WorldWideScience

Sample records for underlying spontaneous recovery

  1. Spontaneous acute spinal subdural hematoma: spontaneous recovery from severe paraparesis--case report and review.

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    Payer, Michael; Agosti, Reto

    2010-11-01

    Spontaneous idiopathic acute spinal subdural hematomas are highly exceptional. Neurological symptoms are usually severe, and rapid diagnosis with MRI is mandatory. Surgical evacuation has frequently been used therapeutically; however, spontaneous recovery in mild cases has also been reported. We present a case of spontaneous recovery from severe paraparesis after spontaneous acute SSDH, and review the English-speaking literature.

  2. Rapid and spontaneous recovery in autistic disorder

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    Sitholey, Prabhat; Agarwal, Vivek; Pargaonkar, Amol

    2009-01-01

    Recovery in autistic disorder is rare. There are few reports of recovery from autistic disorder after a few years of therapeutic intervention. We report here a case of autistic disorder who recovered spontaneously without any intervention in 13 days.

  3. Spontaneous Recovery After Extinction of the Conditioned Proboscis Extension Response in the Honeybee

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    Sandoz, Jean-Christophe; Pham-Delègue, Minh-Hà

    2004-01-01

    In honeybees, the proboscis extension response (PER) can be conditioned by associating an odor stimulus (CS) to a sucrose reward (US). Conditioned responses to the CS, which are acquired by most bees after a single CS-US pairing, disappear after repeated unrewarded presentations of the CS, a process called extinction. Extinction is usually thought to be based either on (1) the disruption of the stored CS-US association, or (2) the formation of an inhibitory “CS-no US” association that is better retrieved than the initial CS-US association. The observation of spontaneous recovery, i.e., the reappearance of responses to the CS after time passes following extinction, is traditionally interpreted as a proof for the formation of a transient inhibitory association. To provide a better understanding of extinction in honeybees, we examined whether time intervals during training and extinction or the number of conditioning and extinction trials have an effect on the occurrence of spontaneous recovery. We found that spontaneous recovery mostly occurs when conditioning and testing took place in a massed fashion (1-min intertrial intervals). Moreover, spontaneous recovery depended on the time elapsed since extinction, 1 h being an optimum. Increasing the number of conditioning trials improved the spontaneous recovery level, whereas increasing the number of extinction trials reduced it. Lastly, we show that after single-trial conditioning, spontaneous recovery appears only once after extinction. These elements suggest that in honeybees extinction of the PER actually reflects the impairment of the CS-US association, but that depending on training parameters different memory substrates are affected. PMID:15466313

  4. Spontaneous recovery of effects of contrast adaptation without awareness

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    Gaoxing eMei

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Prolonged exposure to a high contrast stimulus reduces the neural sensitivity to subsequent similar patterns. Recent work has disclosed that contrast adaptation is controlled by multiple mechanisms operating over differing timescales. Adaptation to high contrast for a relatively longer period can be rapidly eliminated by adaptation to a lower contrast (or meanfield in the present study. Such rapid deadaptation presumably causes a short-term mechanism to signal for a sensitivity increase, cancelling ongoing signals from long-term mechanisms. Once deadaptation ends, the short-term mechanism rapidly returns to baseline, and the slowly decaying effects in the long-term mechanisms reemerge, allowing the perceptual aftereffects to recover during continued testing. Although this spontaneous recovery effect is considered strong evidence supporting the multiple mechanisms theory, it remains controversial whether the effect is mainly driven by visual memory established during the initial longer-term adaptation period. To resolve this debate, we used a modified Continuous Flash Suppression (CFS and visual crowding paradigms to render the adapting stimuli invisible, but still observed the spontaneous recovery phenomenon. These results exclude the possibility that spontaneous recovery found in the previous work was merely the consequence of explicit visual memory. Our findings also demonstrate that contrast adaptation, even at the unconscious processing levels, is controlled by multiple mechanisms.

  5. Inhibition of spontaneous recovery of fear by mGluR5 after prolonged extinction training.

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    Sheng-Chun Mao

    Full Text Available Fear behavior is vital for survival and involves learning contingent associations of non-threatening cues with aversive stimuli. In contrast, excessive levels of fear can be maladaptive and lead to anxiety disorders. Generally, extensive sessions of extinction training correlates with reduced spontaneous recovery. The molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term inhibition of fear recovery following repeated extinction training are not fully understood. Here we show that in rats, prolonged extinction training causes greater reduction in both fear-potentiated startle and spontaneous recovery. This effect was specifically blocked by metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5, but not by mGluR1 antagonists and by a protein synthesis inhibitor. Similar inhibition of memory recovery following prolonged extinction training was also observed in mice. In agreement with the instrumental role of mGluR5 in the prolonged inhibition of fear recovery, we found that FMR1-/- mice which exhibit enhanced mGluR5-mediated signaling exhibit lower spontaneous recovery of fear after extinction training than wild-type littermates. At the molecular level, we discovered that prolonged extinction training reversed the fear conditioning-induced increase in surface expression of GluR1, AMPA/NMDA ratio, postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95 and synapse-associated protein-97 (SAP97. Accordingly, delivery of Tat-GluR2(3Y, a synthetic peptide that blocks AMPA receptor endocytosis, inhibited prolonged extinction training-induced inhibition of fear recovery. Together, our results demonstrate that prolonged extinction training results in the mGluR5-dependent long-term inhibition of fear recovery. This effect may involve the degradation of original memory and may explain the beneficial effects of prolonged exposure therapy for the treatment of phobias.

  6. Inhibition of spontaneous recovery of fear by mGluR5 after prolonged extinction training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Sheng-Chun; Chang, Chih-Hua; Wu, Chia-Chen; Orejarena, M Juliana; Orejanera, Maria Juliana; Manzoni, Olivier J; Gean, Po-Wu

    2013-01-01

    Fear behavior is vital for survival and involves learning contingent associations of non-threatening cues with aversive stimuli. In contrast, excessive levels of fear can be maladaptive and lead to anxiety disorders. Generally, extensive sessions of extinction training correlates with reduced spontaneous recovery. The molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term inhibition of fear recovery following repeated extinction training are not fully understood. Here we show that in rats, prolonged extinction training causes greater reduction in both fear-potentiated startle and spontaneous recovery. This effect was specifically blocked by metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), but not by mGluR1 antagonists and by a protein synthesis inhibitor. Similar inhibition of memory recovery following prolonged extinction training was also observed in mice. In agreement with the instrumental role of mGluR5 in the prolonged inhibition of fear recovery, we found that FMR1-/- mice which exhibit enhanced mGluR5-mediated signaling exhibit lower spontaneous recovery of fear after extinction training than wild-type littermates. At the molecular level, we discovered that prolonged extinction training reversed the fear conditioning-induced increase in surface expression of GluR1, AMPA/NMDA ratio, postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) and synapse-associated protein-97 (SAP97). Accordingly, delivery of Tat-GluR2(3Y), a synthetic peptide that blocks AMPA receptor endocytosis, inhibited prolonged extinction training-induced inhibition of fear recovery. Together, our results demonstrate that prolonged extinction training results in the mGluR5-dependent long-term inhibition of fear recovery. This effect may involve the degradation of original memory and may explain the beneficial effects of prolonged exposure therapy for the treatment of phobias.

  7. Alcohol Ataxia Tolerance: Extinction Cues, Spontaneous Recovery, and Relapse

    OpenAIRE

    Brooks, Douglas C.

    2005-01-01

    This article reviews ethanol ataxic tolerance experiments with rats that investigate spontaneous recovery after extinction and how extinction-related cues reduce this recovery. Tolerance to the effects of many drugs including ethanol is partly the result of Pavlovian conditioning. Tolerance to the ataxic (and other) effects of ethanol depends critically upon the circumstances in which the drug is administered. Tolerance shows other characteristics common in Pavlovian conditioning, e.g.,. it c...

  8. Segregation of Spontaneous and Training Induced Recovery from Visual Field Defects in Subacute Stroke Patients

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    Douwe P. Bergsma

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Whether rehabilitation after stroke profits from an early start is difficult to establish as the contributions of spontaneous recovery and treatment are difficult to tease apart. Here, we use a novel training design to dissociate these components for visual rehabilitation of subacute stroke patients with visual field defects such as hemianopia. Visual discrimination training was started within 6 weeks after stroke in 17 patients. Spontaneous and training-induced recoveries were distinguished by training one-half of the defect for 8 weeks, while monitoring spontaneous recovery in the other (control half of the defect. Next, trained and control regions were swapped, and training continued for another 8 weeks. The same paradigm was also applied to seven chronic patients for whom spontaneous recovery can be excluded and changes in the control half of the defect point to a spillover effect of training. In both groups, field stability was assessed during a no-intervention period. Defect reduction was significantly greater in the trained part of the defect than in the simultaneously untrained part of the defect irrespective of training onset (p = 0.001. In subacute patients, training contributed about twice as much to their defect reduction as the spontaneous recovery. Goal Attainment Scores were significantly and positively correlated with the total defect reduction (p = 0.01, percentage increase reading speed was significantly and positively correlated with the defect reduction induced by training (epoch 1: p = 0.0044; epoch 2: p = 0.023. Visual training adds significantly to the spontaneous recovery of visual field defects, both during training in the early and the chronic stroke phase. However, field recovery as a result of training in this subacute phase was as large as in the chronic phase. This suggests that patients benefited primarily of early onset training by gaining access to a larger visual field sooner.

  9. Reducing spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of operant performance through extinction-cues.

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    Bernal-Gamboa, Rodolfo; Gámez, A Matías; Nieto, Javier

    2017-02-01

    It has been argued that the response recovery effects share a common mechanism. A possible way to test it is evaluating whether the techniques that impaired renewal would impair the other recovery effects as well. Two experiments with rats used a free operant procedure to explore whether an extinction-cue could prevent the spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of an extinguished lever-pressing. Both experiments consisted of four phases: Acquisition, Extinction and Test 1 and Test 2. First, all rats were trained to perform one instrumental response (R1) for food in context A, and a different instrumental response (R2) for food in context B. Then, responses were extinguished within the same context: R1 in context A and R2 in context B. Throughout this phase all rats received brief presentations of a tone (extinction-cue). In both experiments animals were tested twice. The first test was conducted immediately after the last extinction session. In this test, rats received the extinction-cue for both responses. During the second test, rats experienced the tone only for R1. In Experiment 1 rats were tested after 5days, while for Experiment 2 test 2 took place after a single session of re-exposure to the food. Both experiments showed a recovery effect (spontaneous recovery in Experiment 1 and reinstatement in Experiment 2) for both responses. However, a cue featured in extinction attenuated recovery of R1 in both experiments when presented on the test. The findings suggest that spontaneous recovery, reinstatement and renewal might share a common mechanism. In addition, the present data shows that using an extinction-cue could help to reduces relapsing of voluntary behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Dorsal hippocampus inactivation impairs spontaneous recovery of Pavlovian magazine approach responding in rats

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    Campese, Vincent D.; Delamater, Andrew R.

    2014-01-01

    Destruction or inactivation of the dorsal hippocampus (DH) has been shown to eliminate the renewal of extinguished fear [1–4]. However, it has recently been reported that the contextual control of responding to extinguished appetitive stimuli is not disrupted when the DH is destroyed or inactivated prior to tests for renewal of Pavlovian conditioned magazine approach [5]. In the present study we extend the analysis of DH control of appetitive extinction learning to the spontaneous recovery of Pavlovian conditioned magazine approach responding. Subjects were trained to associate two separate stimuli with the delivery of food and had muscimol or vehicle infused into the DH prior to a single test-session for spontaneous recovery occurring immediately following extinction of one of these stimuli, but one week following extinction of the other. While vehicle treated subjects showed more recovery to the distally extinguished stimulus than the proximal one, muscimol treated subjects failed to show spontaneous recovery to either stimulus. This result suggests that, while the DH is not involved in the control of extinction by physical contexts [5], it may be involved when time is the gating factor controlling recovery of extinguished responding. PMID:24742862

  11. Spontaneous Recovery But Not Reinstatement of the Extinguished Conditioned Eyeblink Response in the Rat

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    Thanellou, Alexandra; Green, John T.

    2011-01-01

    Reinstatement, the return of an extinguished conditioned response (CR) after reexposure to the unconditioned stimulus (US), and spontaneous recovery, the return of an extinguished CR with the passage of time, are two of four well-established phenomena which demonstrate that extinction does not erase the conditioned stimulus (CS)-US association. However, reinstatement of extinguished eyeblink CRs has never been demonstrated and spontaneous recovery of extinguished eyeblink CRs has not been systematically demonstrated in rodent eyeblink conditioning. In Experiment 1, US reexposure was administered 24 hours prior to a reinstatement test. In Experiment 2, US reexposure was administered 5 min prior to a reinstatement test. In Experiment 3, a long, discrete cue (a houselight), present in all phases of training and testing, served as a context within which each trial occurred to maximize context processing, which in other preparations has been shown to be required for reinstatement. In Experiment 4, an additional group was included that received footshock exposure, rather than US reexposure, between extinction and test, and contextual freezing was measured prior to test. Spontaneous recovery was robust in Experiments 3 and 4. In Experiment 4, context freezing was strong in a group given footshock exposure but not in a group given eyeshock US reexposure. There was no reinstatement observed in any experiment. With stimulus conditions that produce eyeblink conditioning and research designs that produce reinstatement in other forms of classical conditioning, we observed spontaneous recovery but not reinstatement of extinguished eyeblink CRs. This suggests that reinstatement, but not spontaneous recovery, is a preparation- or substrate-dependent phenomenon. PMID:21517145

  12. Early MR abnormality indicating functional recovery from spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

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    Fumeya, Hiroshi; Hideshima, Hiroshi [Hideshima Hospital, Musashino, Tokyo (Japan)

    1991-10-01

    Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as an indicator of recovery from hemiparesis was evaluated in 60 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. T{sub 2}-weighted MR images revealed early MR abnormality (EMA) of the corticospinal tract within 1 week of ictus. Most patients without EMA recovered beyond Brunnstrom's Recovery Stage 3 while only a few patients with EMA did so. Patients with EMA cannot regain motor function because EMA is almost always followed by complete tract degeneration. EMA in the brainstem and poor motor function recovery are closely correlated. (author).

  13. Early MR abnormality indicating functional recovery from spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

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    Fumeya, Hiroshi; Hideshima, Hiroshi (Hideshima Hospital, Musashino, Tokyo (Japan))

    1991-10-01

    Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as an indicator of recovery from hemiparesis was evaluated in 60 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. T{sub 2}-weighted MR images revealed early MR abnormality (EMA) of the corticospinal tract within 1 week of ictus. Most patients without EMA recovered beyond Brunnstrom's Recovery Stage 3 while only a few patients with EMA did so. Patients with EMA cannot regain motor function because EMA is almost always followed by complete tract degeneration. EMA in the brainstem and poor motor function recovery are closely correlated. (author).

  14. Activation of Akt/FKHR in the medulla oblongata contributes to spontaneous respiratory recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury in adult rats.

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    Felix, M S; Bauer, S; Darlot, F; Muscatelli, F; Kastner, A; Gauthier, P; Matarazzo, V

    2014-09-01

    After incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), patients and animals may exhibit some spontaneous functional recovery which can be partly attributed to remodeling of injured neural circuitry. This post-lesion plasticity implies spinal remodeling but increasing evidences suggest that supraspinal structures contribute also to the functional recovery. Here we tested the hypothesis that partial SCI may activate cell-signaling pathway(s) at the supraspinal level and that this molecular response may contribute to spontaneous recovery. With this aim, we used a rat model of partial cervical hemisection which injures the bulbospinal respiratory tract originating from the medulla oblongata of the brainstem but leads to a time-dependent spontaneous functional recovery of the paralyzed hemidiaphragm. We first demonstrate that after SCI the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is activated in the medulla oblongata of the brainstem, resulting in an inactivation of its pro-apoptotic downstream target, forkhead transcription factor (FKHR/FOXO1A). Retrograde labeling of medullary premotoneurons including respiratory ones which project to phrenic motoneurons reveals an increased FKHR phosphorylation in their cell bodies together with an unchanged cell number. Medulla infusion of the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, prevents the SCI-induced Akt and FKHR phosphorylations and activates one of its death-promoting downstream targets, Fas ligand. Quantitative EMG analyses of diaphragmatic contractility demonstrate that the inhibition of medulla PI3K/Akt signaling prevents spontaneous respiratory recovery normally observed after partial cervical SCI. Such inhibition does not however affect either baseline contractile frequency or the ventilatory reactivity under acute respiratory challenge. Together, these findings provide novel evidence of supraspinal cellular contribution to the spontaneous respiratory recovery after partial SCI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Spontaneous recovery of locomotion induced by remaining fibers after spinal cord transection in adult rats.

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    You, Si-Wei; Chen, Bing-Yao; Liu, Hui-Ling; Lang, Bing; Xia, Jie-Lai; Jiao, Xi-Ying; Ju, Gong

    2003-01-01

    A major issue in analysis of experimental results after spinal cord injury is spontaneous functional recovery induced by remaining nerve fibers. The authors investigated the relationship between the degree of locomotor recovery and the percentage and location of the fibers that spared spinal cord transection. The spinal cords of 12 adult rats were transected at T9 with a razor blade, which often resulted in sparing of nerve fibers in the ventral spinal cord. The incompletely-transected animals were used to study the degree of spontaneous recovery of hindlimb locomotion, evaluated with the BBB rating scale, in correlation to the extent and location of the remaining fibers. Incomplete transection was found in the ventral spinal cord in 42% of the animals. The degree of locomotor recovery was highly correlated with the percentage of the remaining fibers in the ventral and ventrolateral funiculi. In one of the rats, 4.82% of remaining fibers in unilateral ventrolateral funiculus were able to sustain a certain recovery of locomotion. Less than 5% of remaining ventrolateral white matter is sufficient for an unequivocal motor recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury. Therefore, for studies with spinal cord transection, the completeness of sectioning should be carefully checked before any conclusion can be reached. The fact that the degree of locomotor recovery is correlated with the percentage of remaining fibers in the ventrolateral spinal cord, exclusive of most of the descending motor tracts, may imply an essential role of propriospinal connections in the initiation of spontaneous locomotor recovery.

  16. Acute, but not chronic, exposure to d-cycloserine facilitates extinction and modulates spontaneous recovery of a conditioned taste aversion.

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    Mickley, G Andrew; Remus, Jennifer L; Ramos, Linnet; Wilson, Gina N; Biesan, Orion R; Ketchesin, Kyle D

    2012-01-18

    D-cycloserine, the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor partial agonist, has been reported to facilitate the extinction of learned fears acquired in both naturalistic and laboratory settings. The current study extended this literature by evaluating the ability of either chronic or acute administrations of DCS to modulate the extinction and spontaneous recovery of a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Twenty-three hour fluid-deprived Sprague-Dawley rats acquired a strong CTA following 3 pairings of a conditioned stimulus (CS; 0.3% oral saccharin)+unconditioned stimulus [US; 81 mg/kg (i.p.) lithium chloride (LiCl)]. In separate groups of rats, we then employed 2 different extinction paradigms: (1) CS-only (CSO-EXT) in which saccharin was presented every-other day, or (2) Explicitly Unpaired (EU-EXT) in which both saccharin and LiCl were presented but on alternate days. Previous studies have indicated that the EU-EXT procedure speeds up the extinction process. Further, spontaneous recovery of a CTA emerges following CSO-EXT but the EU-EXT paradigm causes a suppression of spontaneous recovery. DCS (15 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered immediately after daily liquid presentations (saccharin or water, alternate days) during the extinction period. In an acute drug manipulation, DCS (15 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline control injections were administered for 4 days only. This was done during one of 3 different phases of extinction [i.e., static (2-5%), early dynamic (8-16%), or middle dynamic (20-40%) saccharin reacceptance]. Other animals assigned to the chronic DCS condition received daily DCS (15 mg/kg, i.p.) throughout extinction. Changes in saccharin drinking in these animals were compared to the data from rats that received no drug (saline controls). Once rats met our criterion for asymptotic extinction (90% reacceptance of the CS) they entered a 30-day latency period during which they received water for 1 h/day. The day after the completion of the latency period, a final

  17. Enhanced Oil Recovery from Oil-wet Carbonate Rock by Spontaneous Imbibition of Aqueous Surfactant Solutions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Standnes, Dag Chun

    2001-09-01

    The main theme of this thesis is an experimental investigation of spontaneous imbibition (SI) of aqueous cationic surfactant solution into oil-wet carbonate (chalk- and dolomite cores). The static imbibition process is believed to represent the matrix flow of oil and water in a fractured reservoir. It was known that aqueous solution of C{sub 12}-N(CH{sub 3}){sub 3}Br (C12TAB) was able to imbibe spontaneously into nearly oil-wet chalk material, but the underlying mechanism was not understood. The present work was therefore initiated, with the following objectives: (1) Put forward a hypothesis for the chemical mechanism underlying the SI of C12TAB solutions into oil-wet chalk material based on experimental data and (2) Perform screening tests of low-cost commercially available surfactants for their ability to displace oil by SI of water into oil-wet carbonate rock material. It is essential for optimal use of the surfactant in field application to have detailed knowledge about the mechanism underlying the SI process. The thesis also discusses some preliminary experimental results and suggests mechanisms for enhanced oil recovery from oil-wet carbonate rock induced by supply of thermal energy.

  18. Speaking-related changes in cortical functional connectivity associated with assisted and spontaneous recovery from developmental stuttering.

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    Kell, Christian A; Neumann, Katrin; Behrens, Marion; von Gudenberg, Alexander W; Giraud, Anne-Lise

    2018-03-01

    We previously reported speaking-related activity changes associated with assisted recovery induced by a fluency shaping therapy program and unassisted recovery from developmental stuttering (Kell et al., Brain 2009). While assisted recovery re-lateralized activity to the left hemisphere, unassisted recovery was specifically associated with the activation of the left BA 47/12 in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. These findings suggested plastic changes in speaking-related functional connectivity between left hemispheric speech network nodes. We reanalyzed these data involving 13 stuttering men before and after fluency shaping, 13 men who recovered spontaneously from their stuttering, and 13 male control participants, and examined functional connectivity during overt vs. covert reading by means of psychophysiological interactions computed across left cortical regions involved in articulation control. Persistent stuttering was associated with reduced auditory-motor coupling and enhanced integration of somatosensory feedback between the supramarginal gyrus and the prefrontal cortex. Assisted recovery reduced this hyper-connectivity and increased functional connectivity between the articulatory motor cortex and the auditory feedback processing anterior superior temporal gyrus. In spontaneous recovery, both auditory-motor coupling and integration of somatosensory feedback were normalized. In addition, activity in the left orbitofrontal cortex and superior cerebellum appeared uncoupled from the rest of the speech production network. These data suggest that therapy and spontaneous recovery normalizes the left hemispheric speaking-related activity via an improvement of auditory-motor mapping. By contrast, long-lasting unassisted recovery from stuttering is additionally supported by a functional isolation of the superior cerebellum from the rest of the speech production network, through the pivotal left BA 47/12. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Spontaneous Recovery of Human Spatial Memory in a Virtual Water Maze

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    Luna, David; Martínez, Héctor

    2015-01-01

    The occurrence of spontaneous recovery in human spatial memory was assessed using a virtual environment. In Experiment 1, spatial memory was established by training participants to locate a hidden platform in a virtual water maze using a set of four distal landmarks. In Experiment 2, after learning about the location of a hidden platform, the…

  20. Recovery of soil physical properties by green manure, liming, gypsum and pasture and spontaneous native species¹

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    Carolina dos Santos Batista Bonini

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Inadequate usage can degrade natural resources, particularly soils. More attention has been paid to practices aiming at the recovery of degraded soils in the last years, e.g, the use of organic fertilizers, liming and introduction of species adapted to adverse conditions. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the recovery of physical properties of a Red Latosol (Oxisol degraded by the construction of a hydroelectric power station. In the study area, a soil layer about 8m thick had been withdrawn by heavy machines leading not only to soil compaction, but resulting in high-degree degradation. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with nine treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of: 1- soil mobilization by tilling (to ensure the effect of mechanical mobilization in all treatments without planting, but growth of spontaneous vegetation; 2- Black velvet bean (Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy; 3- Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L. DC; 4- Liming + black velvet bean; 5-Liming + pigeonpea until 1994, when replaced by jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis; 6- Liming + gypsum + black velvet bean; 7- Liming + gypsum + pigeonpea until 1994, when replaced by jack bean; and two controls as reference: 8- Native Cerrado vegetation and 9- bare soil (no tilling and no planting, left under natural conditions and in this situation, without spontaneous vegetation. In treatments 1 through 7, the soil was tilled. Treatments were installed in 1992 and left unmanaged for seven years, until brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbens was planted in all plots in 1999. Seventeen years after implantation, the properties soil macroporosity, microporosity, total porosity, bulk density and aggregate stability were assessed in the previously described treatments in the soil layers 0.00-0.10; 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m, and soil Penetration Resistance and soil moisture in 0.00-0.15 and 0.15-0.30 m. The plants were evaluated for: brachiaria

  1. Improved Oil Recovery in Chalk. Spontaneous Imbibition affected by Wettability, Rock Framework and Interfacial Tension

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milter, J.

    1996-12-31

    The author of this doctoral thesis aims to improve the oil recovery from fractured chalk reservoirs, i.e., maximize the area of swept zones and their displacement efficiencies. In order to identify an improved oil recovery method in chalk, it is necessary to study wettability of calcium carbonate and spontaneous imbibition potential. The thesis contains an investigation of thin films and wettability of single calcite surfaces. The results of thin film experiments are used to evaluate spontaneous imbibition experiments in different chalk types. The chalk types were described detailed enough to permit considering the influence of texture, pore size and pore throat size distributions, pore geometry, and surface roughness on wettability and spontaneous imbibition. Finally, impacts of interfacial tension by adding anionic and cationic surfactants to the imbibing water phase are studied at different wettabilities of a well known chalk material. 232 refs., 97 figs., 13 tabs.

  2. Recovery from prolonged deep rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade: A randomized comparison of sugammadex reversal with spontaneous recovery.

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    Rahe-Meyer, N; Berger, C; Wittmann, M; Solomon, C; Abels, E A M; Rietbergen, H; Reuter, D A

    2015-07-01

    Deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) may not always be maintained to the end of surgery and the depth of block may be allowed to gradually diminish over time, particularly if reversal of NMB is not routinely performed. The current study aimed to assess recovery from deep rocuronium-induced NMB with sugammadex compared with placebo, provide data regarding the extent of residual blockade after deep rocuronium-induced NMB (placebo group), and to determine whether complete and reliable recovery could be provided by sugammadex (sugammadex group). This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, safety-assessor-blinded study in adult patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I to III. Patients with clinically relevant kidney or liver insufficiency were excluded. Anesthesia was administered as routinely practiced at each study site. Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg was administered for intubation, with maintenance doses of 0.1-0.2 mg/kg as needed. After the last rocuronium dose, at deep NMB (target depth 1-2 post-tetanic counts), patients received a single dose of sugammadex 4.0 mg/kg or placebo as randomized. The primary endpoint was time from sugammadex or placebo administration to recovery of the train-of-four (TOF) ratio to 0.9. Safety was assessed through monitoring of adverse events, vital signs and physical examination. Patients were also assessed for evidence of residual or recurrence of NMB. With this design, the study will provide data regarding the extent of residual blockade under these conditions (placebo group), and determine whether complete and reliable recovery could be provided by sugammadex (sugammadex group). Recovery to a TOF ratio of ≥ 0.9 with sugammadex was significantly faster (~ 40 times) than spontaneous recovery: geometric mean (95 % confidence interval) times were 2.2 (1.9-2.5) and 89.8 (80.1-100.7) min, respectively (p sugammadex, with median time to recovery > 1.5 h in the placebo group and one patient taking 4.8 h to achieve a

  3. Recurrent Spontaneous Pneumothorax during the Recovery Phase of ARDS Due to H1N1 Infection

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    Canan Bor

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The pregnant patients are prone to influenza A (H1N1 virus infection, which may rapidly progress to lower respiratory tract infection and subsequent respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS. Pneumothorax might develop in ARDS under mechanical ventilation. But post-ARDS pneumothorax in spontaneously breathing patient has not been reported in the literature. We report a 31-year old pregnant woman infected with influenza A (H1N1 virus and progressed to ARDS. Mechanical ventilation with high PEEP improved patient's gas exchange parameters within 3 weeks. However spontaneous pneumothorax was developed one week after she weaned off the ventilator. After successful drainage therapy, the patient was discharged. However she re-admitted to the hospital because of a recurrent pneumothorax one week later. She was discharged in good health after being treated with negative continuous pleural aspiration for 10 days. Influenza might cause severe pulmonary infection and death. In addition to diffuse alveolar damage, sub-pleural and intrapulmonary air cysts might occur in influenza-related ARDS and may lead to spontaneous pneumothorax. This complication should always be considered during the recovery period of ARDS and a long-term close follow-up is necessary.

  4. Extinction, Spontaneous Recovery and Renewal of Flavor Preferences Based on Taste-Taste Learning

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    Diaz, Estrella; De la Casa, L. G.

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents evidence of extinction, spontaneous recovery and renewal in a conditioned preferences paradigm based on taste-taste associations. More specifically, in three experiments rats exposed to a simultaneous compound of citric acid-saccharin solution showed a preference for the citric solution when the preference was measured with a…

  5. Risk factors for postpartum ovarian cysts and their spontaneous recovery or persistence in lactating dairy cows.

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    López-Gatius, F; Santolaria, P; Yániz, J; Fenech, M; López-Béjar, M

    2002-11-01

    Cystic ovarian disease is a major cause of reproductive failure and economic loss for the dairy industry. Many cysts that develop during the early postpartum period regress spontaneously. However, it is difficult to decide at what point it would be more cost effective to treat ovarian cysts than to wait for spontaneous recovery. The objective of this study was to analyze risk factors for the development of the ovarian cystic condition during early and late postpartum, and for its persistence or recovery during the pre-service period in lactating dairy cows. Using multiple logistic regression, we analyzed data derived from 873 lactating dairy cows from a single herd. An ovarian cyst was diagnosed if it was possible to observe a single follicular structure with an antrum diameter > or = 25 mm in the absence of a corpus luteum in three sonograms performed at 7-day intervals. The cystic condition was denoted as early if the cyst was diagnosed 43-49 days postpartum, and late if detected 57-63-day postpartum. Spontaneous cyst regression before 60-day postpartum was regarded as early cystic recovery. For the early cystic group, there were no significant effects of lactation number, body condition score on prepartum Day 60, at parturition or on postpartum Day 30, or of body condition loss from parturition to 30-day postpartum. Cows calving in summer were 2.6 times more likely to develop ovarian cysts than those giving birth in winter. The risk of having a cyst was 1.9 times higher in cows with an abnormal puerperium. A 1-kg increase in milk yield raised the risk of cysts by a factor of 1.05. A 1-unit increase in body condition score (scale from 1 to 5) from prepartum Day 60 to parturition increased the risk of cyst development 8.4 times. Milk production and lactation number were negatively correlated with spontaneous early cyst recovery. A 1-kg decrease in milk production increased the probability of cyst recovery by a factor of 1.06, and a 1-unit drop in lactation number

  6. Pre-adolescent and adolescent mice are less sensitive to the effects of acute nicotine on extinction and spontaneous recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutlu, Munir Gunes; Zeid, Dana; Tumolo, Jessica M; Gould, Thomas J

    2018-04-01

    Adolescence is a period of high risk for the initiation of nicotine product usage and exposure to traumatic events. In parallel, nicotine exposure has been found to age-dependently modulate acquisition of contextual fear memories; however, it is unknown if adolescent nicotine exposure alters extinction of fear related memories. Age-related differences in sensitivity to the effects of nicotine on fear extinction could increase or decrease susceptibility to anxiety disorders. In this study, we examined the effects of acute nicotine administration on extinction and spontaneous recovery of contextual fear memories in pre-adolescent (PND 23), late adolescent (PND 38), and adult (PND 53) C57B6/J mice. Mice were first trained in a background contextual fear conditioning paradigm and given an intraperitoneal injection of one of four doses of nicotine (0.045, 0.09, 0.18, or 0.36mg/kg, freebase) prior to subsequent extinction or spontaneous recovery sessions. Results indicated that all acute nicotine doses impaired extinction of contextual fear in adult mice. Late adolescent mice exhibited impaired extinction of contextual fear only following higher doses of acute nicotine, and extinction of contextual fear was unaffected by acute nicotine exposure in pre-adolescent mice. Finally, acute nicotine exposure enhanced spontaneous recovery of fear memory, but only in adult mice. Overall, our results suggest that younger mice were less sensitive to nicotine's impairing effects on extinction of contextual fear and to nicotine's enhancing effects on spontaneous recovery of contextual fear memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Clinical and Biochemical Outcomes Following EEG Neurofeedback Training in Traumatic Brain Injury in the Context of Spontaneous Recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Cathlyn N; Gupta, Rajnish K; Prabhakar, Puttachandra; Christopher, Rita; Sampath, Somanna; Thennarasu, K; Rajeswaran, Jamuna

    2017-12-01

    It has been found that reduction of posttraumatic stress symptoms is positively associated with the reduction of postconcussive symptoms. Cortisol is commonly used as a biomarker of stress. Understanding the role of posttraumatic stress and cortisol in symptom reduction has implication for neuropsychological rehabilitation particularly in the context of spontaneous recovery. The aim of the research was to study the effectiveness of EEG neurofeedback training on clinical symptoms, perceived stress, and cortisol in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients in the context of spontaneous recovery. The design was an experimental longitudinal design with the pre-post comparison. The sample comprised 60 patients with the diagnosis of TBI-30 patients in the neurofeedback training (NFT) group and 30 patients in the treatment as usual group (TAU) group. Half of the patients were recruited within 6 months of injury to study the role of spontaneous recovery and the other half were recruited in the 12 to 18 months postinjury phase. Alpha-theta training was given to the NFT group over 20 sessions. Pre and post comparisons were made on clinical symptom rating, perceived stress, and serum cortisol levels. The results indicate significant differences in symptom reporting and perceived stress between the NFT and TAU groups. Significant differences were also seen in cortisol levels with implications for the acute recovery phase. Alpha-theta NFT has a beneficial effect on symptom reduction as well as perceived stress. It also has a beneficial effect on levels of serum cortisol, corroborating these findings.

  8. Electromyographic activity associated with spontaneous functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaegi, Sibille; Schwab, Martin E; Dietz, Volker; Fouad, Karim

    2002-07-01

    This investigation was designed to study the spontaneous functional recovery of adult rats with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) at thoracic level during a time course of 2 weeks. Daily testing sessions included open field locomotor examination and electromyographic (EMG) recordings from a knee extensor (vastus lateralis, VL) and an ankle flexor muscle (tibialis anterior, TA) in the hindlimbs of treadmill walking rats. The BBB score (a locomotor score named after Basso et al., 1995, J. Neurotrauma, 12, 1-21) and various measures from EMG recordings were analysed (i.e. step cycle duration, rhythmicity of limb movements, flexor and extensor burst duration, EMG amplitude, root-mean-square, activity overlap between flexor and extensor muscles and hindlimb coupling). Directly after SCI, a marked drop in locomotor ability occurred in all rats with subsequent partial recovery over 14 days. The recovery was most pronounced during the first week. Significant changes were noted in the recovery of almost all analysed EMG measures. Within the 14 days of recovery, many of these measures approached control levels. Persistent abnormalities included a prolonged flexor burst and increased activity overlap between flexor and extensor muscles. Activity overlap between flexor and extensor muscles might be directly caused by altered descending input or by maladaptation of central pattern generating networks and/or sensory feedback.

  9. Profound differences in spontaneous long-term functional recovery after defined spinal tract lesions in the rat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, William T J; Eggers, R.; Ruitenberg, Marc J; Blits, Bas; Hamers, Frank P T; Verhaagen, J.; Boer, Gerard J

    The purpose of this study was to compare spontaneous functional recovery after different spinal motor tract lesions in the rat spinal cord using three methods of analysis, the BBB, the rope test, and the CatWalk. We transected the dorsal corticospinal tract (CSTx) or the rubrospinal tract (RSTx) or

  10. Early Recovery of Aphasia through Thrombolysis: The Significance of Spontaneous Speech.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furlanis, Giovanni; Ridolfi, Mariana; Polverino, Paola; Menichelli, Alina; Caruso, Paola; Naccarato, Marcello; Sartori, Arianna; Torelli, Lucio; Pesavento, Valentina; Manganotti, Paolo

    2018-07-01

    Aphasia is one of the most devastating stroke-related consequences for social interaction and daily activities. Aphasia recovery in acute stroke depends on the degree of reperfusion after thrombolysis or thrombectomy. As aphasia assessment tests are often time-consuming for patients with acute stroke, physicians have been developing rapid and simple tests. The aim of our study is to evaluate the improvement of language functions in the earliest stage in patients treated with thrombolysis and in nontreated patients using our rapid screening test. Our study is a single-center prospective observational study conducted at the Stroke Unit of the University Medical Hospital of Trieste (January-December 2016). Patients treated with thrombolysis and nontreated patients underwent 3 aphasia assessments through our rapid screening test (at baseline, 24 hours, and 72 hours). The screening test assesses spontaneous speech, oral comprehension of words, reading aloud and comprehension of written words, oral comprehension of sentences, naming, repetition of words and a sentence, and writing words. The study included 40 patients: 18 patients treated with thrombolysis and 22 nontreated patients. Both groups improved over time. Among all language parameters, spontaneous speech was statistically significant between 24 and 72 hours (P value = .012), and between baseline and 72 hours (P value = .017). Our study demonstrates that patients treated with thrombolysis experience greater improvement in language than the nontreated patients. The difference between the 2 groups is increasingly evident over time. Moreover, spontaneous speech is the parameter marked by the greatest improvement. Copyright © 2018 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Spontaneous Recovery from Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome to a Minimally Conscious State: Early Structural Changes Revealed by 7-T Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xufei Tan

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundDetermining the early changes of brain structure that occur from vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS to a minimally conscious state (MCS is important for developing our understanding of the processes underlying disorders of consciousness (DOC, particularly during spontaneous recovery from severe brain damage.ObjectiveThis study used a multi-modal neuroimaging approach to investigate early structural changes during spontaneous recovery from VS/UWS to MCS.MethodsThe Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R score, 24-h electroencephalography (EEG, and ultra-high field 7-T magnetic resonance imaging were used to investigate a male patient with severe brain injury when he was in VS/UWS compared to MCS. Using white matter connectometry analysis, fibers in MCS were compared with the same fibers in VS/UWS. Whole-brain analysis was used to compare all fibers showing a 10% increase in density with each other as a population.ResultsBased on connectometry analysis, the number of fibers with increased density, and the magnitude of increase in MCS compared to VS/UWS, was greatest in the area of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ, and was mostly located in the right hemisphere. These results are in accordance with the active areas observed on 24-h EEG recordings. Moreover, analysis of different fibers across the brain, showing at least a 10% increase in density, revealed that altered white matter connections with higher discriminative weights were located within or across visual-related areas, including the cuneus_R, calcarine_R, occipital_sup_R, and occipital_mid_R. Furthermore, the temporal_mid_R, which is related to the auditory cortex, showed the highest increase in connectivity to other areas. This was consistent with improvements in the visual and auditory components of the CRS-R, which were greater than other improvements.ConclusionThese results provide evidence to support the important roles for the TPJ and the visual and

  12. [EEG markers of spontaneous recovery of vertical posture in patients with consequences of severe traumatic brain injury].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhavoronkova, L A; Zharikova, A V; Maksakova, O A

    2014-01-01

    9 patients (mean age 23.6 +/- 3.15 y.o.) with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and impairment of vertical posture were included in complex clinical and EEG study during spontaneous recovery of vertical posture (VP). Patients were included in three different groups according to severity of deficit according to MPAI, FIM and MMSE scales. EEG data have been compared to those of 10 healthy volunteers (mean age 22.8 +/- 0.67 yo.). In patients with moderate brain impairment and fast recovery of VP (over 2 weeks) change of posture from sitting to standup has been accompanied by EEG-signs similar to those of healthy people. These included predominant increase of coherence in right hemisphere for majority of frequency bands, although in more complex conditions EEG of these patients showed pathological signs. In patients with more severe deficit spontaneous recovery of VP has been accompanied by "hyper-reactive" change of EEG for all frequency bands without local specificity. This finding didn't depend on side ofbrain impairment and could be considered as marker of positive dynamics of VP restoration. In patients with most severe brain impairment and deficit of functions VP didn't recover after 3 month of observation. EEG-investigation has revealed absence of reactive change of EEG during passive verticalisation. This finding can be used as marker of negative prognosis.

