Flashing characters with famous faces improves ERP-based brain-computer interface performance.

Currently, the event-related potential (ERP)-based spelling device, often referred to as P300-Speller, is the most commonly used brain-computer interface (BCI) for enhancing communication of patients with impaired speech or motor function. Among numerous improvements, a most central feature has received little attention, namely optimizing the stimulus used for eliciting ERPs. Therefore we compared P300-Speller performance with the standard stimulus (flashing characters) against performance with stimuli known for eliciting particularly strong ERPs due to their psychological salience, i.e. flashing familiar faces transparently superimposed on characters. Our results not only indicate remarkably increased ERPs in response to familiar faces but also improved P300-Speller performance due to a significant reduction of stimulus sequences needed for correct character classification. These findings demonstrate a promising new approach for improving the speed and thus fluency of BCI-enhanced communication with the widely used P300-Speller.

[Internet therapy for ICD-patients]. / Internettherapie für ICD-Patienten.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) are increasingly used for the prevention of potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias due to their confirmed superior medical efficiency. Nevertheless, ICD-patients often suffer from psychosocial problems, e.g., anxiety and depression. These issues are rarely addressed in routine medical follow-up care. Due to the limited mobility of many ICD-patients, Internet-based care may be ideal for delivering psychosocial care to patients in their homes. Our pilot study and case studies illustrate prospects and challenges of this approach. We developed icd-forum.de, a 6-week internet-based prevention program that provides a platform for information, a virtual self-help group, and a professionally moderated chat room in order to help decrease anxiety and to improve quality of life. A critical evaluation in the context of other published studies on the subject allows recommendations for the implementation of future internet-based psychosocial programs for ICD-patients to be deduced. It is the authors' opinion that such programs offer advantages specifically for heart failure patients and they recommend their broader use. Prior to this, conclusive evaluation studies are needed.

Cutaneous uptake of 14C-HD vapor by the hairless guinea pig.

The hairless guinea pig (HGP) is used by our laboratory to model the human cutaneous response to sulfur mustard (HD), bis(2-chloroethylsulfide), exposure. We determined the HD content in the skin of HGP after a 7-min exposure to vapors saturated with a mixture of HD and 14C-HD. Concentration/time (CT) values in the range of 2 micrograms/cm2/min were determined by counting skin 14C disintegrations per min (dpm) in animals euthanized immediately after exposure. These values are similar to human penetration rates obtained by other investigators. A rate curve monitoring the reduction in skin 14C dpm was developed for animals euthanized between 0 and 24 hr post- exposure. This curve showed the greatest change after 1 hr. The epidermal (62%) to dermal (38%) ratio of 14C at 24 hr was measured for two animals. We saw no site preference for HD penetration among the 8 sites used. The 14C content of template adhesive tape was determined to follow HD distribution. These results contribute to a better understanding of the cutaneous response to HD in the HGP model.