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Objectives: To assess the improvement in quality of life and complication rates in patients undergoing great saphenous vein (GSV) stripping using two different techniques. Design: A single centre prospective randomised trial. Patients and methods: 160 patients with primary varicose veins and GSV incompetence were randomised to either conventional stripping or cryostripping combined with phlebectomy of varices. Quality of life was assessed as the primary outcome measure prior to surgery and 6 months later, using the SF-36 questionnaire. Operative data, pain score and procedure related complications were evaluated as secondary outcome measures. We assessed the area of bruising and symptoms attributable to saphenous nerve injury. Results: The number of completely analysed patients was 77 in the conventional stripping group and 69 in the cryostripping group. When comparing the preoperative SF-36 scores to the results after 6 months, there was an improvement in all eight domains, which reached statistical significance in six domains in both groups. The mean area of bruising measured in the thigh was significantly greater in the conventional stripping group (161 S.D. 63cm2 versus 123 S.D. 52cm2, p =0.010, Student''s t test). The number of patients with paraesthesia due to saphenous nerve injury was numerically lower in the cryostripping group at one week [15 (22%), versus 28 (34%), N.S.] but no difference was observed at 6 months. Postoperative pain score evaluation in the evening and 24 hours after the operation revealed no significant difference. Conclusions: The study confirmed significant improvement in quality of life measured by SF-36 questionnaire after both conventional and cryostripping with no difference between the two stripping techniques. Cryostripping results in less bruising than conventional stripping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to the worldwide expansion of interest in the web in the past few years, a new strategy for application development has appeared in the information technology world: web modeling. This strategy covers the whole process of developing web applications and places emphasis on designing user interfaces, as well. Web modeling uses XML as description language which is suitable for defining markup languages. In business application XML needs a document object model (DOM) for accessing and managing data.Nowadays, the majority of applications interact with the user with the help of graphics user interfaces (GUIs). Such an interface is a composition of windows, buttons, listboxes, textfields, etc. This composition is static, which may be suitable for a number of applications but is not the best for data-intensive applications since they may need to alter GUI at runtime depending on data change over time.XUL is one way for doing that, and another one is DIGBE. We propose a new, XML-based solution: graphics user interface markup language (GUIML) is a platform and programming language neutral way of describing user interfaces using DOM for accessing UI definition. A GUIML document contains the definition of a user interface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The complexation behavior of malvidin with ellagic and caffeic acid and ferrous and ferric ions was studied in model wine solutions by means of experimental photoluminescence studies and model calculations. Our results show the significant role of caffeic acid in the anthocyanin–polyphenol interaction (also known as copigmentation). According to our results in the presence of caffeic acid the impact of ferrous and ferric ions is negligible. These results also highlight the less important role of ellagic acid compared to caffeic acid in the formation of copigmentation complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]