  13. Spaced sessions of avoidance extinction reduce spontaneous recovery and promote infralimbic cortex activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapias-Espinosa, Carles; Kádár, Elisabet; Segura-Torres, Pilar

    2018-01-15

    Extinction-based therapies (EBT) are the psychological treatments of choice for certain anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. However, some patients relapse and suffer spontaneous recovery (SR) of anxiety symptoms and persistence of avoidance behaviour, which underlines the need for improving EBT. In rats, recent evidence has highlighted the relevance of the temporal distribution of extinction sessions in reducing SR of auditory fear conditioning, although it has seldom been studied in procedures involving proactive avoidance responses, such as two-way active avoidance conditioning (TWAA). We examined whether the temporal distribution of two extinction sessions separated by 24h or 7days (contiguous versus spaced extinction paradigms, respectively), influences SR after 28days of a TWAA task. c-Fos expression, as a marker of neuronal activation, was also measured by immunohistochemistry 90min after the SR test in the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex. The temporal distribution of extinction sessions did not affect the degree of extinction learning. However, only the rats that underwent the 7-day spaced extinction paradigm maintained the level of extinction in the long term, showing no SR in TWAA. This behavioural finding was consistent with a greater number of c-Fos-labelled neurons in the infralimbic cortex in the 7-day group, and in the Lateral and Central nuclei of the amygdala in the 24-hour group. These findings show that a time-spaced extinction paradigm reduces the spontaneous recovery of active avoidance behaviour, and that this behavioural advantage appears to be related to the activation of the infralimbic cortex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Rate of spontaneous voiding recovery after acute urinary retention due to bed rest in the hospital setting in a non-urological population clinical study of the relationship between lower limbs and bladder function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Rodrigues

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives To understand the clinical relationship between lower limbs functions and the recovery of spontaneous voiding after an acute urinary retention (AUR in older patients admitted to hospitals for non-urological causes using clinical parameters. Materials and Methods 56 adult patients (32 men; mean age: 77.9 ± 8.3 and 24 women; mean age 82.1 ± 4.6 with AUR were prospectively followed with validated Physical Performance Mobility Exam (PPME instrument to evaluate the relationship between the recovery of mobility capacity and spontaneous voiding. After a short period of permanent bladder drainage patients started CIC along evaluation by PPME during hospitalization and at 7, 15, 30 60, 90, and 180 days of discharge. Mann-Whitney U, chi-square test and ANOVA tests were used. Results All patients were hospitalized for at least 15 days (Median 26.3 ± 4.1 days. Progressive improvement on mobility scale measured by PPME was observed after leaving ICU and along the initial 7 days of hospitalization but with a deterioration if hospitalization extends beyond 15 days (p<0.03. Prolonged hospital stay impairs mobility in all domains (p<0.05 except step-up and transfer skills (p<0.02 although a recovery rate on spontaneous voiding persistented. Restoration of spontaneous voiding was accompanied by improvement on mobility scale (p<0.02. Recovery of spontaneous voiding was markedly observed after discharging the hospital. All patients recovered spontaneous voiding until 6 months of follow-up. Conclusions Recovery to spontaneous voiding after acute urinary retention in the hospital setting may be anticipated by evaluation of lower limbs function measured by validated instruments.

  15. Recovery of PMOSFET NBTI under different conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Yan-Rong; Yang Yi; Cao Cheng; He Wen-Long; Zheng Xue-Feng; Hao Yue; Ma Xiao-Hua

    2015-01-01

    Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) has become a serious reliability issue, and the interface traps and oxide charges play an important role in the degradation process. In this paper, we study the recovery of NBTI systemically under different conditions in the P-type metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistor (PMOSFET), explain the various recovery phenomena, and find the possible processes of the recovery. (paper)

  16. Fundamentals of Reservoir Surface Energy as Related to Surface Properties, Wettability, Capillary Action, and Oil Recovery from Fractured Reservoirs by Spontaneous Imbibition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Norman Morrow; Herbert Fischer; Yu Li; Geoffrey Mason; Douglas Ruth; Siddhartha Seth; Zhengxin Tong; Evren Unsal; Siluni Wickramathilaka; Shaochang Wo; Peigui Yin

    2008-06-30

    The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the non-wetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

  17. FUNDAMENTALS OF RESERVOIR SURFACE ENERGY AS RELATED TO SURFACE PROPERTIES, WETTABILITY, CAPILLARY ACTION, AND OIL RECOVERY FROM FRACTURED RESERVOIRS BY SPONTANEOUS IMBIBITION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Norman R. Morrow

    2004-05-01

    The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the nonwetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

  18. FUNDAMENTALS OF RESERVOIR SURFACE ENERGY AS RELATED TO SURFACE PROPERTIES, WETTABILITY, CAPILLARY ACTION, AND OIL RECOVERY FROM FRACTURED RESERVOIRS BY SPONTANEOUS IMBIBITION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Norman R. Morrow

    2004-07-01

    The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the nonwetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

  19. Recovery of gold from hydrometallurgical leaching solution of electronic waste via spontaneous reduction by polyaniline

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanzhao Wu

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The present study is primarily designed to develop an environmentally-benign approach for the recovery of precious metals, especially gold, from the ever increasingly-discarded electronic wastes (e-waste. By coupling the metal reduction process with an increase in the intrinsic oxidation state of the aniline polymers, and the subsequent re-protonation and reduction of the intrinsically oxidized polymer to the protonated emeraldine (EM salt, polyaniline (PANi films and polyaniline coated cotton fibers are able to recover metallic gold from acid/halide leaching solutions of electronic wastes spontaneously and sustainably. The current technique, which does not require the use of extensive extracting reagents or external energy input, can recover as much as 90% of gold from the leaching acidic solutions. The regeneration of polyaniline after gold recovery, as confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, promises the continuous operation using the current approach. The as-recovered elemental gold can be further concentrated and purified by incineration in air.

  20. Pavlovian conditioned approach, extinction, and spontaneous recovery to an audiovisual cue paired with an intravenous heroin infusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Jamie; De Vries, Taco J

    2014-01-01

    Novel stimuli paired with exposure to addictive drugs can elicit approach through Pavlovian learning. While such approach behavior, or sign tracking, has been documented for cocaine and alcohol, it has not been shown to occur with opiate drugs like heroin. Most Pavlovian conditioned approach paradigms use an operandum as the sign, so that sign tracking can be easily automated. We were interested in assessing whether approach behavior occurs to an audiovisual cue paired with an intravenous heroin infusion. If so, would this behavior exhibit characteristics of other Pavlovian conditioned behaviors, such as extinction and spontaneous recovery? Rats were repeatedly exposed to an audiovisual cue, similar to that used in standard self-administration models, along with an intravenous heroin infusion. Sign tracking was measured in an automated fashion by analyzing motion pixels within the cue zone during each cue presentation. We were able to observe significant sign tracking after only five pairings of the conditioned stimulus (CS) with the unconditioned stimulus (US). This behavior rapidly extinguished over 2 days, but exhibited pronounced spontaneous recovery 3 weeks later. We conclude that sign tracking measured by these methods exhibits all the characteristics of a classically conditioned behavior. This model can be used to examine the Pavlovian component of drug memories, alone, or in combination with self-administration methods.

  1. Juvenile female rats, but not male rats, show renewal, reinstatement, and spontaneous recovery following extinction of conditioned fear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Chun Hui J; Ganella, Despina E; Kim, Jee Hyun

    2017-12-01

    Anxiety disorders emerge early, and girls are significantly more likely to develop anxiety compared to boys. However, sex differences in fear during development are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated juvenile male and female rats in the relapse behaviors following extinction of conditioned fear. In all experiments, 18-d-old rats first received three white-noise-footshock pairings on day 1. On day 2, extinction involved 60 white-noise alone trials. In experiment 1, we examined renewal by testing the rats in either the same or different context as extinction on day 3. Male rats did not show renewal, however, female rats showed renewal. Experiment 2 investigated reinstatement by giving rats either a mild reminder footshock or context exposure on day 3. When tested the next day, male rats did not show reinstatement, whereas female rats showed reinstatement. Experiment 3 investigated spontaneous recovery by testing the rats either 1 or 5 d following extinction. Male rats did not show any spontaneous recovery whereas female rats did. Taken together, fear regulation appear to be different in males versus females from early in development, which may explain why girls are more prone to suffer from anxiety disorders compared to boys. © 2017 Park et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  2. Acute Nicotine Enhances Spontaneous Recovery of Contextual Fear and Changes "c-fos" Early Gene Expression in Infralimbic Cortex, Hippocampus, and Amygdala

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutlu, Munir G.; Tumolo, Jessica M.; Holliday, Erica; Garrett, Brendan; Gould, Thomas J.

    2016-01-01

    Exposure therapy, which focuses on extinguishing fear-triggering cues and contexts, is widely used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet, PTSD patients who received successful exposure therapy are vulnerable to relapse of fear response after a period of time, a phenomenon known as spontaneous recovery (SR). Increasing evidence…

  3. Protein supplementation may enhance the spontaneous recovery of neurological alterations in patients with ischaemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquilani, Roberto; Scocchi, Marco; Iadarola, Paolo; Franciscone, Piero; Verri, Manuela; Boschi, Federica; Pasini, Evasio; Viglio, Simona

    2008-12-01

    To determine whether protein supplementation could enhance neurological recovery in subacute patients with ischaemic stroke. Alimentation-independent patients with ischaemic stroke were randomly allocated to either 21 days of protein supplementation (protein-supplemented group; n=20) or to a spontaneous diet only (control group; n=21) in order to investigate the recovery of neurological changes (measured using the National Institute of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale). Tertiary care rehabilitation in Italy. Forty-two patients (27 male and 15 female; 66.4 +/- 11 years) 16 +/-2 days after the acute event. Supplementation with a hyperproteic nutritional formula (10% protein). NIH Stroke Scale and protein intake. At admission to rehabilitation, both groups of patients were homogeneous for demographic, clinical and functional characteristics. After 21 days from the start of the protocol, the NIH Stroke Scale was found to be enhanced in the group with supplemental proteins (-4.4 +/- 1.5 score versus -3 +/- 1.4 of control group; P<0.01). When expressed as difference (triangle up) between baseline and 21 days, the NIH Stroke Scale correlated negatively with change in protein intake (g/day) (r=-0.50, P= 0.001) and positively with change in carbohydrate/protein ratio (r = +0.40, P=0.01) Protein supplementation may enhance neurological recovery in subacute patients with ischaemic stroke.

  4. Locomotor recovery after spinal cord hemisection/contusion injures in bonnet monkeys: footprint testing--a minireview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rangasamy, Suresh Babu

    2013-07-01

    Spinal cord injuries usually produce loss or impairment of sensory, motor and reflex function below the level of damage. In the absence of functional regeneration or manipulations that promote regeneration, spontaneous improvements in motor functions occur due to the activation of multiple compensatory mechanisms in animals and humans following the partial spinal cord injury. Many studies were performed on quantitative evaluation of locomotor recovery after induced spinal cord injury in animals using behavioral tests and scoring techniques. Although few studies on rodents have led to clinical trials, it would appear imperative to use nonhuman primates such as macaque monkeys in order to relate the research outcomes to recovery of functions in humans. In this review, we will discuss some of our research evidences concerning the degree of spontaneous recovery in bipedal locomotor functions of bonnet monkeys that underwent spinal cord hemisection/contusion lesions. To our knowledge, this is the first report to discuss on the extent of spontaneous recovery in bipedal locomotion of macaque monkeys through the application of footprint analyzing technique. In addition, the results obtained were compared with the published data on recovery of quadrupedal locomotion of spinally injured rodents. We propose that the mechanisms underlying spontaneous recovery of functions in spinal cord lesioned monkeys may be correlated to the mature function of spinal pattern generator for locomotion under the impact of residual descending and afferent connections. Moreover, based on analysis of motor functions observed in locomotion in these subjected monkeys, we understand that spinal automatism and development of responses by afferent stimuli from outside the cord could possibly contribute to recovery of paralyzed hindlimbs. This report also emphasizes the functional contribution of progressive strengthening of undamaged nerve fibers through a collateral sprouts/synaptic plasticity formed

  5. Spontaneous HIT syndrome post-knee replacement surgery with delayed recovery of thrombocytopenia: a case report and literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poudel, Dilli Ram; Ghimire, Sushil; Dhital, Rashmi; Forman, Daniel A; Warkentin, Theodore E

    2017-09-01

    Recently published reports have established a heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)-mimicking thromboembolic disorder without proximate heparin exposure, called spontaneous HIT syndrome. Although the pathophysiology remains unclear, anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin antibodies possibly triggered by exposure to knee cartilage glycosaminoglycans or other non-heparin polyanions found on bacterial surfaces and nucleic acids have been postulated. We present a 53-year-old female receiving antithrombotic prophylaxis with aspirin following right total knee replacement surgery (without perioperative or any previous lifetime heparin exposure) who acutely presented with high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) and right great saphenous vein thrombophlebitis on postoperative day (POD) 14; her platelet count at presentation was 13 × 10 9 /L. Prior to diagnostic consideration of spontaneous HIT syndrome, the patient briefly received unfractionated heparin (UFH) and one dose of enoxaparin. The patient's serum tested strongly positive for anti-PF4/heparin antibodies by two different PF4-dependent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and by serotonin release assay (SRA). Failure of fondaparinux anticoagulation (persisting HIT-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation) prompted switching to argatroban. Severe thrombocytopenia persisted (platelet count nadir, 12 × 10 9 /L, on POD21), and 9 days after starting argatroban symptomatic right leg deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) occurred, prompting switch to rivaroxaban. Thereafter, her course was uneventful, although platelet count recovery was prolonged, reaching 99 × 10 9 /L by POD45 and 199 × 10 9 /L by POD79. The patient's serum elicited strong serotonin release in the absence of heparin (seen even with 1/32 serum dilution) that was enhanced by pharmacological concentrations of UFH (0.1 and 0.3 IU/mL) and fondaparinux (0.1-1.2 μg/mL, i.e., in vitro fondaparinux "cross-reactivity"). Ultimately, platelet count recovery was

  6. Faster recovery of a diatom from UV damage under ocean acidification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yaping; Campbell, Douglas A; Gao, Kunshan

    2014-11-01

    Diatoms are the most important group of primary producers in marine ecosystems. As oceanic pH declines and increased stratification leads to the upper mixing layer becoming shallower, diatoms are interactively affected by both lower pH and higher average exposures to solar ultraviolet radiation. The photochemical yields of a model diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, were inhibited by ultraviolet radiation under both growth and excess light levels, while the functional absorbance cross sections of the remaining photosystem II increased. Cells grown under ocean acidification (OA) were less affected during UV exposure. The recovery of PSII under low photosynthetically active radiation was much faster than in the dark, indicating that photosynthetic processes were essential for the full recovery of photosystem II. This light dependent recovery required de novo synthesized protein. Cells grown under ocean acidification recovered faster, possibly attributable to higher CO₂ availability for the Calvin cycle producing more resources for repair. The lower UV inhibition combined with higher recovery rate under ocean acidification could benefit species such as P.tricornutum, and change their competitiveness in the future ocean. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Spontaneous regression of a cervical intraspinal cyst in a dog

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamishina, Hiroaki; Katayama, Masaaki; Yasuda, Jun; Sato, Reeko; Ogawa, Hiroya; Tohyama, Koujiro

    2010-01-01

    We report a cervical intraspinal cyst in a dog that was initially tetraparetic but spontaneously recovered completely. MRI revealed a well-demarcated intraspinal cyst located dorsally to a degenerated intervertebral disc. The location of the cyst and its signal features on MRI resembled those of discal cysts previously reported in humans. It has been reported in dogs that clinical signs of a intraspinal cyst are similar to those of intervertebral disc herniation and both conditions require surgical intervention. Unexpectedly, our case showed rapid spontaneous recovery and the follow-up MRI revealed complete resolution of the intraspinal cyst and spinal cord compression. Spontaneous recovery of degenerative intraspinal cyst may occur in dogs, similar to rare human cases as reported previously. (author)

  8. Spontaneous recovery of superhydrophobicity on nanotextured surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prakash, Suruchi; Xi, Erte; Patel, Amish J.

    2016-01-01

    Rough or textured hydrophobic surfaces are dubbed “superhydrophobic” due to their numerous desirable properties, such as water repellency and interfacial slip. Superhydrophobicity stems from an aversion of water for the hydrophobic surface texture, so that a water droplet in the superhydrophobic “Cassie state” contacts only the tips of the rough surface. However, superhydrophobicity is remarkably fragile and can break down due to the wetting of the surface texture to yield the “Wenzel state” under various conditions, such as elevated pressures or droplet impact. Moreover, due to large energetic barriers that impede the reverse transition (dewetting), this breakdown in superhydrophobicity is widely believed to be irreversible. Using molecular simulations in conjunction with enhanced sampling techniques, here we show that on surfaces with nanoscale texture, water density fluctuations can lead to a reduction in the free energetic barriers to dewetting by circumventing the classical dewetting pathways. In particular, the fluctuation-mediated dewetting pathway involves a number of transitions between distinct dewetted morphologies, with each transition lowering the resistance to dewetting. Importantly, an understanding of the mechanistic pathways to dewetting and their dependence on pressure allows us to augment the surface texture design, so that the barriers to dewetting are eliminated altogether and the Wenzel state becomes unstable at ambient conditions. Such robust surfaces, which defy classical expectations and can spontaneously recover their superhydrophobicity, could have widespread importance, from underwater operation to phase-change heat transfer applications. PMID:27140619

  9. Situation and person attributions under spontaneous and intentional instructions: an fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kestemont, Jenny; Vandekerckhove, Marie; Ma, Ning; Van Hoeck, Nicole; Van Overwalle, Frank

    2013-06-01

    This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research explores how observers make causal beliefs about an event in terms of the person or situation. Thirty-four participants read various short descriptions of social events that implied either the person or the situation as the cause. Half of them were explicitly instructed to judge whether the event was caused by something about the person or the situation (intentional inferences), whereas the other half was instructed simply to read the material carefully (spontaneous inferences). The results showed common activation in areas related to mentalizing, across all types of causes or instructions (posterior superior temporal sulcus, temporo-parietal junction, precuneus). However, the medial prefrontal cortex was activated only under spontaneous instructions, but not under intentional instruction. This suggests a bias toward person attributions (e.g. fundamental attribution bias). Complementary to this, intentional situation attributions activated a stronger and more extended network compared to intentional person attributions, suggesting that situation attributions require more controlled, extended and broader processing of the information.

  10. On nature of spontaneous elongation of polymers preliminarily stretched in adsorption-active media under irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sinevich, E.A.; Prazdnichnyj, A.M.; Tikhomirov, V.S.; Bakeev, N.F.

    1989-01-01

    The nature of the spontaneous elongation under irradiation with fast electrons of polymers preliminary stretched in adsorption-active media has been studied. This effect is related with radiation-induced heating of microporous polymer samples. Its manifestation in amorphous PETP requires the presence of crazes having well developed microfibrillar structure. The spontaneous elongation effect is shown to be a result of crystallization of partially oriented material in transitional regions relating the oriented material of microfibrils inside crazes with nonstrained polymer between them

  11. An adolescent with prolapsed omentum per rectum: Spontaneous rectal perforation managed laparoscopically

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ameet Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous rupture of the rectum is a rare occurrence. A total laparoscopic approach to rectal perforation has only occasionally been reported. We report an unusual case of a young boy who developed a spontaneous rupture of the rectum following a trivial fall. A magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tear in the rectum at the peritoneal reflection with the omentum plugging it. He denied any history of rectal instrumentation or abnormal sexual activity. He had no history of constipation or rectal prolapse. The tear was repaired laparoscopically and a covering loop sigmoid colostomy was added. He made an uneventful post-operative recovery. Spontaneous rupture of the rectum can occur in younger age groups and even in the absence of significant trauma. One needs to diligently bring out a history of rectal trauma. Equally important is to rule out any underlying pathological condition. A laparoscopic approach is feasible, especially in early cases.

  12. A Case of Spontaneously Resolved Bilateral Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasan Kahraman

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available A condition of intrapleural air-space accumulation in individuals without any history of trauma or lung disease is called as primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP. Sixteen-years-old male patient admitted with complains of chest pain and dyspnea beginning 3 day ago. On physical examination, severity of breath sounds decreased on right side. Chest radiograph was taken and right-sided pneumothorax was detected and tube thoracostomy was inserted. Two months ago the patient referred to a doctor with similar complaints and physical examination and chest radiograph were reported as normal. The radiograph was retrospectively examined and bilateral PSP was detected. We presented the case duo to spontaneous recovery of bilateral PSP is seen very rarely and so contributes data to the literature. In patients admitted to the clinic with chest pain and shortness of breath, pneumothorax should be considered at differential diagnosis.

  13. Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma: Report of a case managed conservatively

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Halim Tariq

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is a rare cause of acute spinal cord compression. A 25-year-old male presented with a history of sudden onset of complete quadriplegia with sensory loss below the neck along with loss of bowel and bladder control. He had no history of any constitutional symptoms. He reported 10 days later. He was managed conservatively and after two weeks of intensive rehabilitation he had complete neural recovery. The spontaneous recovery of neurological impairment is attributed to the spreading of the hematoma throughout the epidural space, thus decreasing the pressure with partial neural recovery. Conservative treatment is a fair option in young patients who present late and show neurological improvement. The neurological status on presentation will guide the further approach to management.

  14. Control technique of spontaneous combustion in fully mechan ized stope during period of end caving under complex mining influence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Benqing

    2018-01-01

    In view of the phenomenon of spontaneous combustion of coal seam occurring during the period of end caving under complex mining conditions, taking the 1116 (3) stope of Guqiao mine as the object of study, the causes of spontaneous combustion during the period of end caving are analyzed, according to the specific geological conditions of the stope to develop corresponding fire prevention measures, including the reduction of air supply and air leakage in goaf, reduce the amount of coal left, reasonable drainage, nitrogen injection for spontaneous combustion prevention, grouting for spontaneous combustion prevention and permanent closure, fundamentally eliminates the potential for spontaneous combustion during the period of 1116(3) stope end caving. The engineering practice shows that this kind of measure has reference value for the prevention and control of spontaneous combustion during the period of stope end caving.

  15. Situation and person attributions under spontaneous and intentional instructions: an fMRI study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kestemont, Jenny; Vandekerckhove, Marie; Ma, Ning; Van Hoeck, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research explores how observers make causal beliefs about an event in terms of the person or situation. Thirty-four participants read various short descriptions of social events that implied either the person or the situation as the cause. Half of them were explicitly instructed to judge whether the event was caused by something about the person or the situation (intentional inferences), whereas the other half was instructed simply to read the material carefully (spontaneous inferences). The results showed common activation in areas related to mentalizing, across all types of causes or instructions (posterior superior temporal sulcus, temporo-parietal junction, precuneus). However, the medial prefrontal cortex was activated only under spontaneous instructions, but not under intentional instruction. This suggests a bias toward person attributions (e.g. fundamental attribution bias). Complementary to this, intentional situation attributions activated a stronger and more extended network compared to intentional person attributions, suggesting that situation attributions require more controlled, extended and broader processing of the information. PMID:22345370

  16. Spontaneous hematologic recovery from bone marrow aplasia after accidental tenfold overdosage with radiophosphorus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gmuer, J.; Bischof, B.; Coninx, S.

    1983-01-01

    Two patients with polycythemia vera received intravenously an accidental tenfold overdosage of radiophosphorus therapy (60 and 50 mCi 32P, respectively). In both patients, the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications 3 wk after the 32P medication led to detection of the error and referral to our hospital. Upon admission they showed an agranulocytosis, severe thrombocytopenia, and bone marrow aplasia. In both cases, spontaneous recovery of the hematopoiesis was observed from day 40 posttreatment onward. In one patient, a slow but ultimately complete normalization of blood counts and marrow morphology took place, whereas in the other, a mild thrombocytopenia persists. Nearly 5 yr after the accidental overdosage, both patients are clinically well. Symptoms of polycythemia vera have not reappeared up to now. Attempts were made to evaluate the radiation dose absorbed by the bone marrow. In the first patient, the daily 32P excretion was determined from day 22 to day 60, whereas in the other patient a whole body count was performed on day 78 after administration. From these results, an approximate cumulative bone marrow dose of 10 Sv (1000 rem) could be calculated

  17. The feasibility and safety of thoracoscopic surgery under epidural and/or local anesthesia for spontaneous pneumothorax: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wei; Zhang, Chenlei; Wang, Gebang; Li, Zhengjun; Wang, Hailong; Liu, Hongxu

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to compare thoracoscopic surgery for spontaneous pneumothorax under epidural and/or local anesthesia (ELA) with that under general anesthesia and prove the feasibility and safety of thoracoscopic surgery under ELA for spontaneous pneumothorax. Relevant studies were searched in five databases from their date of publication to June 2016. We collected and analyzed the data concerning operative time, hospital stay, complications, air leak, recurrence and perioperative mortality. A forest plot was performed to compare the differences between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the ELA group and the general anesthesia (GA) group in operative time, hospital stay, complications, air leak or recurrence. There were 6 deaths reported in two studies. However, patients in the ELA group had significantly shorter global operating room time. Our study demonstrated that ELA, in comparison with GA, is feasible and safe for thoracoscopic surgery of spontaneous pneumothorax.

  18. Behavior of NiTiNb SMA wires under recovery stress or prestressing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Eunsoo; Nam, Tae-Hyun; Chung, Young-Soo; Kim, Yeon-Wook; Lee, Seung-Yong

    2012-01-05

    The recovery stress of martensitic shape-memory alloy [SMA] wires can be used to confine concrete, and the confining effectiveness of the SMA wires was previously proved through experimental tests. However, the behavior of SMA wires under recovery stress has not been seriously investigated. Thus, this study conducted a series of tests of NiTiNb martensitic SMA wires under recovery stress with varying degrees of prestrain on the wires and compared the behavior under recovery stress with that under prestressing of the wires. The remaining stress was reduced by the procedure of additional strain loading and unloading. More additional strains reduced more remaining stresses. When the SMA wires were heated up to the transformation temperature under prestress, the stress on the wires increased due to the state transformation. Furthermore, the stress decreased with a decreasing temperature of the wires down to room temperature. The stress of the NiTiNb wires was higher than the prestress, and the developed stress seemed to depend on the composition of the SMAs. When an additional strain was subsequently loaded and unloaded on the prestressed SMA wires, the remaining stress decreased. Finally, the remaining stress becomes zero when loading and unloading a specific large strain.

  19. Resection of pulmonary nodule in a patient with subglottic stenosis under modified spontaneous ventilation anesthesia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shen, Jianfei; Chen, Xuewei; Liang, Lixia

    2017-01-01

    . Here we present a case of pulmonary nodule resection in a patient with subglottic stenosis using uniportal thoracoscopy under spontaneous ventilation anesthesia (SVA). Compared with traditional double lumen endotracheal intubation, we believe this modified technique can significantly reduce airway...

  20. CT evaluation of underlying cause in spontaneous subcapsular and perirenal hemorrhage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebastia, M.C.; Perez-Molina, M.O.; Alvarez-Castells, A.; Quiroga, S.; Pallisa, E.

    1997-01-01

    We evaluated the CT scans of 13 patients with spontaneous subcapsular or perinephric hemorrhage (SPH) associated with these underlying causes: 4 angiomyolipomas, 2 renal cell carcinomas, 1 renal metastatic malignant melanoma, 1 ruptured renal artery aneurysm, 1 adrenal myelolipoma, 1 ruptured renal abscess, 2 ruptured hemorrhagic cysts, and 1 patient with undiagnosed coagulation disorder. Our objective was to ascertain whether an underlying cause of SPH was identifiable by CT, and to determine the extension of the hematomas. Computed tomography identified the hematoma in all 13 cases (sensitivity 100 %). In all 12 cases in which there was a renal or adrenal anatomic lesion, the underlying cause was identified with CT (100 %), with correct diagnosis in 11 cases (91.6 %). The case in which no lesion was identified was the undiagnosed coagulation disorder. We conclude that CT is a useful technique for the initial evaluation of SPH, permitting diagnosis of hemorrhage and identification of the underlying cause. (orig.). With 6 figs., 1 tab

  1. CT evaluation of underlying cause in spontaneous subcapsular and perirenal hemorrhage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sebastia, M.C. [Department of Radiology, IDI, Hospital General Universitari Vall d`Hebron, E-08 305 Barcelona (Spain); Perez-Molina, M.O. [Department of Radiology, IDI, Hospital General Universitari Vall d`Hebron, E-08 305 Barcelona (Spain); Alvarez-Castells, A. [Department of Radiology, IDI, Hospital General Universitari Vall d`Hebron, E-08 305 Barcelona (Spain); Quiroga, S. [Department of Radiology, IDI, Hospital General Universitari Vall d`Hebron, E-08 305 Barcelona (Spain); Pallisa, E. [Department of Radiology, IDI, Hospital General Universitari Vall d`Hebron, E-08 305 Barcelona (Spain)

    1997-06-01

    We evaluated the CT scans of 13 patients with spontaneous subcapsular or perinephric hemorrhage (SPH) associated with these underlying causes: 4 angiomyolipomas, 2 renal cell carcinomas, 1 renal metastatic malignant melanoma, 1 ruptured renal artery aneurysm, 1 adrenal myelolipoma, 1 ruptured renal abscess, 2 ruptured hemorrhagic cysts, and 1 patient with undiagnosed coagulation disorder. Our objective was to ascertain whether an underlying cause of SPH was identifiable by CT, and to determine the extension of the hematomas. Computed tomography identified the hematoma in all 13 cases (sensitivity 100 %). In all 12 cases in which there was a renal or adrenal anatomic lesion, the underlying cause was identified with CT (100 %), with correct diagnosis in 11 cases (91.6 %). The case in which no lesion was identified was the undiagnosed coagulation disorder. We conclude that CT is a useful technique for the initial evaluation of SPH, permitting diagnosis of hemorrhage and identification of the underlying cause. (orig.). With 6 figs., 1 tab.

  2. Spontaneous and trigger-associated substorms compared: Electrodynamic parameters in the polar ionosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jun-Ming; Zhang, Bei-Chen; Kamide, Y.; Wu, Zhen-Sen; Hu, Ze-Jun; Yang, Hui-Gen

    2011-01-01

    An attempt is made to study the difference, if any, between the response of the polar ionosphere to spontaneous substorms and that to trigger-associated substorms in terms of electrodynamic parameters including ionospheric current vectors, the electric potential, and the current function. The results show that, in the first approximation, the ionospheric parameters for the two types of substorms are quite similar. It is therefore conceived that spontaneous substorms are not very different from trigger-associated substorms in the development of substorm processes in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. We demonstrate, however, that spontaneous substorms seem to have a more clearly identifiable growth phase, whereas trigger-associated substorms have a more powerful unloading process. Changes in the current intensity and the electric potential drop across the polar cap in the recovery phase are also quite different from each other. Both the current intensity and the cross-polar cap potential drop show a larger decrease in the recovery phase of trigger-associated substorms, but the potential drop decreases only slightly and the currents in the late morning sector are still strong for spontaneous substorms. We interpret these findings as an indication of the relative importance of the unloading process and the directly driven process in conjunction with the north-south polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field. There still exists a strong directly driven process in the recovery phase of spontaneous substorms. For trigger-associated substorms, however, both the directly driven process and the unloading process become weak after the peak time.

  3. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fullam, L

    2012-01-31

    INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous\\/primary intracranial hypotension is characterised by orthostatic headache and is associated with characteristic magnetic resonance imaging findings. CASE REPORT: We present a case report of a patient with typical symptoms and classical radiological images. DISCUSSION: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an under-recognised cause of headache and can be diagnosed by history of typical orthostatic headache and findings on MRI brain.

  4. Spontaneous Bilateral Meningoencephalocoeles of the Temporal Bones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliver Rose

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous tegmen tympani defects are rare with even rarer bilateral cases. The symptoms are nonspecific; hence, a high index of suspicion is required to prevent serious intracranial complications. We present a case of spontaneous bilateral tegmen tympani defects with associated meningoencephalocoeles in a 54-year-old male who presented with the signs and symptoms of severe meningitis. After careful workup which included a lumbar puncture, CT and MRI scans, both defects were repaired using a middle fossa approach. The patient made an uneventful recovery with complete cessation of otorrhoea and improvement in his hearing.

  5. Spontaneous formation of non-uniform double helices for elastic rods under torsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hongyuan; Zhao, Shumin; Xia, Minggang; He, Siyu; Yang, Qifan; Yan, Yuming; Zhao, Hanqiao

    2017-01-01

    The spontaneous formation of double helices for filaments under torsion is common and significant. For example, the research on the supercoiling of DNA is helpful for understanding the replication and transcription of DNA. Similar double helices can appear in carbon nanotube yarns, cables, telephone wires and so forth. We noticed that non-uniform double helices can be produced due to the surface friction induced by the self-contact. Therefore an ideal model was presented to investigate the formation of double helices for elastic rods under torque. A general equilibrium condition which is valid for both the smooth surface and the rough surface situations is derived by using the variational method. By adding further constraints, the smooth and rough surface situations are investigated in detail respectively. Additionally, the model showed that the specific process of how to twist and slack the rod can determine the surface friction and hence influence the configuration of the double helix formed by rods with rough surfaces. Based on this principle, a method of manufacturing double helices with designed configurations was proposed and demonstrated. Finally, experiments were performed to verify the model and the results agreed well with the theory. - Highlights: • An ideal model is conceived to investigate the spontaneous formation of double helices for rods under torsion. • Variational method is used to obtain a universal result for the double helix formation process • Self-contact and surface friction is considered to analyze the non-uniform double helix. • A novel method of producing double helix with arbitrary configuration is proposed and demonstrated. • The experiment results agree well with the theory.

  6. Spontaneous formation of non-uniform double helices for elastic rods under torsion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Hongyuan [Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Zhao, Shumin, E-mail: zhaosm@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Xia, Minggang [Department of Optical Information Science and Technology, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China); Laboratory of Nanostructure and Physics Properties, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China); He, Siyu [Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Yang, Qifan [Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Yan, Yuming [Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Zhao, Hanqiao [Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi 710049 (China)

    2017-02-19

    The spontaneous formation of double helices for filaments under torsion is common and significant. For example, the research on the supercoiling of DNA is helpful for understanding the replication and transcription of DNA. Similar double helices can appear in carbon nanotube yarns, cables, telephone wires and so forth. We noticed that non-uniform double helices can be produced due to the surface friction induced by the self-contact. Therefore an ideal model was presented to investigate the formation of double helices for elastic rods under torque. A general equilibrium condition which is valid for both the smooth surface and the rough surface situations is derived by using the variational method. By adding further constraints, the smooth and rough surface situations are investigated in detail respectively. Additionally, the model showed that the specific process of how to twist and slack the rod can determine the surface friction and hence influence the configuration of the double helix formed by rods with rough surfaces. Based on this principle, a method of manufacturing double helices with designed configurations was proposed and demonstrated. Finally, experiments were performed to verify the model and the results agreed well with the theory. - Highlights: • An ideal model is conceived to investigate the spontaneous formation of double helices for rods under torsion. • Variational method is used to obtain a universal result for the double helix formation process • Self-contact and surface friction is considered to analyze the non-uniform double helix. • A novel method of producing double helix with arbitrary configuration is proposed and demonstrated. • The experiment results agree well with the theory.

  7. 75 FR 29569 - Recovery Policy RP9526.1, Hazard Mitigation Funding Under Section 406 (Stafford Act)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-26

    ...] Recovery Policy RP9526.1, Hazard Mitigation Funding Under Section 406 (Stafford Act) AGENCY: Federal... the final Recovery Policy RP9526.1, Hazard Mitigation Funding Under Section 406 (Stafford Act), which... mitigation discretionary funding available under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and...

  8. Spontaneous default mode network phase-locking moderates performance perceptions under stereotype threat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbes, Chad E; Leitner, Jordan B; Duran-Jordan, Kelly; Magerman, Adam B; Schmader, Toni; Allen, John J B

    2015-07-01

    This study assessed whether individual differences in self-oriented neural processing were associated with performance perceptions of minority students under stereotype threat. Resting electroencephalographic activity recorded in white and minority participants was used to predict later estimates of task errors and self-doubt on a presumed measure of intelligence. We assessed spontaneous phase-locking between dipole sources in left lateral parietal cortex (LPC), precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (P/PCC), and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC); three regions of the default mode network (DMN) that are integral for self-oriented processing. Results revealed that minorities with greater LPC-P/PCC phase-locking in the theta band reported more accurate error estimations. All individuals experienced less self-doubt to the extent they exhibited greater LPC-MPFC phase-locking in the alpha band but this effect was driven by minorities. Minorities also reported more self-doubt to the extent they overestimated errors. Findings reveal novel neural moderators of stereotype threat effects on subjective experience. Spontaneous synchronization between DMN regions may play a role in anticipatory coping mechanisms that buffer individuals from stereotype threat. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Compound Stimulus Extinction Reduces Spontaneous Recovery in Humans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Cesar A. O.; Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    Fear-related behaviors are prone to relapse following extinction. We tested in humans a compound extinction design ("deepened extinction") shown in animal studies to reduce post-extinction fear recovery. Adult subjects underwent fear conditioning to a visual and an auditory conditioned stimulus (CSA and CSB, respectively) separately…

  10. Mechanisms underlying odorant-induced and spontaneous calcium signals in olfactory receptor neurons of spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadesse, Tizeta; Derby, Charles D; Schmidt, Manfred

    2014-01-01

    We determined if a newly developed antennule slice preparation allows studying chemosensory properties of spiny lobster olfactory receptor neurons under in situ conditions with Ca(2+) imaging. We show that chemical stimuli reach the dendrites of olfactory receptor neurons but not their somata, and that odorant-induced Ca(2+) signals in the somata are sufficiently stable over time to allow stimulation with a substantial number of odorants. Pharmacological manipulations served to elucidate the source of odorant-induced Ca(2+) transients and spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations in the somata of olfactory receptor neurons. Both Ca(2+) signals are primarily mediated by an influx of extracellular Ca(2+) through voltage-activated Ca(2+) channels that can be blocked by CoCl2 and the L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker verapamil. Intracellular Ca(2+) stores contribute little to odorant-induced Ca(2+) transients and spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations. The odorant-induced Ca(2+) transients as well as the spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations depend on action potentials mediated by Na(+) channels that are largely TTX-insensitive but blocked by the local anesthetics tetracaine and lidocaine. Collectively, these results corroborate the conclusion that odorant-induced Ca(2+) transients and spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations in the somata of olfactory receptor neurons closely reflect action potential activity associated with odorant-induced phasic-tonic responses and spontaneous bursting, respectively. Therefore, both types of Ca(2+) signals represent experimentally accessible proxies of spiking.

  11. Capacity and Comprehension : Spontaneous Stereotyping Under Cognitive Load

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wigboldus, D.H.J.; Sherman, J.W.; Franzese, H.L.; Knippenberg, A.F.M. van

    2004-01-01

    People tend to make spontaneous trait inferences (STIs) when confronted with the behavior of others. Recent research has demonstrated that these STIs may be moderated by contextual cues such as stereotypic category labels. The central aim of the current research was to investigate the role of

  12. A Case of Dengue Maculopathy with Spontaneous Recovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fiona Oi-jing Luk

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To report a case of dengue maculopathy, which resolved spontaneously without treatment. Methods: A 25-year-old female patient with good past health was admitted to a general hospital in Hong Kong with fever of unknown origin after traveling to Indonesia. Based on the clinical features and a positive real-time polymerase chain reaction for dengue virus type 1, she was diagnosed with dengue fever. The patient developed dengue maculopathy mainly affecting the vision of her left eye. Abnormalities on a multifocal electroretinogram showed bilateral involvement. Results: As there is no proven treatment for dengue maculopathy, the patient opted for observation. Her vision returned to normal within 3 weeks. Conclusion: Dengue maculopathy can cause severe visual loss and may resolve without treatment.

  13. Spontaneous resolution of a small extradural haematoma in a child.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sinha, A K

    2009-02-01

    We report the rapid spontaneous resolution of a small extradural haematoma (EDH) in a 19-month-old child. The haematoma was managed conservatively. The child went on to make a full recovery. The authors discuss the significance of this surprising clinical finding.

  14. The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on improved oil recovery in spontaneous imbibition mechanism of heavy oil production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajmiri, M.; Ehsani, M. R.; Mousavi, S. M.; Roayaei, E.; Emadi, A.

    2015-07-01

    Spontaneous imbibition (SI) gets a controversial subject in oil- wet carbonate reservoirs. The new concept of nanoparticles applications in an EOR area have been recently raised by researches about oil viscosity reduction and generate emulsion without surfactant. But a lot of questions have been remained about which nanoparticles can alter wettability from oil- wet to water- wet to improve oil recovery. This study introduces the new idea of adding ZnO nanoparticles (0.2%wt concentration) by experimental work on oil recovery. The main goals of this research were to prove that ZnO nanoparticles have the ability to reduce viscosity and also alter wettability. The ultimate objective was to determine the potential of these nanoparticles to imbibe into and displace oil. Through the use of Amott- cell, laboratory tests were conducted in two experiments on four cylindrical core samples (three sandstones and one carbonate) were taken from real Iranian heavy oil reservoir. In the first experiment, core samples were saturated by crude oil and in the second experiment, nanoparticles were flooding into core samples and then saturated by crude oil for about two weeks and after that they were immersed in distilled water and the amount of recovery was monitored during 30 days for both tests. We expected that ZnO nanoparticles decreased the surface tension which reduced the capillary forces through SI and wettability alteration took place towards a more water-wet system and caused the oil relative permeability to increase which dominated the gravitational forces to pull out the oil. Our results proved this expectation from ZnO nanoparticles clearly because carbonate core was oil- wet and the capillary pressure was high and negative to push water into the core so the original oil in place (OOIP) was zero whereas by adding ZnO nanoparticles OOIP was increased to 8.89%. SI yielded recovery values from 17.3, 2 and 15 without nanoparticles to 20.68, 17.57 and 36.2 % OOIP with

  15. 75 FR 10246 - Nationwide Categorical Waivers Under Section 1605 (Buy American) of the American Recovery and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-05

    ... Waivers Under Section 1605 (Buy American) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery... nationwide categorical waivers of the Buy American requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act... domestic manufacturers for these products. This strategy will ensure that all future determinations of...

  16. Effect of parenteral nutrition on the bone marrow recovery under exsperimental conditions of uneven irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moroz, B.B.; Fedorovskij, L.L.; Deshevoj, Yu.B.

    1986-01-01

    Using white rats-males the effect of parenteral nutrition (PN) on blood formation (hemopoiesis) recovery under the conditions of total (control), subtotal (shielding of animal hind limb) with 7.5 Gy and X-ray partial irradiation of abdomen region with the 13.5 Gy has been studied. It has been found that bone marrow recovery increases either at subtotal or partial irradiation under the conditions of PN. Mechanisms of PN favourable effect are discussed. The advisability of using PN under uneven irradiations of organism is indicated

  17. Spontaneously broken abelian gauge invariant supersymmetric model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mainland, G.B.; Tanaka, K.

