the backlight temporally and spatially, a so‐called local‐primary‐desaturation (LPD) backlight scheme was developed and implemented in a 180‐Hz optically compensated bend (OCB) mode LCD equipped with a backlight consisting of a matrix of light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). It restores image quality by suppressing color breakup and saves power because it has no color filter and uses local dimming. A perceptual experiment was implemented for verification, and the results showed that a field‐sequential‐color display with a local‐primary‐desaturation backlight reduced the color breakup from very annoying to not annoying and even invisible.     

Probiotics: towards demonstrating efficacy

PROBDEMO, a multi-centre European research project, began in 1996 with the aim of demonstrating that probiotic micro-organisms can positively effect human health in rigorously conducted human clinical studies. These studies, now completed, have shown that some probiotics can influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota and modulate the host immune system with measurable benefits to health, including the control of atopic eczema in infants with food allergy. Considerable promise was also demonstrated for the use of selected probiotics in controlling inflammatory bowel disease, and infections in children and the elderly. The scientific approaches to selecting and evaluating probiotics that were demonstrated in the PROBDEMO project provide a model for food manufacturers to move further towards demonstrating efficacy for their probiotic products.     

Principles developed for the construction of the high performance, low-cost superconducting LHC corrector magnets

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) needs more than 6000 superconducting corrector magnets. These must be sufficiently powerful, have enough margin, be compact and of low cost. The development of the 11 types of magnets was spread over several years and included the magnetic and mechanical design as well as prototype building and testing. It gradually led to the systematic application of a number of interesting construction principles that allow to realize the above mentioned goals. The paper describes the techniques developed and presently used in practically all the LHC corrector magnets ranging from dipoles to dodecapoles.     

Ability of Bifidobacterium strains with acquired resistance to bile to adhere to human intestinal mucus

The hydrophobicity and capacity to adhere to human intestinal mucus of Bifidobacterium strains with acquired resistance to bile were assessed and compared with those of their more sensitive original strains. The resistant variants used were previously obtained [Int. J. Food Microbiol. 82 (2003) 191; Int. J. Food Microbiol. 94 (2004) 79] by progressive adaptation of originally more sensitive strains to gradually increasing concentrations of bile. In five out of the seven groups of original and bile-resistant variants tested the resistant strains showed higher adhesion levels to human mucus (range between 1.4- and 4-fold) than their corresponding original strains. However, in the presence of physiologic concentrations of bile (0.3%, w/v) the adhesion level of all Bifidobacterium strains dropped between 7% and 74%, depending on the strain. In spite of this, the adhesion capability of three bile-resistant variants remained higher than that of their originals. Hydrophobicity evidenced considerable variability; in four out of the seven bile-resistant strains it was higher than in the original strains, although no direct correlation between adhesion and hydrophobicity could be established. It was concluded that the acquisition of bile resistance by our Bifidobacterium strains promoted changes in hydrophobicity and in the adhesion of these microorganisms to human intestinal mucus.     

Relationships between injuries at work and during leisure time

The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between injuries at work and during leisure time. Three independent but similar data sets based on the National Work and Health Survey were analyzed. A total of 2156 subjects participated this study in 1997, 2053 subjects in 2000, and 2335 subjects in 2003. In the interview the subjects reported their accidents at work, which had caused at least minor injury during the past 12 months. Workers involved in work injuries were significantly more often involved in leisure-time injuries (p<0.05). Less than 1% of the subjects were involved in both injuries at work and during leisure time during the past 12 months. We can conclude that involving in work injuries could increase the risk of leisure-time injuries.     

Chemical, physical and enzymatic pre-treatments of probiotic lactobacilli alter their adhesion to human intestinal mucus glycoproteins

Intestinal mucus glycoproteins extracted from faeces of healthy adult subjects were used as a substratum for bacterial adhesion to investigate the effects of physical, chemical and enzymatic pre-treatments of the bacteria on their adhesion. The strains studied were Lactobacillus acidophilus 1 (LCI, Nestlé), L. rhamnosus strain GG (ATCC 53103), L. rhamnosus LC-705, and L. casei strain Shirota (Yakult, Yakult Ltd). Hereafter the strains are referred to as LA1, LGG, LC-705, and Shirota, respectively. Strains LA1 and LGG adhered greatly whereas the adhesion of strains LC-705 and Shirota to intestinal mucus glycoproteins was low. Adhesion of LA1 and LGG was reduced by boiling, autoclaving and by pepsin and trypsin treatments suggesting that the bacterial protein structures are essential for their adhesion. Treatment in ethanol and in propanol prior to adhesion significantly increased the adhesion of LA1 and LC-705, respectively. Adhesion of Shirota strain was not altered by any of the treatments.     

Fluorescein-labelled dextrans as tracer substance for experimental angiograms. Short communication

In a R-wave-inhibited pulse generator, an increased interval between pacing artifacts giving an apparently slow rate was not indicative of impending battery failure in two patients. The pacing artifacts appeared as a tag-along phenomenon following a slow idioventricular rhythm as the result of an exit block due to (1) hyperkalemia and (2) perielectrode fibrosis. Simple tests demonstrated a normally functioning R-wave sensing circuit and pacemaker.     

Arsenic removal by native and chemically modified lactic acid bacteria

Arsenic in drinking water is a major health problem globally. Simple, novel methods are needed for its removal from water, especially in rural areas. For this purpose, the potential of different microbes in toxin and heavy metal removal from water has gained interest. This study focused on the arsenic removal capacity of three Lactobacillus strains in their native and chemically modified forms. Both native and methylated forms of all three strains were not efficient in arsenic removal. Aminated Lactobacillus casei DSM20011 was observed to remove As(V) but not As(III) in water. Removal was fast, dependent on pH and As(V) concentration. The highest removal percentage 38.1+/-9.0% was observed at the lowest As(V) concentration (100 microg/l) studied at pH 7. The maximum As(V) removal capacity, calculated from Langmuir isotherm, was 312+/-68 microg As(V)/g dry biomass. Interactions between As(V) and the bacteria were weak, demonstrated by release of removed As(V) when contact time was prolonged. Desorption with 1.5 mM HNO3 and NaOH released all bound As(V) indicating that removal occurred at the bacterial surface.     

Human Studies on Probiotics: What Is Scientifically Proven

ABSTRACT: New knowledge has revealed that probiotics have specific properties and targets in the human intestinal tract. It is also understood that each probiotic strain, independent of the genera and species, is unique and the properties of each strain have to be assessed in a case-by-case manner. Human intervention studies are required for verification of probiotic properties. The basis of probiotics lies in the normal intestinal microbiota. The concept of healthy gut microbiota can be used in terms of preventing, correcting, and dietary manipulation of potential microbiota aberrancies. This is reflected in the search of probiotics with disease-specific properties. The effects of GI tract conditions, such as pH, bile, and digestive enzymes, on the survival and adhesion properties of probiotic bacteria have been documented. Various bacteria show different levels of tolerance to the GI conditions. Adhesion on intestinal surface lengthens the retention time of a probiotic, and it is particularly important for the small intestine. The residence time of material in the small intestine is relatively short. Such properties need to be clearly defined for probiotic microbes discovered in the future. An effective probiotic should reside at desirable target sites sufficiently long at sufficient concentrations to elicit probiotic effects. More research on the assessment of desirable dosages is urgently needed.