OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to test and compare the efficacy of software developed recently for digital subtraction radiography (DSR) in vivo. METHODS An algorithm performing both manual and automated image reconstructions and contrast correction was developed for the manipulation of radiographic images. Pre- and post-operative radiographic images of ten patients were obtained and th...

BACKGROUND A number of instruments have been developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL), differing in the health domains covered and their scoring. Although few such measures have been consistently included in US national health surveys over time, the surveys have included data on a broad range of symptoms and impairments, which enables the tracking of population health trends....

Chronic itch affects millions of patients worldwide and has a significant impact on quality of life. The assessment of itch and its associated effects is a significant component of clinical practice in itch management. Despite itch being a common complaint, there are few studies describing the use of structured questionnaires for evaluation and measurement of itch and its sensory and affective ...

OBJECTIVES The well-being and physical function among patients with ALS and their next of kin was studied over time. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-five patients with ALS and their next of kin were studied with respect to physical, general and psychological well-being by the visual analogue scale (VAS) every 4-6 months. Physical function in patients was rated by the ALSFRS-R and the Norris scal...

This is a prospective study aimed to compare the results of stapled hemorrhoidopexy with LigaSure Haemorrhoidectomy. This study included 50 patients who were divided into 25 patients underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy and 25 patients underwent LigaSure Haemorrhoidectomy. Operat ion t ime and postoperative progress was assessed. Postoperative pain was assessed using visual analogue scale. Patient...

BACKGROUND There is level II evidence that volunteers prefer the single subcutaneous injection in the midline of the proximal phalanx with lidocaine and epinephrine (SIMPLE) finger block over the classic two dorsal injection block technique. The purpose of this study was to possibly further decrease the pain of digital block injection by examining the effect of the duration of injection on the ...

This study was designed to correlate entertainment of clown-doctors (CD) activities on hospitalized children and aphysiological bio-marker. For this purpose we collected saliva samples and verified children satisfaction with these activities by using a visual analog scale (VAS). Children from 6 to 7 years-old, with diagnosis of any acute pathology, interned in the Pediatric Ward of the Botucatu...

In this paper we explore a relational understanding of landscape qualities. We asked three independent groups of human observers to assess the expressive qualities of a range of landscapes in the UK and in Spain, either by means of personal visits or from a projected digital image. We employed a Free Choice Profiling (FCP) methodology, in which observers generated their own descriptive terminol...

This paper introduces the Visual Sort and Rate (VSR) method which can be utilized for perceptual rating of sound stimuli. The method facilitates comparing similar stimuli, thus making the rank ordering of the stimuli easier. To examine the potential benefits of the method, it was compared with two other methods for perceptual rating of audio stimuli. The first method was a straightforward compu...

BACKGROUND It has been argued that visual analog scales (VASs) elicit an individual's measurable value function. The theoretical link between an individual's measurable value function v(.) and his or her von Neumann-Morgenstem utility function u(.) appears to provide a justification for transforming VAS scores into standard gamble (SG) utilities. However, VAS scores have been found to be subjec...