    A model is presented that is invariant under an Abelian gauge transformation and a modified supersymmetry transformation. This model is broken spontaneously, and the interplay between symmetry breaking, Goldstone particles, and mass breaking is studied. In the present model, spontaneously breaking the Abelian symmetry of the vacuum restores the invariance of the vacuum under a modified supersymmetry transformation. (U.S.)

  18. Spontaneous pneumothorax in diffuse cystic lung diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooley, Joseph; Lee, Yun Chor Gary; Gupta, Nishant

    2017-07-01

    Diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders with varying pathophysiologic mechanisms that are characterized by the presence of air-filled lung cysts. These cysts are prone to rupture, leading to the development of recurrent spontaneous pneumothoraces. In this article, we review the epidemiology, clinical features, and management DCLD-associated spontaneous pneumothorax, with a focus on lymphangioleiomyomatosis, Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, and pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. DCLDs are responsible for approximately 10% of apparent primary spontaneous pneumothoraces. Computed tomography screening for DCLDs (Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis) following the first spontaneous pneumothorax has recently been shown to be cost-effective and can help facilitate early diagnosis of the underlying disorders. Patients with DCLD-associated spontaneous pneumothorax have a very high rate of recurrence, and thus pleurodesis should be considered following the first episode of spontaneous pneumothorax in these patients, rather than waiting for a recurrent episode. Prior pleurodesis is not a contraindication to future lung transplant. Although DCLDs are uncommon, spontaneous pneumothorax is often the sentinel event that provides an opportunity for diagnosis. By understanding the burden and implications of pneumothoraces in DCLDs, clinicians can facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate management of the underlying disorders.

  19. Case of a spontaneously ruptured epidermoid cyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shiroyama, Y; Saiki, M; Ueda, H; Katayama, S; Mitani, T

    1987-02-01

    Intracranial fat-containing congenital tumors are characterized by negative absorption values on CT. We hereby report a case of an epidermoid cyst with subarachnoid free fats diagnosed preoperatively by CT. A 21-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of continuous mild headache and nausea. At the time of admission, the results of her physical and neurological examinations were normal. CT, however, demonstrated multiple subarachnoid low-density spots and a suprasellar low-density area with high-density spots. In addition, there were negative absorption values (-12 -- -77), suggesting free fats. A spontaneously ruptured epidermoid or dermoid cyst was diagnosed on the basis of these findings. At surgery, a suprasellar tumor containing a yellowish, cheese-like material was confirmed. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged 14 days after surgery. There have been several published reports of CT appearances of intracranial fat-containing tumors. However, spontaneously ruptured cases diagnosed by CT are rare. CT was found to be useful for the diagnosis of spontaneously ruptured cases of fat-containing tumors.

  20. Chronic nicotine differentially alters spontaneous recovery of contextual fear in male and female mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tumolo, Jessica M; Kutlu, Munir Gunes; Gould, Thomas J

    2018-04-02

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating disorder with symptoms such as flashbacks, hyperarousal, and avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event. Exposure therapy, which attempts to extinguish fear responses, is a commonly used treatment for PTSD but relapse following successful exposure therapy is a frequent problem. In rodents, spontaneous recovery (SR), where extinguished fear responses resurface following extinction treatment, is used as a model of fear relapse. Previous studies from our lab showed that chronic nicotine impaired fear extinction and acute nicotine enhanced SR of contextual fear in adult male mice. In addition, we showed that acute nicotine's effects were specific to SR as acute nicotine did not affect recall of contextual fear conditioning in the absence of extinction. However, effects of chronic nicotine administration on SR are not known. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated if chronic nicotine administration altered SR or recall of contextual fear in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. Our results showed that chronic nicotine significantly enhanced SR in female mice and significantly decreased SR in males. Chronic nicotine had no effect on recall of contextual fear in males or females. Female sham mice also had significantly less baseline SR than male sham mice. Overall, these results demonstrate sex differences in SR of fear memories and that chronic nicotine modulates these effects on SR but nicotine does not alter recall of contextual fear. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Compound stimulus extinction reduces spontaneous recovery in humans

    OpenAIRE

    Coelho, Cesar A.O.; Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    Fear-related behaviors are prone to relapse following extinction. We tested in humans a compound extinction design (“deepened extinction”) shown in animal studies to reduce post-extinction fear recovery. Adult subjects underwent fear conditioning to a visual and an auditory conditioned stimulus (CSA and CSB, respectively) separately paired with an electric shock. The target CS (CSA) was extinguished alone followed by compound presentations of the extinguished CSA and nonextinguished CSB. Reco...

  2. 77 FR 17456 - Buy American Exception Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-26

    ...-2138-01] Buy American Exception Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY... exception to the Buy American Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or... future years on electricity. The contract specifications required that all exterior photovoltaic...

  3. 76 FR 24043 - Buy American Exceptions Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-29

    ... Minneapolis Public Housing Authority for the purchase and installation of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and... Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the American Recovery and...

  4. Spontaneous magnetization in high-density quark matter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tsue, Yasuhiko; da Providência, João; Providência, Constanca

    2015-01-01

    It is shown that spontaneous magnetization occurs due to the anomalous magnetic moments of quarks in high-density quark matter under the tensor-type four-point interaction. The spin polarized condensate for each flavor of quark appears at high baryon density, which leads to the spontaneous magnet...

  5. Additive recovery at lateral boundaries of grains under electronic exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plotnikov, S.V.; Postnikov, D.V.

    2000-01-01

    The experimental investigation of additive re-distribution under electronic beam revealed a recovery of the additive at grain boundaries. Additive accumulation mainly takes place at the boundaries that are perpendicular to material surface, whereas there is no an observed recovery of additive at the boundaries that are parallel to the surface. To construe the processes of additive recovery at grain boundaries, we may use the kinetic diffusion equation describing the mass transfer processes in the presence of temperature gradients and non-equilibrium vacancies. The additive recovery is caused by spot fault gradients near the grain boundary. The grain boundary is an intensive run-off region of vacancies. Therefore, the average vacancy distribution profile near the grain boundary changes its pattern. The above case indicates that there are two additive fluxes. One of them is vectored perpendicular to the surface, and the other one is parallel to it, i.e. it is vectored to the grain boundary. A study of the perpendicular and parallel boundaries shows that there is no additive settling at the boundaries that are parallel to the surface, since the general flux is vectored to the parallel boundaries. There is no such kind of phenomenon at the grain boundaries that are perpendicular to the surface. Besides, the perpendicular boundaries are more effective run-off regions for vacancies, since there is a slower build-up of the region with vacancies due to displacement of the vacancies to the surface

  6. Additive recovery of lateral boundaries of grains under electronic exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Postnikov, D.V.; Plotnikov, S.V.

    2002-01-01

    The experimental investigation of additive re-distribution under electronic beam revealed a recovery of the additive at grain boundaries. Additive accumulation mainly takes place at the boundaries that are perpendicular to material surface, whereas there is no an observed recovery of additive at the boundaries that are parallel to the surface. The additive recovery is caused by spot fault gradients near the grain boundary. The grain boundary is an intensive run-off region of vacancies. Therefore, the average vacancy distribution profile near the grain boundary changes its pattern. The above case indicates that there are two additive fluxes. One of them is vectored perpendicular to the surface, and the other one is parallel to it, i. e. it is vectored to the grain boundary. A study of the perpendicular and parallel boundaries shows that there is no additive settling at the boundaries that are parallel to the surface, since the general flux is vectored to the parallel boundaries. There is no such kind of phenomenon at the grain boundaries that are perpendicular to the surface. Besides, the perpendicular boundaries are more effective run-off regions for vacancies, since there is a slower build-up of the region with vacancies due to displacement of the vacancies to the surface. To compute concentration of vacancies we will consider a grain of the surface as a model. The computations indicate the presence of vacancy gradients vectored to the surface and grain boundaries, which are perpendicular to the surface. Comparison of the experimental and theoretical outcomes shows a good agreement between the theoretical model and actual processes occurring under the exposure. This theory disclose wide potentials for application of diffusion processes in alloys

  7. A case of a spontaneously ruptured epidermoid cyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiroyama, Yujiro; Saiki, Masahide; Ueda, Hiroyuki; Katayama, Sanao; Mitani, Tetsumi

    1987-01-01

    Intracranial fat-containing congenital tumors are characterized by negative absorption values on CT. We hereby report a case of an epidermoid cyst with subarachnoid free fats diagnosed preoperatively by CT. A 21-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of continuous mild headache and nausea. At the time of admission, the results of her physical and neurological examinations were normal. CT, however, demonstrated multiple subarachnoid low-density spots and a suprasellar low-density area with high-density spots. In addition, there were negative absorption values (-12 ∼ -77), suggesting free fats. A spontaneously ruptured epidermoid or dermoid cyst was diagnosed on the basis of these findings. At surgery, a suprasellar tumor containing a yellowish, cheese-like material was confirmed. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged 14 days after surgery. There have been several published reports of CT appearances of intracranial fat-containing tumors. However, spontaneously ruptured cases diagnosed by CT are rare. CT was found to be useful for the diagnosis of spontaneously ruptured cases of fat-containing tumors. (author)

  8. Phenomenology of the standard model under conditions of spontaneously broken mirror symmetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dyatlov, I. T., E-mail: dyatlov@thd.pnpi.spb.ru [National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation)

    2017-03-15

    Spontaneously broken mirror symmetry is able to reproduce observed qualitative properties of weak mixing for quark and leptons. Under conditions of broken mirror symmetry, the phenomenology of leptons—that is, small neutrino masses and a mixing character other than that in the case of quarks—requires the Dirac character of the neutrinos and the existence of processes violating the total lepton number. Such processes involve heavy mirror neutrinos; that is, they proceed at very high energies. Here, CP violation implies that a P-even mirror-symmetric Lagrangian must simultaneously be T-odd and, according to the CPT theorem, C-odd. All these properties create preconditions for the occurrence of leptogenesis, which is a mechanism of the emergence of the baryon–lepton asymmetry of the universe in models featuring broken mirror symmetry.

  9. Spontaneous occurrence of synergistic bacterial gangrene following external pelvic irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Husseinzadeh, N.; Nahhas, W.A.; Manders, E.K.; Whitney, C.W.; Mortel, R.

    1984-01-01

    A case of spontaneous synergistic bacterial gangrene occurring after external pelvic irradiation is presented in a 25-year-old woman with invasive cervical cancer. Treatment consisted of aggressive antibiotic therapy and extensive excision and debridement followed by split-thickness skin grafting. Both recovery and cosmetic results were satisfactory. The pathophysiology, predisposing factors, and treatment modalities are presented

  10. Delayed pneumothorax after laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy in a patient without underlying lung disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richie K Huynh

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available We present an unusual case of a delayed pneumothorax occurring approximately 72 h post-operatively in a patient without any underlying lung disease who had undergone laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection. The patient was in her mid-40s with a body mass index of 28.0 and had no history of smoking. Her spontaneous pneumothorax manifested without any precipitating events or complications during recovery. There was no evidence of any infectious process. There were no central line attempts and all ports were placed intra-peritoneally, and there was no evidence of any subcutaneous emphysema. One possible mechanism of injury that we propose is barotrauma from an extended period of time in Trendelenburg position. Notably, the only abnormal finding throughout the entire post-operative period preceding the delayed pneumothorax was a PO 2 desaturation the day before. This case highlights the necessity to examine and investigate any desaturation post-operatively and deliberate its possible significance. Furthermore, it demonstrates that, even during a normal recovery period for a patient without any underlying lung disease or risk factors, spontaneous pneumothorax could still develop in a delayed fashion multiple days post-operatively from a laparoscopic procedure.

  11. 26 CFR 1.280F-1T - Limitations on investment tax credit and recovery deductions under section 168 for passenger...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Limitations on investment tax credit and... Limitations on investment tax credit and recovery deductions under section 168 for passenger automobiles and... the amount of investment tax credit determined under section 46(a) and recovery deductions under...

  12. Brain plasticity and recovery of cognitive functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anja Čuš

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Through its capacity of plastic changes, the adult brain enables successful dealing with new demands of everyday life and recovery after an acquired brain damage either spontaneously or by the help of rehabilitation interventions. Studies which explored the effects of cognitive training in the normal population report on different types of changes in the performance of cognitive tasks as well as different types of changes in brain activation patterns.Following practice, brain activation can change in its extent, intensity or location, while cognitive processes can become more efficient or can be replaced by different processes.After acquired brain damage plastic changes are somewhat different. After the injury, the damaged brain area can either gradually regain its previous function, or different brain regions are recruited to perform that function.Studies of spontaneous and guided recovery of cognitive functions have revealed both types of plastic changes that follow each other, as well as significant correlations between these changes and improvement on the behavioural level.

  13. Revealing Abrupt and Spontaneous Ruptures of Protein Native Structure under picoNewton Compressive Force Manipulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowdhury, S Roy; Cao, Jin; He, Yufan; Lu, H Peter

    2018-03-27

    Manipulating protein conformations for exploring protein structure-function relationship has shown great promise. Although protein conformational changes under pulling force manipulation have been extensively studied, protein conformation changes under a compressive force have not been explored quantitatively. The latter is even more biologically significant and relevant in revealing protein functions in living cells associated with protein crowdedness, distribution fluctuations, and cell osmotic stress. Here we report our experimental observations on abrupt ruptures of protein native structures under compressive force, demonstrated and studied by single-molecule AFM-FRET spectroscopic nanoscopy. Our results show that the protein ruptures are abrupt and spontaneous events occurred when the compressive force reaches a threshold of 12-75 pN, a force amplitude accessible from thermal fluctuations in a living cell. The abrupt ruptures are sensitive to local environment, likely a general and important pathway of protein unfolding in living cells.

  14. Spontaneous rib fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katrancioglu, Ozgur; Akkas, Yucel; Arslan, Sulhattin; Sahin, Ekber

    2015-07-01

    Other than trauma, rib fracture can occur spontaneously due to a severe cough or sneeze. In this study, patients with spontaneous rib fractures were analyzed according to age, sex, underlying pathology, treatment, and complications. Twelve patients who presented between February 2009 and February 2011 with spontaneous rib fracture were reviewed retrospectively. The patients' data were evaluated according to anamnesis, physical examination, and chest radiographs. The ages of the patients ranged from 34 to 77 years (mean 55.91 ± 12.20 years), and 7 (58.4%) were male. All patients had severe cough and chest pain. The fractures were most frequently between 4th and 9th ribs; multiple rib fractures were detected in 5 (41.7%) patients. Eight (66.7%) patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 2 (16.7%) had bronchial asthma, and 2 (16.7%) had osteoporosis. Bone densitometry revealed a high risk of bone fracture in all patients. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma had been treated with high-dose steroids for over a year. Spontaneous rib fracture due to severe cough may occur in patients with osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or bronchial asthma, receiving long-term steroid therapy. If these patients have severe chest pain, chest radiography should be performed to check for bone lesions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  15. Ear for recovery: protocol for a prospective study on parent-child communication and psychological recovery after paediatric injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alisic, Eva; Barrett, Anna; Bowles, Peter; Babl, Franz E; Conroy, Rowena; McClure, Roderick J; Anderson, Vicki; Mehl, Matthias R

    2015-02-04

    One in six children who have been admitted to hospital with an injury develop persistent stress symptoms that put their development at risk. Parents play a crucial role in children's psychological recovery, however, it is unknown how specific parenting behaviours can help or hinder. We aim to describe the nature and quantity of parent-child communication after a child has been injured, and to examine how these interactions are related to children's psychological recovery. We are conducting a prospective observational study among children aged 3-16 years, who have been admitted to a tertiary children's hospital with a serious injury. Data collection involves a naturalistic observation of spontaneous, everyday parent-child communication at home, shortly after discharge, and an assessment of children's psychological recovery at 6 weeks and 3 months post-injury. Main analyses comprise descriptive statistics, cluster analysis and analyses of variance. This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (33103) and Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (CF13/2515-2013001322). We aim to disseminate the findings through international peer-reviewed journals, international conferences and social media. Participants will be sent a summary of the overall study findings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. Calculation of recovery plasticity in multistage hot forging under isothermal conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhbankov, Iaroslav G; Perig, Alexander V; Aliieva, Leila I

    2016-01-01

    A widely used method for hot forming steels and alloys, especially heavy forging, is the process of multistage forging with pauses between stages. The well-known effect which accompanies multistage hot forging is metal plasticity recovery in comparison with monotonic deformation. A method which takes into consideration the recovery of plasticity in pauses between hot deformations of a billet under isothermal conditions is proposed. This method allows the prediction of billet forming limits as a function of deformation during the forging stage and the duration of the pause between the stages. This method takes into account the duration of pauses between deformations and the magnitude of subdivided deformations. A hot isothermal upsetting process with pauses was calculated by the proposed method. Results of the calculations have been confirmed with experimental data.

  17. Survival and Recovery of Methanotrophic Bacteria Starved Under Oxic and Anoxic Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roslev, Peter; King, Gary M.

    1994-01-01

    The effects of carbon deprivation on survival of methanotrophic bacteria were compared in cultures incubated in the presence and absence of oxygen in the starvation medium. Survival and recovery of the examined methanotrophs were generally highest for cultures starved under anoxic conditions as indicated by poststarvation measurements of methane oxidation, tetrazolium salt reduction, plate counts, and protein synthesis. Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b survived up to 6 weeks of carbon deprivation under anoxic conditions while maintaining a physiological state that allowed relatively rapid (hours) methane oxidation after substrate addition. A small fraction of cells starved under oxic and anoxic conditions (4 and 10%, respectively) survived more than 10 weeks but required several days for recovery on plates and in liquid medium. A non-spore-forming methanotroph, strain WP 12, displayed 36 to 118% of its initial methane oxidation capacity after 5 days of carbon deprivation. Oxidation rates varied with growth history prior to the experiments as well as with starvation conditions. Strain WP 12 starved under anoxic conditions showed up to 90% higher methane oxidation activity and 46% higher protein production after starvation than did cultures starved under oxic conditions. Only minor changes in biomass and niorpholow were seen for methanotrophic bacteria starved tinder anoxic conditions. In contrast, starvation under oxic conditions resulted in morphology changes and an initial 28 to 35% loss of cell protein. These data suggest that methanotrophic bacteria can survin,e carbon deprivation under anoxic conditions by using maintenance energy derived Solelyr from an anaerobic endogenous metabolism. This capability could partly explain a significant potential for methane oxidation in environments not continuously, supporting aerobic methanotrophic growth.

  18. Bilateral spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection managed with endovascular stenting – A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoj Kumar Agarwala

    2016-09-01

    We describe a patient with ischemic stroke from spontaneous bilateral ICAD with completely occluded left ICA. Having failed medical therapy with antiplatelets and anticoagulants due to extensive loss of carotid vascular supply, he was managed successfully with endovascular stenting with good neurological recovery.

  19. Strain Recovery by TiNi Element Under Fast Heating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volkov, Aleksandr E.; Miszuris, Wiktoria; Volkova, Natalia A.

    2018-01-01

    A theoretical and experimental study of strain recovery under fast heating of a shape memory alloy (SMA) rod preliminarily stretched in the martensitic state is carried out. Two theoretical models are considered: instantaneous heating and heating with temperature variation during a finite time. In the first case, it is supposed that the straight SMA rod experiences an instantaneous reverse martensitic transformation, and in the second the transformation is supposed to progress at a rate corresponding to the temperature rate. Analytical expression for the time dependence of the rod free-end displacement is obtained. In the experiment, a wire specimen made of titanium-nickel SMA was heated by a short impulse of electric current. The variation of the specimen length in time was registered. Thus, it has been shown that the minimum operation time of an SMA actuator (time needed for the strain recovery) can be reduced to 20 µs. Comparison of the theoretical results with the experimental ones leads to the conclusion that the displacement variation in time is controlled by the rate of heating and the inertia of the specimen. The incubation time of the martensitic transformation on the microscale apparently is estimated as less than 1 µs.

  20. Spontaneous Pregnancy and Partial Recovery of Pituitary Function in a Patient with Sheehan's Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting-Ting See

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Sheehan's syndrome is caused by pregnancy-related hemorrhage leading to ischemic necrosis of the anterior pituitary gland and hypopituitarism. Spontaneous pregnancy in Sheehan's syndrome is very rare. We report the case of a patient with Sheehan's syndrome who suffered from anterior pituitary insufficiency, but with sparing of gonadotropic function. The patient became pregnant spontaneously and, after her second delivery, thyrotropic function recovered. However, the patient's growth hormone and cortisol levels remained unresponsive to an insulin-tolerance test. This case demonstrates that pituitary function may recover from less extensive pituitary ischemia. We emphasize the importance of early identification of pregnancy in such cases. It is crucial to institute adequate hormone-replacement therapy during pregnancy, since hypopituitarism is associated with high fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality.

  1. Fluoroscopy of spontaneous breathing is more sensitive than phrenic nerve stimulation for detection of right phrenic nerve injury during cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linhart, Markus; Nielson, Annika; Andrié, René P; Mittmann-Braun, Erica L; Stöckigt, Florian; Kreuz, Jens; Nickenig, Georg; Schrickel, Jan W; Lickfett, Lars M

    2014-08-01

    Right phrenic nerve palsy (PNP) is a typical complication of cryoballoon ablation of the right-sided pulmonary veins (PVs). Phrenic nerve function can be monitored by palpating the abdomen during phrenic nerve pacing from the superior vena cava (SVC pacing) or by fluoroscopy of spontaneous breathing. We sought to compare the sensitivity of these 2 techniques during cryoballoon ablation for detection of PNP. A total of 133 patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation were monitored with both SVC pacing and fluoroscopy of spontaneous breathing during ablation of the right superior PV. PNP occurred in 27/133 patients (20.0%). Most patients (89%) had spontaneous recovery of phrenic nerve function at the end of the procedure or on the following day. Three patients were discharged with persistent PNP. All PNP were detected first by fluoroscopic observation of diaphragm movement during spontaneous breathing, while diaphragm could still be stimulated by SVC pacing. In patients with no recovery until discharge, PNP occurred at a significantly earlier time (86 ± 34 seconds vs. 296 ± 159 seconds, P < 0.001). No recovery occurred in 2/4 patients who were ablated with a 23 mm cryoballoon as opposed to 1/23 patients with a 28 mm cryoballoon (P = 0.049). Fluoroscopic assessment of diaphragm movement during spontaneous breathing is more sensitive for detection PNP as compared to SVC pacing. PNP as assessed by fluoroscopy is frequent (20.0%) and carries a high rate of recovery (89%) until discharge. Early onset of PNP and use of 23 mm cryoballoon are associated with PNP persisting beyond hospital discharge. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. 77 FR 24740 - Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation And Recovery Act and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation And Recovery Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Notice is hereby given... Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq., and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know...

  3. Spontaneity and Equilibrium III: A History of Misinformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raff, Lionel M.

    2014-01-01

    Necessary and sufficient criteria for reaction spontaneity in a given direction and for spontaneity of finite transformations in single-reaction, closed systems are developed. The criteria are general in that they hold for reactions conducted under either conditions of constant T and p or constant T and V. These results are illustrated using a…

  4. The influence of non-equilibrium fluctuations on radiation damage and recovery of metals under irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubinko, V.I.; Klepikov, V.F.

    2007-01-01

    In the conventional theory of radiation damage, it is assumed that the main effect of irradiation is due to formation of Frenkel pairs of vacancies and self-interstitial atoms (SIAs) and their clusters. The difference in absorption of vacancies and SIAs by primary or radiation-induced extended defects (EDs) is thought to be the main reason of microstructural evolution under irradiation. On the other hand, the recovery of radiation damage is thought to be driven exclusively by thermal fluctuations resulting in the vacancy evaporation from voids (void annealing) or dislocations (thermal creep) and in the fluctuation-driven overcoming of obstacles by gliding dislocations (plastic strain). However, these recovery mechanisms can be efficient only at sufficiently high temperatures. At lower irradiation temperatures, the main driving force of the recovery processes may be due to nonequilibrium fluctuations of energy states of the atoms surrounding EDs arising as a result of scattering of radiation-induced excitations of atomic and electronic structure at EDs. In the present paper, the mechanisms of nonequilibrium fluctuations that result in such phenomena as the void shrinkage under irradiation at low temperatures (or high dose rates), irradiation creep and irradiation-induced increase of plasticity under sub-threshold irradiation was considered

  5. Bilateral spontaneous rupture of flexor digitorum profundus tendons.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Sullivan, S T

    2012-02-03

    Spontaneous tendon rupture is an unusual condition usually associated with underlying disease processes such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic renal failure or bony abnormalities of the hand. We report a case of spontaneous, non-concurrent bilateral rupture of flexor profundus tendons in an otherwise healthy individual. Treatment was successful and consisted of a two-stage reconstruction of the ruptured tendon.

  6. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tuncer, M.; Gumrukcuoglu, H.A.; Ekim, H.; Gunes, Y.; Simsek, H.

    2010-01-01

    Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a relatively uncommon inherited disease. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is also uncommonly observed, which often occurs in pregnant or post partum women but is rare in men. This report describes a 38 years old man with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who developed SCAD leading to acute inferior myocardial infarction. After emergent appendectomy operation at another hospital, he was immediately transferred to the Cardiology Department of our hospital due to acute myocardial infarction. He emergently underwent coronary angiography which showed a long dissection involving the right coronary. He underwent an emergent CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and he was discharged. According to our knowledge, no case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy unrelated to postpartum period or oral contraceptive use has been reported so far. (author)

  7. FEL gain optimisation and spontaneous radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bali, L.M.; Srivastava, A.; Pandya, T.P. [Lucknow Univ. (India)] [and others

    1995-12-31

    Colson have evaluated FEL gains for small deviations from perfect electron beam injection, with radiation of the same polarisation as that of the wiggler fields. We find that for optimum gain the polarisation of the optical field should be the same as that of the spontaneous emission under these conditions. With a helical wiggler the axial oscillations resulting from small departures from perfect electron beam injection lead to injection dependent unequal amplitudes and phases of the spontaneous radiation in the two transverse directions. Viewed along the axis therefore the spontaneous emission is elliptically polarised. The azimuth of the ellipse varies with the difference of phase of the two transverse components of spontaneous emission but the eccentricity remains the same. With planar wigglers the spontaneous emission viewed in the axial direction is linearly polarised, again with an injection dependent azimuth. For optimum coherent gain of a radiation field its polarisation characteristics must be the same as those of the spontaneous radiation with both types of wiggler. Thus, with a helical wiggler and the data reported earlier, an increase of 10% in the FEL gain at the fundamental frequency and of 11% at the fifth harmonic has been calculated in the small gain per pass limit. Larger enhancements in gain may result from more favourable values of input parameters.

  8. Free recall of word lists under total sleep deprivation and after recovery sleep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida Valverde Zanini, Gislaine; Tufik, Sérgio; Andersen, Monica Levy; da Silva, Raquel Cristina Martins; Bueno, Orlando Francisco Amodeo; Rodrigues, Camila Cruz; Pompéia, Sabine

    2012-02-01

    One task that has been used to assess memory effects of prior total sleep deprivation (TSD) is the immediate free recall of word lists; however, results have been mixed. A possible explanation for this is task impurity, since recall of words from different serial positions reflects use of distinct types of memory (last words: short-term memory; first and intermediate words: episodic memory). Here we studied the effects of 2 nights of TSD on immediate free recall of semantically unrelated word lists considering the serial position curve. Random allocation to a 2-night TSD protocol followed by one night of recovery sleep or to a control group. Study conducted under continuous behavioral monitoring. 24 young, healthy male volunteers. 2 nights of total sleep deprivation (TSD) and one night of recovery sleep. Participants were shown five 15 unrelated word-lists at baseline, after one and 2 nights of TSD, and after one night of recovery sleep. We also investigated the development of recall strategies (learning) and susceptibility to interference from previous lists. No free recall impairment occurred during TSD, irrespective of serial position. Interference was unchanged. Both groups developed recall strategies, but task learning occurred earlier in controls and was evident in the TSD group only after sleep recovery. Prior TSD spared episodic memory, short-term phonological memory, and interference, allowed the development of recall strategies, but may have decreased the advantage of using these strategies, which returned to normal after recovery sleep.

  9. Recovery effects after extinction in the Morris swimming pool navigation task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prados, José; Manteiga, Raúl D; Sansa, Joan

    2003-08-01

    In three experiments in which rats were used as subjects, we developed an extinction procedure using a Morris pool. The animals were trained to find a hidden platform located at a fixed position and were then given extinction trials in which the platform was removed from the pool. When training and extinction were carried out in the same context and time was allowed to elapse between extinction and test, spontaneous recovery of learning was observed. On the other hand, those rats that received extinction in a context different from the one used for training failed to show spontaneous recovery of learning when tested in the extinction context after an interval of 96 h. However, they did show renewal of spatial learning when tested in the training context. These results show that extinction in the spatial domain behaves like extinction in standard conditioning preparations.

  10. Emergency thyroidectomy in infected thyroid cyst due to spontaneous gas forming organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masood, R.; Chudhary, I.A.; Shaumaila, T.

    2008-01-01

    We are reporting a case of a young female, who presented to emergency room with sudden increase in thyroid swelling, high fever and acute respiratory distress. Clinical diagnosis of spontaneous infection of thyroid cyst was made. Operative finding was infection of thyroid cyst with gas formation. Systemic antibiotics and operative intervention by subtotal thyroidectomy led to recovery of the patient. (author)

  11. On spontaneous breakdown in Σ-models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, E.A.

    1975-01-01

    The group theory aspects of spontaneous breakdown in linear Σ-models are discussed. General conditions are formulated under which multiplet of group G (compact or noncompact) is suitable for constructing the Σ-model with a given subgroup of stability of vacuum. It is shown that the Σ-models of spontaneously broken space-time symmetries can be constructed in general only if some extra coordinates are introduced in addition to an ordinary 4-coordinate xsub(μ). The connection between Σ-models of internal symmetries and appropriate nonlinear realizations has also been investigated

  12. Spontaneous mutation by mutagenic repair of spontaneous lesions in DNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hastings, P.J.; Quah, S.-K.; Borstel, R.C. von

    1976-01-01

    It is stated that strains of yeast carrying mutations in many of the steps in pathways repairing radiation-induced damage to DNA have enhanced spontaneous mutation rates. Most strains isolated because they have enhanced spontaneous mutation carry mutations in DNA repair systems. This suggests that much spontaneous mutation arises by mutagenic repair of spontaneous lesions. (author)

  13. Spontaneous generation in medieval Jewish philosophy and theology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaziel, Ahuva

    2012-01-01

    The concept of life forms emerging from inanimate matter--spontaneous generation--was widely accepted until the nineteenth century. Several medieval Jewish scholars acknowledged this scientific theory in their philosophical and religious contemplations. Quite interestingly, it served to reinforce diverse, or even opposite, theological conclusions. One approach excluded spontaneously-generated living beings form the biblical account of creation or the story of the Deluge. Underlying this view is an understanding that organisms that generate spontaneously evolve continuously in nature and, therefore, do not require divine intervention in their formation or survival during disastrous events. This naturalistic position reduces the miraculous dimension of reality. Others were of the opinion that spontaneous generation is one of the extraordinary marvels exhibited in this world and, accordingly, this interpretation served to accentuate the divine aspect of nature. References to spontaneous generation also appear in legal writings, influencing practical applications such as dietary laws and actions forbidden on the Sabbath.

  14. Hippocampal NMDA receptors are involved in rats' spontaneous object recognition only under high memory load condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugita, Manami; Yamada, Kazuo; Iguchi, Natsumi; Ichitani, Yukio

    2015-10-22

    The possible involvement of hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in spontaneous object recognition was investigated in rats under different memory load conditions. We first estimated rats' object memory span using 3-5 objects in "Different Objects Task (DOT)" in order to confirm the highest memory load condition in object recognition memory. Rats were allowed to explore a field in which 3 (3-DOT), 4 (4-DOT), or 5 (5-DOT) different objects were presented. After a delay period, they were placed again in the same field in which one of the sample objects was replaced by another object, and their object exploration behavior was analyzed. Rats could differentiate the novel object from the familiar ones in 3-DOT and 4-DOT but not in 5-DOT, suggesting that rats' object memory span was about 4. Then, we examined the effects of hippocampal AP5 infusion on performance in both 2-DOT (2 different objects were used) and 4-DOT. The drug treatment before the sample phase impaired performance only in 4-DOT. These results suggest that hippocampal NMDA receptors play a critical role in spontaneous object recognition only when the memory load is high. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Cryogenic recovery analysis of forced flow supercritical helium cooled superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, A.Y.

    1977-08-01

    A coupled heat conduction and fluid flow method of solution was presented for cryogenic stability analysis of cabled composite superconductors of large scale magnetic coils. The coils are cooled by forced flow supercritical helium in parallel flow channels. The coolant flow reduction in one of the channels during the spontaneous recovery transient, after the conductor undergoes a transition from superconducting to resistive, necessitates a parallel channel analysis. A way to simulate the parallel channel analysis is described to calculate the initial channel inlet flow rate required for recovery after a given amount of heat is deposited. The recovery capability of a NbTi plus copper composite superconductor design is analyzed and the results presented. If the hydraulics of the coolant flow is neglected in the recovery analysis, the recovery capability of the superconductor will be over-predicted

  16. Spontaneous Resolution of Optic Disc Pit Maculopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koushik Tripathy

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available I read with interest the article reporting spontaneous resolution of optic disc pit maculopathy in a boy.1 Though the presence of an optic disc pit and associated macular involvement is undoubted in the presented case, the provided optical coherence tomography (OCT does not clearly show typical intraretinal schisis (Figure 1B1 at multiple retinal levels which may communicate with the pit. Instead, it shows a sub-internal limiting membrane (sub-ILM cavity. Such cavities are known to occur following the resolution of sub-ILM bleed due to various cause including Valsalva retinopathy,2 Terson syndrome, and also in some retinitis3 cases.4 In fact, some of these cavities may simulate a neurosensory retinal detachment or central serous chorioretinopathy on cursory clinical examination.5 To confirm that the features of the current patient1 are indeed related to the optic disc pit, it is necessary for the authors to provide an OCT scan which shows a connection of the presented cavity with the optic disc pit. Also, clear OCT scans of the fovea, both at presentation and at final follow-up would help our understanding of the visual recovery of the patient. The interval between the presenting (28 June 2012 OCT and final OCT (30 Nov 2012 is 5 months and not 6 months as described in the manuscript. For an effective comparison, both the presenting and final OCT scans should have been taken using either horizontal or vertical orientation over the macula. Though the spontaneous resolution of optic disc pit maculopathy is possible, visual recovery in usually unlikely and in such cases an alternate diagnosis needs to be excluded.

  17. Acute, Nontraumatic Spontaneous Spinal Subdural Hematoma: A Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abel, Taylor J.

    2017-01-01

    Spontaneous spinal subdural hematoma (sSDH) is a rare condition outright. Moreover, cases that occur spontaneously in the absence of an identifiable etiology are considerably less common and remain poorly understood. Here, we present the case of a 43-year-old man with spontaneous sSDH presenting with acute onset low back pain and paraplegia. Urgent magnetic resonance imaging identified a dorsal SDH from T8 to T11 with compression of the spinal cord. Emergent T8–T10 laminectomies with intradural exploration and hematoma evacuation were performed. However, despite prompt identification and appropriate action, the patient's recovery was modest and significant disability remained at discharge. This unique and unusual case demonstrates that spontaneous sSDH requires prompt surgical treatment to minimize associated morbidity and supports the association between the presence of severe neurological deficits upon initial presentation with less favorable outcomes. We performed a comprehensive systematic review of spontaneous sSDH of unknown etiology, which demonstrates that emergent surgical intervention is indicated for patients presenting with severe neurological deficits and the presence of these deficits is predictive of poor neurological outcome. Furthermore, conservative management should be considered in patients presenting with mild neurological deficits as spontaneous resolution followed by favorable neurological outcomes is often observed in these patients. PMID:29441210

  18. Gauge theories as theories of spontaneous breakdown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, E.A.; Ogievetsky, V.I.

    1976-01-01

    Any gauge theory is proved to arise from spontaneous breakdown of symmetry under certain infinite parameter group, the corresponding gauge field being the Goldstone field by which this breakdown is accompanied

  19. Connection Management and Recovery Strategies under Epidemic Network Failures in Optical Transport Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fagertun, Anna Manolova; Ruepp, Sarah Renée

    2014-01-01

    The current trend in deploying automatic control plane solutions for increased flexibility in the optical transport layer leads to numerous advantages for both the operators and the customers, but also pose challenges related to the stability of the network and its ability to operate in a robust...... manner under attacks. This work proposes four policies for failure handling in a connection-oriented optical transport network, under Generalized MultiProtocol Label Switching control plane, and evaluates their performance under multiple correlated large-scale failures. We employ the Susceptible...... of their transport infrastructures. Applying proactive methods for avoiding areas where epidemic failures spread results in 50% less connections requiring recovery, which translates in improved quality of service to customers....

  20. Right vs. left sensorimotor cortex suction-ablation in the rat: no difference in beam-walking recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, L B

    1995-03-13

    The ability of rats to traverse a narrow elevated beam has been used to quantitate recovery of hindlimb motor function after unilateral injury to the sensorimotor cortex. We tested the hypothesis that the rate of spontaneous beam-walking recovery varies with the side of the cortex lesion. Groups of rats that were trained at the beam-walking task underwent suction-ablation of either the right or left hindlimb sensorimotor cortex. There was no difference in hindlimb motor function between the groups on the first post-operative beam-waking trial carried out the day after cortex ablation and no difference between the groups in overall recovery rates over the next two weeks. Subsequent analyses of lesion surface parameters showed no differences in lesion size or extent. Regardless of the side of the lesion, there were also no differences between the right and left hemispheres in norepinephrine content of the lesioned or contralateral cortex. We conclude that the side of sensorimotor cortex ablation injury does not differentially affect the rate of spontaneous motor recovery as measured with the beam-walking task.

  1. Lingual nerve injury in third molar surgery I. Observations on recovery of sensation with spontaneous healing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hillerup, S; Stoltze, Kaj

    2007-01-01

    , thermal stimuli and location of stimulus, as well as two-point discrimination, pain and the presence of a neuroma at the lesion site. Neurogenic signs and symptoms related to the injury and their variation over time were registered. Females were more often referred than males. Most lingual nerve injuries...... exhibited a significant potential for recovery, but only a few patients made a full recovery with absence of neurogenic symptoms. The recovery rate was highest during the first 6 months. Recovery was not influenced by gender, and only slightly by age. The presence of a neuroma was associated with a more...

  2. Use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy and risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bech, Bodil Hammer; Kjaersgaard, Maiken Ina Siegismund; Pedersen, Henrik Søndergaard

    2014-01-01

    Dette studie undersøger, om brugen af antiepileptika under graviditeten kan øge risikoen for spontan abort eller dødfødsel. Resultaterne viser, at 16 ud af 100 gravide kvinder, som brugte antiepileptika, mistede fostret ved en spontan abort, mens det kun var 13 ud af 100 gravide kvinder, som ikke...

  3. Spontaneous regression of pulmonary bullae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Satoh, H.; Ishikawa, H.; Ohtsuka, M.; Sekizawa, K.

    2002-01-01

    The natural history of pulmonary bullae is often characterized by gradual, progressive enlargement. Spontaneous regression of bullae is, however, very rare. We report a case in which complete resolution of pulmonary bullae in the left upper lung occurred spontaneously. The management of pulmonary bullae is occasionally made difficult because of gradual progressive enlargement associated with abnormal pulmonary function. Some patients have multiple bulla in both lungs and/or have a history of pulmonary emphysema. Others have a giant bulla without emphysematous change in the lungs. Our present case had treated lung cancer with no evidence of local recurrence. He had no emphysematous change in lung function test and had no complaints, although the high resolution CT scan shows evidence of underlying minimal changes of emphysema. Ortin and Gurney presented three cases of spontaneous reduction in size of bulla. Interestingly, one of them had a marked decrease in the size of a bulla in association with thickening of the wall of the bulla, which was observed in our patient. This case we describe is of interest, not only because of the rarity with which regression of pulmonary bulla has been reported in the literature, but also because of the spontaneous improvements in the radiological picture in the absence of overt infection or tumor. Copyright (2002) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

  4. Heavy-oil recovery in naturally fractured reservoirs with varying wettability by steam solvent co-injection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al Bahlani, A. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada); Babadagli, T. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Canadian Section, Calgary, AB (Canada)]|[Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2008-10-15

    Steam injection may not be an efficient oil recovery process in certain circumstances, such as in deep reservoirs, where steam injection may be ineffective because of hot-water flooding due to excessive heat loss. Steam injection may also be ineffective in oil-wet fractured carbonates, where steam channels through fracture zones without effectively sweeping the matrix oil. Steam flooding is one of the many solutions for heavy oil recovery in unconsolidated sandstones that is in commercial production. However, heavy-oil fractured carbonates are more challenging, where the recovery is generally limited only to matrix oil drainage gravity due to unfavorable wettability or thermal expansion if heat is introduced during the process. This paper proposed a new approach to improve steam/hot-water injection and efficiency for heavy-oil fractured carbonate reservoirs. The paper provided background information on oil recovery from fractured carbonates and provided a statement of the problem. Three phases were described, including steam/hot-waterflooding phase (spontaneous imbibition); miscible flooding phase (diffusion); and steam/hot-waterflooding phase (spontaneous imbibition or solvent retention). The paper also discussed core preparation and saturation procedures. It was concluded that efficient oil recovery is possible using alternate injection of steam/hot water and solvent. 43 refs., 1 tab., 13 figs.

  5. Effect of FYM on the recovery of applied zinc in DTPA extract under upland and submerged conditions in calcareous and non-calcareous soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deb, D.L.; Leelabhai, K.S.

    1988-01-01

    Studies undertaken to determine the effect of varying levels of FYM application on the recovery of applied zinc in DTPA extract under upland and sub merged conditions in calcareous and non-calcareous soils using 65 Zn under controlled conditions showed that the recovery of fertilizer Zn was reduced significantly with high level of applied Zn and 5 cm standing water over the soil. Application of FYM also tended to reduce the percent recovery of applied Zn. The recovery of applied Zn was found to increase after 60 days (period of contact) in all the tretments. The calcareous soils showed significantly lower recovery of fertilizer Zn than non-calcareous soils. The interactions of 5 cm standing water with all the other factors studied on the recovery of applied Zn were highly significant and negative. (author). 8 refs., 3 tabs

  6. Spontaneous emission of the non-Wiener type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basharov, A. M.

    2011-01-01

    The spontaneous emission of a quantum particle and superradiation of an ensemble of identical quantum particles in a vacuum electromagnetic field with zero photon density are examined under the conditions of significant Stark particle and field interaction. New fundamental effects are established: suppression of spontaneous emission by the Stark interaction, an additional “decay” shift in energy of the decaying level as a consequence of Stark interaction unrelated to the Lamb and Stark level shifts, excitation conservation phenomena in a sufficiently dense ensemble of identical particles and suppression of superradiaton in the decay of an ensemble of excited quantum particles of a certain density. The main equations describing the emission processes under conditions of significant Stark interaction are obtained in the effective Hamiltonian representation of quantum stochastic differential equations. It is proved that the Stark interaction between a single quantum particle and a broadband electromagnetic field is represented as a quantum Poisson process and the stochastic differential equations are of the non-Wiener (generalized Langevin) type. From the examined case of spontaneous emission of a quantum particle, the main rules are formulated for studying open systems in the effective Hamiltonian representation.

  7. Geography and recovery under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Carlos; Vucetich, John A; Nelson, Michael P; Rohlf, Daniel J; Phillips, Michael K

    2010-04-01

    The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) defines an endangered species as one "at risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." The prevailing interpretation of this phrase, which focuses exclusively on the overall viability of listed species without regard to their geographic distribution, has led to development of listing and recovery criteria with fundamental conceptual, legal, and practical shortcomings. The ESA's concept of endangerment is broader than the biological concept of extinction risk in that the "esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific" values provided by species are not necessarily furthered by a species mere existence, but rather by a species presence across much of its former range. The concept of "significant portion of range" thus implies an additional geographic component to recovery that may enhance viability, but also offers independent benefits that Congress intended the act to achieve. Although the ESA differs from other major endangered-species protection laws because it acknowledges the distinct contribution of geography to recovery, it resembles the "representation, resiliency, and redundancy" conservation-planning framework commonly referenced in recovery plans. To address representation, listing and recovery standards should consider not only what proportion of its former range a species inhabits, but the types of habitats a species occupies and the ecological role it plays there. Recovery planning for formerly widely distributed species (e.g., the gray wolf [Canis lupus]) exemplifies how the geographic component implicit in the ESA's definition of endangerment should be considered in determining recovery goals through identification of ecologically significant types or niche variation within the extent of listed species, subspecies, or "distinct population segments." By linking listing and recovery standards to niche and ecosystem concepts, the concept of ecologically

  8. Spontaneous Rotational Inversion in Phycomyces

    KAUST Repository

    Goriely, Alain

    2011-03-01

    The filamentary fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus undergoes a series of remarkable transitions during aerial growth. During what is known as the stagea IV growth phase, the fungus extends while rotating in a counterclockwise manner when viewed from above (stagea IVa) and then, while continuing to grow, spontaneously reverses to a clockwise rotation (stagea IVb). This phase lasts for 24-48Ah and is sometimes followed by yet another reversal (stageAIVc) before the overall growth ends. Here, we propose a continuum mechanical model of this entire process using nonlinear, anisotropic, elasticity and show how helical anisotropy associated with the cell wall structure can induce spontaneous rotation and, under appropriate circumstances, the observed reversal of rotational handedness. © 2011 American Physical Society.

  9. Non-operative treatment of spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas: a review of the literature and a comparison with operative cases : a review of the literature and a comparison with operative cases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groen, R J M

    OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that favour spontaneous recovery in patients who suffered a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH). METHODS: The literature was reviewed regarding non-operative cases of SSEH (SSEH(cons)). Sixty-two cases from the literature and 2 of our own cases were collected,

  10. Spontaneous ovulation or male effect in alpacas and llamas

    OpenAIRE

    Sumar JB

    2016-01-01

    New discoveries in ovulation induced mammals, researchers considered the question of whether spontaneous and induced ovulations are distinct entities or individual parts of a single continuum of a “malefacilitated oestrus and ovulation”. This rigid classification should be taken with precaution, because is possible that the various mechanisms involved in the spontaneous ovulation can, under specific conditions coexist in some determined species. It is possible that male hormones can provoke t...

  11. Does Spontaneous Favorability to Power (vs. Universalism) Values Predict Spontaneous Prejudice and Discrimination?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souchon, Nicolas; Maio, Gregory R; Hanel, Paul H P; Bardin, Brigitte

    2017-10-01

    We conducted five studies testing whether an implicit measure of favorability toward power over universalism values predicts spontaneous prejudice and discrimination. Studies 1 (N = 192) and 2 (N = 86) examined correlations between spontaneous favorability toward power (vs. universalism) values, achievement (vs. benevolence) values, and a spontaneous measure of prejudice toward ethnic minorities. Study 3 (N = 159) tested whether conditioning participants to associate power values with positive adjectives and universalism values with negative adjectives (or inversely) affects spontaneous prejudice. Study 4 (N = 95) tested whether decision bias toward female handball players could be predicted by spontaneous attitude toward power (vs. universalism) values. Study 5 (N = 123) examined correlations between spontaneous attitude toward power (vs. universalism) values, spontaneous importance toward power (vs. universalism) values, and spontaneous prejudice toward Black African people. Spontaneous positivity toward power (vs. universalism) values was associated with spontaneous negativity toward minorities and predicted gender bias in a decision task, whereas the explicit measures did not. These results indicate that the implicit assessment of evaluative responses attached to human values helps to model value-attitude-behavior relations. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Personality Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. The effects of age and divided attention on spontaneous recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Benjamin A; Jacoby, Larry L; Thomas, Ruthann C; Balota, David A

    2011-05-01

    Studies of recognition typically involve tests in which the participant's memory for a stimulus is directly questioned. There are occasions however, in which memory occurs more spontaneously (e.g., an acquaintance seeming familiar out of context). Spontaneous recognition was investigated in a novel paradigm involving study of pictures and words followed by recognition judgments on stimuli with an old or new word superimposed over an old or new picture. Participants were instructed to make their recognition decision on either the picture or word and to ignore the distracting stimulus. Spontaneous recognition was measured as the influence of old vs. new distracters on target recognition. Across two experiments, older adults and younger adults placed under divided-attention showed a greater tendency to spontaneously recognize old distracters as compared to full-attention younger adults. The occurrence of spontaneous recognition is discussed in relation to ability to constrain retrieval to goal-relevant information.

  13. Fertilizer nitrogen prescription for cotton by 15N recovery method under integrated nutrient management using soil test crop response function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arulmozhiselvan, K.; Govindaswamy, M.; Chellamuthu, S.

    2007-01-01

    Fertilizer efficiency is a vital parameter in prescription functions to compute fertilizer requirements of crops for achieving a specific yield target. In Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) function, nitrogen fertilizer efficiency is calculated by Apparent N Recovery (ANR) method, which includes the effect of added N interaction (ANI) on soil N reserves. In order to exclude soil effect and refine STCR function, the real efficiency of fertilizer N was estimated by 15 N recovery method. By fitting 15 N recovery in the function, the fertilizer N required for a specific yield target of cotton was estimated. The estimated N requirement by 15 N recovery method was lesser than ANR method when available soil N relatively increased. The approach also fine-tuned the N contributing efficiency of soil, farmyard manure and Azospirillum under Integrated Nutrient Management (INM). For achieving 25 q of seed cotton yield in a soil having 220 kg of available N ha -1 , the predicted N requirement was 159 kg ha -1 under ANR method, whereas in 15 N recovery method fertilizer N to be applied was 138 kg ha -1 with urea alone and 79 kg ha -1 with urea + FYM + Azospirillum. (author)

  14. Visualizing the blind brain: brain imaging of visual field defects from early recovery to rehabilitation techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marika eUrbanski

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Visual field defects (VFDs are one of the most common consequences observed after brain injury, especially after a stroke in the posterior cerebral artery territory. Less frequently, tumours, traumatic brain injury, brain surgery or demyelination can also determine various visual disabilities, from a decrease in visual acuity to cerebral blindness. VFD is a factor of bad functional prognosis as it compromises many daily life activities (e.g., obstacle avoidance, driving, and reading and therefore the patient’s quality of life. Spontaneous recovery seems to be limited and restricted to the first six months, with the best chance of improvement at one month. The possible mechanisms at work could be partly due to cortical reorganization in the visual areas (plasticity and/or partly to the use of intact alternative visual routes, first identified in animal studies and possibly underlying the phenomenon of blindsight. Despite processes of early recovery, which is rarely complete, and learning of compensatory strategies, the patient’s autonomy may still be compromised at more chronic stages. Therefore, various rehabilitation therapies based on neuroanatomical knowledge have been developed to improve VFDs. These use eye-movement training techniques (e.g., visual search, saccadic eye movements, reading training, visual field restitution (the Vision Restoration Therapy, VRT, or perceptual learning. In this review, we will focus on studies of human adults with acquired VFDs, which have used different imaging techniques (Positron Emission Tomography: PET, Diffusion Tensor Imaging: DTI, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: fMRI, MagnetoEncephalography: MEG or neurostimulation techniques (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: TMS; transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, tDCS to show brain activations in the course of spontaneous recovery or after specific rehabilitation techniques.

  15. The periodicity of sleep duration – an infradian rhythm in spontaneous living

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wong SN

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Shi Ngar Wong, Mark Halaki, Chin Moi ChowDiscipline of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaAbstract: The sleep–wake cycle is a process not only dictated by homeostatic and circadian factors but also by social and environmental influences. Thus, the total sleep time partly reflects sleep need, which is integral to the dynamics of sleep loss recovery. This study explored the nature of the observed oscillations in total sleep time in healthy adults under spontaneous living conditions. Actigraph-measured sleep data for 13 healthy young male adults were collected over 14 consecutive days and analyzed for habitual sleep duration. The total sleep time periodicity was modeled using the cosinor method for each individual across the 14 days. The findings confirm the existence of periodicity in habitual sleep duration as there were clear periodic patterns in the majority of the participants. Although exclusive to each individual, the observed oscillations may be a resultant response of homeostatic sleep need, circadian timing, and/or social and environmental influences. These findings instigate further indepth studies into the periodicity of sleep duration in healthy individuals to provide a better understanding of sleep need in short versus long sleepers, in predicting work performance, and reducing sleepiness-related accidents following shift work, and how this periodicity may impact sleep treatment outcome in clinical populations.Keywords: sleep regulation, homeostasis, habitual sleep, spontaneous living, healthy males

  16. Tamsulosin modulates, but does not abolish the spontaneous activity in the guinea pig prostate gland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakrabarty, Basu; Dey, Anupa; Lam, Michelle; Ventura, Sabatino; Exintaris, Betty

    2015-06-01

    To examine the effects of the α1A -adrenoceptor antagonist, tamsulosin, on spontaneous contractile and electrical activity in the guinea-pig prostate gland. The effects of tamsulosin (0.1 and 0.3 nM) were investigated in adult and ageing male guinea pig prostate glands using conventional tension recording and electrophysiological intracellular microelectrode recording techniques. Tamsulosin reduced spontaneous activity, and had different age-dependent effects on adult and ageing guinea pigs at different concentrations. 0.1 nM tamsulosin caused a significantly greater reduction of spontaneous contractile and electrical activity in ageing guinea pigs in comparison to adult guinea pigs. In contrast, 0.3 nM tamsulosin had a significantly greater reduction of spontaneous contractile and electrical activity in adult guinea pigs in comparison to ageing guinea pigs. This study demonstrates that tamsulosin can modulate spontaneous myogenic stromal contractility and the underlying spontaneous electrical activity; tamsulosin does not block spontaneous activity. This reduction in spontaneous activity suggests that downstream cellular mechanisms underlying smooth muscle tone are being targeted, and these may represent novel therapeutic targets to better treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Rapid spontaneous resolution of an acute subdural hematoma: Case report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Won Kyong; Kim, Pyo Nyun; Kim, Il Young; Lee, Byoung Ho; Lee, Kyeong Seok; Bae, Hack Gun; Yun, Il Gyu [Soonchunhyang University, Chonan Hospital, Chonan (Korea, Republic of)

    1989-10-15

    We present a case of acute subdural hematoma which was rapidly resolved without surgical intervention. This 31 year old man had a hematoma of which thickness was 9 mm and was paraplegic due to fracture-dislocation of thoracic spine at the level of TII-12 Rapid recovery of consciousness despite of sizable hematoma made to take a serial CT scanning instead of immediate surgical interventions. The hematoma was resolved within 4 hours without surgery. Possible mechanism of this rapid spontaneous resolution is discussed with brief review of the related literature.

  18. Rapid Blood Pressure Lowering According to Recovery at Different Time Intervals after Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Pooled Analysis of the INTERACT Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xia; Arima, Hisatomi; Al-Shahi Salman, Rustam; Woodward, Mark; Heeley, Emma; Stapf, Christian; Lavados, Pablo M; Robinson, Thompson; Huang, Yining; Wang, Jiguang; Delcourt, Candice; Anderson, Craig S

    2015-01-01

    Early intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering has been shown to improve functional outcome in acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but the treatment effect is modest and without a clearly defined underlying explanatory mechanism. We aimed at more reliably quantifying the benefits of this treatment according to different time periods in the recovery of participants in the Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trial (INTERACT) studies. Pooled analysis of the pilot INTERACT1 (n = 404) and main INTERACT2 (n = 2,839) involving patients with spontaneous ICH (patient characteristic subgroups, with trends favoring those randomized early, and with higher SBP and milder neurological severity at baseline. Intensive BP lowering provides beneficial effects on physical functioning that manifests consistently through the early and later phases of recovery from ICH. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Factors Analysis of Spontaneous Abortion after Thawed-vitrified Blastocysts Transfer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Dong YANG; Zheng-yi SUN; Cheng-yan DENG; Qi YU; Fang-fang HE

    2008-01-01

    Objective To investigate the factors resulting in spontaneous abortion after transferring frozen-thawing blastocysts. Methods A total of 108 cases transferring vitrified blastocysts were divided into two groups: abortion group (n =20) and ongoing group (n=88). Cytogenetic analysis of apoblemas was performed in 12 cases of the abortion.Results The overall spontaneous abortion rate was 18.50%(20/108) and the early spontaneous rate was 16.67%(18/108). ,4 significant difference in maternal age was observed (abortion group: 33.3±4.0 years, ongoing group: 31.0±3.6 years, P=0.02). No difference in other parameters was found. Cytogenetic analysis of apoblemas was obtained for 12 cases, and 2 specimens were contaminated. Seven of ten patients had abnormal karyotypes. Conclusion The underlying cause of spontaneous abortion after transferring frozen thawing blastocysts appears to be abnormal karyotypes.Advancing maternal age seems to increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.

  20. How carryover has an effect on recovery measures related to the area under the curve: theoretical and experimental investigations using cardiovascular parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawada, Yukihiro; Kato, Yuichi

    2011-03-01

    This study examines cardiovascular recovery from mental stress. Investigating the absence or presence of carryover effect, the effect of the final reactivity observed at the end of stressful task on the successive recovery, was the major objective. A recently advocated recovery measure related to the area under the curve, mean recovery rate (MRR), was investigated, comparing with the two relatives of this type, total carryover (TCO) and literally area under the curve (AUC). At the onset, a detailed theoretical formulation of each measure was carried out, starting from its original definition. It was predicted that MRR, but not TCO or AUC, could be free from the carryover effect. Next, 88 male students underwent a 5-min mental arithmetic during which blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Nearly all the theoretical predictions (i.e., 5/6 for the three recovery measures by two cardiovascular parameters) were supported by experimental data. There was only one exception: for heart rate, there was a proportional relationship even for MRR versus the final reactivity. Vagal rebound in the recovery period was conceived as the main contributor of this contradiction. The implications of these results for the understanding of future directions in recovery studies are discussed.

  1. Spontaneous bronchoesophageal fistula in an adult – A possible delayed sequela of pulmonary tuberculosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surendra Patel

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous bronchoesophageal fistula in the adult is a rare clinical entity. Most bronchoesophageal fistulae are due to malignancy, prolonged endotracheal intubation or trauma. Granulomatous infections like tuberculosis, HIV and mediastinitis are rare causes of acquired bronchoesophageal fistula. We report a case of a 50 year old man, treated for pulmonary tuberculosis 15 years ago, who developed a spontaneous bronchoesophageal fistula between the mid-esophagus and right main stem bronchus, having no history of malignancy or trauma. Surgical closure of the fistula was done and post operative recovery was uneventful. In this case, the bronchoesophageal fistula probably developed as a delayed sequela of pulmonary tuberculosis as the patient had no active signs of pulmonary tuberculosis clinically or histopathologically.

  2. Spontaneous symmetry breaking, self-trapping, and Josephson oscillations

    CERN Document Server

    2013-01-01

    This volume collects a a number of contributions on spontaneous symmetry breaking. Current studies in this general field are going ahead at a full speed. The book present review chapters which give an overview on the major break throughs of recent years. It covers a number of different physical settings which are introduced when a nonlinearity is added to the underlying symmetric problems and its strength exceeds a certain critical value. The corresponding loss of symmetry, called spontaneous symmetry breaking, alias self-trapping into asymmetric states is extensively discussed in this book.

  3. A clinical and radiological study on spontaneous pneumothorax

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jang, Kyung Jae; Kim, Jin Wook; Kim, Byung Soo; Choi, Myung Gwon

    1982-01-01

    A clinical and radiological study was done on 96 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax, encountered in the Dept. of Radiology, Busan National University Hospital during last 3 years from March 1979 to March 1982. The result were summarized as follows: 1. In the age distribution, the ages between 20 and 39 years were most highest, as 54 cases (56.3%). In the sex distribution, the ratio of male to female was 5 : 1 in male predominance. 2. The underlying pathology of the total 96 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax were of tuberculous origin in 33.3 % and non-tuberculous origin in 66.7%. And below 20 years, most were of non- tuberculous origin. 3. In the cases of lung collapse over 2/3, non-tuberculous origin was more than tuberculous origin and had characteristics of significant mediastinal shifting, in contrast to lower percentage of fluid level by chest radiography. 4. The rupture of biebs or bullae was the main immediate causes of spontaneous pneumothorax, independent of the underlying pathology. 5. In only 27 cases (28.1%) among total 96 cases, bullae or biebs could be detected on the chest radiography. 6. In treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax, the closed thoracotomy with under water seal drainage is accepted to be the general method of treatment. But open thoracotomy is considered as the best useful therapeutic procedure to prevent the recurrence, whenever bullae or blebs are found on the chest radiography. 7. In the cases of closed thoracotomy, the recurrent rate was 25.0% and most cases were found at the ipsilateral side of the first attack. 8. Within a week, the collapsed lung were well expanded in most cases of total 96 cases, after closed thoracotomy

  4. Perimetric demonstration of spontaneous visual field recovery following occipital lobe haemorrhage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Siying; George, Badie Z; Wilson-Holt, Nicholas J

    2013-08-29

    A 45-year-old patient on lifelong warfarin therapy after a metal aortic valve replacement developed a homonymous visual field defect following an occipital lobe haemorrhage. The patient received only conservative management and yet described continued improvement in her visual field defect for up to 20 months following the initial cerebral insult. We present the first conclusive illustrative documentation of visual recovery in a patient with an occipital lobe haemorrhage with sequential automated perimetric assessments over an extended period of time.

  5. Results of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax according to underlying diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichinose, Junji; Nagayama, Kazuhiro; Hino, Haruaki; Nitadori, Jun-ichi; Anraku, Masaki; Murakawa, Tomohiro; Nakajima, Jun

    2016-04-01

    The outcome of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) has rarely been investigated. We retrospectively reviewed 183 patients who underwent surgery for SSP. We categorized the patients into three groups according to underlying diseases: Group A (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Group B (interstitial pneumonia [IP]) and Group C (others). We defined treatment success as surgery without hospital mortality, postoperative complications, death within 6 months or ipsilateral recurrence of pneumothorax within 2 years. We assessed the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment using a Cox regression hazard model. There were 123 patients in Group A, 20 in Group B and 40 in Group C. The hospital mortality rates were 2, 15 and 0% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. The hospital mortality, morbidity and pneumothorax recurrence rates in the IP group were higher than in the other groups. The 5-year overall survival rates were 78, 32 and 84% in Groups A, B and C, respectively; the prognosis of the IP group was significantly poorer. The treatment success rates were 86, 45 and 83% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. SSPs caused by IP and SSPs requiring open surgery were identified as the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment. Surgery for SSP caused by underlying diseases other than IP yielded favourable results. However, a careful examination of surgical indication and a realistic disclosure for informed consent are required for patients with SSP caused by IP, because of the high treatment failure rate. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular alterations underlying the spontaneous and γ-ray-induced point mutations at the white locus of Drosophila Melanogaster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleksandrova, M.V.; Lapidus, I.L.; Aleksandrov, I.D.; Karpovskij, A.L.

    1996-01-01

    The white locus in D.Melanogaster was selected as a target gene for the study of the mutational spectra of spontaneously arising and radiation-induced gene mutations in a whole organism. Analysis of 6 spontaneous and 73 γ-ray-induced white mutations by a combination of cytological, genetic and molecular techniques revealed that on the chromosomal and genetic levels all spontaneous mutations showed themselves to be point mutants. The share of such mutants among all heritable radiation-induced gene mutations is about 40%, whereas the rest ones are due to exchange breaks (8%) as well as multilocus, single-locus or partial-locus (intragenic) deletions (52%). The DNAs from 4 spontaneous and 17 γ-ray-induced point mutants were analysed by Southern blot-hybridization. The three spontaneous and 7 radiation mutants showed an altered DNA sequence at the left (distal) half of the white gene due to insertion or DNA rearrangement. The rest (58%) of the radiation-induced point mutations did not indicate any alternations in this part of the gene as detected by this technique and probes employed. 15 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

  7. 76 FR 9767 - Nationwide Categorical Waivers Under Section 1605 (Buy American) of the American Recovery and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-22

    ... accurate colors under multiple lighting setups are required); (5) Global Positioning System (GPS) Time... multiple lighting setups are required); (5) Global Positioning System (GPS) Time Source Modules (to serve... the Recovery Act. Authority: Pub. L. 111-5, section 1605. Issued in Washington, DC on January 19, 2011...

  8. Active hippocampal networks undergo spontaneous synaptic modification.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masako Tsukamoto-Yasui

    Full Text Available The brain is self-writable; as the brain voluntarily adapts itself to a changing environment, the neural circuitry rearranges its functional connectivity by referring to its own activity. How the internal activity modifies synaptic weights is largely unknown, however. Here we report that spontaneous activity causes complex reorganization of synaptic connectivity without any external (or artificial stimuli. Under physiologically relevant ionic conditions, CA3 pyramidal cells in hippocampal slices displayed spontaneous spikes with bistable slow oscillations of membrane potential, alternating between the so-called UP and DOWN states. The generation of slow oscillations did not require fast synaptic transmission, but their patterns were coordinated by local circuit activity. In the course of generating spontaneous activity, individual neurons acquired bidirectional long-lasting synaptic modification. The spontaneous synaptic plasticity depended on a rise in intracellular calcium concentrations of postsynaptic cells, but not on NMDA receptor activity. The direction and amount of the plasticity varied depending on slow oscillation patterns and synapse locations, and thus, they were diverse in a network. Once this global synaptic refinement occurred, the same neurons now displayed different patterns of spontaneous activity, which in turn exhibited different levels of synaptic plasticity. Thus, active networks continuously update their internal states through ongoing synaptic plasticity. With computational simulations, we suggest that with this slow oscillation-induced plasticity, a recurrent network converges on a more specific state, compared to that with spike timing-dependent plasticity alone.

  9. Physiological behaviors and recovery responses of four galician grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cultivars under water stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Islam M. T.

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence of four pot grown Galician grapevines (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Albariño, Brancellao, Godello and Treixadura were examined under different levels of water stress in greenhouse. After extreme stress, gas exchange recovery responses were evaluated. Average ΨPD for control and stressed plants were -0.4MPa and -1.45MPa respectively. All varieties showed gradual declining of all gas exchange parameters (gs, E and A with increasing of stress periods. Under stressed conditions, Albariño and Godello showed higher CO2 assimilation rate. At the end of stress period leaf defoliation was found in Albariño and Brancellao. Gas exchange recovery was higher for both Godello and Treixadura. A better response of auxiliary bud recovery was present in Albariño than in Brancellao. Close correlations between water stress and gas exchange parameters were found and it varies on genotype. Albariño, Godello and Treixadura followed same diurnal patterns of gas exchange rate for control and stressed plant respectively. Diurnal pattern of CO2 assimilation rate of all tested varieties followed gs and E. Only Brancellao showed treatment effect on mid-day Fv/Fm. Among four varieties photoinhibition was only found in Brancellao. At stressed condition physiological responses of grapevines were genotype depended.

  10. MR imaging and clinical findings of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sam Soo [Seoul City Boramae Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Han, Moon Hee; Kim, Hyun Beom [College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)] [and others

    2000-01-01

    To describe the MR imaging and clinical findings of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. The MR and clinical findings in six patients (M:F=3D4:2;adult:child=3D3:3) with spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma were reviewed. Five patients without any predisposing factor which might cause the condition and one with acute myelogenous leukemia were included. Emergency surgery was performed in two patients, and the other four were managed conservatively. The epidural lesion involved between three and seven vertebrae (mean:4.5), and relative to the spinal cord was located in the posterior-lateral (n=3D4), anterior (n=3D1), or right lateral (n=3D1) area. The hematoma was isointense (n=3D1) or hyperintense (n=3D5) with spinal cord on T1-weighted images, and hypointense (n=3D2) or hyperintense (n=3D4) on T2-weighted images. It was completely absorbed in four of five patients who underwent follow-up MR imaging, but not changed in one. The clinical outcome of these patients was complete recovery (n=3D4), spastic cerebral palsy (n=3D1), or unknown (n=3D1). Because of the lesion's characteristic signal intensity; MR imaging is very useful in the diagnosis and evaluation of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. (author)

  11. Actual and potential use of population viability analyses in recovery of plant species listed under the US endangered species act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeigler, Sara L; Che-Castaldo, Judy P; Neel, Maile C

    2013-12-01

    Use of population viability analyses (PVAs) in endangered species recovery planning has been met with both support and criticism. Previous reviews promote use of PVA for setting scientifically based, measurable, and objective recovery criteria and recommend improvements to increase the framework's utility. However, others have questioned the value of PVA models for setting recovery criteria and assert that PVAs are more appropriate for understanding relative trade-offs between alternative management actions. We reviewed 258 final recovery plans for 642 plants listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act to determine the number of plans that used or recommended PVA in recovery planning. We also reviewed 223 publications that describe plant PVAs to assess how these models were designed and whether those designs reflected previous recommendations for improvement of PVAs. Twenty-four percent of listed species had recovery plans that used or recommended PVA. In publications, the typical model was a matrix population model parameterized with ≤5 years of demographic data that did not consider stochasticity, genetics, density dependence, seed banks, vegetative reproduction, dormancy, threats, or management strategies. Population growth rates for different populations of the same species or for the same population at different points in time were often statistically different or varied by >10%. Therefore, PVAs parameterized with underlying vital rates that vary to this degree may not accurately predict recovery objectives across a species' entire distribution or over longer time scales. We assert that PVA, although an important tool as part of an adaptive-management program, can help to determine quantitative recovery criteria only if more long-term data sets that capture spatiotemporal variability in vital rates become available. Lacking this, there is a strong need for viable and comprehensive methods for determining quantitative, science-based recovery criteria for

  12. Temporal analysis of the spontaneous baroreceptor reflex during mild emotional stress in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajić, Dragana; Loncar-Turukalo, Tatjana; Stojicić, Sonja; Sarenac, Olivera; Bojić, Tijana; Murphy, David; Paton, Julian F R; Japundzić-Zigon, Nina

    2010-03-01

    The effect of emotional stress on the spontaneous baroreceptor reflex (sBRR) in freely moving rats was investigated. Six male Wistar rats equipped with an intra-arterial polyethylene catheter were exposed to a 2-min air-jet stress. For time course analysis of the sBRR response to stress, the records of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse interval (PI) were divided into five regions: baseline (BASELINE), acute exposure to air-jet stress (STRESS), immediate recovery (IMMED. RECOVERY), remaining recovery (RECOVERY), and delayed response (DELAYED RESPONSE). In addition to sBRR sensitivity and effectiveness, we introduce the sequence coverage area and its median for evaluation of the sBRR operating range and set point. During exposure to STRESS and IMMED. RECOVERY, sBRR sensitivity was preserved, its effectiveness was decreased, its operating range was enlarged, and the set point was shifted towards higher SBP and lower PI values. According to the joint symbolic dynamics analysis, the SBP and PI relationship became less predictable hence more prone to respond to stress. In RECOVERY the parameters regained baseline values and DELAYED RESPONSE occurred during which re-setting of sBRR was noted. It follows that emotional stress modulates sBRR differentially during the time course of stress and recovery, affecting both linearity and unpredictability of the BP and PI relationship.

  13. Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension Treated with a Targeted CT-Guided Epidural Blood Patch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inês Correia

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH is an important cause of new daily persistent headache. It is thought to be due to spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF leaks, which probably have a multifactorial etiology. The classic manifestation of SIH is an orthostatic headache, but other neurological symptoms may be present. An epidural blood patch is thought to be the most effective treatment, but a blind infusion may be ineffective. We describe the case of a young man who developed an acute severe headache, with pain worsening when assuming an upright posture and relief gained with recumbency. No history of previous headache, recent cranial or cervical trauma, or invasive procedures was reported. Magnetic resonance imaging showed pachymeningeal enhancement and other features consistent with SIH and pointed towards a cervical CSF leak site. After failure of conservative treatment, a targeted computer tomography-guided EBP was performed, with complete recovery.

  14. 75 FR 29584 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-26

    ..., to obtain a permit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (``RCRA'') for its ownership and... emissions from the TMW at the facility; perform trial and risk burns for the TMW to identify appropriate incinerator level and risk based operating and control parameters for the unit; file a notification and...

  15. Chemical process for improved oil recovery from Bakken shale

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shuler, Patrick; Tang, Hongxin; Lu, Zayne [ChemEOR Inc (United States); Tang, Youngchun [Power Environmental Energy Research Institute (United States)

    2011-07-01

    This paper presents the new chemically-improved oil recovery process (IOR) process for Bakken formation reservoirs. A custom surfactant agent can be used in standard hydraulic fracturing treatments in the Bakken to increase oil recovery. The rock formation consists of three members: the lower shale, middle dolostone and the upper shale. The dolostone was deposited as a coastal carbonate during shallower water and the shales were deposited in a relatively deep marine condition. With the widespread advent of horizontal well drilling and large-volume hydraulic fracturing treatments, production from the Bakken has become very active. The experimental results exhibited that specialized surfactant formulations will interact with this mixed oil-wet low permeability middle member to produce more oil. It was also observed that oil recovery by spontaneous imbibition was fast and significant. The best surfactant found in this study is compatible with a common fracture fluid system.

  16. A new potential AED, carisbamate, substantially reduces spontaneous motor seizures in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabenstatter, Heidi L.; Dudek, F. Edward

    2010-01-01

    Purpose Animal models with spontaneous epileptic seizures may be useful in the discovery of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of carisbamate on spontaneous motor seizures in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy. Methods Repeated, low-dose (5 mg/kg), intraperitoneal injections of kainate were administered every hour until each male Sprague-Dawley rat had experienced convulsive status epilepticus for at least 3 h. Five 1-month trials (n= 8–10 rats) assessed the effects of 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg carisbamate on spontaneous seizures. Each trial involved six AED-versus-vehicle tests comprised of carisbamate or 10% solutol-HS-15 treatments administered as intraperitoneal injections on alternate days with a recovery day between each treatment day. Results Carisbamate significantly reduced motor seizure frequency at doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg, and caused complete seizure cessation during the 6-h post-drug epoch in 7 of 8 animals at 30 mg/kg. The effects of carisbamate (0.3–30 mg/kg) on spontaneous motor seizures appeared dose dependent. Conclusions These data support the hypothesis that a repeated-measures, cross-over protocol in animal models with spontaneous seizures is an effective method for testing AEDs. Carisbamate reduced the frequency of spontaneous motor seizures in a dose-dependent manner, and was more effective than topiramate at reducing seizures in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy. PMID:18494790

  17. 77 FR 11163 - Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-24

    ...) companies world-wide were identified that manufacture ABS approved anchors of superior holding anchors. Of... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: NSF is hereby...

  18. Spring photosynthetic recovery of boreal Norway spruce under conditions of elevated [CO(2)] and air temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallin, Göran; Hall, Marianne; Slaney, Michelle; Räntfors, Mats; Medhurst, Jane; Linder, Sune

    2013-11-01

    Accumulated carbon uptake, apparent quantum yield (AQY) and light-saturated net CO2 assimilation (Asat) were used to assess the responses of photosynthesis to environmental conditions during spring for three consecutive years. Whole-tree chambers were used to expose 40-year-old field-grown Norway spruce trees in northern Sweden to an elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, [CO2], of 700 μmol CO2 mol(-1) (CE) and an air temperature (T) between 2.8 and 5.6 °C above ambient T (TE), during summer and winter. Net shoot CO2 exchange (Anet) was measured continuously on 1-year-old shoots and was used to calculate the accumulated carbon uptake and daily Asat and AQY. The accumulated carbon uptake, from 1 March to 30 June, was stimulated by 33, 44 and 61% when trees were exposed to CE, TE, and CE and TE combined, respectively. Air temperature strongly influenced the timing and extent of photosynthetic recovery expressed as AQY and Asat during the spring. Under elevated T (TE), the recovery of AQY and Asat commenced ∼10 days earlier and the activity of these parameters was significantly higher throughout the recovery period. In the absence of frost events, the photosynthetic recovery period was less than a week. However, frost events during spring slowed recovery so that full recovery could take up to 60 days to complete. Elevated [CO2] stimulated AQY and Asat on average by ∼10 and ∼50%, respectively, throughout the recovery period, but had minimal or no effect on the onset and length of the photosynthetic recovery period during the spring. However, AQY, Asat and Anet all recovered at significantly higher T (average +2.2 °C) in TE than in TA, possibly caused by acclimation or by shorter days and lower light levels during the early part of the recovery in TE compared with TA. The results suggest that predicted future climate changes will cause prominent stimulation of photosynthetic CO2 uptake in boreal Norway spruce forest during spring, mainly caused by elevated T

  19. Recanalisation of spontaneously occluded vertebral artery dissection after subarachnoid haemorrhage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akiyama, Takenori; Onozuka, Satoshi; Horiguchi, Takashi; Yoshida, Kazunari

    2012-10-01

    Spontaneous occlusion is a rare manifestation of ruptured vertebral artery dissection (VAD). Its natural history and treatment strategy have yet to be established due to its rarity. Here, we report five lesions involving spontaneous occlusion of VAD after subarachnoid haemorrhage, among which three lesions showed recanalisation. Based on our experience and previous reports, spontaneous occlusion of ruptured VAD can be classified into two groups-one group with occlusion in the acute stage with a high incidence of recanalisation and another group with occlusion in the chronic stage with a relatively low incidence of recanalisation. The underlying mechanism is likely different in each group, and treatment strategies should also be tailored depending on the pathophysiology.

  20. Behavioral Modulation by Spontaneous Activity of Dopamine Neurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshiharu Ichinose

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Dopamine modulates a variety of animal behaviors that range from sleep and learning to courtship and aggression. Besides its well-known phasic firing to natural reward, a substantial number of dopamine neurons (DANs are known to exhibit ongoing intrinsic activity in the absence of an external stimulus. While accumulating evidence points at functional implications for these intrinsic “spontaneous activities” of DANs in cognitive processes, a causal link to behavior and its underlying mechanisms has yet to be elucidated. Recent physiological studies in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster have uncovered that DANs in the fly brain are also spontaneously active, and that this activity reflects the behavioral/internal states of the animal. Strikingly, genetic manipulation of basal DAN activity resulted in behavioral alterations in the fly, providing critical evidence that links spontaneous DAN activity to behavioral states. Furthermore, circuit-level analyses have started to reveal cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate or regulate spontaneous DAN activity. Through reviewing recent findings in different animals with the major focus on flies, we will discuss potential roles of this physiological phenomenon in directing animal behaviors.

  1. When do humans spontaneously adopt another's visuospatial perspective?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freundlieb, Martin; Kovács, Ágnes M; Sebanz, Natalie

    2016-03-01

    Perspective-taking is a key component of social interactions. However, there is an ongoing controversy about whether, when and how instances of spontaneous visuospatial perspective-taking occur. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying factors as well as boundary conditions that characterize the spontaneous adoption of another person's visuospatial perspective (VSP) during social interactions. We used a novel paradigm, in which a participant and a confederate performed a simple stimulus-response (SR) compatibility task sitting at a 90° angle to each other. In this set-up, participants would show a spatial compatibility effect only if they adopted the confederate's VSP. In a series of 5 experiments we found that participants reliably adopted the VSP of the confederate, as long as he was perceived as an intentionally acting agent. Our results therefore show that humans are able to spontaneously adopt the differing VSP of another agent and that there is a tight link between perspective-taking and performing actions together. The results suggest that spontaneous VSP-taking can effectively facilitate and speed up spatial alignment processes accruing from dynamic interactions in multiagent environments. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. 76 FR 186 - Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-03

    ... system set-up. 8. Pre-programmed with 150 channels for the existing facsimile stations world-wide and... successful operation world-wide. Eighteen (18) potential vendors were identified with only six (6... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and...

  3. Recovery in cold-worked alloy under pressure: example of AISI 316 stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yousuf, M; Sahu, P C; Raghunathan, V S; Govinda Rajan, K

    1986-06-01

    In this paper we report the behaviour of defects under high pressure in severely cold-deformed 316 stainless steel. In situ electrical resistivity measurements indicate a minimum in the reduced resistivity ratio at 2 GPa associated with a characteristic relaxation time of 500 + - 5 sec. Microhardness data on pressure-treated and recovered samples are consistent with the electrical resistivity behaviour. X-ray powder diffraction rings indicate sharpening beyond 2 GPa. The decrease in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the strongest ring is about 2% at pressures beyond 2 GPa. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that samples pressure treated beyond 2 GPa have a polygonized dislocation structure. This is in sharp contrast to the tangled dislocation structure observed in the cold-worked samples. The experimental results suggest a recovery stage in cold-worked stainless steel at 2 GPa. We propose that the recovery process is activated through an enhanced vacancy concentration caused by deformation, a pressure-induced vacancy-dislocation interaction and consequently a pressure-assisted dislocation mobility leading to polygonization.

  4. Spontaneous Rapid Resolution of Acute Epidural Hematoma in Childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Gülşen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute epidural hematoma is a critical emergency all around the world, and its aggressive diagnosis and treatment are of vital importance. Emergent surgical evacuation of the hematoma is known as standard management; however, conservative procedures are also used for small ones. Spontaneous rapid resolution of these hematomas has also been reported in eight pediatric cases. Various theories have been proposed to explain the underlying pathophysiology of this resolution. Herein, we are reporting a new pediatric case with spontaneously resolving acute epidural hematoma 12 hours after admission to the emergency room.

  5. Quantitative and temporal differential recovery of articular and muscular limitations of knee joint contractures; results in a rat model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trudel, Guy; Laneuville, Odette; Coletta, Elizabeth; Goudreau, Louis; Uhthoff, Hans K

    2014-10-01

    Joint contractures alter the mechanical properties of articular and muscular structures. Reversibility of a contracture depends on the restoration of the elasticity of both structures. We determined the differential contribution of articular and muscular structures to knee flexion contractures during spontaneous recovery. Rats (250, divided into 24 groups) had one knee joint surgically fixed in flexion for six different durations, from 1 to 32 wk, creating joint contractures of various severities. After the fixation was removed, the animals were left to spontaneously recover for 1 to 48 wk. After the recovery periods, animals were killed and the knee extension was measured before and after division of the transarticular posterior muscles using a motorized arthrometer. No articular limitation had developed in contracture of recent onset (≤2 wk of fixation, P > 0.05); muscular limitations were responsible for the majority of the contracture (34 ± 8° and 38 ± 6°, respectively; both P contractures of recent onset (1 and 2 wk of fixation, respectively). Long-lasting contractures (≥4 wk of fixation) presented articular limitations, irreversible in all 12 durations of recovery compared with controls (all 12 P contractures of recent onset were primarily due to muscular structures, and they were reversible during spontaneous recovery. Long-lasting contractures were primarily due to articular structures and were irreversible. Comprehensive temporal and quantitative data on the differential reversibility of mechanically significant alterations in articular and muscular structures represent novel evidence on which to base clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

  6. Stem cell mediation of functional recovery after stroke in the rat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Ramos-Cabrer

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Regenerative strategies of stem cell grafting have been demonstrated to be effective in animal models of stroke. In those studies, the effectiveness of stem cells promoting functional recovery was assessed by behavioral testing. These behavioral studies do, however, not provide access to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the observed functional outcome improvement. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to address the underlying mechanisms of stem cell mediated functional improvement, this functional improvement after stroke in the rat was investigated for six months after stroke by use of fMRI, somatosensory evoked potentials by electrophysiology, and sensorimotor behavior testing. Stem cells were grafted ipsilateral to the ischemic lesion. Rigorous exclusion of spontaneous recovery as confounding factor permitted to observe graft-related functional improvement beginning after 7 weeks and continuously increasing during the 6-month observation period. The major findings were i functional improvement causally related to the stem cells grafting; ii tissue replacement can be excluded as dominant factor for stem cell mediated functional improvement; iii functional improvement occurs by exclusive restitution of the function in the original representation field, without clear contributions from reorganization processes, and iv stem cells were not detectable any longer after six months. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A delayed functional improvement due to stem cell implantation has been documented by electrophysiology, fMRI and behavioral testing. This functional improvement occurred without cells acting as a tissue replacement for the necrotic tissue after the ischemic event. Combination of disappearance of grafted cells after six months on histological sections with persistent functional recovery was interpreted as paracrine effects by the grafted stem cells being the dominant mechanism of cell activity underlying the observed

  7. Recovery of spermatogenesis following testosterone replacement therapy or anabolic-androgenic steroid use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Abram McBride

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT for hypogonadism continues to rise, particularly in younger men who may wish to remain fertile. Concurrently, awareness of a more pervasive use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS within the general population has been appreciated. Both TRT and AAS can suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG axis resulting in diminution of spermatogenesis. Therefore, it is important that clinicians recognize previous TRT or AAS use in patients presenting for infertility treatment. Cessation of TRT or AAS use may result in spontaneous recovery of normal spermatogenesis in a reasonable number of patients if allowed sufficient time for recovery. However, some patients may not recover normal spermatogenesis or tolerate waiting for spontaneous recovery. In such cases, clinicians must be aware of the pathophysiologic derangements of the HPG axis related to TRT or AAS use and the pharmacologic agents available to reverse them. The available agents include injectable gonadotropins, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and aromatase inhibitors, but their off-label use is poorly described in the literature, potentially creating a knowledge gap for the clinician. Reviewing their use clinically for the treatment of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and other HPG axis abnormalities can familiarize the clinician with the manner in which they can be used to recover spermatogenesis after TRT or AAS use.

  8. 76 FR 35920 - Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-20

    ... antifouling system was done by UAF in 2009. Only two sources were identified world-wide and none were... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: NSF is hereby...

  9. Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A retrospective study of twenty-five patients and literature review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batouk, A.; Jastaniah, S.; Grillo, I.A.; Malatani, T.S.; Al-Saigh, A.H.; Al-Shehri, M.Y.; Softah, A.; Ali, K.A.M.; Teklu, B.

    1996-01-01

    We present a retrospective study of 25 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax (three recurrent) comprising 16 Saudis (nine males and seven females) and eight non-Saudi's (eight males and one female), seen at the Asir Central Hospital, Abha, over a period of 45 months. Almost one-third of patients (9/25) had no underlying cause discernible by our investigational facilities (chest x-ray, ultrasonography, computed tomographic scan and flexible bronchofiberscopy). Underlying pneumonia (three patients), pulmonary tuberculosis (two patients), lung abscess (one patient) and congenital bullae (one patient) constituted the etiology in another third of the spontaneous pneumothorax patients. Other underlying pulmonary diseases, precipitating spontaneous pneumothorax in the group included pulmonary fibrosis, metastatic mesothelioma and immunosuppression in a medulloblastoma patient undergoing chemotherapy with the development of chickenpox. Closed thoracostomy tube drainage was the only method of treatment in 20 out of 25 patients, with three failures of closed thoracostomy tube drainage needing thoractomy and resection of blebs/bullae. The only complication was empyema in two of the patients. Two patients were successfully treated conservatively with observation alone. (author)

  10. Study of ion viscosity by spontaneous L-H transitions under marginal hot cathode biasing in the Tohoku University Heliac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitajima, S.; Takahashi, H.; Tanaka, Y.; Utoh, H.; Takenaga, M.; Yokoyama, M.; Inagaki, S.; Suzuki, Y.; Nishimura, K.; Ogawa, H.; Takayama, M.; Shinde, J.; Ogawa, M.; Aoyama, H.; Iwazaki, K.; Okamoto, A.; Shinto, K.; Sasao, M.

    2008-01-01

    Using the spontaneous transition condition under marginal hot cathode biasing, the ion viscosity at the L-H transition was estimated in various magnetic configurations in the Tohoku University Heliac. The critical viscosity, which is the viscosity at the transition point, was experimentally estimated from the J x B driving force. The critical viscosities in different magnetic configurations were in agreement with the neoclassical predictions within a factor of 2 and were compared with the viscosities obtained in the externally forced biasing experiments. Although the transition points were spread over a wide range, poloidal Mach numbers at the transition point were concentrated near the viscosity maxima predicted by the theory

  11. Recovery of a soil under different vegetation one year after a high intensity wildfire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Martín

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Studies on soil recovery in fragile ecosystems following high intensity wildfires are scarce. The aim of the present investigation is to evaluate the impact of a high intensity wildfire in an ecosystem under different vegetation (shrubland and pinewood located at Vilardevós (Galicia, NW Spain and highly susceptible to suffer soil erosion due to the steep relief and high erositivity of the rainfall. Soil samples were collected from the A horizon (0-5 cm 1 year after the fire and soil quality was evaluated by analysis of several physical, chemical and biochemical properties measured in the fraction chemical properties > physical properties. The data also showed that the fire impact was different depending on the soil vegetation considered (shrubland and pinewood. Moreover, the data confirmed the slow soil recovery in this fragile ecosystem and, therefore, the need of adopting post-fire stabilisation and rehabilitation treatments in order to minimize the post-fire erosion and soil degradation.

  12. Spontaneous Hypoglycemia After Islet Autotransplantation for Chronic Pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu Kuei; Faiman, Charles; Johnston, Philip C; Walsh, R Matthew; Stevens, Tyler; Bottino, Rita; Hatipoglu, Betul A

    2016-10-01

    Spontaneous hypoglycemia has been reported in patients after total pancreatectomy (TP) and islet autotransplantation (IAT) with maintained insulin independence. Details surrounding these events have not been well described. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency and characteristics of spontaneous hypoglycemia in patients undergoing TP-IAT and/or to ascertain predictive or protective factors of its development. This was an observational cohort study in 40 patients who underwent TP-IAT from August 2008 to May 2014, with a median follow-up of 34 months. The study was conducted at a single institution (Cleveland Clinic). Patients included recipients of TP-IAT. The intervention included small, frequent meals in those patients who developed spontaneous hypoglycemia. Incidence of spontaneous hypoglycemia development, characteristics of the patients developing hypoglycemia, and their response to small, frequent meals were measured. Six of 12 patients, who maintained insulin independence, developed spontaneous hypoglycemia. The episodes could be fasting, postprandial, and/or exercise associated, with the frequency ranging from two to three times daily to once every 1-2 weeks. All patients experienced at least one episode that required external assistance, glucagon administration, and/or emergent medical attention. Patients who developed hypoglycemia had a lower median age and tended to have a lower median islet equivalent/kg body weight but a higher median total islet equivalent, body mass index, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance score. All patients who received small, frequent meal intervention had improvement in severity and/or frequency of the hypoglycemic episodes. Spontaneous hypoglycemia is prevalent after TP-IAT. Although the underlying pathophysiology responsible for these hypoglycemia events remains to be elucidated, small, frequent meal intervention is helpful in ameliorating this condition.

  13. Differential spontaneous recovery across cognitive abilities during detoxification period in alcohol-dependence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Géraldine Petit

    Full Text Available There is a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which cognitive dysfunctions may recover upon cessation of alcohol intake by alcohol-dependents (AD, and the divergent findings are most likely due to methodological differences between the various studies. The present study was aimed at conducting a very strict longitudinal study of cognitive recovery in terms of assessment points, the duration of abstinence, control of age and duration of the addiction, and by use of individual analyses in addition to mean group comparisons. Our study further focused on the 2-3 week phase of alcohol detoxification that is already known to positively affect many biological, emotional, motivational, as well as neural variables, followed by longer-term therapies for which good cognitive functioning is needed.41 AD inpatients undergoing a detoxification program, and 41 matched controls, were evaluated twice in terms of five cognitive functions (i.e., short-term memory, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency within a three-week interval [on the first day (T1 and the 18th day (T2 of abstinence for AD patients]. Emotional (positive and negative affectivity and depression and motivational (craving variables were also measured at both evaluation times.Although verbal fluency, short-term memory, and cognitive flexibility did not appear to be affected, the patients exhibited impaired inhibition and working memory at T1. While no recovery of inhibition was found to occur, the average working memory performance of the patients was comparable to that of the controls at T2. Improvements in emotional and motivational dimensions were also observed, although they did not correlate with the ones in working memory. Individual analysis showed that not all participants were impaired or recover the same functions.While inhibition deficits appear to persist after 18 days of detoxification, deficits in working memory, which is a central component of

  14. Spontaneously broken mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Endlich, Solomon; Nicolis, Alberto; Penco, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    The Galilei group involves mass as a central charge. We show that the associated superselection rule is incompatible with the observed phenomenology of superfluid helium 4: this is recovered only under the assumption that mass is spontaneously broken. This remark is somewhat immaterial for the real world, where the correct space-time symmetries are encoded by the Poincaré group, which has no central charge. Yet it provides an explicit example of how superselection rules can be experimentally tested. We elaborate on what conditions must be met for our ideas to be generalizable to the relativistic case of the integer/half-integer angular momentum superselection rule.

  15. Ongoing spontaneous activity controls access to consciousness: a neuronal model for inattentional blindness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanislas Dehaene

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Even in the absence of sensory inputs, cortical and thalamic neurons can show structured patterns of ongoing spontaneous activity, whose origins and functional significance are not well understood. We use computer simulations to explore the conditions under which spontaneous activity emerges from a simplified model of multiple interconnected thalamocortical columns linked by long-range, top-down excitatory axons, and to examine its interactions with stimulus-induced activation. Simulations help characterize two main states of activity. First, spontaneous gamma-band oscillations emerge at a precise threshold controlled by ascending neuromodulator systems. Second, within a spontaneously active network, we observe the sudden "ignition" of one out of many possible coherent states of high-level activity amidst cortical neurons with long-distance projections. During such an ignited state, spontaneous activity can block external sensory processing. We relate those properties to experimental observations on the neural bases of endogenous states of consciousness, and particularly the blocking of access to consciousness that occurs in the psychophysical phenomenon of "inattentional blindness," in which normal subjects intensely engaged in mental activity fail to notice salient but irrelevant sensory stimuli. Although highly simplified, the generic properties of a minimal network may help clarify some of the basic cerebral phenomena underlying the autonomy of consciousness.

  16. Ongoing spontaneous activity controls access to consciousness: a neuronal model for inattentional blindness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehaene, Stanislas; Changeux, Jean-Pierre

    2005-05-01

    Even in the absence of sensory inputs, cortical and thalamic neurons can show structured patterns of ongoing spontaneous activity, whose origins and functional significance are not well understood. We use computer simulations to explore the conditions under which spontaneous activity emerges from a simplified model of multiple interconnected thalamocortical columns linked by long-range, top-down excitatory axons, and to examine its interactions with stimulus-induced activation. Simulations help characterize two main states of activity. First, spontaneous gamma-band oscillations emerge at a precise threshold controlled by ascending neuromodulator systems. Second, within a spontaneously active network, we observe the sudden "ignition" of one out of many possible coherent states of high-level activity amidst cortical neurons with long-distance projections. During such an ignited state, spontaneous activity can block external sensory processing. We relate those properties to experimental observations on the neural bases of endogenous states of consciousness, and particularly the blocking of access to consciousness that occurs in the psychophysical phenomenon of "inattentional blindness," in which normal subjects intensely engaged in mental activity fail to notice salient but irrelevant sensory stimuli. Although highly simplified, the generic properties of a minimal network may help clarify some of the basic cerebral phenomena underlying the autonomy of consciousness.

  17. 76 FR 51397 - Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Notice is hereby given... Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (``EPCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 11001, et seq. The Complaint alleges that...

  18. The Decrease in Mitochondrial DNA Mutation Load Parallels Visual Recovery in a Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy Patient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Emperador

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The onset of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy is relatively rare in childhood and, interestingly, the rate of spontaneous visual recovery is very high in this group of patients. Here, we report a child harboring a rare pathological mitochondrial DNA mutation, present in heteroplasmy, associated with the disease. A patient follow-up showed a rapid recovery of the vision accompanied by a decrease of the percentage of mutated mtDNA. A retrospective study on the age of recovery of all childhood-onset Leber hereditary optic neuropathy patients reported in the literature suggested that this process was probably related with pubertal changes.

  19. Atypical development of spontaneous social cognition in autism spectrum disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senju, Atsushi

    2013-02-01

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have profound impairment in the development of social interaction and communication. However, it is also known that some 'high-functioning' individuals with ASD show apparently typical capacity to process social information in a controlled experimental settings, despite their difficulties in daily life. The current paper overviews the spontaneous social cognition, spontaneous processing of social information in the absence of explicit instruction or task demand, in individuals with ASD. Three areas of the researches, false belief attribution, imitation/mimicry, and eye gaze processing, have been reviewed. The literatures suggest that high-functioning individuals with ASD (a) do not spontaneously attribute false belief to others, even though they can easily do so when explicitly instructed, (b) can imitate others' goal-directed actions under explicit instruction and show spontaneous mimicry of others' actions when they attend to the action, but are less likely to show spontaneous mimicry without the task structure to navigate attention to others' action and (c) can process others' gaze direction and shift attention to others' gaze directions, but fail to spontaneously attend to another person's eyes in social and communicative context, and less likely to be prompted to respond in response to perceived eye contact. These results are consistent with the claim that individuals with ASD do not spontaneously attend to socially relevant information, even though they can easily process the same information when their attention is navigated towards it. Copyright © 2012 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Spontaneous external gallbladder perforation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noeldge, G.; Wimmer, B.; Kirchner, R.

    1981-01-01

    Spontaneous perforation of the gallbladder is one complication of cholelithiasis. There is a greater occurence of free perforation in the peritoneal cavity with bilary pertonitis, followed by the perforation into the stomach, small intestine and colon. A single case of the nowadays rare spontaneous perforation in and through the abdominal wall will be reported. Spontaneous gallbladder perforation appears nearly asymptomatic in its clinical course because of absent biliary peritonitis. (orig.) [de

  1. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum on CT : related condition and its clinical significance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sung Hyun; Im, Jung Gi; Seo, Joon Beom; Park, Jae Hyung; Yeon, Kyung Mo; Han, Man Chung

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to tabulate underlying disease and to assess the clinical significance of CT-diagnosed spontaneous pneumomediastinum. We retrospectively reviewed CT scans and medical records of 11 consecutive patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum, and analyzed their clinical history and course, and in five cases, pulmonary function. CT scans of 126 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPE) collected while the 11 consecutive patients were being treated were analyzed for the prevalence of pneumomediastinum. We analyzed CT findings with respect to the amount and distribution of air in the mediastinum, and the presence of absence of air outside the mediastinum. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum might be associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and might be a poor prognostic factor in patients with IPE or BOOP. (author). 18 refs., 2 figs

  2. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum on CT : related condition and its clinical significance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sung Hyun; Im, Jung Gi; Seo, Joon Beom; Park, Jae Hyung; Yeon, Kyung Mo; Han, Man Chung [Seoul National Univ. (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Medicine

    1998-03-01

    The purpose of this paper is to tabulate underlying disease and to assess the clinical significance of CT-diagnosed spontaneous pneumomediastinum. We retrospectively reviewed CT scans and medical records of 11 consecutive patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum, and analyzed their clinical history and course, and in five cases, pulmonary function. CT scans of 126 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPE) collected while the 11 consecutive patients were being treated were analyzed for the prevalence of pneumomediastinum. We analyzed CT findings with respect to the amount and distribution of air in the mediastinum, and the presence of absence of air outside the mediastinum. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum might be associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and might be a poor prognostic factor in patients with IPE or BOOP. (author). 18 refs., 2 figs.

  3. Spontaneous L-H transitions under marginal hot cathode biasing in the Tohoku University Heliac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitajima, S; Takahashi, H; Tanaka, Y; Utoh, H; Yokoyama, M; Inagaki, S; Suzuki, Y; Nishimura, K; Shinde, J; Ogawa, M; Iwazaki, K; Aoyama, H; Okamoto, A; Shinto, K; Sasao, M

    2006-01-01

    A series of hot cathode biasing experiments with marginal conditions for improved mode transition were carried out in the Tohoku University Heliac (TU-Heliac). Spontaneous transitions were observed accompanied by a delay of a few milliseconds. Transition conditions were explored over a wide operation range. The transition points can be identified clearly and easily in the operation range, because the plasma parameters changed slowly until the spontaneous transition. Although operation conditions were spread over a wide range, poloidal Mach numbers for transitions were concentrated in the range of -M p = 1-2 and normalized driving forces for poloidal rotation agreed well with the local maximum value of ion viscosity predicted by neoclassical theory. The local maximum of ion viscosity against the poloidal Mach number was found to play a key role in the L-H transition. Marginal hot cathode biasing is suitable to determine the threshold conditions for the L-H transition

  4. Fitness decline under osmotic stress in Caenorhabditis elegans populations subjected to spontaneous mutation accumulation at varying population sizes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katju, Vaishali; Packard, Lucille B; Keightley, Peter D

    2018-04-01

    The consequences of mutations for population fitness depends on their individual selection coefficients and the effective population size. An earlier study of Caenorhabditis elegans spontaneous mutation accumulation lines evolved for 409 generations at three population sizes found that N e   = 1 populations declined significantly in fitness whereas the fitness of larger populations (N e   = 5, 50) was indistinguishable from the ancestral control under benign conditions. To test if larger MA populations harbor a load of cryptic deleterious mutations that are obscured under benign laboratory conditions, we measured fitness under osmotic stress via exposure to hypersaline conditions. The fitness of N e   = 1 lines exhibited a further decline under osmotic stress compared to benign conditions. However, the fitness of larger populations remained indistinguishable from that of the ancestral control. The average effects of deleterious mutations in N e   = 1 lines were estimated to be 22% for productivity and 14% for survivorship, exceeding values previously detected under benign conditions. Our results suggest that fitness decline is due to large effect mutations that are rapidly removed via selection even in small populations, with implications for conservation practices. Genetic stochasticity may not be as potent and immediate a threat to the persistence of small populations as other demographic and environmental stochastic factors. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  5. Phenolic compounds and properties of antioxidants in grapevine roots (Vitis vinifera L. under low-temperature stress followed by recovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanisław Weidner

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The research has been performed on roots of Vitis vinifera, cv. Himrod, obtained from seedlings grown under chill stress conditions (+10oC in the day and +7oC at night, under optimum conditions (+25oC in the day and +18oC at night and from seedling which underwent a recover period after the chill stress treatment. The purpose of the study has been to determine quantitative and qualitative changes in phenolic compounds as well as to demonstrate changes in antiradical properties of extracts from grapevine roots, which appeared as a result of chill stress and during recovery under the optimum conditions following the stress. Phenolic compounds from grapevine roots were extracted using 80% acetone. The total content of phenolics was determined by colorimetry. The content of tannins was tested by precipitation with bovine serum albumin. The reducing power as well as DPPH• free radical and ABTS+• cation radical scavenging activity of the extracts were also tested. In order to identify phenolic compounds present in the extracts the RP-HPLC technique was employed. The tested material was found to contain tannins and three identified phenolic acids: ferulic, caffeic and p-coumaric ones. The latter occurred in the highest concentrations (from 4.46 to 6.28 µg/g fresh matter. Ferulic acid appeared in smaller amounts (from 1.68 to 2.65 µg/g fresh matter, followed by caffeic acid (from 0.87 to 1.55 µg/g fresh matter. Significantly less total phenolic compounds occurred in roots of seedlings subjected to chill stress. However, the total content of these compounds increased significantly in roots of plants which underwent recovery after chill stress. Concentration of tannins was determined by two methods. The content of condensed tannins was depressed in roots as a result of low temperature stress, whereas the content of condensed and hydrolysing tannins (determined via the BSA method rose under chill stress conditions. A significant increase in tannins

  6. Ultrafast table-top dynamic radiography of spontaneous or stimulated events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smilowitz, Laura; Henson, Bryan

    2018-01-16

    Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for performing radiography. For example, certain embodiments concern X-ray radiography of spontaneous events. Particular embodiments of the disclosed technology provide continuous high-speed x-ray imaging of spontaneous dynamic events, such as explosions, reaction-front propagation, and even material failure. Further, in certain embodiments, x-ray activation and data collection activation are triggered by the object itself that is under observation (e.g., triggered by a change of state detected by one or more sensors monitoring the object itself).

  7. Definition of spontaneous reconnection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schindler, K.

    1984-01-01

    The author discusses his view of driven versus spontaneous. There is a close link between ''spontaneous'' and ''instability.'' One of the prominent examples for instability is the thermal convection instability. Just to remind you, if you heat a fluid layer from below, it takes a certain Rayleigh number to make it unstable. Beyond the onset point you find qualitatively new features. That is called ''spontaneous,'' and this is a bit more than semantics. It's a new qualitative property that appears and it is spontaneous although we have an energy flux through the system. It's a misconception, to call this ''driven'' pointing at the energy flux through it. Of course, the convection would not exist without this energy flux. But what makes it ''spontaneous'' is that without any particular external signal, a new qualitative feature appears. And this is what is called an ''instability'' and ''spontaneous.'' From these considerations the author got a little reassured of what distinction should be made in the field of the magnetosphere. If we have a smooth energy transport into the magnetosphere and suddenly we have this qualitatively new feature (change of B-topology) coming up; then, using this terminology we don't have a choice other than calling this spontaneous or unstable, if you like. If we ''tell'' the system where it should make its neutral line and where it should make its plasmoids, then, it is driven. And this provides a very clear-cut observational distinction. The author emphasizes the difference he sees is a qualitative difference, not only a quantitative one

  8. Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking and Nambu–Goldstone Bosons in Quantum Many-Body Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomáš Brauner

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a general principle that constitutes the underlying concept of a vast number of physical phenomena ranging from ferromagnetism and superconductivity in condensed matter physics to the Higgs mechanism in the standard model of elementary particles. I focus on manifestations of spontaneously broken symmetries in systems that are not Lorentz invariant, which include both nonrelativistic systems as well as relativistic systems at nonzero density, providing a self-contained review of the properties of spontaneously broken symmetries specific to such theories. Topics covered include: (i Introduction to the mathematics of spontaneous symmetry breaking and the Goldstone theorem. (ii Minimization of Higgs-type potentials for higher-dimensional representations. (iii Counting rules for Nambu–Goldstone bosons and their dispersion relations. (iv Construction of effective Lagrangians. Specific examples in both relativistic and nonrelativistic physics are worked out in detail.

  9. Evaluation of the minute ventilation recovery time as a predictor of weaning in mechanically ventilated COPD patients in respiratory failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaa Eldin Elgazzar

    2013-04-01

    Conclusion: The minute ventilation recovery time is a good, reliable predictor of weaning success and it is the most independent parameter among other weaning predictors that can predict a successful spontaneous breathing trial (SBT.

  10. Locomotor recovery after spinal cord contusion injury in rats is improved by spontaneous exercise

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gispen, W.H.; Meeteren, N.L. van; Eggers, L.; Lankhorst, A.J.; Hamers, F.P.

    2003-01-01

    We have recently shown that enriched environment (EE) housing significantly enhances locomotor recovery following spinal cord contusion injury (SCI) in rats. As the type and intensity of locomotor training with EE housing are rather poorly characterized, we decided to compare the effectiveness of EE

  11. Cardiac and respiratory responses of rainbow trout, bluegills and brown bullhead catfish during rapid hypoxia and recovery under normoxic conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marvin, Jr, D E; Burton, D T

    1973-01-01

    Heart rate, ventilation rate and routine oxygen consumption were measured in Salmo gairdneri, Lepomis macrochirus and Ictalurus nebulosus during rapid hypoxic stress and recovery under normoxic conditions. Cardiac and respiratory responses during hypoxia were similar to those reported in the literature for teleost fish. Immediate increases in heart rate and ventilation rate occurred in all three species after stress. When the mean heart rate for each species at 1 hr post-stress was compared with its pre-stress rate, differences in recovery patterns were found in all species. During recovery from hypoxia, rapid increases in oxygen consumption, above pre-stress levels, occurred in S. gairdneri and L. macrochirus. No significant differences between pre-stress and post-stress values were found in I. nebulosus.

  12. Limitations and obstacles of the spontaneous adverse drugs reactions reporting: Two "challenging" case reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palleria, Caterina; Leporini, Christian; Chimirri, Serafina; Marrazzo, Giuseppina; Sacchetta, Sabrina; Bruno, Lucrezia; Lista, Rosaria M; Staltari, Orietta; Scuteri, Antonio; Scicchitano, Francesca; Russo, Emilio

    2013-12-01

    Nowadays, based on several epidemiological data, iatrogenic disease is an emerging public health problem, especially in industrialized countries. Adverse drugs reactions (ADRs) are extremely common and, therefore, clinically, socially, and economically worthy of attention. Spontaneous reporting system for suspected ADRs represents the cornerstone of the pharmacovigilance, because it allows rapid detection of potential alarm signals related to drugs use. However, spontaneous reporting system shows several limitations, which are mainly related to under-reporting. In this paper, we describe two particular case reports, which emphasize some reasons of under-reporting and other common criticisms of spontaneous reporting systems. We performed a computer-aided search of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library databases, national and international databases of suspected ADRs reports in order to identify previous published case reports and spontaneous reports about the ADRs reviewed in this paper, and to examine the role of suspected drugs in the pathogenesis of the described adverse reactions. First, we reported a case of tizanidine-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. In the second case report, we presented an episode of asthma exacerbation after taking bimatoprost. Through the review of these two cases, we highlighted some common criticisms of spontaneous reporting systems: under-reporting and false causality attribution. Healthcare workers sometimes do not report ADRs because it is challenging to establish with certainty the causal relationship between drug and adverse reaction; however, according to a key principle of pharmacovigilance, it is always better to report even a suspicion to generate an alarm in the interest of protecting public health.

  13. Recovery during radiation mutagenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deen, D.F.; Shaw, E.I.

    1976-01-01

    Many variables (e.g. cell inoculum size, mutagen dose, expression time, and concentration of the selective agent) are known to affect the induced mutation frequency obtained in cultured mammalian cells. The authors have studied the effects of several parameters on the frequency of radiation-induced resistance to 8-azaguanine in asynchronous V79-171B hamster cells. Inoculation with 10 5 cells was followed by graded doses of radiation, expression times were optimized to maximize mutation frequency, and then the treated cells were challenged with 8-azaguanine for ten days. The optimal expression times which maximized mutation frequency were dose dependent and are in the range of 14-24, 24, and 24-36 hours respectively for doses of 250, 40 and 800 rads. A time interval of 24 hours between two 250-rad fractions resulted in a mutation frequency smaller than that obtained from administration of a single 500-rad dose. With 36 hours between halves of the dose, the induced mutation frequency was an order of magnitude lower than that produced by a single dose and actually below the unirradiated (spontaneous) frequency. Maintenance of cells after irradation first at 18 0 C for 24 hours, and then allowance of expression at 37 0 C for 24 hours, increased both the spontaneous and induced mutation frequency. A one-hour postirradiation balanced salt-solution treatment did not affect the number of spontaneous mutants that arose, but reduced the number of induced mutants. Thus, the balanced salt treatment lowers the induced mutation frequency about a factor of two. The possible significance of these results are discussed with respect to the role of radiation repair mechanisms during mutagenesis, and to recovery at low dose rates. A working hypothesis is advanced to explain the possible mechanism which causes expression time to vary as a function of the dose of mutagen. (author)

  14. Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Annual report, 1992--1993

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wasan, D.T.

    1994-08-01

    In this report, the authors present the results of experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12.0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, the authors have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil, and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties.

  15. Spontaneous Movements of a Computer Mouse Reveal Egoism and In-group Favoritism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maliszewski, Norbert; Wojciechowski, Łukasz; Suszek, Hubert

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the project was to assess whether the first spontaneous movements of a computer mouse, when making an assessment on a scale presented on the screen, may express a respondent’s implicit attitudes. In Study 1, the altruistic behaviors of 66 students were assessed. The students were led to believe that the task they were performing was also being performed by another person and they were asked to distribute earnings between themselves and the partner. The participants performed the tasks under conditions with and without distractors. With the distractors, in the first few seconds spontaneous mouse movements on the scale expressed a selfish distribution of money, while later the movements gravitated toward more altruism. In Study 2, 77 Polish students evaluated a painting by a Polish/Jewish painter on a scale. They evaluated it under conditions of full or distracted cognitive abilities. Spontaneous movements of the mouse on the scale were analyzed. In addition, implicit attitudes toward both Poles and Jews were measured with the Implicit Association Test (IAT). A significant association between implicit attitudes (IAT) and spontaneous evaluation of images using a computer mouse was observed in the group with the distractor. The participants with strong implicit in-group favoritism of Poles revealed stronger preference for the Polish painter’s work in the first few seconds of mouse movement. Taken together, these results suggest that spontaneous mouse movements may reveal egoism (in-group favoritism), i.e., processes that were not observed in the participants’ final decisions (clicking on the scale). PMID:28163689

  16. Spontaneous Movements of a Computer Mouse Reveal Egoism and In-group Favoritism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maliszewski, Norbert; Wojciechowski, Łukasz; Suszek, Hubert

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the project was to assess whether the first spontaneous movements of a computer mouse, when making an assessment on a scale presented on the screen, may express a respondent's implicit attitudes. In Study 1, the altruistic behaviors of 66 students were assessed. The students were led to believe that the task they were performing was also being performed by another person and they were asked to distribute earnings between themselves and the partner. The participants performed the tasks under conditions with and without distractors. With the distractors, in the first few seconds spontaneous mouse movements on the scale expressed a selfish distribution of money, while later the movements gravitated toward more altruism. In Study 2, 77 Polish students evaluated a painting by a Polish/Jewish painter on a scale. They evaluated it under conditions of full or distracted cognitive abilities. Spontaneous movements of the mouse on the scale were analyzed. In addition, implicit attitudes toward both Poles and Jews were measured with the Implicit Association Test (IAT). A significant association between implicit attitudes (IAT) and spontaneous evaluation of images using a computer mouse was observed in the group with the distractor. The participants with strong implicit in-group favoritism of Poles revealed stronger preference for the Polish painter's work in the first few seconds of mouse movement. Taken together, these results suggest that spontaneous mouse movements may reveal egoism (in-group favoritism), i.e., processes that were not observed in the participants' final decisions (clicking on the scale).

  17. Mechanistic investigation into the spontaneous linear assembly of gold nanospheres

    KAUST Repository

    Yang, Miaoxin; Chen, Gang; Zhao, Yunfeng; Silber, Georg; Wang, Yong; Xing, Shuangxi; Han, Yu; Chen, Hongyu

    2010-01-01

    of the solution species under various experimental conditions permits new insights in the mechanism thereof. We provide evidence that the spontaneous linear aggregation in this system is a kinetically controlled process and hence the long-range charge repulsion

  18. Shape Recovery of Elastic Red Blood Cells from Shear Flow Induced Deformation in Three Dimensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Yan; Gounley, John

    2015-11-01

    Red blood cells undergo substantial shape changes in vivo. Modeled as an elastic capsule, the shape recovery of a three dimensional biconcave capsule from shear flow is studied for different preferred elastic and bending configuration. The fluid-structure interaction is modeled using the multiple-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann (LBM) and immersed boundary (IBM) methods. Based on the studies of the limited shape memory observed in three dimensions, the shape recovery is caused by the preferred elastic configuration, at least when paired with a constant spontaneous curvature. For these capsules, the incompleteness of the shape recovery observed precludes any conjecture about whether a single or multiple phase(s) are necessary to describe the recovery process. Longer simulations and a more stable methodology will be necessary. Y. Peng acknowledges support from Old Dominion University Research Foundation Grant #503921 and National Science Foundation Grant DMS-1319078.

  19. COMPARISON OF AIRWAY RESPONSES, HAEMODYNAMICS AND RECOVERY USING SEVOFLURANE AND DESFLURANE VIA LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY IN DAY CARE PAEDIATRIC SURGERIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Satyanarayana

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND The general observation that children achieve better convalescence in the home environment supports the need for adoption of day care surgeries in them. Advantages of paediatric outpatient anaesthesia include- minimises parental separation, uninterrupted feeding schedule/sleeping patterns, less risk of nosocomial infections, reduced cost of hospitalisation, convenience and improved patient satisfaction. The aim of the study is to compare the airway responses, haemodynamic parameters and recovery using sevoflurane and desflurane via laryngeal mask airway in day care paediatric surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS 60 paediatric patients of both gender between the age group of 6 and 14 years with ASA grade 1 and 2 undergoing elective day care surgeries under general anaesthesia with LMA are divided into two groups. (Group S sevoflurane group received sevoflurane 2% to 3% and (group D desflurane group received desflurane 6% to 8% for maintenance of anaesthesia after induction with IV propofol 2 mg/kg. Airway responses, haemodynamics and recovery parameters are recorded. RESULTS Recovery parameters spontaneous eye opening, response to verbal commands, Aldrete score at 5 and 10 mins. showed statistically significant difference between two groups. Recovery is faster in desflurane group compared to sevoflurane group. The airway responses and adverse events were found to be more in desflurane group, but statistically not significant. CONCLUSION Recovery from anaesthesia was faster in patients maintained with desflurane (6% to 8% compared with sevoflurane (2% to 3%.

  20. [Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velkey, Bálint; Vitális, Eszter; Vitális, Zsuzsanna

    2017-01-01

    Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis occurs most commonly in cirrhotic patients with ascites. Pathogens get into the circulation by intestinal translocation and colonize in peritoneal fluid. Diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is based on elevated polymorphonuclear leukocyte count in the ascites (>0,25 G/L). Ascites culture is often negative but aids to get information about antibiotic sensitivity in positive cases. Treatment in stable patient can be intravenous then orally administrated ciprofloxacin or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, while in severe cases intravenous III. generation cephalosporin. Nosocomial spontaneous bacterial peritonitis often caused by Gram-positive bacteria and multi-resistant pathogens can also be expected thus carbapenem should be the choice of the empiric treatment. Antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered. Norfloxacin is used most commonly, but changes are expected due to increase in quinolone resistance. As a primary prophylaxis, a short-term antibiotic treatment is recommended after gastrointestinal bleeding for 5 days, while long-term prophylaxis is for patients with low ascites protein, and advanced disease (400 mg/day). Secondary prophylaxis is recommended for all patients recovered from spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Due to increasing antibiotic use of antibiotics prophylaxis is debated to some degree. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(2), 50-57.

  1. Drug safety alerts of pharmacovigilance programme of India: A scope for targeted spontaneous reporting in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasad Thota

    2018-01-01

    Conclusion: In India, spontaneous reporting of ADRs existed since 1998 under passive surveillance method, but there is an urgent need to initiate TSR, which is a complementary method to spontaneous reporting on these drug safety alerts for further regulatory action by Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.

  2. Heterologous production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhamnolipid under anaerobic conditions for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, F; Shi, R; Zhao, J; Li, G; Bai, X; Han, S; Zhang, Y

    2015-02-01

    The ex situ application of rhamnolipid to enhance oil recovery is costly and complex in terms of rhamnolipid production and transportation, while in situ production of rhamnolipid is restricted by the oxygen-deficient environments of oil reservoirs. To overcome the oxygen-limiting conditions and to circumvent the complex regulation of rhamnolipid biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an engineered strain Pseudomonas stutzeri Rhl was constructed for heterologous production of rhamnolipid under anaerobic conditions. The rhlABRI genes for rhamnolipid biosynthesis were cloned into a facultative anaerobic strain Ps. stutzeri DQ1 to construct the engineered strain Rhl. Anaerobic production of rhamnolipid was confirmed by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared analysis. Rhamnolipid product reduced the air-water surface tension to 30.3 mN m(-1) and the oil-water interfacial tension to 0.169 mN m(-1). Rhl produced rhamnolipid of 1.61 g l(-1) using glycerol as the carbon source. Rhl anaerobic culture emulsified crude oil up to EI24 ≈ 74. An extra 9.8% of original crude oil was displaced by Rhl in the core flooding test. Strain Rhl achieved anaerobic production of rhamnolipid and worked well for enhanced oil recovery in the core flooding model. The rhamnolipid produced by Rhl was similar to that of the donor strain SQ6. This is the first study to achieve anaerobic and heterologous production of rhamnolipid. Results demonstrated the potential feasibility of Rhl as a promising strain to enhance oil recovery through anaerobic production of rhamnolipid. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  3. Isothermal recovery rates in shape memory polyurethanes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azra, Charly; Plummer, Christopher J G; Månson, Jan-Anders E

    2011-01-01

    This work compares the time dependence of isothermal shape recovery in thermoset and thermoplastic shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) with comparable glass transition temperatures. In each case, tensile tests have been used to quantify the influence of various thermo-mechanical programming parameters (deformation temperature, recovery temperature, and stress and storage times following the deformation step) on strain recovery under zero load (free recovery) and stress recovery under fixed strain (constrained recovery). It is shown that the duration of the recovery event may be tuned over several decades of time with an appropriate choice of programming parameters, but that there is a trade-off between the rate of shape recovery and the recoverable stress level. The results are discussed in terms of the thermal characteristics of the SMPUs in the corresponding temperature range as characterized by modulated differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, with the emphasis on the role of the effective width of the glass transition temperature and the stability of the network that gives rise to the shape memory effect. (fast track communication)

  4. Genetics Home Reference: primary spontaneous pneumothorax

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Home Health Conditions Primary spontaneous pneumothorax Primary spontaneous pneumothorax Printable PDF Open All Close All Enable Javascript ... view the expand/collapse boxes. Description Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is an abnormal accumulation of air in the ...

  5. Endoscopic endonasal repair of spontaneous sphenoid sinus lateral wall meningocele presenting with cerebrospinal fluid leak

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Erdem Yildirim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous sphenoid sinus lateral wall meningoceles are rare lesions with an unknown etiology. Endoscopic endonasal technique is a considerable route in the treatment of this condition. The aim of this paper is to report the etiology, surgical technique, and outcome in a patient repaired via endoscopic endonasal approach. A 51-year-old male patient applied with rhinorrhea started three months ago after an upper respiratory infection. There were no history of trauma or sinus operation. Biochemical analysis of the fluid was positive for beta-2-transferrin. This asypthomatic patient had undergone for repairment of lateral sphenoid sinus meningocele with endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. After endoscopic endonasal meningocele closure procedure no complications occured and a quick recovery was observed. Endoscopic endonasal approach is an effective and safe treatment modality of spontaneous lateral sphenoid sinus meningoceles and efficient in anterior skull base reconstruction.

  6. The effect of pressure on spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering spectrum in nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chuanyin; Wu, Tao; Shang, Jingcheng; Zhang, Xinyi; Hu, Rongjing; He, XingDao

    2018-05-01

    In order to study the effect of gas pressure on spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering spectrum and verify the validity of Tenti S6 model at pressures up to 8 atm, the spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering experiment in nitrogen was performed for a wavelength of 532 nm at the constant room temperature of 296 K and a 90° scattering angle. By comparing the experimental spectrum with the theoretical spectrum, the normalized root mean square deviation was calculated and found less than 2.2%. It is verified that Tenti S6 model can be applied to the spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillion scattering of nitrogen under higher pressures. The results of the experimental data analysis demonstrate that pressure has more effect on Brillouin peak intensity and has negligible effect on Brillouin frequency shift, and pressure retrieval based on spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering profile is a promising method for remote of pressure, such as harsh environment applications. Some factors that caused experiment deviations are also discussed.

  7. 20 CFR 10.437 - Under what circumstances would recovery of an overpayment be against equity and good conscience?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... valuable right or changes his or her position for the worse. In making such a decision, OWCP does not... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Under what circumstances would recovery of an overpayment be against equity and good conscience? 10.437 Section 10.437 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS...

  8. Unusual spontaneous cold auto-hemagglutination phenomenon in blood units stored under blood bank condition: A retrospective analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanmukh R Joshi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cold agglutinins (CA are benign naturally occurring low titer autoantibodies present in most individuals. Those with moderate strength are found in infections, malignancies or autoimmune conditions with diagnostic importance. Aim: Present report deals with CA that brought spontaneous hemagglutination in blood units stored at 2-6°C. Study design: Over 32 months period between July 1993 and December 1995, blood units were inspected for spontaneous cold auto-hemagglutination (SpCA phenomenon. The plasma from these units was separated and investigated for serological specificity using in house red cell panel and standard serological methods. Results: Among 51,671 blood units, 112 units showed SpCA phenomenon. A rising trend seen in first half of study period significantly fell in remaining half. Specificities of the antibodies detected include anti-I (27, anti-i (53, anti-Pr (21 with remaining few being undetermined specificity. Absorption of serum using enzyme-treated red cells revealed a presence of anti-Pr among the cases, the two of which with new specificities that reacted preferentially with red cells from either new-born or adults and were tentatively named as anti-Pr Fetal and anti-Pr adult , respectively. While 9 cases showed optimum reaction at neutral pH of 7, 68 (62% cases reacted at pH 5.8 through 8.0, 28 (26% cases preferred an acidic pH 5.8 and 4 cases opted an alkaline pH 8. Of 28 cases with antibodies preferentially reacting in acidic medium, 17 (60% cases were anti-i and 7 (25% cases were anti-Pr. Conclusion: Unique SpCA phenomenon observed in blood units stored under blood bank conditions seems to be due to CA developed in response to vector-borne infectious agents. Majority of the cases displayed their specificities, otherwise are rare to be encountered.

  9. Limitations and obstacles of the spontaneous adverse drugs reactions reporting: Two “challenging” case reports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palleria, Caterina; Leporini, Christian; Chimirri, Serafina; Marrazzo, Giuseppina; Sacchetta, Sabrina; Bruno, Lucrezia; Lista, Rosaria M.; Staltari, Orietta; Scuteri, Antonio; Scicchitano, Francesca; Russo, Emilio

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Nowadays, based on several epidemiological data, iatrogenic disease is an emerging public health problem, especially in industrialized countries. Adverse drugs reactions (ADRs) are extremely common and, therefore, clinically, socially, and economically worthy of attention. Spontaneous reporting system for suspected ADRs represents the cornerstone of the pharmacovigilance, because it allows rapid detection of potential alarm signals related to drugs use. However, spontaneous reporting system shows several limitations, which are mainly related to under-reporting. In this paper, we describe two particular case reports, which emphasize some reasons of under-reporting and other common criticisms of spontaneous reporting systems. Materials and Methods: We performed a computer-aided search of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library databases, national and international databases of suspected ADRs reports in order to identify previous published case reports and spontaneous reports about the ADRs reviewed in this paper, and to examine the role of suspected drugs in the pathogenesis of the described adverse reactions. Results: First, we reported a case of tizanidine-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. In the second case report, we presented an episode of asthma exacerbation after taking bimatoprost. Through the review of these two cases, we highlighted some common criticisms of spontaneous reporting systems: under-reporting and false causality attribution. Discussion and Conclusion: Healthcare workers sometimes do not report ADRs because it is challenging to establish with certainty the causal relationship between drug and adverse reaction; however, according to a key principle of pharmacovigilance, it is always better to report even a suspicion to generate an alarm in the interest of protecting public health. PMID:24347986

  10. Ziprasidone-induced spontaneous orgasm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boora, K; Chiappone, K; Dubovsky, S; Xu, J

    2010-06-01

    Neuroleptic treatment in schizophrenic patients has been associated with sexual dysfunction, including impotence and decreased libido. Spontaneous ejaculation without sexual arousal during typical antipsychotic treatment is a rare condition that has been described with zuclopentixol, trifluoperazine, and thiothixene. Here, we are reporting a case of spontaneous orgasm with ziprasidone in a bipolar patient. This patient began to repeatedly experience spontaneous sexual arousal and orgasm, which she had never experienced in the past. Ziprasidone might be causing an increase in sexual orgasm by 5-HT2 receptor antagonism, which preclinical evidence suggests that it facilitates dopamine release in the cortex.

  11. Duality transformation of a spontaneously broken gauge theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizrachi, L.

    1981-04-01

    Duality transformation for a spontaneously broken gauge theory is constructed in the CDS gauge (xsub(μ)Asub(μ)sup(a)=0). The dual theory is expressed in terms of dual potentials which satisfy the same gauge condition, but with g→ 1 /g. Generally the theory is not self dual but in the weak coupling region (small g), self duality is found for the subgroup which is not spontaneously broken or in regions where monopoles and vortices are concentrated (in agreement with t'Hooft's ideas that monopoles and vortices in the Georgi-Glashow model make it self dual). In the strong coupling regime a systematic strong coupling expansion can be written. For this region the dual theory is generally not local gauge invariant, but it is invariant under global gauge transformations. (author)

  12. Spontaneous and Evoked Activity from Murine Ventral Horn Cultures on Microelectrode Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bryan J. Black

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Motor neurons are the site of action for several neurological disorders and paralytic toxins, with cell bodies located in the ventral horn (VH of the spinal cord along with interneurons and support cells. Microelectrode arrays (MEAs have emerged as a high content assay platform for mechanistic studies and drug discovery. Here, we explored the spontaneous and evoked electrical activity of VH cultures derived from embryonic mouse spinal cord on multi-well plates of MEAs. Primary VH cultures from embryonic day 15–16 mice were characterized by expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT by immunocytochemistry. Well resolved, all-or-nothing spontaneous spikes with profiles consistent with extracellular action potentials were observed after 3 days in vitro, persisting with consistent firing rates until at least day in vitro 19. The majority of the spontaneous activity consisted of tonic firing interspersed with coordinated bursting across the network. After 5 days in vitro, spike activity was readily evoked by voltage pulses where a minimum amplitude and duration required for excitation was 300 mV and 100 μs/phase, respectively. We characterized the sensitivity of spontaneous and evoked activity to a host of pharmacological agents including AP5, CNQX, strychnine, ω-agatoxin IVA, and botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A. These experiments revealed sensitivity of the cultured VH to both agonist and antagonist compounds in a manner consistent with mature tissue derived from slices. In the case of BoNT/A, we also demonstrated intoxication persistence over an 18-day period, followed by partial intoxication recovery induced by N- and P/Q-type calcium channel agonist GV-58. In total, our findings suggest that VH cultures on multi-well MEA plates may represent a moderate throughput, high content assay for performing mechanistic studies and for screening potential therapeutics pertaining to paralytic toxins and neurological disorders.

  13. Role of the collecting duct in the exaggerated natriuresis of spontaneously hypertensive rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Francisco, L.L.; DiBona, G.F.

    1980-01-01

    To carry out a comparative examination of exaggerated natriumresis in the kidneys with essential hypertonia, 2 rat populations consisting of 11 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and, for controlling, 9 Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), were chosen. In rats of the same age and weight, there was a significant arterial difference in the blood pressure. After the intravenous administration of isotonic NaCl, the urinary flow rate and sodium excretion are increased. The end-distal tubule-microinjection showed the 14 C-inulin recovery while that of 22 Na was significantly higher in SHR than in WKY. (APR) [de

  14. Observation of turnover of spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric layer of pentacene/poly-(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) double-layer capacitor under photo illumination by optical second-harmonic generation measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Zhemin [State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Department of Physical Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan); Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa, E-mail: iwamoto@pe.titech.ac.jp [Department of Physical Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan)

    2016-04-28

    The details of turnover process of spontaneous polarization and associated carrier motions in indium-tin oxide/poly-(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene)/pentacene/Au capacitor were analyzed by coupling displacement current measurement (DCM) and electric-field-induced optical second-harmonic generation (EFISHG) measurement. A model was set up from DCM results to depict the relationship between electric field in semiconductor layer and applied external voltage, proving that photo illumination effect on the spontaneous polarization process lied in variation of semiconductor conductivity. The EFISHG measurement directly and selectively probed the electric field distribution in semiconductor layer, modifying the model and revealing detailed carrier behaviors involving photo illumination effect, dipole reversal, and interfacial charging in the device. A further decrease of DCM current in the low voltage region under illumination was found as the result of illumination effect, and the result was argued based on the changing of the total capacitance of the double-layer capacitors.

  15. Observation of turnover of spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric layer of pentacene/poly-(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) double-layer capacitor under photo illumination by optical second-harmonic generation measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Zhemin; Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa

    2016-04-01

    The details of turnover process of spontaneous polarization and associated carrier motions in indium-tin oxide/poly-(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene)/pentacene/Au capacitor were analyzed by coupling displacement current measurement (DCM) and electric-field-induced optical second-harmonic generation (EFISHG) measurement. A model was set up from DCM results to depict the relationship between electric field in semiconductor layer and applied external voltage, proving that photo illumination effect on the spontaneous polarization process lied in variation of semiconductor conductivity. The EFISHG measurement directly and selectively probed the electric field distribution in semiconductor layer, modifying the model and revealing detailed carrier behaviors involving photo illumination effect, dipole reversal, and interfacial charging in the device. A further decrease of DCM current in the low voltage region under illumination was found as the result of illumination effect, and the result was argued based on the changing of the total capacitance of the double-layer capacitors.

  16. Spontaneous Uterine Perforation of Pyometra Presenting as Acute Abdomen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshihiro Kitai

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pyometra is the accumulation of pus in the uterine cavity, and spontaneous perforation of pyometra resulting in generalized diffuse peritonitis is extremely uncommon. We report a rare case of diffuse peritonitis caused by spontaneous perforation of pyometra. A 66-year-old postmenopausal woman with diffuse abdominal pain and vomiting was admitted to our institution. She had a history of mixed connective-tissue disease and had been taking steroids for 20 years. Under a diagnosis of generalized peritonitis secondary to perforation of the gastrointestinal tract or uterus, supravaginal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. Unfortunately, wound dehiscence and infection occurred during the postoperative course, which were exacerbated by her immunocompromised state. Despite intensive care and a course of antibiotics, the patient died of multiple organ failure resulting from sepsis on the 36th postoperative day. Although correct diagnosis, early intervention, and proper treatment can reduce morbidity and mortality of spontaneous perforation of pyometra, if severe infection occurs, this disease can be life threatening for immunocompromised hosts.

  17. Physiological behaviors and recovery responses of four Galician grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. ) cultivars under water stress

    OpenAIRE

    Islam, M.; Berrios, J.

    2012-01-01

    Gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence of four pot grown Galician grapevines (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Albariño, Brancellao, Godello and Treixadura) were examined under different levels of water stress in greenhouse. After extreme stress, gas exchange recovery responses were evaluated. Average ΨPD for control and stressed plants were -0.4MPa and -1.45MPa respectively. All varieties showed gradual declining of all gas exchange parameters (gs, E and A) with increasing of stress perio...

  18. Sensory memory for odors is encoded in spontaneous correlated activity between olfactory glomeruli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galán, Roberto F; Weidert, Marcel; Menzel, Randolf; Herz, Andreas V M; Galizia, C Giovanni

    2006-01-01

    Sensory memory is a short-lived persistence of a sensory stimulus in the nervous system, such as iconic memory in the visual system. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying olfactory sensory memory. We have therefore analyzed the effect of odor stimuli on the first odor-processing network in the honeybee brain, the antennal lobe, which corresponds to the vertebrate olfactory bulb. We stained output neurons with a calcium-sensitive dye and measured across-glomerular patterns of spontaneous activity before and after a stimulus. Such a single-odor presentation changed the relative timing of spontaneous activity across glomeruli in accordance with Hebb's theory of learning. Moreover, during the first few minutes after odor presentation, correlations between the spontaneous activity fluctuations suffice to reconstruct the stimulus. As spontaneous activity is ubiquitous in the brain, modifiable fluctuations could provide an ideal substrate for Hebbian reverberations and sensory memory in other neural systems.

  19. Recovery from diabetes in neonatal mice after a low-dose streptozotocin treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kataoka, Masateru; Kawamuro, Yuki; Shiraki, Nobuaki [Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Miki, Rika; Sakano, Daisuke [Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); The Global COE Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Yoshida, Tetsu; Yasukawa, Takanori; Kume, Kazuhiko [Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Kume, Shoen, E-mail: skume@kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); The Global COE Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan)

    2013-01-18

    Highlights: ► We monitored long-term beta cell regeneration in neonatal mice treated with low dose STZ. ► Low-dose STZ neonatal female mice recovered blood glucose in 150 days. ► Glucose intolerance of the STZ treated mice significantly improved in 150 days. -- Abstract: Administration of streptozotocin (STZ) induces destruction of β-cells and is widely used as an experimental animal model of type I diabetes. In neonatal rat, after low-doses of STZ-mediated destruction of β-cells, β-cells regeneration occurs and reversal of hyperglycemia was observed. However, in neonatal mice, β-cell regeneration seems to occur much slowly compared to that observed in the rat. Here, we described the time dependent quantitative changes in β-cell mass during a spontaneous slow recovery of diabetes induced in a low-dose STZ mice model. We then investigated the underlying mechanisms and analyzed the cell source for the recovery of β-cells. We showed here that postnatal day 7 (P7) female mice treated with 50 mg/kg STZ underwent the destruction of a large proportion of β-cells and developed hyperglycemia. The blood glucose increased gradually and reached a peak level at 500 mg/dl on day 35–50. This was followed by a spontaneous regeneration of β-cells. A reversal of non-fasting blood glucose to the control value was observed within 150 days. However, the mice still showed impaired glucose tolerance on day 150 and day 220, although a significant improvement was observed on day 150. Quantification of the β-cell mass revealed that the β-cell mass increased significantly between day 100 and day 150. On day 150 and day 220, the β-cell mass was approximately 23% and 48.5% of the control, respectively. Of the insulin-positive cells, 10% turned out to be PCNA-positive proliferating cells. Our results demonstrated that, β-cell duplication is one of the cell sources for β-cell regeneration.

  20. Recovery from diabetes in neonatal mice after a low-dose streptozotocin treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kataoka, Masateru; Kawamuro, Yuki; Shiraki, Nobuaki; Miki, Rika; Sakano, Daisuke; Yoshida, Tetsu; Yasukawa, Takanori; Kume, Kazuhiko; Kume, Shoen

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► We monitored long-term beta cell regeneration in neonatal mice treated with low dose STZ. ► Low-dose STZ neonatal female mice recovered blood glucose in 150 days. ► Glucose intolerance of the STZ treated mice significantly improved in 150 days. -- Abstract: Administration of streptozotocin (STZ) induces destruction of β-cells and is widely used as an experimental animal model of type I diabetes. In neonatal rat, after low-doses of STZ-mediated destruction of β-cells, β-cells regeneration occurs and reversal of hyperglycemia was observed. However, in neonatal mice, β-cell regeneration seems to occur much slowly compared to that observed in the rat. Here, we described the time dependent quantitative changes in β-cell mass during a spontaneous slow recovery of diabetes induced in a low-dose STZ mice model. We then investigated the underlying mechanisms and analyzed the cell source for the recovery of β-cells. We showed here that postnatal day 7 (P7) female mice treated with 50 mg/kg STZ underwent the destruction of a large proportion of β-cells and developed hyperglycemia. The blood glucose increased gradually and reached a peak level at 500 mg/dl on day 35–50. This was followed by a spontaneous regeneration of β-cells. A reversal of non-fasting blood glucose to the control value was observed within 150 days. However, the mice still showed impaired glucose tolerance on day 150 and day 220, although a significant improvement was observed on day 150. Quantification of the β-cell mass revealed that the β-cell mass increased significantly between day 100 and day 150. On day 150 and day 220, the β-cell mass was approximately 23% and 48.5% of the control, respectively. Of the insulin-positive cells, 10% turned out to be PCNA-positive proliferating cells. Our results demonstrated that, β-cell duplication is one of the cell sources for β-cell regeneration

  1. Case report: spontaneous rupture of spleen in patient with Plasmodium ovale malaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemmerer, Raphael; Unger, Manuel; Voßen, Matthias; Forstner, Christina; Jalili, Ahmad; Starzengruber, Peter; Werzowa, Johannes; Ramharter, Michael; Winkler, Stefan; Thalhammer, Florian

    2016-01-01

    Malaria may lead to spontaneous splenic rupture as a rare but potentially lethal complication. Most frequently, this has been reported in patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, while other parasitic agents are less likely to be the cause.We report a 29-year-old British Caucasian, who after returning from a business trip in Democratic Republic Congo was diagnosed with tertian malaria caused by Plasmodium ovale.During his in-patient stay, the patient suffered a splenic rupture requiring immediate surgical intervention and splenectomy. Following this surgical intervention, there was an uneventful recovery, and the patient was discharged in a good general condition.

  2. Visualization of the functional recovery process of brain and spinal cord after injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isa, Tadashi

    2009-01-01

    Elucidation of the process of spontaneous functional recovery of central nervous system (CNS) after injury like trauma and stroke is important to develop and conduct the better rehabilitation training to promote the recuperation. Authors have developed a macaque monkey model with an artificial injury of cervical corticospinal tract (CST), where its elaborative motor activity of fingers spontaneously recovers. This paper describes the selective CST injury procedure, its recovery process in finger movement and in CNS images by positron emission tomography (PET), and validation of the obtained images by nerve block. For the injury, CST is cut selectively at monkey's C4/C5 boundary to block the hand motion nerve and to preserve the 2-synapse pathway through the propriospinal neuron, which results in acute loss of grasping a piece of potato food. At 1-3 months after the treatment, the elaborative motor activity of fingers completely recovers. During this recovery period, PET is conducted to trace the brain blood flow change at the upper center of the motion in realizing/grasping food, where the dorsal pathway and cerebellar nuclei are activated at the motion in the untreated animal. At 1-2 months after operation, the blood flow is found increased in the two areas above and the increased area, widened relative to those before operation. At 3 months (at complete functional recovery), the activity in the ipsilateral primary motor area returns to normal level and in the contralateral area, is spread accompanying the increase in the bilateral dorsal premotor and secondary somatosensory areas. Imaging results are validated by nerve block with micro-injection of muscimol into the activated areas during the task motor. Findings are helpful for developing a method to promote the compensation of nervous function after injury. (K.T.)

  3. Mixed cryoglobulinemia-associated Sjögren's syndrome leading to spontaneous rupture of the kidney: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haddiya I

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Intissar Haddiya,1 Hakim Hamzaoui,1 Zitouna Alhamany,2 Fatime-zohra Berkchi,1 Hakima Rhou,1 Loubna Benamar,1 Naima Ouzeddoun,1 Rabea Bayahia1 1Department of Nephrology-Dialysis-Renal Transplantation, Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat, Morocco; 2Department of Pathology, Rabat Children's Hospital, Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat, Morocco Background: Spontaneous rupture of the kidney is uncommon and is mainly caused by renal tumors. Only a few cases are caused by vasculitis. We report here the first case of spontaneous rupture of kidney resulting from mixed cryoglobulinemia. Case presentation: A 44-year-old man presented with sudden onset of fever, acute pulmonary edema, left flank abdominal pain unassociated with trauma, and rapidly progressive renal failure requiring dialysis. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a large perirenal hematoma of the left kidney. During conservative surgery, the patient underwent renal biopsy that showed renal vasculitis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with intracapillary microthrombi. Tests were positive for mixed cryoglobulinemia caused by Sjögren's syndrome. The patient was better after immunosuppressive therapy, with the disappearance of clinical symptoms and the recovery of baseline renal function. Conclusion: We report on this case and discuss a possible link between spontaneous rupture of kidney and mixed cryoglobulinemia-associated Sjögren's syndrome. Keywords: mixed cryoglobulinemia, Sjögren's syndrome, spontaneous rupture of kidney, renal hematoma, Wünderlich syndrome

  4. Full recovery two months after therapeutic hypothermia following cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a patient with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, J.; Cha, K.S.; Oh, J.H.; Lee, H.C.

    2013-01-01

    Neurologic impairments are very common among patients who get a recovery of spontaneous circulation after suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Therapeutic hypothermia is established as a standardized therapeutic strategy for those patients in whom it decreases mortality rate and improves neurologic outcome. Herein, we report a case of patient who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with ischaemic heart disease and ventricular arrhythmia and got a full recovery without any neurologic impediments 2 months after being managed with therapeutic hypothermia. (author)

  5. Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis presenting as spontaneous pneumothorax treated with sirolimus - A case report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Ajay Kumar; Joshi, Ambarish; Mishra, Amritesh Ranjan; Kant, Surya; Singh, Arpita

    2018-01-01

    Spontaneous pneumothorax is a very common medical emergency. Patients are often treated without treating the underlying cause. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare cystic lung disease. Until recently, diagnosis of LAM was a challenge with nearly 100% mortality in 10 years, but better understanding of the disease through research and better radiological techniques and newer drugs such as sirolimus has improved the survival in such patients. We are presenting a rare case of LAM presenting as a secondary spontaneous pneumothorax treated with sirolimus. PMID:29487252

  6. High-precision atom localization via controllable spontaneous emission in a cycle-configuration atomic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Chunling; Li, Jiahua; Yu, Rong; Hao, Xiangying; Wu, Ying

    2012-03-26

    A scheme for realizing two-dimensional (2D) atom localization is proposed based on controllable spontaneous emission in a coherently driven cycle-configuration atomic system. As the spatial-position-dependent atom-field interaction, the frequency of the spontaneously emitted photon carries the information about the position of the atom. Therefore, by detecting the emitted photon one could obtain the position information available, and then we demonstrate high-precision and high-resolution 2D atom localization induced by the quantum interference between the multiple spontaneous decay channels. Moreover, we can achieve 100% probability of finding the atom at an expected position by choosing appropriate system parameters under certain conditions.

  7. To wait for a spontaneous recovery of the third cranial nerve palsy occurring after the coiling of a PcomA aneurysm or to implement surgical treatment? A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peulić Miodrag

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. In the last two decades a method of endovascular embolization has been imposed as a method of choice in the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Therefore, the problem of treating posterior communicating artery (PComA aneurysms presenting with the third cranial nerve (TCN palsy has become even more complex. The case of a patient reported in the paper itself has presented a dilemma of whether to wait for spontaneous resolution of ophthalmoplegia developed after the coiling of a PComA aneurysm or whether to implement an early surgical treatment. Case report. An unruptured saccular aneurysm, directed inferolaterally in the right internal carotid artery (ICA segment in the position of the PcomA origin, was diagnosed in a 58-year-old male patient. The aneurysm was measuring 9 mm in diameter while the neck was measuring 5 mm. The day before the planned embolization, the patient developed ipsilateral ophthalmoparesis, whereas the first day after the endovascular procedure was completed, the patient developed right-sided complete ophthalmoplegia. Ten weeks after the endovascular embolization our team decided to perform a microsurgical treatment including aneurysm clipping and coil extraction. Eighteen months after the surgery, the patient made a full recovery of the functions of musculus (m levator palpabrae, m. rectus medialis and pupillary function, with a partial recovery of the functions of m. obliqus inferior, m. rectus inferior and m. rectus superior. Conclusion. According to medical research and literature, the partial recovery of the TCN palsy is expected to happen in the first few weeks after embolization. Despite the completion of endovascular treatment progression of ophthalmoparesis to ophthalmoplegia without any simptoms of clinical improvement after 10 weeks is considered to be an indicator of longstanding TCN compression, which can lead to irreversible nerve damage. Despite the increase in the use of an

  8. Management of paediatric spontaneous pneumothorax: a multicentre retrospective case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Paul D; Blackburn, Carol; Babl, Franz E; Gamage, Lalith; Schutz, Jacquie; Nogajski, Rebecca; Dalziel, Stuart; Donald, Colin B; Druda, Dino; Krieser, David; Neutze, Jocelyn; Acworth, Jason; Lee, Mark; Ngo, Peter K

    2015-10-01

    Paediatric guidelines are lacking for management of spontaneous pneumothorax. Adult patient-focused guidelines (British Thoracic Society 2003 and 2010) introduced aspiration as first-line intervention for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) and small secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces (SSP). Paediatric practice is unclear, and evidence for aspiration success rates is urgently required to develop paediatric-specific recommendations. Retrospective analysis of PSP and SSP management at nine paediatric emergency departments across Australia and New Zealand (2003-2010) to compare PSP and SSP management. 219 episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax occurred in 162 children (median age 15 years, 71% male); 155 PSP episodes in 120 children and 64 SSP episodes in 42 children. Intervention in PSP vs SSP episodes occurred in 55% (95% CI 47% to 62%) vs 70% (60% to 79%), pmanagement, PSP and SSP management did not differ and ICC insertion was the continuing preferred intervention. Overall success of aspiration was lower than reported results for adults, although success was greater for small than for large pneumothoraces. Paediatric prospective studies are urgently required to determine optimal paediatric interventional management strategies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. Spontaneous Gamma Activity in Schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirano, Yoji; Oribe, Naoya; Kanba, Shigenobu; Onitsuka, Toshiaki; Nestor, Paul G; Spencer, Kevin M

    2015-08-01

    A major goal of translational neuroscience is to identify neural circuit abnormalities in neuropsychiatric disorders that can be studied in animal models to facilitate the development of new treatments. Oscillations in the gamma band (30-100 Hz) of the electroencephalogram have received considerable interest as the basic mechanisms underlying these oscillations are understood, and gamma abnormalities have been found in schizophrenia (SZ). Animal models of SZ based on hypofunction of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) demonstrate increased spontaneous broadband gamma power, but this phenomenon has not been identified clearly in patients with SZ. To examine spontaneous gamma power and its relationship to evoked gamma oscillations in the auditory cortex of patients with SZ. We performed a cross-sectional study including 24 patients with chronic SZ and 24 matched healthy control participants at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2012. Electroencephalograms were obtained during auditory steady-state stimulation at multiple frequencies (20, 30, and 40 Hz) and during a resting state in 18 participants in each group. Electroencephalographic activity in the auditory cortex was estimated using dipole source localization. Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) measures included the phase-locking factor and evoked power. Spontaneous gamma power was measured as induced (non-phase-locked) gamma power in the ASSR data and as total gamma power in the resting-state data. The ASSR phase-locking factor was reduced significantly in patients with SZ compared with controls for the 40-Hz stimulation (mean [SD], 0.075 [0.028] vs 0.113 [0.065]; F1,46 = 6.79 [P = .012]) but not the 20- or the 30-Hz stimulation (0.042 [0.038] vs 0.043 [0.034]; F1,46 = 0.006 [P = .938] and 0.084 [0.040] vs 0.098 [0.050]; F1,46 = 1.605 [P = .212], respectively), repeating previous findings. The mean [SD] broadband-induced (30

  10. Damage Recovery in Carrara Marble

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, G.; Brantut, N.; Mitchell, T. M.; Meredith, P. G.

    2017-12-01

    We investigate the effect of confining pressure on the recovery of elastic wave velocities following deformation episodes in Carrara Marble. Dry Carrara Marble cores were deformed in the ductile regime (Pc = 40 MPa) up to 3% axial strain. After deformation, samples were held at constant stress conditions for extended periods of time (5-8 days) whilst continuously recording volumetric strain and seismic wave velocities. The velocity data were used to invert for microcrack densities using an effective medium approach. Finally, thin sections were produced to characterise the microstructures after recovery. During deformation, elastic wave speeds decreased with increasing strain by more than 30% of the value for the intact rock due to the formation of distributed microcracks. Under constant hydrostatic pressure, wave speeds progressively recovered 12-90% of the initial drop, depending on the applied confining pressure. In contrast, the strain recovery (deformation towards the initial shape of the sample) during holding time is negligible (of the order of 10-4). Tests performed under nonhydrostatic (triaxial) stress conditions during recovery showed some time-dependent creep deformation together with very significant recovery of wave velocities. The recovery is interpreted as a progressive reduction in crack density within the sample. The process is highly dependent on confining pressure, which favours it. We propose that the driving process for wave speed recovery is the time-dependent increase of contact area between crack surfaces due to the formation and growth of asperity contacts. We develop a micromechanical model for crack closure driven by asperity creep, which shows a good fit to the experimental data. Most of the recovery is achieved in the initial few hours, implying it is the fastest recovery or healing process, and thus occurs prior to any chemical healing or mineral precipitation. Our data corroborate field observations of post-seismic fault behavior.

  11. Episodic spontaneous hypothermia: a periodic childhood syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz, Cynthia; Gener, Blanca; Garaizar, Carmen; Prats, José M

    2003-04-01

    Episodic spontaneous hypothermia is an infrequent disorder, with unknown pathogenic mechanisms. A systemic cause or underlying brain lesion has not been found for the disease. We report four new patients, 3-9 years old, with episodic hypothermia lower than 35 degrees C, marked facial pallor, and absent shivering. The episodes could last a few hours or four days, and recurred once a week or every 2-3 months. Two patients also demonstrated bradycardia, mild hypertension, and somnolence during the events; in one of them, profuse sweating was also a feature, and all four presented with either headache, a periodic childhood syndrome, or both (recurrent abdominal pain, cyclic vomiting, or vertigo). Three patients reported a family history of migraine. Neurologic examination, endocrine function, and imaging studies were normal. Migraine prophylactic therapy was of moderate efficacy. Spontaneous resolution was observed in one patient. The clinical characteristics of the syndrome allow for its inclusion as a childhood periodic syndrome related to migraine.

  12. Uncovering intrinsic modular organization of spontaneous brain activity in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong He

    Full Text Available The characterization of topological architecture of complex brain networks is one of the most challenging issues in neuroscience. Slow (<0.1 Hz, spontaneous fluctuations of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD signal in functional magnetic resonance imaging are thought to be potentially important for the reflection of spontaneous neuronal activity. Many studies have shown that these fluctuations are highly coherent within anatomically or functionally linked areas of the brain. However, the underlying topological mechanisms responsible for these coherent intrinsic or spontaneous fluctuations are still poorly understood. Here, we apply modern network analysis techniques to investigate how spontaneous neuronal activities in the human brain derived from the resting-state BOLD signals are topologically organized at both the temporal and spatial scales. We first show that the spontaneous brain functional networks have an intrinsically cohesive modular structure in which the connections between regions are much denser within modules than between them. These identified modules are found to be closely associated with several well known functionally interconnected subsystems such as the somatosensory/motor, auditory, attention, visual, subcortical, and the "default" system. Specifically, we demonstrate that the module-specific topological features can not be captured by means of computing the corresponding global network parameters, suggesting a unique organization within each module. Finally, we identify several pivotal network connectors and paths (predominantly associated with the association and limbic/paralimbic cortex regions that are vital for the global coordination of information flow over the whole network, and we find that their lesions (deletions critically affect the stability and robustness of the brain functional system. Together, our results demonstrate the highly organized modular architecture and associated topological properties in

  13. Managing Injected Water Composition To Improve Oil Recovery: A Case Study of North Sea Chalk Reservoirs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zahid, Adeel; Shapiro, Alexander; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

    2012-01-01

    of the temperature dependence of the oil recovery indicated that the interaction of the ions contained in brine with the rock cannot be the only determining mechanism of enhanced recovery. We observed no substitution of Ca2+ ions with Mg2+ ions at high temperatures for both rocks. Not only the injection brine......In recent years, many core displacement experiments of oil by seawater performed on chalk rock samples have reported SO42–, Ca2+, and Mg2+ as potential determining ions for improving oil recovery. Most of these studies were carried out with outcrop chalk core plugs. The objective of this study...... is to investigate the potential of the advanced waterflooding process by carrying out experiments with reservoir chalk samples. The study results in a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in increasing the oil recovery with potential determining ions. We carried out waterflooding instead of spontaneous...

  14. Photosynthetic limitation and mechanisms of photoprotection under drought and recovery of Calotropis procera, an evergreen C3 from arid regions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivas, Rebeca; Frosi, Gabriella; Ramos, Diego G; Pereira, Silvia; Benko-Iseppon, Ana M; Santos, Mauro G

    2017-09-01

    Calotropis procera is a C 3 plant native from arid environmental zones. It is an evergreen, shrubby, non-woody plant with intense photosynthetic metabolism during the dry season. We measured photosynthetic parameters and leaf biochemical traits, such as gas exchange, photochemical parameters, A/C i analysis, organic solutes, and antioxidant enzymes under controlled conditions in potted plants during drought stress, and following recovery conditions to obtain a better insight in the drought stress responses of C. procera. Indeed, different processes contribute to the drought stress resilience of C. procera and to the fast recovery after rehydration. The parameters analyzed showed that C. procera has a high efficiency for energy dissipation. The photosynthetic machinery is protected by a robust antioxidant system and photoprotective mechanisms such as alternative pathways for electrons (photorespiration and day respiration). Under severe drought stress, increased stomatal limitation and decreased biochemical limitation permitted C. procera to maintain maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation (V c,max ) and photosynthetic rate (A max ). On the other hand, limitation of stomatal or mesophyll CO 2 diffusion did not impair fast recovery, maintaining V c,max , chloroplast CO 2 concentration (C c ) and mesophyll conductance (g m ) unchanged while electron flow used for RuBP carboxylation (J c ) and A max increased. The ability to tolerate drought stress and the fast recovery of this evergreen C 3 species was also due to leaf anti-oxidative stress enzyme activity, and photosynthetic pigments. Thus, these different drought tolerance mechanisms allowed high performance of photosynthetic metabolism by drought stressed plants during the re-watering period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Experimental anti-GBM disease as a tool for studying spontaneous lupus nephritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yuyang; Du, Yong; Mohan, Chandra

    2007-08-01

    Lupus nephritis is an immune-mediated disease, where antibodies and T cells both play pathogenic roles. Since spontaneous lupus nephritis in mouse models takes 6-12 months to manifest, there is an urgent need for a mouse model that can be used to delineate the pathogenic processes that lead to immune nephritis, over a quicker time frame. We propose that the experimental anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease model might be a suitable tool for uncovering some of the molecular steps underlying lupus nephritis. This article reviews the current evidence that supports the use of the experimental anti-GBM nephritis model for studying spontaneous lupus nephritis. Importantly, out of about 25 different molecules that have been specifically examined in the experimental anti-GBM model and also spontaneous lupus nephritis, all influence both diseases concordantly, suggesting that the experimental model might be a useful tool for unraveling the molecular basis of spontaneous lupus nephritis. This has important clinical implications, both from the perspective of genetic susceptibility as well as clinical therapeutics.

  16. Assessment of errors associated with plot size and lateral movement of nitrogen-15 when studying fertilizer recovery under field conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez, C.A.; Blackmer, A.M.; Horton, R.; Timmons, D.R.

    1987-01-01

    The high cost of 15 N-labeled fertilizers encourages the use of field plots having minimum size. If plot size is reduced too much, however, lateral movement of N near the plots by mass flow or diffusion within the soil or by translocation through plant roots can become a significant source of error in determinations of fertilizer N recovery. This study was initiated to assess the importance of lateral movement of labeled fertilizer when unconfined plots are used to determine recovery of fertilizer. Corn grain samples were collected at various positions inside and outside 15 N plots, and the 15 N contents of these samples were determined. The data were fit to mathematical models to estimate the extent to which lateral movement of fertilizer N caused errors in determined values of fertilizer recovery for the first, second, and third crops following fertilization. These models also were used to predict the plot size needed for similar 15 N-tracer studies in the future. The results of these studies indicate that 15 N plots having a size of 2 by 2 m are sufficiently large for determining recovery of fertilizer N for corn crops under most conditions. Where lateral movement of fertilizer N in soils is suspected to be a problem, we recommend collection of a few plant samples outside the 15 N plots as insurance against misleading conclusions concerning fertilizer N recovery

  17. Salicylic acid alleviates decreases in photosynthesis under heat stress and accelerates recovery in grapevine leaves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Jian-Shan

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the effect of salicylic acid (SA on photosynthesis of plants including grapevines has been investigated, very little is yet known about the effects of SA on carbon assimilation and several components of PSII electron transport (donor side, reaction center and acceptor side. In this study, the impact of SA pretreatment on photosynthesis was evaluated in the leaves of young grapevines before heat stress (25°C, during heat stress (43°C for 5 h, and through the following recovery period (25°C. Photosynthetic measures included gas exchange parameters, PSII electron transport, energy dissipation, and Rubisco activation state. The levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs in the chloroplast were also investigated. Results SA did not significantly (P Pn of leaves before heat stress. But, SA did alleviate declines in Pn and Rubisco activition state, and did not alter negative changes in PSII parameters (donor side, acceptor side and reaction center QA under heat stress. Following heat treatment, the recovery of Pn in SA-treated leaves was accelerated compared with the control (H2O-treated leaves, and, donor and acceptor parameters of PSII in SA-treated leaves recovered to normal levels more rapidly than in the controls. Rubisco, however, was not significantly (P Conclusion SA pretreatment alleviated the heat stress induced decrease in Pn mainly through maintaining higher Rubisco activition state, and it accelerated the recovery of Pn mainly through effects on PSII function. These effects of SA may be related in part to enhanced levels of HSP21.

  18. Pharmacovigilance in oncology: pattern of spontaneous notifications, incidence of adverse drug reactions and under-reporting

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    Marília Berlofa Visacri

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The high toxicity and narrow therapeutic window of antineoplastic agents makes pharmacovigilance studies essential in oncology. The objectives of the current study were to analyze the pattern of spontaneous notifications of adverse drug reactions (ADRs in oncology patients and to analyze the incidence of ADRs reported by outpatients on antineoplastic treatment in a tertiary care teaching hospital. To compose the pattern of ADR, the notification forms of reactions in oncology patients in 2010 were reviewed, and the reactions were classified based on the drug involved, mechanism, causality, and severity. To evaluate the incidence of reactions, a questionnaire at the time of chemotherapy was included, and the severity was classified based on the Common Terminology Criteria. The profiles of the 10 responses reported to the Pharmacovigilance Sector were type B, severe, possible, and they were primarily related to platinum compounds and taxanes. When the incidence of reactions was analyzed, it was observed that nausea, alopecia, fatigue, diarrhea, and taste disturbance were the most frequently reported reactions by oncology patients, and the grade 3 and 4 reactions were not reported. Based on this analysis, it is proposed that health professionals should be trained regarding notifications and clinical pharmacists should increasingly be brought on board to reduce under-reporting of ADRs.

  19. Spontaneous tension haemopneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Benjamin Oliver; Itam, Sarah; Probst, Fey

    2008-10-31

    We present a patient with sudden onset progressive shortness of breath and no history of trauma, who rapidly became haemodynamically compromised with a pneumothorax and pleural effusion seen on chest radiograph. He was treated for spontaneous tension pneumothorax but this was soon revealed to be a tension haemopneumothorax. He underwent urgent thoracotomy after persistent bleeding to explore an apical vascular abnormality seen on CT scanning. To our knowledge this is the first such case reported.Aetiology and current approach to spontaneous haemothorax are discussed briefly.

  20. Spontaneous parity violation and minimal Higgs models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chavez, H.; Martins Simoes, J.A.

    2007-01-01

    In this paper we present a model for the spontaneous breaking of parity with two Higgs doublets and two neutral Higgs singlets which are even and odd under D-parity. The condition υ R >>υ L can be satisfied without introducing bidoublets, and it is induced by the breaking of D-parity through the vacuum expectation value of the odd Higgs singlet. Examples of left-right symmetric and mirror fermions models in grand unified theories are presented. (orig.)

  1. Spontaneously broken supersymmetry and Poincare invariance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tata, X.R.; Sudarshan, E.C.G.; Schechter, J.M.

    1982-12-01

    It is argued that the spontaneous breakdown of global supersymmetry is consistent with unbroken Poincare invariance if and only if the supersymmetry algebra A = 0 is understood to mean the invariance of the dynamical variables phi under the transformations generated by the algebra, i.e. [A, phi] = 0 rather than as an operator equation. It is further argued that this weakening of the algebra does not alter any of the conclusions about supersymmetric quantum field theories that have been obtained using the original (stronger) form of the algebra

  2. Spontaneously broken supersymmetry and Poincare invariance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tata, X.R.; Sudarshan, E.C.G.; Schechter, J.M.

    1983-01-01

    It is argued that the spontaneous breakdown of global supersymmetry is consistent with unbroken Poincare invariance if and only if the supersymmetry algebra 'A=0' is understood to mean the invariance of the dynamical variables phi under the transformations generated by the algebra, i.e. [A, phi]=0 rather than as an operator equation. It is further argued that this 'weakening' of the algrebra does not alter any of the conclusions about supersymmetry quantum field theories that have been obtained using the original (stronger) form of the algebra. (orig.)

  3. Proteomic analysis of soybean hypocotyl during recovery after flooding stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Mudassar Nawaz; Sakata, Katsumi; Komatsu, Setsuko

    2015-05-21

    Soybean is a nutritionally important crop, but exhibits reduced growth and yields under flooding stress. To investigate soybean responses during post-flooding recovery, a gel-free proteomic technique was used to examine the protein profile in the hypocotyl. Two-day-old soybeans were flooded for 2 days and hypocotyl was collected under flooding and during the post-flooding recovery period. A total of 498 and 70 proteins were significantly changed in control and post-flooding recovering soybeans, respectively. Based on proteomic and clustering analyses, three proteins were selected for mRNA expression and enzyme activity assays. Pyruvate kinase was increased under flooding, but gradually decreased during post-flooding recovery period at protein abundance, mRNA, and enzyme activity levels. Nucleotidylyl transferase was decreased under flooding and increased during post-flooding recovery at both mRNA expression and enzyme activity levels. Beta-ketoacyl reductase 1 was increased under flooding and decreased during recovery at protein abundance and mRNA expression levels, but its enzyme activity gradually increased during the post-flooding recovery period. These results suggest that pyruvate kinase, nucleotidylyl transferase, and beta-ketoacyl reductase play key roles in post-flooding recovery in soybean hypocotyl by promoting glycolysis for the generation of ATP and regulation of secondary metabolic pathways. This study analyzed post-flooding recovery response mechanisms in soybean hypocotyl, which is a model organ for studying secondary growth, using a gel-free proteomic technique. Mass spectrometry analysis of proteins extracted from soybean hypocotyls identified 20 common proteins between control and flooding-stressed soybeans that changed significantly in abundance over time. The hypocotyl proteins that changed during post-flooding recovery were assigned to protein, development, secondary metabolism, and glycolysis categories. The analysis revealed that three

  4. Spontaneous tension haemopneumothorax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Itam Sarah

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract We present a patient with sudden onset progressive shortness of breath and no history of trauma, who rapidly became haemodynamically compromised with a pneumothorax and pleural effusion seen on chest radiograph. He was treated for spontaneous tension pneumothorax but this was soon revealed to be a tension haemopneumothorax. He underwent urgent thoracotomy after persistent bleeding to explore an apical vascular abnormality seen on CT scanning. To our knowledge this is the first such case reported. Aetiology and current approach to spontaneous haemothorax are discussed briefly.

  5. Uncovering Recovery: The Resistible Rise of Recovery and Resilience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Harper

    2012-10-01

    recognition,” founded on a model of identity politics which displaces and marginalizes the need for social, political and economic redistribution to address many of the underlying causes of emotional distress. We conclude by stating that it is only when the collective, structural experiences of inequality and injustice are explicitly linked to processes of emotional distress that recovery will be possible. 

  6. Spontaneous compactification to homogeneous spaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mourao, J.M.

    1988-01-01

    The spontaneous compactification of extra dimensions to compact homogeneous spaces is studied. The methods developed within the framework of coset space dimensional reduction scheme and the most general form of invariant metrics are used to find solutions of spontaneous compactification equations

  7. Nonsurgical management of an extensive spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma causing quadriplegia and respiratory distress in a choledocholithiasis patient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raasck, Kyle; Khoury, Jason; Aoude, Ahmed; Abduljabbar, Fahad; Jarzem, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Rationale: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) manifests from blood accumulating in the epidural space, compressing the spinal cord, and leading to acute neurological deficits. The disease's cloudy etiology and rarity contribute to dangerously suboptimal therapeutic principles. These neural deficits can be permanent, even fatal, if the SSEH is not treated in a timely and appropriate manner. Standard therapy is decompressive laminectomy, though nonsurgical management is a viable course of action for patients who meet a criterion that is continuously being refined. Patient concerns: A 76-year-old woman on warfarin for a past pulmonary embolism presented to the emergency room with jaundice, myalgia, hematuria, neck pain, and an International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 14. Upon admission, she rapidly developed quadriplegia and respiratory distress that necessitated intubation. Diagnoses: T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an epidural space-occupying hyperintensity from C2 to S5 consistent with a spinal epidural hematoma. An incidental finding of dilated intrahepatic and common bile ducts prompted an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which demonstrated choledocholithiasis. Interventions: The patient's INR was normalized with Vitamin K and Beriplex. Upon transfer to the surgical spine team for assessment of a possible intervention, the patient began to demonstrate recovery of neural functions. The ensuing sustained motor improvement motivated the team's preference for close neurologic monitoring and continued medical therapy over surgery. Thirteen hours after the onset of her symptoms, the patient was extubated. A sphincterotomy was later performed, removing 81 common bile duct stones. Outcomes: MRI demonstrated complete resorption of the SSEH and the patient maintained full neurological function at final follow-up. Lessons: Nonsurgical management of SSEH should be considered in the context of early and sustained recovery

  8. Recovery of Action Potentials and Twitches after K-contractures in Frog Skeletal Muscle(Physiology)

    OpenAIRE

    Atsuko, Suzuki; Ibuki, Shirakawa; Kazunari, Noguchi; Hirohiko, Kishi; Haruo, Sugi; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University:(Present office)Department of Physical Therapy, Health Science University; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Teikyo University

    2004-01-01

    To give information about intracellular Ca^ translocation during and after K-contractures in vertebrate skeletal muscle fibers, we examined recovery of action potentials and twitches after interruption and spontaneous relaxation of K-contractures at low temperature (3℃) that greatly reduced the rate of Ca^ reuptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. On membrane repolarization interrupting K-contractures, the amplitude of both action potentials and twitches recovered quickly, while the falling pha...

  9. Carotid Artery Stenting in a Patient with Spontaneous Recanalization of a Proximal Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion: a Case Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eui Jong; Koh, Jun Seok; Choi, Woo Suk

    2006-01-01

    We report here on a rare case of carotid artery angioplasty and stenting in a patient with spontaneous recanalization after complete occlusion of the proximal internal carotid artery (ICA). The patient initially showed severe stenosis at the left proximal ICA on MR angiography (MRA). Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) performed three days after MRA showed complete occlusion of the proximal ICA. The follow-up DSA after four weeks showed recanalization of the ICA, and then carotid artery stenting was successfully performed. There has been no neurologic complication during more than one year follow-up. cute internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusions may result in profound disability and death (1). An occluded ICA can spontaneously recanalize, but this doesn't happen frequently, and the natural course of a proximal ICA occlusion and its possibility of recanalization, including the exact time of recanalization after occlusion, are not well known (2, 3). A few studies have reported the incidence of spontaneous recanalization of the proximal internal carotid artery, which has mostly occurred in patients with ICA dissections (4 6). A few limited studies have reported a considerable incidence of spontaneous recanalization in patients with underlying atherosclerotic lesion or atherothombotic diseases (2). The possibility of repeated occlusion and repeated cerebral ischemic infarction may exist for the patients exhibiting spontaneous recanalization of the ICA and underlying atherosclerosis. We report here on a case of carotid artery stenting (CAS) in a patient who exhibited underlying atherosclerosis with spontaneous recanalization after complete occlusion of the proximal ICA

  10. Regulation of photosynthesis and stomatal and mesophyll conductance under water stress and recovery in olive trees: correlation with gene expression of carbonic anhydrase and aquaporins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Martin, Alfonso; Michelazzo, Chiara; Torres-Ruiz, Jose M; Flexas, Jaume; Fernández, José E; Sebastiani, Luca; Diaz-Espejo, Antonio

    2014-07-01

    The hypothesis that aquaporins and carbonic anhydrase (CA) are involved in the regulation of stomatal (g s) and mesophyll (g m) conductance to CO2 was tested in a short-term water-stress and recovery experiment in 5-year-old olive plants (Olea europaea) growing outdoors. The evolution of leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and plant water status, and a quantitative analysis of photosynthesis limitations, were followed during water stress and recovery. These variables were correlated with gene expression of the aquaporins OePIP1.1 and OePIP2.1, and stromal CA. At mild stress and at the beginning of the recovery period, stomatal limitations prevailed, while the decline in g m accounted for up to 60% of photosynthesis limitations under severe water stress. However, g m was restored to control values shortly after rewatering, facilitating the recovery of the photosynthetic rate. CA was downregulated during water stress and upregulated after recovery. The use of structural equation modelling allowed us to conclude that both OePIP1.1 and OePIP2.1 expression could explain most of the variations observed for g s and g m. CA expression also had a small but significant effect on g m in olive under water-stress conditions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  11. Low serum hyaluronic acid levels associated with spontaneous HBsAg clearance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Harkisoen, S.; Arends, J. E.; van den Hoek, A.; van Erpecum, K. J.; Boland, G. J.; Hoepelman, A. I. M.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose The pathophysiological underlying mechanism of spontaneous HBsAg clearance in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected patients is largely unknown. However, serum hyaluronic acid (sHA) plays a role in liver fibrosis progression and reversely could serve as a potential biomarker for HBsAg clearance.

  12. Towards spontaneous parametric down-conversion at low temperatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akatiev Dmitrii

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The possibility of observing spontaneous parametric down-conversion in doped nonlinear crystals at low temperatures, which would be useful for combining heralded single-photon sources and quantum memories, is studied theoretically. The ordinary refractive index of a lithium niobate crystal doped with magnesium oxide LiNbO3:MgO is measured at liquid nitrogen and helium temperatures. On the basis of the experimental data, the coefficients of the Sellmeier equation are determined for the temperatures from 5 to 300 K. In addition, a poling period of the nonlinear crystal has been calculated for observing type-0 spontaneous parametric down-conversion (ooo-synchronism at the liquid helium temperature under pumping at the wavelength of λp = 532 nm and emission of the signal field at the wavelength of λs = 794 nm, which corresponds to the resonant absorption line of Tm3+ doped ions.

  13. Case of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamane, Kanji; Yoshimoto, Hisanori; Harada, Kiyoshi; Uozumi, Tohru [Hiroshima Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine; Kuwabara, Satoshi

    1983-05-01

    The authors experienced a case of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy diagnosed by CT scan with metrizamide and Conray. Patient was 23-year-old male who had been in good health until one month before admission, when he began to have headache and tinnitus. He noticed bilateral visual acuity was decreased about one week before admission and vomiting appeared two days before admission. He was admitted to our hospital because of bilateral papilledema and remarkable hydrocephalus diagnosed by CT scan. On admission, no abnormal neurological signs except for bilateral papilledema were noted. Immediately, right ventricular drainage was performed. Pressure of the ventricle was over 300mmH/sub 2/O and CSF was clear. PVG and PEG disclosed an another cavity behind the third ventricle, which was communicated with the third ventricle, and occlusion of aqueduct of Sylvius. Metrizamide CT scan and Conray CT scan showed a communication between this cavity and quadrigeminal and supracerebellar cisterns. On these neuroradiological findings, the diagnosis of obstructive hydrocephalus due to benign aqueduct stenosis accompanied with spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy was obtained. Spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy was noticed to produce arrest of hydrocephalus, but with our case, spontaneous regression of such symptoms did not appeared. By surgical ventriculocisternostomy (method by Torkildsen, Dandy, or Scarff), arrest of hydrocephalus was seen in about 50 to 70 per cent, which was the same results as those of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy. It is concluded that VP shunt or VA shunt is thought to be better treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus than the various kinds of surgical ventriculocisternostomy.

  14. Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension without Orthostatic Headache

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tülay Kansu

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available We report 2 cases of spontaneous intracranial hypotension that presented with unilateral abducens nerve palsy, without orthostatic headache. While sixth nerve palsies improved without any intervention, subdural hematoma was detected with magnetic resonance imaging. We conclude that headache may be absent in spontaneous intracranial hypotension and spontaneous improvement of sixth nerve palsy can occur, even after the development of a subdural hematoma

  15. 78 FR 48866 - Nationwide Categorical Waivers Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-12

    ... fixtures, exterior, LED color- changing direct view lighting fixtures, and multicolor DMX-512 LED wash and... recipients of EERE Recovery Act funds, and from suppliers, distributors, retailers and trade associations... was not identified through a thorough search by EERE, MEP and several trade groups. Direct line...

  16. Spontaneous intraorbital hematoma: case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinodan Paramanathan

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Vinodan Paramanathan, Ardalan ZolnourianQueen's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire DE13 0RB, UKAbstract: Spontaneous intraorbital hematoma is an uncommon clinical entity seen in ophthalmology practice. It is poorly represented in the literature. Current evidence attributes it to orbital trauma, neoplasm, vascular malformations, acute sinusitis, and systemic abnormalities. A 65-year-old female presented with spontaneous intraorbital hematoma manifesting as severe ocular pains, eyelid edema, proptosis, and diplopia, without a history of trauma. Computer tomography demonstrated a fairly well defined extraconal lesion with opacification of the paranasal sinuses. The principal differential based on all findings was that of a spreading sinus infection and an extraconal tumor. An unprecedented finding of a spontaneous orbital hematoma was discovered when the patient was taken to theater. We discuss the rarity of this condition and its management.Keywords: hemorrhage, ophthalmology, spontaneous, intra-orbital, hematoma

  17. Reversible Holmes' tremor due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyer, Rajesh Shankar; Wattamwar, Pandurang; Thomas, Bejoy

    2017-07-27

    Holmes' tremor is a low-frequency hand tremor and has varying amplitude at different phases of motion. It is usually unilateral and does not respond satisfactorily to drugs and thus considered irreversible. Structural lesions in the thalamus and brainstem or cerebellum are usually responsible for Holmes' tremor. We present a 23-year-old woman who presented with unilateral Holmes' tremor. She also had hypersomnolence and headache in the sitting posture. Her brain imaging showed brain sagging and deep brain swelling due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). She was managed conservatively and had a total clinical and radiological recovery. The brain sagging with the consequent distortion of the midbrain and diencephalon was responsible for this clinical presentation. SIH may be considered as one of the reversible causes of Holmes' tremor. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  18. Tinnitus perception and distress is related to abnormal spontaneous brain activity as measured by magnetoencephalography.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying tinnitus perception are not well understood. Surprisingly, there have been no group studies comparing abnormalities in ongoing, spontaneous neuronal activity in individuals with and without tinnitus perception. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here, we show that the spontaneous neuronal activity of a group of individuals with tinnitus (n = 17 is characterised by a marked reduction in alpha (8-12 Hz power together with an enhancement in delta (1.5-4 Hz as compared to a normal hearing control group (n = 16. This pattern was especially pronounced for temporal regions. Moreover, correlations with tinnitus-related distress revealed strong associations with this abnormal spontaneous activity pattern, particularly in right temporal and left frontal areas. Overall, effects were stronger for the alpha than for the delta frequency band. A data stream of 5 min, recorded with a whole-head neuromagnetometer under a resting condition, was sufficient to extract the marked differences. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some limitations, there are arguments that the regional pattern of abnormal spontaneous activity we found could reflect a tinnitus-related cortical network. This finding, which suggests that a neurofeedback approach could reduce the adverse effects of this disturbing condition, could have important implications for the treatment of tinnitus.

  19. Screening for spontaneous preterm birth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Os, M.A.; van Dam, A.J.E.M.

    2015-01-01

    Preterm birth is the most important cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this thesis studies on spontaneous preterm birth are presented. The main objective was to investigate the predictive capacity of mid-trimester cervical length measurement for spontaneous preterm birth in a

  20. Implementation-intention encoding in a prospective memory task enhances spontaneous retrieval of intentions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rummel, Jan; Einstein, Gilles O; Rampey, Hilary

    2012-01-01

    Although forming implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999) has been demonstrated to generally improve prospective memory, the underlying cognitive mechanisms are not completely understood. It has been proposed that implementation-intention encoding encourages spontaneous retrieval (McDaniel & Scullin, 2010). Alternatively one could assume the positive effect of implementation-intention encoding is caused by increased or more efficient monitoring for target cues. To test these alternative explanations and to further investigate the cognitive mechanisms underlying implementation-intention benefits, in two experiments participants formed the intention to respond to specific target cues in a lexical decision task with a special key, but then had to suspend this intention during an intervening word-categorisation task. Response times on trials directly following the occurrence of target cues in the intervening task were significantly slower with implementation-intention encoding than with standard encoding, indicating that spontaneous retrieval was increased (Experiment 1). However, when activation of the target cues was controlled for, similar slowing was found with both standard and implementation-intention encoding (Experiment 2). The results imply that implementation-intention encoding as well as increased target-cue activation foster spontaneous retrieval processes.

  1. Early pregnancy angiogenic markers and spontaneous abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Louise B; Dechend, Ralf; Karumanchi, S Ananth

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Spontaneous abortion is the most commonly observed adverse pregnancy outcome. The angiogenic factors soluble Fms-like kinase 1 and placental growth factor are critical for normal pregnancy and may be associated to spontaneous abortion. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between...... maternal serum concentrations of soluble Fms-like kinase 1 and placental growth factor, and subsequent spontaneous abortion. STUDY DESIGN: In the prospective observational Odense Child Cohort, 1676 pregnant women donated serum in early pregnancy, gestational week ..., interquartile range 71-103). Concentrations of soluble Fms-like kinase 1 and placental growth factor were determined with novel automated assays. Spontaneous abortion was defined as complete or incomplete spontaneous abortion, missed abortion, or blighted ovum

  2. When Is the Optimal Timing of the Surgical Treatment for Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Hyun Woo; Kim, Young-Du; Choi, Si Young; Park, Jae Kil

    2017-01-01

    Objectives  The definition of spontaneous pneumothorax is accumulation of air in the pleural space, resulting in dyspnea or chest pain. Unlike primary spontaneous pneumothorax, secondary pneumothorax can be a life-threatening condition and spontaneous healing rate is uncommon. Although surgery is the most effective treatment modality for pneumothorax, surgical management and timing is difficult where there is underlying lung disease and/or medical comorbidities. Prolonged air leakage increases the morbidity and mortality in thoracic surgery. We hypothesized that duration of air leakage before operation may lead to increase in complications. Methods  This study is a retrospective review of 155 consecutive patients with air leakage who underwent bullectomy for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax from January 2005 to July 2013. The patients were divided according to the duration of preoperative air leakage. The patients were followed-up until the time of last visit or death. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were assessed and the risk factors for complications were analyzed. Results  The median age was 65 years (range, 52-88) with male predominance (96.13%). The median duration of preoperative air leakage was 6 days (range, 1-30). The median surgery time was 90 minutes (range, 25-300) and median hospital stay after operation was 7 days (range, 3-75). Postoperative complications occurred in 38 patients (24.52%) and postoperative recurrence was shown to have occurred in 8 patients (5.16%). With multivariate analysis, risk factors for postoperative complications were: underlying interstitial lung disease and air leakage > 5 days before operation. Conclusion  Persistent air leakage was a major surgical indication for pneumothorax. Early surgical treatment reduced postoperative complications for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  3. Multifractal fluctuations in joint angles during infant spontaneous kicking reveal multiplicativity-driven coordination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stephen, Damian G.; Hsu, Wen-Hao; Young, Diana; Saltzman, Elliot L.; Holt, Kenneth G.; Newman, Dava J.; Weinberg, Marc; Wood, Robert J.; Nagpal, Radhika; Goldfield, Eugene C.

    2012-01-01

    Previous research has considered infant spontaneous kicking as a form of exploration. According to this view, spontaneous kicking provides information about motor degrees of freedom and may shape multijoint coordinations for more complex movement patterns such as gait. Recent work has demonstrated that multifractal, multiplicative fluctuations in exploratory movements index energy flows underlying perceptual-motor information. If infant spontaneous kicking is exploratory and occasions an upstream flow of information from the motor periphery, we expected not only that multiplicativity of fluctuations at the hip should promote multiplicativity of fluctuations at more distal joints (i.e., reflecting downstream effects of neural control) but also that multiplicativity at more distal joints should promote multiplicativity at the hip. Multifractal analysis demonstrated that infant spontaneous kicking in four typically developing infants for evidence of multiplicative fluctuations in multiple joint angles along the leg (i.e., hip, knee, and ankle) exhibited multiplicativity. Vector autoregressive modeling demonstrated that only one leg exhibited downstream effects but that both legs exhibited upstream effects. These results confirm the exploratory aspect of infant spontaneous kicking and suggest chaotic dynamics in motor coordination. They also resonate with existing models of chaos-controlled robotics and noise-based interventions for rehabilitating motor coordination in atypically developing patients.

  4. Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joash, Dr.

    2015-01-01

    Epidemiology is not only rare but an important cause of new daily persistent headaches among young & middle age individuals. The Etiology & Pathogenesis is generally caused by spinal CSF leak. Precise cause remains largely unknown, underlying structural weakness of spinal meninges is suspected. There are several MR Signs of Intracranial Hypotension that include:- diffuse pachymeningeal (dural) enhancement; bilateral subdural, effusion/hematomas; Downward displacement of brain; enlargement of pituitary gland; Engorgement of dural venous sinuses; prominence of spinal epidural venous plexus and Venous sinus thrombosis & isolated cortical vein thrombosis. The sum of volumes of intracranial blood, CSF & cerebral tissue must remain constant in an intact cranium. Treatment in Many cases can be resolved spontaneously or by use Conservative approach that include bed rest, oral hydration, caffeine intake and use of abdominal binder. Imaging Modalities for Detection of CSF leakage include CT myelography, Radioisotope cisternography, MR myelography, MR imaging and Intrathecal Gd-enhanced MR

  5. Spontaneous emission by moving atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meystre, P.; Wilkens, M.

    1994-01-01

    It is well known that spontaneous emission is not an intrinsic atomic property, but rather results from the coupling of the atom to the vacuum modes of the electromagnetic field. As such, it can be modified by tailoring the electromagnetic environment into which the atom can radiate. This was already realized by Purcell, who noted that the spontaneous emission rate can be enhanced if the atom placed inside a cavity is resonant with one of the cavity is resonant with one of the cavity modes, and by Kleppner, who discussed the opposite case of inhibited spontaneous emission. It has also been recognized that spontaneous emission need not be an irreversible process. Indeed, a system consisting of a single atom coupled to a single mode of the electromagnetic field undergoes a periodic exchange of excitation between the atom and the field. This periodic exchange remains dominant as long as the strength of the coupling between the atom and a cavity mode is itself dominant. 23 refs., 6 figs

  6. Clinical Holistic Medicine: Induction of Spontaneous Remission of Cancer by Recovery of the Human Character and the Purpose of Life (the Life Mission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Søren Ventegodt

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The recovery of the human character and purpose of life with consciousness-based medicine seems to be able to induce spontaneous remissions in several diseases. On two different occasions, we observed breast tumors reduced to less than half their original diameters (clinically judged during a holistic session, when working with the patients in accordance with the holistic process theory of healing, the life mission theory, and the theory of human character. One tumor was histologically diagnosed as malign breast cancer prior to the session, while the other was under examination. As both patients had the affected regions of the breast surgically removed immediately after the session, we are unable to determine if they were actually healed by the holistic treatment. We find it extremely interesting that the size of a tumor can be reduced dramatically within a few hours of holistic treatment, when the patient is highly motivated for personal development. The reduction of tumor size is in accordance with the holistic view that many types of cancer are caused by emotional and existential disturbances. From a holistic perspective, cancer can be understood as a simple disturbance of the cells, arising from the tissue holding on to a trauma with strong emotional content. This is called “a blockage”, where the function of the cells is changed from their original function in the tissue to a function of holding emotions. The reduction of the tumor in the two cases happened when old painful emotions were identified in the tissues, in and around the tumor, and processed into understanding; when the patients finally did let go of negative beliefs and attitudes that had kept the feeling(s repressed to that part of the body, the tumor first softened and then disappeared, presumably by apoptosis. We believe that the consciousness-based/holistic medical toolbox has a serious additional offer to cancer patients, and we will therefore strongly encourage the

  7. Transcriptome analysis of Pinus halepensis under drought stress and during recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Hagar; Doron-Faigenboim, Adi; Kelly, Gilor; Bourstein, Ronny; Attia, Ziv; Zhou, Jing; Moshe, Yosef; Moshelion, Menachem; David-Schwartz, Rakefet

    2018-03-01

    Forest trees use various strategies to cope with drought stress and these strategies involve complex molecular mechanisms. Pinus halepensis Miller (Aleppo pine) is found throughout the Mediterranean basin and is one of the most drought-tolerant pine species. In order to decipher the molecular mechanisms that P. halepensis uses to withstand drought, we performed large-scale physiological and transcriptome analyses. We selected a mature tree from a semi-arid area with suboptimal growth conditions for clonal propagation through cuttings. We then used a high-throughput experimental system to continuously monitor whole-plant transpiration rates, stomatal conductance and the vapor pressure deficit. The transcriptomes of plants were examined at six physiological stages: pre-stomatal response, partial stomatal closure, minimum transpiration, post-irrigation, partial recovery and full recovery. At each stage, data from plants exposed to the drought treatment were compared with data collected from well-irrigated control plants. A drought-stressed P. halepensis transcriptome was created using paired-end RNA-seq. In total, ~6000 differentially expressed, non-redundant transcripts were identified between drought-treated and control trees. Cluster analysis has revealed stress-induced down-regulation of transcripts related to photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging through the ascorbic acid (AsA)-glutathione cycle, fatty acid and cell wall biosynthesis, stomatal activity, and the biosynthesis of flavonoids and terpenoids. Up-regulated processes included chlorophyll degradation, ROS-scavenging through AsA-independent thiol-mediated pathways, abscisic acid response and accumulation of heat shock proteins, thaumatin and exordium. Recovery from drought induced strong transcription of retrotransposons, especially the retrovirus-related transposon Tnt1-94. The drought-related transcriptome illustrates this species' dynamic response to drought and recovery and unravels

  8. Changes in spontaneous brain activity in early Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hong; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe; Zhang, Min-Ming; Zheng, Xu-Ning; Zhao, Yi-Lei; Wang, Jue

    2013-08-09

    Resting state brain activity can provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of the present study was (a) to investigate abnormal spontaneous neuronal activity in early PD patients using resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) with a regional homogeneity (ReHo) method and (b) to demonstrate the potential of using changes in abnormal spontaneous neuronal activity for monitoring the progression of PD during its early stages. Seventeen early PD patients were assessed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoehn and Yahr disability scale and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) were compared with seventeen gender- and age-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent MRI scans using a 1.5T General Electric Signa Excite II scanner. The MRI scan protocol included whole-brain volumetric imaging using a 3D inversion recovery prepared (IR-Prep) fast spoiled gradient-echo pulse sequence and 2D multi-slice (22 axial slices covering the whole brain) resting-state fMRI using an echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence. Images were analyzed in SPM5 together with a ReHo algorithm using the in-house software program REST. A corrected threshold of pbrain regions, including the left cerebellum, left parietal lobe, right middle temporal lobe, right sub-thalamic nucleus areas, right superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), right precuneus lobe, left MFG and left IPL. Additionally, significantly reduced ReHo was also observed in the early PD patients in the following brain regions: the left putamen, left inferior frontal gyrus, right hippocampus, right anterior cingulum, and bilateral lingual gyrus. Moreover, in PD patients, ReHo in the left putamen was negatively correlated with the UPDRS scores (r=-0.69). These results indicate that the abnormal resting state spontaneous brain activity associated with patients with early PD can be revealed by Reho analysis. Copyright

  9. A Case of Multiple Spontaneous Keloid Scars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdulhadi Jfri

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Keloid scars result from an abnormal healing response to cutaneous injury or inflammation that extends beyond the borders of the original wound. Spontaneous keloid scars forming in the absence of any previous trauma or surgical procedure are rare. Certain syndromes have been associated with this phenomenon, and few reports have discussed the evidence of single spontaneous keloid scar, which raises the question whether they are really spontaneous. Here, we present a 27-year-old mentally retarded single female with orbital hypertelorism, broad nasal bridge, repaired cleft lip and high-arched palate who presented with progressive multiple spontaneous keloid scars in different parts of her body which were confirmed histologically by the presence of typical keloidal collagen. This report supports the fact that keloid scars can appear spontaneously and are possibly linked to a genetic factor. Furthermore, it describes a new presentation of spontaneous keloid scars in the form of multiple large lesions in different sites of the body.

  10. Lack of causal association between spontaneous intracranial hypotension and cranial cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schievink, Wouter I; Schwartz, Marc S; Maya, M Marcel; Moser, Franklin G; Rozen, Todd D

    2012-04-01

    Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an important cause of headaches and an underlying spinal CSF leak can be demonstrated in most patients. Whether CSF leaks at the level of the skull base can cause spontaneous intracranial hypotension remains a matter of controversy. The authors' aim was to examine the frequency of skull base CSF leaks as the cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were collected from a consecutive group of patients evaluated for spontaneous intracranial hypotension during a 9-year period. Among 273 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for spontaneous intracranial hypotension and 42 who did not, not a single instance of CSF leak at the skull base was encountered. Clear nasal drainage was reported by 41 patients, but a diagnosis of CSF rhinorrhea could not be established. Four patients underwent exploratory surgery for presumed CSF rhinorrhea. In addition, the authors treated 3 patients who had a postoperative CSF leak at the skull base following the resection of a cerebellopontine angle tumor and developed orthostatic headaches; spinal imaging, however, demonstrated the presence of a spinal source of CSF leakage in all 3 patients. There is no evidence for an association between spontaneous intracranial hypotension and CSF leaks at the level of the skull base. Moreover, the authors' study suggests that a spinal source for CSF leakage should even be suspected in patients with orthostatic headaches who have a documented skull base CSF leak.

  11. Ulcerogenicity of piroxicam: an analysis of spontaneously reported data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, A C; Hsu, J P; Faich, G A

    1987-01-01

    Previous reports have suggested that piroxicam may be more ulcerogenic than other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in use. Critics have attributed this putative relation to flawed comparisons of spontaneously reported data. In this study cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, and ulcer reported to the Food and Drug Administration's spontaneous reporting system over 12 years were examined. Reporting rates for eight NSAIDs were compared over identical periods of their marketing life cycles. After adjustments were made for the heterogeneity in the underlying reporting rates the difference in rates between piroxicam and the other drugs was considerably reduced but piroxicam retained its top ranking among the drugs; however, large and clinically important differences in the frequency of cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, and ulcer between piroxicam and the rest of the NSAIDs compared probably do not exist. PMID:3109543

  12. Quantitative criterion for quantum interference within spontaneous emission modification of a driven ladder atom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jiaren; Zhang Zhiyi; Xiao George; Grover, C P

    2003-01-01

    The spontaneous emission spectrum of a ladder three-level atom with an upper transition driven by a coherent field is calculated under a universal model where various decays, any incoherent pumping and coherent driving are taken into account. The analytical expression for the spectrum profile is given on the basis of the quantum regression theorem. To our knowledge, it is the first time that the quantitative criterion condition Ω ab - γ ac vertical bar, under which quantum destructive interference induced by the coherent driving field occurs, is deduced for the modification of spontaneous emission from the middle level to the ground level. The roles and limits of incoherent pumping, coherent driving and experimental configuration are discussed for realizing the quantum interference and reducing the Doppler effects

  13. Non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery management of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvez, Carlos; Bolufer, Sergio; Navarro-Martinez, Jose; Lirio, Francisco; Corcoles, Juan Manuel; Rodriguez-Paniagua, Jose Manuel

    2015-05-01

    Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) is serious entity, usually due to underlying disease, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its morbidity and mortality is high due to the pulmonary compromised status of these patients, and the recurrence rate is almost 50%, increasing mortality with each episode. For persistent or recurrent SSP, surgery under general anesthesia (GA) and mechanical ventilation (MV) with lung isolation is the gold standard, but ventilator-induced damages and dependency, and postoperative pulmonary complications are frequent. In the last two decades, several groups have reported successful results with non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery (NI-VATS) with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) and/or local anesthesia under spontaneous breathing. Main benefits reported are operative time, operation room time and hospital stay reduction, and postoperative respiratory complications decrease when comparing to GA, thus encouraging for further research in these moderate to high risk patients many times rejected for the standard regimen. There are also reports of special situations with satisfactory results, as in contralateral pneumonectomy and lung transplantation. The aim of this review is to collect, analyze and discuss all the available evidence, and seek for future lines of investigation.

  14. Spontaneous pneumothorax in silicotuberculosis of lung

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolenic, J.; Jurgova, T.; Zimacek, J.; Vajo, J.; Krchnavy, M.

    1995-01-01

    The authors describe the case of 62 years old man with the appearance of spontaneous pneumothorax, in whom the basic pulmonary disease was silicotuberculosis of the lung. At clinic of occupational diseases in Kosice have been evidence 965 cases of silicosis and silicotuberculosis. From 1971 they have now the first case of spontaneous pneumothorax. The authors make discussion about possible mechanical and biochemical factors, which cause relatively low incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax in silicosis of the lung. (authors)

  15. Development of a prognostic model for predicting spontaneous singleton preterm birth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaaf, Jelle M; Ravelli, Anita C J; Mol, Ben Willem J; Abu-Hanna, Ameen

    2012-10-01

    To develop and validate a prognostic model for prediction of spontaneous preterm birth. Prospective cohort study using data of the nationwide perinatal registry in The Netherlands. We studied 1,524,058 singleton pregnancies between 1999 and 2007. We developed a multiple logistic regression model to estimate the risk of spontaneous preterm birth based on maternal and pregnancy characteristics. We used bootstrapping techniques to internally validate our model. Discrimination (AUC), accuracy (Brier score) and calibration (calibration graphs and Hosmer-Lemeshow C-statistic) were used to assess the model's predictive performance. Our primary outcome measure was spontaneous preterm birth at model included 13 variables for predicting preterm birth. The predicted probabilities ranged from 0.01 to 0.71 (IQR 0.02-0.04). The model had an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.63 (95% CI 0.63-0.63), the Brier score was 0.04 (95% CI 0.04-0.04) and the Hosmer Lemeshow C-statistic was significant (pvalues of predicted probability. The positive predictive value was 26% (95% CI 20-33%) for the 0.4 probability cut-off point. The model's discrimination was fair and it had modest calibration. Previous preterm birth, drug abuse and vaginal bleeding in the first half of pregnancy were the most important predictors for spontaneous preterm birth. Although not applicable in clinical practice yet, this model is a next step towards early prediction of spontaneous preterm birth that enables caregivers to start preventive therapy in women at higher risk. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Spontaneous body movements in spatial cognition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergiu eTcaci Popescu

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available People often perform spontaneous body movements during spatial tasks such as giving complex directions or orienting themselves on maps. How are these spontaneous gestures related to spatial problem-solving? We measured spontaneous movements during a perspective-taking task inspired by map reading. Analyzing the motion data to isolate rotation and translation components of motion in specific geometric relation to the task, we found out that most participants executed spontaneous miniature rotations of the head that were significantly related to the main task parameter. These head rotations were as if participants were trying to align themselves with the orientation on the map either in the image plane or on the ground plane, but with tiny amplitudes, typically below 1% of the actual movements. Our results are consistent with a model of sensorimotor prediction driving spatial reasoning. The efference copy of planned movements triggers this prediction mechanism. The movements themselves may then be mostly inhibited; the small spontaneous gestures that we measure are the visible traces of these planned but inhibited actions.

  17. Severe acute haemorrhagic liver failure in a neonate with a favourable spontaneous outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cavet, Madeleine; Balu, Marie; Garel, Catherine; Ducou le Pointe, Hubert; Mitanchez, Delphine; Alexandre, Marie; Renolleau, Sylvain; Pariente, Daniele

    2008-01-01

    Acute liver failure in neonates is rare and is frequently associated with an unfavourable outcome. There is no curative treatment other than liver transplantation. Screening for viral, metabolic, toxic or vascular disease is essential to assess the prognosis and to guide specific treatment. Hepatic haemorrhage in neonates is often associated with bacterial infection, trauma and coagulopathies. We present a unique case of neonatal acute liver failure and multifocal massive haemorrhagic intrahepatic lesions of traumatic origin, documented by US and MRI. The patient made a spontaneous recovery. Clinical, biological and imaging outcome was excellent despite the apparent severity of the initial features. The only possible aetiology was a difficult caesarean delivery for mild fetal macrosomia. (orig.)

  18. Severe acute haemorrhagic liver failure in a neonate with a favourable spontaneous outcome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cavet, Madeleine; Balu, Marie; Garel, Catherine; Ducou le Pointe, Hubert [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Service de Radiologie, Hopital d' enfants Armand-Trousseau, Paris (France); Mitanchez, Delphine; Alexandre, Marie [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Service de Neonatologie, Hopital d' enfants Armand-Trousseau, Paris (France); Renolleau, Sylvain [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Service de Reanimation, Hopital d' enfants Armand-Trousseau, Paris (France); Pariente, Daniele [Hopital de Bicetre, Service de Radiologie Pediatrique, Paris (France)

    2008-10-15

    Acute liver failure in neonates is rare and is frequently associated with an unfavourable outcome. There is no curative treatment other than liver transplantation. Screening for viral, metabolic, toxic or vascular disease is essential to assess the prognosis and to guide specific treatment. Hepatic haemorrhage in neonates is often associated with bacterial infection, trauma and coagulopathies. We present a unique case of neonatal acute liver failure and multifocal massive haemorrhagic intrahepatic lesions of traumatic origin, documented by US and MRI. The patient made a spontaneous recovery. Clinical, biological and imaging outcome was excellent despite the apparent severity of the initial features. The only possible aetiology was a difficult caesarean delivery for mild fetal macrosomia. (orig.)

  19. Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Subclinical Hypothyroidism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dalip Gupta

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Hypothyroidism is an uncommon cause of ascites. Here we describe a case of a 75 year-old female patient with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and subclinical hypothyroidism that resolved with thyroid replacement and antibiotic therapy respectively. Ascitic fluid analysis revealed a gram-positive bacterium on gram staining. A review of the literature revealed just one other reported case of myxoedema ascites with concomitant spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and no case has till been reported of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in subclinical hypothyroidism.

  20. Effective potential and spontaneous symmetry breaking in the noncommutative φ6 model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbosa, G.D.

    2004-01-01

    We study the conditions for spontaneous symmetry breaking of the (2+1)-dimensional noncommutative φ 6 model in the small-θ limit. In this regime, considering the model as a cutoff theory, it is reasonable to assume translational invariance as a property of the vacuum state and study the conditions for spontaneous symmetry breaking by an effective potential analysis. An investigation of up to the two-loop level reveals that noncommutative effects can modify drastically the shape of the effective potential. Under reasonable conditions, the nonplanar sector of the theory can become dominant and induce symmetry breaking for values of the mass and coupling constants not reached by the commutative counterpart

  1. Spontaneous mutation rates and the rate-doubling dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Von Borstel, R.C.; Moustaccki, E.; Latarjet, R.

    1978-01-01

    The amount of radiation required to double the frequency of mutations or tumours over the rate of those that occur spontaneously is called the rate-doubling dose. An equivalent concept has been proposed for exposure to other environmental mutagens. The doubling dose concept is predicated on the assumption that all human populations have the same spontaneous mutation rate, and that this spontaneous mutation rate is known. It is now established for prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes that numerous genes control the spontaneous mutation rate, and it is likely that the same is true for human cells as well. Given that the accepted mode of evolution of human populatons is from small, isolated groups of individuals, it seems likely that each population would have a different spontaneous mutation rate. Given that a minimum of twenty genes control or affect the spontaneous mutation rate, and that each of these in turn is susceptible to spontaneously arising or environmentally induced mutations, it seems likely that every individual within a population (except for siblings from identical multiple births) will have a unique spontaneous mutation rate. If each individual in a population does have a different spontaneous mutation rate, the doubling dose concept, in rigorous terms, is fallacious. Therefore, as with other concepts of risk evaluation, the doubling dose concept is subject to criticism. Nevertheless, until we know individual spontaneous mutation rates with precision, and can evaluate risks based on this information, the doubling dose concept has a heuristic value and is needed for practical assessment of risks for defined populations. (author)

  2. Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wasan, D.T.

    1996-05-01

    In this report, we present the results of our experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12. 0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, we have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties, (5) investigated the effect of surfactant on the equilibrium and transient interfacial tension, (6) investigated the kinetics of oil removal from a silica surface, and (7) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, accounting for added surfactant. The results of the studies conducted during the course of this project are discussed.

  3. Spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering spectral analysis based on the Wiener filter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Wu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering spectrometer is developed to measure the gaseous spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering profiles over the pressure range from 1 to 5 atm for a wavelength of 532nm at a constant room temperature of 296K and a 90o scattering angle. In order to make a direct comparison between the experimentally obtained spectrum and the theoretical spectrum calculated from the Tenti S6 model, the measured spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering signal is deconvolved by the Wiener filtering. The purpose is to remove the effect on the spectrum by the transmission function of the Fabry-Perrot scanning interferometer. The results of the comparison show that the deconvolved spectra are consistent with the theoretical spectra calculated from the Tenti S6 model, and thus confirm that the deconvolution based on the Wiener filter is able to process the measured spectra and improve the spectral resolution. Some factors that influence the accuracy of deconvolution are analyzed and discussed. At the same time, another comparison between the raw experimentally obtained spectra and the theoretical spectra calculated by convolving the Tenti S6 model with instrument function of the measurement system is performed in the same experimental condition. The results of the two comparisons show that, compared with the raw experimentally obtained spectrum, the deconvolved spectrum matches the theoretically calculated spectrum more accurately under lower pressure (≤2atm than under relative higher pressure (>2atm.

  4. The measurement of prompt neutron spectrum in spontaneous fission of {sup 244}Cm

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Batenkov, O.I.; Boykov, G.S.; Drapchinsky, L.V.; Majorov, M.Ju.; Trenkin, V.A. [V.G. Khlopin Radium Inst., Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation)

    1997-03-01

    Under the Program of Measurements of Prompt Fission Neutron Spectra of Minor Actinides for Transmutation Purposes the integral neutron spectrum in spontaneous fission of {sup 244}Cm has been measured by the time-of-flight method in the energy range of 0.1-15 MeV relative to the standard neutron spectrum in {sup 252}Cf spontaneous fission. Essential attention was paid to revealing of possible systematic errors. It is shown, that the {sup 244}Cm spectrum shape may be well described by using Mannhart evaluation with appropriate parameter of Maxwell temperature T{sub M} = 1.37 MeV. (author)

  5. Visually Evoked Spiking Evolves While Spontaneous Ongoing Dynamics Persist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huys, Raoul; Jirsa, Viktor K.; Darokhan, Ziauddin; Valentiniene, Sonata; Roland, Per E.

    2016-01-01

    Neurons in the primary visual cortex spontaneously spike even when there are no visual stimuli. It is unknown whether the spiking evoked by visual stimuli is just a modification of the spontaneous ongoing cortical spiking dynamics or whether the spontaneous spiking state disappears and is replaced by evoked spiking. This study of laminar recordings of spontaneous spiking and visually evoked spiking of neurons in the ferret primary visual cortex shows that the spiking dynamics does not change: the spontaneous spiking as well as evoked spiking is controlled by a stable and persisting fixed point attractor. Its existence guarantees that evoked spiking return to the spontaneous state. However, the spontaneous ongoing spiking state and the visual evoked spiking states are qualitatively different and are separated by a threshold (separatrix). The functional advantage of this organization is that it avoids the need for a system reorganization following visual stimulation, and impedes the transition of spontaneous spiking to evoked spiking and the propagation of spontaneous spiking from layer 4 to layers 2–3. PMID:26778982

  6. Spontaneous Superior Mesenteric Artery Branch Pseudoaneurysm: A Rare Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Guirgis

    Full Text Available : Background: Visceral arterial pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs are rare vascular entities with serious consequences. Traditionally, they are associated with trauma, infection, and inflammatory disease, or they can arise as a post-operative complication. Report: An 87 year old man presented with abdominal pain and was found to have a spontaneous VAPA on a computed tomography angiogram. Serial imaging 4 months previously had demonstrated no aneurysm. Between scans, warfarin was changed to apixaban for aortic valve replacement, but he had no other changes to any other medications. He required urgent endovascular coiling of the pseudoaneurysm, with satisfactory recovery and outcome. Discussion: VAPAs are extremely rare, with splenic artery VAPAs the most commonly reported. Regardless, fewer than 250 cases of splenic artery pseudoaneurysm have been reported. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA pseudoaneurysms are the rarest type of VAPAs. Early identification and urgent treatment are warranted because of the associated high mortality risk, with a 50% risk of rupture in any given VAPA. Treatment options range from open operation to endoscopic and endovascular procedures. Apixaban has been proposed to contribute to pseudoaneurysm formation by slow and continuous bleeding that results in the formation of the pseudoaneurysm. Conclusions: Spontaneous VAPAs are extremely rare and this is the first time a VAPA has been associated with the novel oral anticoagulant “apixaban”. Urgent management of any VAPAs is important because of the high risk of rupture and potential life threatening haemorrhage. Keywords: Visceral arterial pseudoaneurysm, Superior mesenteric artery, Apixaban, Coils

  7. Peritonitis - spontaneous bacterial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP); Ascites - peritonitis; Cirrhosis - peritonitis ... who are on peritoneal dialysis for kidney failure. Peritonitis may have other causes . These include infection from ...

  8. Search for spontaneous fission of 226Ra and systematics of the spontaneous fission, α-decay and cluster decay probabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikheev, V.L.; Tret'yakova, S.P.; Golovchenko, A.N.; Timofeeva, O.V.; Hussonnois, M.; Le Naour, C.

    1998-01-01

    The low limit of the 226 Ra spontaneous fission half-life corresponding to T 1/2 ≥ 4 · 10 18 years is measured. The 226 Ra spontaneous fission probability proved to be about 50 times less than the value expected from the known systematics, connecting the ratios of theα-decay and spontaneous fission probabilities with the fissility parameter Z 2 /A. It is shown that the probabilities of spontaneous fission, α-decay and cluster decay can be systematized in the same way according to the difference between the decay products Coulomb energy near the scission point and decay energy Q

  9. Dorsomedial prefontal cortex supports spontaneous thinking per se.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raij, T T; Riekki, T J J

    2017-06-01

    Spontaneous thinking, an action to produce, consider, integrate, and reason through mental representations, is central to our daily experience and has been suggested to serve crucial adaptive purposes. Such thinking occurs among other experiences during mind wandering that is associated with activation of the default mode network among other brain circuitries. Whether and how such brain activation is linked to the experience of spontaneous thinking per se remains poorly known. We studied 51 healthy subjects using a comprehensive experience-sampling paradigm during 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging. In comparison with fixation, the experiences of spontaneous thinking and spontaneous perception were related to activation of wide-spread brain circuitries, including the cortical midline structures, the anterior cingulate cortex and the visual cortex. In direct comparison of the spontaneous thinking versus spontaneous perception, activation was observed in the anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Modality congruence of spontaneous-experience-related brain activation was suggested by several findings, including association of the lingual gyrus with visual in comparison with non-verbal-non-visual thinking. In the context of current literature, these findings suggest that the cortical midline structures are involved in the integrative core substrate of spontaneous thinking that is coupled with other brain systems depending on the characteristics of thinking. Furthermore, involvement of the anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex suggests the control of high-order abstract functions to characterize spontaneous thinking per se. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3277-3288, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Maternal smoking predicts the risk of spontaneous abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Ann; Hannibal, Charlotte Gerd; Lindekilde, Bodil Eriksen

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined smoking prior to pregnancy and the occurrence of spontaneous abortion, as most studies have addressed the risk of spontaneous abortion in relation to smoking during pregnancy. However, results are not entirely consistent. The aim of the present study...... was to assess the risk of spontaneous abortion considering smoking prior to pregnancy. METHODS: We performed a nested case-control study using prospective data from a population-based cohort comprising 11,088 women aged 20-29 years. From this cohort, women who experienced either a spontaneous abortion (n=343......) or who gave birth (n=1,578) during follow-up were selected. Associations between self-reported smoking at enrollment and subsequent spontaneous abortion were analyzed by means of multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: The risk of spontaneous abortion in relation to pre-pregnancy smoking showed a clear...

  11. Spontaneous decisions and operant conditioning in fruit flies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brembs, Björn

    2011-05-01

    Already in the 1930s Skinner, Konorski and colleagues debated the commonalities, differences and interactions among the processes underlying what was then known as "conditioned reflexes type I and II", but which is today more well-known as classical (Pavlovian) and operant (instrumental) conditioning. Subsequent decades of research have confirmed that the interactions between the various learning systems engaged during operant conditioning are complex and difficult to disentangle. Today, modern neurobiological tools allow us to dissect the biological processes underlying operant conditioning and study their interactions. These processes include initiating spontaneous behavioral variability, world-learning and self-learning. The data suggest that behavioral variability is generated actively by the brain, rather than as a by-product of a complex, noisy input-output system. The function of this variability, in part, is to detect how the environment responds to such actions. World-learning denotes the biological process by which value is assigned to environmental stimuli. Self-learning is the biological process which assigns value to a specific action or movement. In an operant learning situation using visual stimuli for flies, world-learning inhibits self-learning via a prominent neuropil region, the mushroom-bodies. Only extended training can overcome this inhibition and lead to habit formation by engaging the self-learning mechanism. Self-learning transforms spontaneous, flexible actions into stereotyped, habitual responses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Brain Pathways to Recovery from Alcohol Dependence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Changhai; Noronha, Antonio; Warren, Kenneth; Koob, George F.; Sinha, Rajita; Thakkar, Mahesh; Matochik, John; Crews, Fulton T.; Chandler, L. Judson; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Becker, Howard C.; Lovinger, David; Everitt, Barry; Egli, Mark; Mandyam, Chitra; Fein, George; Potenza, Marc N.; Harris, R. Adron; Grant, Kathleen A.; Roberto, Marisa; Meyerhoff, Dieter J.; Sullivan, Edith V.

    2015-01-01

    This article highlights the research presentations at the satellite symposium on “Brain Pathways to Recovery from Alcohol Dependence” held at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. The purpose of this symposium was to provide an up to date overview of research efforts focusing on understanding brain mechanisms that contribute to recovery from alcohol dependence. A panel of scientists from the alcohol and addiction research field presented their insights and perspectives on brain mechanisms that may underlie both recovery and lack of recovery from alcohol dependence. The four sessions of the symposium encompassed multilevel studies exploring mechanisms underlying relapse and craving associated with sustained alcohol abstinence, cognitive function deficit and recovery, and translational studies on preventing relapse and promoting recovery. Gaps in our knowledge and research opportunities were also discussed. PMID:26074423

  13. Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension Manifesting as a Unilateral Subdural Hematoma with a Marked Midline Shift

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joji Inamasu

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH is a syndrome in which hypovolemia of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF results in various symptoms. Although its prognosis is usually benign, cases with a rapid neurologic deterioration resulting in an altered mental status have been reported. One of the characteristic radiographic findings in such cases is the presence of bilateral accumulation of subdural fluid (hematoma/hygroma. When SIH-related subdural hematoma is present only unilaterally with a concomitant midline shift, making an accurate diagnosis may be challenging, and inadvertent hematoma evacuation may result in further neurologic deterioration. We report a 58-year-old woman with an altered mental status who had visited a local hospital and in whom a brain CT showed a unilateral subdural hematoma with a marked midline shift. She was referred to our department because of her neurologic deterioration after hematoma evacuation. A CT myelography revealed a massive CSF leakage in the entire thoracic epidural space. She made a full neurologic recovery following blood patch therapy. Our case is unique and educational because the suspicion for SIH as an underlying cause of subdural hematoma is warranted in nongeriatric patients not only with bilateral but also unilateral lesions. An immediate search for CSF leakage may be important in cases with failed hematoma evacuation surgery.

  14. Osteonecrosis or spontaneous fractures following renal transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andresen, J.; Nielsen, H.E.; Aarhus Univ.

    1981-01-01

    31 renal transplant recipients with posttransplant development of osteonecrosis or spontaneous fractures were evaluated with regard to age, duration of dialysis before transplantation. Determination of metacarpal bone mass at the time of transplantation and registration of bone resorption and soft tissue calcification at the time of transplantation and at the time of onset of osteonecrosis and spontaneous fractures were made. Apart from the increased mean age in patients with spontaneous fractures no difference was seen between the groups. Osteonecrosis and spontaneous fractures occurred in areas of trabecular bone. It seems most likely that after renal transplantation the patients show bone complications of different localization. (orig.) [de

  15. Spontaneous burp phenomenon: analysis of experimental data and approach to theoretical interpretation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shabalin, E.

    2004-01-01

    Cases of spontaneous release of energy (''burp'') were observed numerously in solid methane, water ice and other hydrogeneous compounds irradiated in fast neutron fields with absorbed dose 2-10 MGy. Nature of this phenomenon is that accumulation of radicals and thermal instability of a sample under due concentration of radicals culminate to autocatalytic reaction of their recombination. The most odious feature of this phenomenon is that irradiation time, before a burp occurs, varies significantly even in identical irradiation condition. Respectively, amount of released energy varies as well. For example, in URAM-2 experiments with water ice, irradiation time before appearance of spontaneous burp varied from 5 hours to 11 hours for equal samples and up to 20 hours for the smallest sample. Another feature of the phenomenon is that regularities for occurrence of spontaneous release of energy (that is, dependence on temperature, size of sample, absorbed dose) can't be extracted explicitly from experimental data, if applying known relations for critical concentration of radicals, namely: Semenov's and Frank-Kamenetski's conditions of thermal instability of a sample, Jackson's relation for chain process of recombination of uniformly distributed radicals, critical condition based on accounting for acceleration of a process of recombination in the regions of micro-cracks, and, finally, critical condition for irregular distribution of radicals proposed by the author of this article. Not one of these theories predicts casual character of a burp on macro-scale basis. So that, notwithstanding fair amount of experimental data on spontaneous burps, it is still impossible to derive well-balanced theory of this phenomenon. One attempt to understand a reason for the strange behavior of spontaneous burping is a probabilistic, cluster model of spontaneous release of energy, developed in the chapter 4 of this paper. Spontaneous burps observed during URAM-2 project and in solid methane

  16. Early removal of odontoma resulting in spontaneous eruption of the impacted teeth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Harijadi

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Compound odontomas in the anterior maxilla during mixed dentition frequently cause obstruction to the eruption pathway of permanent upper anterior teeth. Removal of the odontomas may or may not lead to spontaneous eruption of the impacted teeth depending on the age when the surgery is performed, the size of the lesion, and the stage of tooth development of the involved teeth. Purpose: This paper attempts to emphasize the importance of early removal of compound odontoma to enable spontaneous eruption of the affected teeth. Case: A case of odontoma in the anterior maxilla causing failure of eruption and delayed root formation of upper right permanent lateral incisor and canine in a 10-year-old male patient is presented. Case management: The odontoma was surgically removed under general anesthesia and histology result confirmed the diagnosis of compound odontoma. A three-year post surgical follow up showed spontaneous eruption as well as continued root formation of the two affected teeth. Conclusion: Removal of odontoma may lead to spontaneous eruption of the affected teeth if their root development are not completed.Latar belakang: Compound odontoma pada daerah anterior maksila pada masa geligi pergantian sering menyebabkan hambatan erupsi pada gigi permanen penggantinya. Kemungkinan terjadinya erupsi spontan gigi permanen yang impaksi setelah pengambilan odontoma tergantung dari: umur penderita pada saat dilakukan operasi, ukuran lesi odontoma dan tahapan perkembangan gigi permanen yang terlibat. Tujuan: Laporan kasus ini ingin menekankan pentingnya pengambilan compound odontoma sedini mungkin untuk memberi kesempatan tumbuhnya gigi permanen yang terlibat dan erupsi secara spontan. Kasus: Ditampilkan sebuah kasus compound odontoma pada regio maksila anterior menyebabkan gagalnya erupsi dan terlambatnya pembentukan akar gigi insisif kedua dan kaninus permanent rahang atas kanan pada penderita anak laki-laki berumur 10 tahun

  17. Nonequilibrium self-organization in alloys under irradiation leading to the formation of nano composites

    CERN Document Server

    Enrique, R A; Averback, R S; Bellon, P

    2003-01-01

    Alloys under irradiation are continuously driven away from equilibrium: Every time an external particle interacts with the atoms in the solid, a perturbation very localized in space and time is produced. Under this external forcing, phase and microstructural evolution depends ultimately on the dynamical interaction between the external perturbation and the internal recovery kinetics of the alloy. We consider the nonequilibrium steady state of an immiscible binary alloy subject to mixing by heavy-ion irradiation. It has been found that the range of the forced atomic relocations taking place during collision cascades plays an important role on the final microstructure: when this range is large enough, it can lead to the spontaneous formation of compositional patterns at the nanometer scale. These results were rationalized in the framework of a continuum model solved by deriving a nonequilibrium thermodynamic potential. Here we derive the nonequilibrium structure factor by including the role of fluctuations. In ...

  18. Maternal underweight and the risk of spontaneous abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helgstrand, Stine; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To evaluate the risk of spontaneous abortion in relation to maternal pre-pregnant underweight. METHODS: The study was designed as a cohort study within the framework of the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). The participants were a total of 23 821 women recruited consecutively...... spontaneous abortion. Relative risk of spontaneous abortion was calculated as Hazard Ratios using Cox regression with delayed entry. RESULTS: The outcome measure was spontaneous abortion. The hazard ratio for spontaneous abortion in women with a pre-pregnant body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 was 1.24 (95......% confidence limits 0.95-1.63) compared to women with pre-pregnant BMI 18.5-24.9. Women with a BMI of 25 or more had a smaller increase in risk of spontaneous abortion. Adjustment for maternal age, parity, previous miscarriages, and lifestyle factors did not affect the estimates substantially, neither did...

  19. Recovery Action Mapping Tool

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Recovery Action Mapping Tool is a web map that allows users to visually interact with and query actions that were developed to recover species listed under the...

  20. Ecological recovery in ERA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    EFSA Scientific Committee (Scientific Committee); Topping, Christopher John

    2016-01-01

    knowledge and data retrieved from the literature. Finally, the information presented in this opinion was reviewed by experts from the relevant EFSA Panels, European risk assessment bodies and through an open consultation requesting input from stakeholders. A conceptual framework was developed to address...... recognises the importance of more integrated ERAs considering both the local and landscape scales, as well as the possible co-occurrence of multiple potential stressors that fall under the remit of EFSA, which are important when addressing ecological recovery. In this scientific opinion, the Scientific...... Committee gathered scientific knowledge on the potential for the recovery of non-target organisms for the further development of ERA. Current EFSA guidance documents and opinions were reviewed on how ecological recovery is addressed in ERA schemes. In addition, this scientific opinion is based on expert...

  1. Spontaneous deregulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Edelman, Benjamin; Geradin, Damien

    Platform businesses such as Airbnb and Uber have risen to success partly by sidestepping laws and regulations that encumber their traditional competitors. Such rule flouting is what the authors call “spontaneous private deregulation,” and it’s happening in a growing number of industries. The authors

  2. Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Performance in Subelite Gaelic Football Players From Under Thirteen to Senior Age Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roe, Mark; Malone, Shane

    2016-11-01

    Roe, M and Malone, S. Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test performance in subelite Gaelic football players from under thirteen to senior age groups. J Strength Cond Res 30 (11): 3187-3193, 2016-Gaelic football is indigenous to Ireland and has similar locomotion profiles to soccer and Australian Football. Given the increasing attention on long-term player development, investigations on age-related variation in Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-YoIR1) performance may provide useful information in talent identification, program design, and player monitoring. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate Yo-YoIR1 performance across Gaelic football age groups. Male participants (n = 355) were recruited from division one, Gaelic football teams. Participants were allocated to one of the 7 groups according to respective age groups from under 13 (U13), under 14, under 15 (U15), under 16 (U16), minor, under 21 (U21), to senior age groups. Total Yo-YoIR1 distance (m) increased progressively from U13 (885 ± 347 m) to U16 (1,595 ± 380 m) equating to a rate of change of 180.2%. In comparison to U13, total distance at minor (1,206 ± 327 m) increased by 136.4%. Subsequent increases were observed in U21 (1,585 ± 445 m) and senior players (2,365 ± 489). Minimum (800-880 m) and maximum (2,240-2,280 m) total distances were comparable for U15, U16, and U21 players. Differences in total distance (m) for all age groups were statistically significant when compared to U13 players (p age groups for total distance was deemed to be large (effect size > 0.8). Similar trends were observed for maximum velocity and estimated V[Combining Dot Above]O2max. The evolution of Yo-YoIR1 performance in Gaelic football players from adolescents to adulthood highlights how maturation may influence sport-related running ability. Changes in Yo-YoIR1 performance should be closely monitored to optimize interventions for individuals transitioning across age groups.

  3. A case of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamane, Kanji; Yoshimoto, Hisanori; Harada, Kiyoshi; Uozumi, Tohru; Kuwabara, Satoshi.

    1983-01-01

    The authors experienced a case of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy diagnosed by CT scan with metrizamide and Conray. Patient was 23-year-old male who had been in good health until one month before admission, when he began to have headache and tinnitus. He noticed bilateral visual acuity was decreased about one week before admission and vomiting appeared two days before admission. He was admitted to our hospital because of bilateral papilledema and remarkable hydrocephalus diagnosed by CT scan. On admission, no abnormal neurological signs except for bilateral papilledema were noted. Immediately, right ventricular drainage was performed. Pressure of the ventricle was over 300mmH 2 O and CSF was clear. PVG and PEG disclosed an another cavity behind the third ventricle, which was communicated with the third ventricle, and occlusion of aqueduct of Sylvius. Metrizamide CT scan and Conray CT scan showed a communication between this cavity and quadrigeminal and supracerebellar cisterns. On these neuroradiological findings, the diagnosis of obstructive hydrocephalus due to benign aqueduct stenosis accompanied with spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy was obtained. Spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy was noticed to produce arrest of hydrocephalus, but with our case, spontaneous regression of such symptoms did not appeared. By surgical ventriculocisternostomy (method by Torkildsen, Dandy, or Scarff), arrest of hydrocephalus was seen in about 50 to 70 per cent, which was the same results as those of spontaneous ventriculocisternostomy. It is concluded that VP shunt or VA shunt is thought to be better treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus than the various kinds of surgical ventriculocisternostomy. (J.P.N.)

  4. Recovery of Ventriculo-Atrial Conduction after Adrenaline in Patients Implanted with Pacemakers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cismaru, Gabriel; Gusetu, Gabriel; Muresan, Lucian; Rosu, Radu; Andronache, Marius; Matuz, Roxana; Puiu, Mihai; Mester, Petru; Miclaus, Maria; Pop, Dana; Mircea, Petru Adrian; Zdrenghea, Dumitru

    2015-07-01

    Ventriculo-atrial (VA) conduction can have negative consequences for patients with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators. There is concern whether impaired VA conduction could recover during stressful situations. Although the influence of isoproterenol and atropine are well established, the effect of adrenaline has not been studied systematically. The objective of this study was to determine if adrenaline can facilitate recovery of VA conduction in patients implanted with pacemakers. A prospective study was conducted on 61 consecutive patients during a 4-month period (April-July 2014). The presence of VA conduction was assessed during the pacemaker implantation procedure. In case of an impaired VA conduction, adrenaline infusio was used as a stress surrogate to test conduction recovery. The indications for pacemaker implantation were: sinus node dysfunction in 18 patients, atrioventricular (AV) block in 40 patients, binodal dysfunction (sinus node+ AV node) in two patients and other (carotid sinus syndrome) in one patient. In the basal state, 15/61 (24.6%) presented spontaneous VA conduction and 46/61 (75.4%) had no VA conduction. After administration of adrenaline, there was VA conduction recovery in 5/46 (10.9%) patients. Adrenaline infusion produced recovery of VA conduction in 10.9% of patients with absent VA conduction in a basal state. Recovery of VA conduction during physiological or pathological stresses could be responsible for the pacemaker syndrome, PMT episodes, or certain implantable cardiac defibrillator detection issues. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Recovery post treatment: plans, barriers and motivators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffy, Paul; Baldwin, Helen

    2013-01-30

    The increasing focus on achieving a sustained recovery from substance use brings with it a need to better understand the factors (recovery capital) that contribute to recovery following treatment. This work examined the factors those in recovery perceive to be barriers to (lack of capital) or facilitators of (presence of capital) sustained recovery post treatment. A purposive sample of 45 participants was recruited from 11 drug treatment services in northern England. Semi-structured qualitative interviews lasting between 30 and 90 minutes were conducted one to three months after participants completed treatment. Interviews examined key themes identified through previous literature but focused on allowing participants to explore their unique recovery journey. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically using a combination of deductive and inductive approaches. Participants generally reported high levels of confidence in maintaining their recovery with most planning to remain abstinent. There were indications of high levels of recovery capital. Aftercare engagement was high, often through self referral, with non substance use related activity felt to be particularly positive. Supported housing was critical and concerns were raised about the ability to afford to live independently with financial stability and welfare availability a key concern in general. Employment, often in the substance use treatment field, was a desire. However, it was a long term goal, with substantial risks associated with pursuing this too early. Positive social support was almost exclusively from within the recovery community although the re-building of relationships with family (children in particular) was a key motivator post treatment. Addressing internal factors and underlying issues i.e. 'human capital', provided confidence for continued recovery whilst motivators focused on external factors such as family and maintaining aspects of a 'normal' life i.e. 'social and physical

  6. Recovery post treatment: plans, barriers and motivators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duffy Paul

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The increasing focus on achieving a sustained recovery from substance use brings with it a need to better understand the factors (recovery capital that contribute to recovery following treatment. This work examined the factors those in recovery perceive to be barriers to (lack of capital or facilitators of (presence of capital sustained recovery post treatment. Methods A purposive sample of 45 participants was recruited from 11 drug treatment services in northern England. Semi-structured qualitative interviews lasting between 30 and 90 minutes were conducted one to three months after participants completed treatment. Interviews examined key themes identified through previous literature but focused on allowing participants to explore their unique recovery journey. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically using a combination of deductive and inductive approaches. Results Participants generally reported high levels of confidence in maintaining their recovery with most planning to remain abstinent. There were indications of high levels of recovery capital. Aftercare engagement was high, often through self referral, with non substance use related activity felt to be particularly positive. Supported housing was critical and concerns were raised about the ability to afford to live independently with financial stability and welfare availability a key concern in general. Employment, often in the substance use treatment field, was a desire. However, it was a long term goal, with substantial risks associated with pursuing this too early. Positive social support was almost exclusively from within the recovery community although the re-building of relationships with family (children in particular was a key motivator post treatment. Conclusions Addressing internal factors and underlying issues i.e. ‘human capital’, provided confidence for continued recovery whilst motivators focused on external factors such as family and

  7. Spontaneous Abortion, Stillbirth and Hyperthyroidism: A Danish Population-Based Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Stine Linding; Olsen, Jørn; Wu, Chun Sen; Laurberg, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Pregnancy loss in women suffering from hyperthyroidism has been described in case reports, but the risk of pregnancy loss caused by maternal hyperthyroidism in a population is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between maternal hyperthyroidism and pregnancy loss in a population-based cohort study. Study Design All pregnancies in Denmark from 1997 to 2008 leading to hospital visits (n = 1,062,862) were identified in nationwide registers together with information on maternal hyperthyroidism for up to 2 years after the pregnancy [hospital diagnosis/prescription of antithyroid drug (ATD)]. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for spontaneous abortion (gestational age hyperthyroidism was diagnosed before/during the pregnancy (n = 5,229), spontaneous abortion occurred more often both in women treated before the pregnancy alone [aHR 1.28 (95% CI 1.18-1.40)] and in women treated with ATD in early pregnancy [1.18 (1.07-1.31)]. When maternal hyperthyroidism was diagnosed and treated for the first time in the 2-year period after the pregnancy (n = 2,361), there was a high risk that the pregnancy under study had terminated with a stillbirth [2.12 (1.30-3.47)]. Conclusions Both early (spontaneous abortion) and late (stillbirth) pregnancy loss were more common in women suffering from hyperthyroidism. Inadequately treated hyperthyroidism in early pregnancy may have been involved in spontaneous abortion, and undetected high maternal thyroid hormone levels present in late pregnancy may have attributed to an increased risk of stillbirth. PMID:25538898

  8. Fractal analysis of fracture increasing spontaneous imbibition in porous media with gas-saturated

    KAUST Repository

    Cai, Jianchao; Sun, Shuyu

    2013-01-01

    Spontaneous imbibition (SI) of wetting liquid into matrix blocks due to capillary pressure is regarded as an important recovery mechanism in low permeability fractured reservoir. In this paper, an analytical model is proposed for characterizing SI horizontally from a single plane fracture into gas-saturated matrix blocks. The presented model is based on the fractal character of pores in porous matrix, with gravity force included in the entire imbibition process. The accumulated mass of wetting liquid imbibed into matrix blocks is related to a number of factors such as contact area, pore fractal dimension, tortuosity, maximum pore size, porosity, liquid density and viscosity, surface tension, contact angle, as well as height and tilt angle of the fracture. The mechanism of fracture-enhanced SI is analyzed accordingly. Because of the effect of fracture, the gravity force is positive to imbibition process. Additionally, the farther away from the fracture top of the pore, the more influential the hydrostatic pressure is upon the imbibition action. The presented fractal analysis of horizontal spontaneous imbibition from a single fracture could also shed light on the scaling study of the mass transfer function between matrix and fracture system of fractured reservoirs. © 2013 World Scientific Publishing Company.

  9. Fractal analysis of fracture increasing spontaneous imbibition in porous media with gas-saturated

    KAUST Repository

    Cai, Jianchao

    2013-08-01

    Spontaneous imbibition (SI) of wetting liquid into matrix blocks due to capillary pressure is regarded as an important recovery mechanism in low permeability fractured reservoir. In this paper, an analytical model is proposed for characterizing SI horizontally from a single plane fracture into gas-saturated matrix blocks. The presented model is based on the fractal character of pores in porous matrix, with gravity force included in the entire imbibition process. The accumulated mass of wetting liquid imbibed into matrix blocks is related to a number of factors such as contact area, pore fractal dimension, tortuosity, maximum pore size, porosity, liquid density and viscosity, surface tension, contact angle, as well as height and tilt angle of the fracture. The mechanism of fracture-enhanced SI is analyzed accordingly. Because of the effect of fracture, the gravity force is positive to imbibition process. Additionally, the farther away from the fracture top of the pore, the more influential the hydrostatic pressure is upon the imbibition action. The presented fractal analysis of horizontal spontaneous imbibition from a single fracture could also shed light on the scaling study of the mass transfer function between matrix and fracture system of fractured reservoirs. © 2013 World Scientific Publishing Company.

  10. Study and application of measures for prevention of spontaneous combustion of coal in goaf induced by air leakage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Y.; Tang, H.; Zou, S.; Shi, S. [Xiangtan Mining Institute (China)

    1996-12-01

    To prevent spontaneous ignition of coal due to air leakage in the goaf, air stoppings were built periodically in a U-shaped air leakage area based on computer simulation and site experience. The measure had reduced remarkably the quantity and extent of air leakage in the mined-out area and expanded the extent of non-spontaneous combustion area, thus prevented effectively the risk of spontaneous ignition and gas explosion. Application of this method in Mugang Mine of Liuzhi Bureau for more than two years had reduced the economic loss by over 3 million Yuan RMB. This method is characterized by simple operation, low cost, etc. It is suitable for mines in under developed area and mines with complicated conditions which are prone to spontaneous ignition. 5 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

  11. Spontaneous SUSY breaking without R symmetry in supergravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maekawa, Nobuhiro; Omura, Yuji; Shigekami, Yoshihiro; Yoshida, Manabu

    2018-03-01

    We discuss spontaneous supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking in a model with an anomalous U (1 )A symmetry. In this model, the size of the each term in the superpotential is controlled by the U (1 )A charge assignment and SUSY is spontaneously broken via the Fayet-Iliopoulos of U (1 )A at the metastable vacuum. In the global SUSY analysis, the gaugino masses become much smaller than the sfermion masses, because an approximate R symmetry appears at the SUSY breaking vacuum. In this paper, we show that gaugino masses can be as large as gravitino mass, taking the supergravity effect into consideration. This is because the R symmetry is not imposed so that the constant term in the superpotential, which is irrelevant to the global SUSY analysis, largely contributes to the soft SUSY breaking terms in the supergravity. As the mediation mechanism, we introduce the contributions of the field not charged under U (1 )A and the moduli field to cancel the anomaly of U (1 )A. We comment on the application of our SUSY breaking scenario to the grand unified theory.

  12. Nonsurgical management of an extensive spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma causing quadriplegia and respiratory distress in a choledocholithiasis patient: A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raasck, Kyle; Khoury, Jason; Aoude, Ahmed; Abduljabbar, Fahad; Jarzem, Peter

    2017-12-01

    Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) manifests from blood accumulating in the epidural space, compressing the spinal cord, and leading to acute neurological deficits. The disease's cloudy etiology and rarity contribute to dangerously suboptimal therapeutic principles. These neural deficits can be permanent, even fatal, if the SSEH is not treated in a timely and appropriate manner. Standard therapy is decompressive laminectomy, though nonsurgical management is a viable course of action for patients who meet a criterion that is continuously being refined. A 76-year-old woman on warfarin for a past pulmonary embolism presented to the emergency room with jaundice, myalgia, hematuria, neck pain, and an International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 14. Upon admission, she rapidly developed quadriplegia and respiratory distress that necessitated intubation. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an epidural space-occupying hyperintensity from C2 to S5 consistent with a spinal epidural hematoma. An incidental finding of dilated intrahepatic and common bile ducts prompted an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which demonstrated choledocholithiasis. The patient's INR was normalized with Vitamin K and Beriplex. Upon transfer to the surgical spine team for assessment of a possible intervention, the patient began to demonstrate recovery of neural functions. The ensuing sustained motor improvement motivated the team's preference for close neurologic monitoring and continued medical therapy over surgery. Thirteen hours after the onset of her symptoms, the patient was extubated. A sphincterotomy was later performed, removing 81 common bile duct stones. MRI demonstrated complete resorption of the SSEH and the patient maintained full neurological function at final follow-up. Nonsurgical management of SSEH should be considered in the context of early and sustained recovery. Severe initial neural deficit does not necessitate surgical decompression

  13. Nanofluid of graphene-based amphiphilic Janus nanosheets for tertiary or enhanced oil recovery: High performance at low concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Dan; Wang, Feng; Zhu, Jingyi; Cao, Feng; Liu, Yuan; Li, Xiaogang; Willson, Richard C; Yang, Zhaozhong; Chu, Ching-Wu; Ren, Zhifeng

    2016-07-12

    The current simple nanofluid flooding method for tertiary or enhanced oil recovery is inefficient, especially when used with low nanoparticle concentration. We have designed and produced a nanofluid of graphene-based amphiphilic nanosheets that is very effective at low concentration. Our nanosheets spontaneously approached the oil-water interface and reduced the interfacial tension in a saline environment (4 wt % NaCl and 1 wt % CaCl2), regardless of the solid surface wettability. A climbing film appeared and grew at moderate hydrodynamic condition to encapsulate the oil phase. With strong hydrodynamic power input, a solid-like interfacial film formed and was able to return to its original form even after being seriously disturbed. The film rapidly separated oil and water phases for slug-like oil displacement. The unique behavior of our nanosheet nanofluid tripled the best performance of conventional nanofluid flooding methods under similar conditions.

  14. Spontaneously broken SU(2) gauge invariance and the ΔI=1/2 rule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shito, Okiyasu

    1977-01-01

    A model of nonleptonic weak interactions is proposed which is based on spontaneously broken SU(2) gauge invariance. The SU(2) group is taken analogously to the U-spin. To this scheme, the source of nonleptonic decays consists of only neutral currents, and violation of strangeness stems from weak vector boson mixings. The model can provide a natural explanation of the ΔI=1/2 rule and of the bulk of the ΔI=1/2 nonleptonic amplitude. As a consequence, a picture is obtained that weak interactions originate in spontaneously broken gauge invariance under orthogonal SU(2) groups. Finally, a possibility of unifying weak and electromagnetic interactions is indicated. (auth.)

  15. VALVULAR BRONCHIAL BLOCKING IN TREATMENT OF RELAPSING SPONTANEOUS PHEUMOTHORAX IN THE PATIENT WITH PARASEPTAL PULMONARY EMPHYSEMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. V. Lovacheva

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous pneumothorax was treated by placing two endobronchial valves during rigid bronchoscopy under anesthesia in a patient with severe end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (an emphysematous phenotype and overall paraseptal emphysema in the presence of grade III respiratory failure, with complicated spontaneous pneumothorax recurring manifold even after surgical treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax. This gave rise to the expansion of the lung that had collapsed within 18 months, to healing of bronchopleural fistula, and to return to normal life.The duration of a follow-up was 1 year with the valves being present in the bronchi and another year after their removal; there was no recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax. Examination of respiratory function established significant positive changes (forced expiratory volume, vital capacity, and forced vital capacity after one year, then after removal of endobronchial valves. There were more significant positive changes in blood gas composition: normalization of blood oxygen saturation was achieved. 

  16. Quantifying emissions from spontaneous combustion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-09-01

    Spontaneous combustion can be a significant problem in the coal industry, not only due to the obvious safety hazard and the potential loss of valuable assets, but also with respect to the release of gaseous pollutants, especially CO2, from uncontrolled coal fires. This report reviews methodologies for measuring emissions from spontaneous combustion and discusses methods for quantifying, estimating and accounting for the purpose of preparing emission inventories.

  17. Cascading Failures and Recovery in Networks of Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havlin, Shlomo

    Network science have been focused on the properties of a single isolated network that does not interact or depends on other networks. In reality, many real-networks, such as power grids, transportation and communication infrastructures interact and depend on other networks. I will present a framework for studying the vulnerability and the recovery of networks of interdependent networks. In interdependent networks, when nodes in one network fail, they cause dependent nodes in other networks to also fail. This is also the case when some nodes like certain locations play a role in two networks -multiplex. This may happen recursively and can lead to a cascade of failures and to a sudden fragmentation of the system. I will present analytical solutions for the critical threshold and the giant component of a network of n interdependent networks. I will show, that the general theory has many novel features that are not present in the classical network theory. When recovery of components is possible global spontaneous recovery of the networks and hysteresis phenomena occur and the theory suggests an optimal repairing strategy of system of systems. I will also show that interdependent networks embedded in space are significantly more vulnerable compared to non embedded networks. In particular, small localized attacks may lead to cascading failures and catastrophic consequences.Thus, analyzing data of real network of networks is highly required to understand the system vulnerability. DTRA, ONR, Israel Science Foundation.

  18. Does lying in the recovery position increase the likelihood of not delivering cardiopulmonary resuscitation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freire-Tellado, Miguel; Navarro-Patón, Rubén; Pavón-Prieto, Maria Del Pilar; Fernández-López, Marta; Mateos-Lorenzo, Javier; López-Fórneas, Ivan

    2017-06-01

    Resuscitation guidelines endorse unconscious and normally breathing out-of-hospital victims to be placed in the recovery position to secure airway patency, but recently a debate has been opened as to whether the recovery position threatens the cardiac arrest victim's safety assessment and delays the start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. To compare the assessment of the victim's breathing arrest while placed in the recovery position versus maintaining an open airway with the continuous head tilt and chin lift technique to know whether the recovery position delays the cardiac arrest victim's assessment and the start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Basic life support-trained university students were randomly divided into two groups: one received a standardized cardiopulmonary resuscitation refresher course including the recovery position and the other received a modified cardiopulmonary resuscitation course using continuous head tilt and chin lift for unconscious and spontaneously breathing patients. A human simulation test to evaluate the victim's breathing assessment was performed a week later. In total, 59 participants with an average age of 21.9 years were included. Only 14 of 27 (51.85%) students in the recovery position group versus 23 of 28 (82.14%) in the head tilt and chin lift group p=0.006 (OR 6.571) detected breathing arrest within 2min. The recovery position hindered breathing assessment, delayed breathing arrest identification and the initiation of cardiac compressions, and significantly increased the likelihood of not starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation when compared to the results shown when the continuous head tilt and chin lift technique was used. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Detection of localised corrosion by means of statistic and harmonic analysis of spontaneous potential noise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carassiti, F.; Cigna, R.; Goolamallee, R.; Gusmano, G.

    1989-01-01

    The analysis of the electrochemical noise, i.e. of the spontaneous fluctuations of potential of a freely corroding electrode, probably represent one of the most interesting novelty of the last years in the field of corrosion monitoring. Although this technique is still at an early stage, it could lead to interesting developments, especially for identifying localized forms of corrosion. The experiments which have been reported in the literature generally agree that in absence of active corrosion a slight variation of the potential is observed accompanied by non gaussian fluctuations; in presence of the onset of pitting a series of sharp variation is observed followed by relatively slow exponential recovery. In the domain of frequency the slope of the noise frequency curve is less than that noticed in the absence of active corrosion. In the domain of time generally the standard deviation of noise is proportional to the corrosion rate. Moreover it has been noticed that small variation in the experimental condition could cause modification in the shape of the spontaneous potential fluctuation and introduce some confusion in the analysis of data. Digital filtering of disturbs could allow a better reproducibility to be achieved. (author) 4 refs., 9 figs

  20. Reactive extraction of carboxylic acids from apolar hydrocarbons using aqueous solutions of sodium hydrogen carbonate with back-recovery using carbon dioxide under pressure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuzmanovic, B.; Kuipers, N.J.M.; de Haan, A.B.; Kwant, Gerard

    2005-01-01

    A combination of using an aqueous solution of sodium hydrogen carbonate for forward-extraction of carboxylic acids from a dilute apolar organic solvent, and carbon dioxide under pressure for its back-recovery, is studied. Used in combination, these two steps might provide a technique for the

  1. Performance analysis of waste heat recovery with a dual loop organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system for diesel engine under various operating conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Fubin; Dong, Xiaorui; Zhang, Hongguang; Wang, Zhen; Yang, Kai; Zhang, Jian; Wang, Enhua; Liu, Hao; Zhao, Guangyao

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Dual loop ORC system is designed to recover waste heat from a diesel engine. • R245fa is used as working fluid for the dual loop ORC system. • Waste heat characteristic under engine various operating conditions is analyzed. • Performance of the combined system under various operating conditions is studied. • The waste heat from coolant and intake air has considerable potential for recovery. - Abstract: To take full advantage of the waste heat from a diesel engine, a set of dual loop organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system is designed to recover exhaust energy, waste heat from the coolant system, and released heat from turbocharged air in the intercooler of a six-cylinder diesel engine. The dual loop ORC system consists of a high temperature loop ORC system and a low temperature loop ORC system. R245fa is selected as the working fluid for both loops. Through the engine test, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the performance of the dual loop ORC system for waste heat recovery is discussed based on the analysis of its waste heat characteristics under engine various operating conditions. Subsequently, the diesel engine-dual loop ORC combined system is presented, and the effective thermal efficiency and the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) are chosen to evaluate the operating performances of the diesel engine-dual loop ORC combined system. The results show that, the maximum waste heat recovery efficiency (WHRE) of the dual loop ORC system can reach 5.4% under engine various operating conditions. At the engine rated condition, the dual loop ORC system achieves the largest net power output at 27.85 kW. Compared with the diesel engine, the thermal efficiency of the combined system can be increased by 13%. When the diesel engine is operating at the high load region, the BSFC can be reduced by a maximum 4%

  2. Nitrogen removal and recovery from lagoon-pretreated swine wastewater by constructed wetlands under sustainable plant harvesting management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Pei; Liu, Feng; Zhang, Shunan; Li, Hongfang; Yao, Ran; Jiang, Qianwen; Xiao, Runlin; Wu, Jinshui

    2018-06-01

    A series of three-stage pilot-scale surface flow constructed wetlands (CWs) planted with Myriophyllum aquaticum were fed with three strengths of lagoon-pretreated swine wastewater to study nitrogen (N) removal and recovery under sustainable plant harvesting management. The CWs had mean removal efficiency of 87.7-97.9% for NH 4 + -N and 85.4-96.1% for total N (TN). The recovered TN mass via multiple harvests of M. aquaticum was greatest (120-222 g N m -2  yr -1 ) when TN concentrations were 21.8-282 mg L -1 . The harvested TN mass accounted for 0.85-100% of the total removal in the different CW units. Based on mass balance estimation, plant uptake, sediment storage, and microbial removal accounted for 13.0-55.0%, 4.9-8.0%, and 33.0-67.5% of TN loading mass, respectively. The results of this study confirm that M. aquaticum is appropriate for the removal and recovery of nutrients in CW systems designed for treating swine wastewater in conjunction with sustainable plant harvesting strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  4. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip, E-mail: umagarg@uwm.edu, E-mail: chang65@uwm.edu [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States)

    2017-02-20

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  5. Spontaneous calf haematoma: case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zubaidah, N H; Liew, N C

    2014-02-01

    Spontaneous calf haematoma is a rare condition and few case reports have been published in the English literature. Common conditions like deep vein thrombosis and traumatic gastrocnemius muscle tear need to be considered when a patient presents with unilateral calf swelling and tenderness. Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging are essential for confirmation of diagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to report on a rare case of spontaneous calf hematoma and its diagnosis and management.

  6. Air injection low temperature oxidation process for enhanced oil recovery from light oil reservoirs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tunio, A.H.; Harijan, K.

    2010-01-01

    This paper represents EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) methods to recover unswept oil from depleted light oil reservoirs. The essential theme here is the removal of oxygen at LTO (Low Temperature Oxidation) from the injected air for a light oil reservoir by means of some chemical reactions occurring between oil and oxygen. In-situ combustion process, HTO (High Temperature Oxidation) is not suitable for deep light oil reservoirs. In case of light oil reservoirs LTO is more suitable to prevail as comparative to HTO. Few laboratory experimental results were obtained from air injection process, to study the LTO reactions. LTO process is suitable for air injection rate in which reservoir has sufficiently high temperature and spontaneous reaction takes place. Out comes of this study are the effect of LTO reactions in oxygen consumption and the recovery of oil. This air injection method is economic compared to other EOR methods i.e. miscible hydrocarbon gas, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide flooding etc. This LTO air injection process is suitable for secondary recovery methods where water flooding is not feasible due to technical problems. (author)

  7. Molecular hydrogen reduces LPS-induced neuroinflammation and promotes recovery from sickness behaviour in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Spulber

    Full Text Available Molecular hydrogen has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in mouse models of acute neurodegeneration. The effect was suggested to be mediated by its free-radical scavenger properties. However, it has been shown recently that molecular hydrogen alters gene expression and protein phosphorylation. The aim of this study was to test whether chronic ad libitum consumption of molecular hydrogen-enriched electrochemically reduced water (H-ERW improves the outcome of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced neuroinflammation. Seven days after the initiation of H-ERW treatment, C57Bl/6 mice received a single injection of LPS (0.33 mg/kg i.p. or an equivalent volume of vehicle. The LPS-induced sickness behaviour was assessed 2 h after the injection, and recovery was assessed by monitoring the spontaneous locomotor activity in the homecage for 72 h after the administration of LPS. The mice were killed in the acute or recovery phase, and the expression of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus was assessed by real-time PCR. We found that molecular hydrogen reduces the LPS-induced sickness behaviour and promotes recovery. These effects are associated with a shift towards anti-inflammatory gene expression profile at baseline (downregulation of TNF- α and upregulation of IL-10. In addition, molecular hydrogen increases the amplitude, but shortens the duration and promotes the extinction of neuroinflammation. Consistently, molecular hydrogen modulates the activation and gene expression in a similar fashion in immortalized murine microglia (BV-2 cell line, suggesting that the effects observed in vivo may involve the modulation of microglial activation. Taken together, our data point to the regulation of cytokine expression being an additional critical mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen.

  8. F. VON HAYEK’S THEORY OF SPONTANEOUS ORDER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    О. Nesterenko

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The essence and the genesis of spontaneous order are disclosed in the context of critical analysis of constructivism. The author’s approach to the definition of the characteristic features of the spontaneous order is proposed. The dichotomy of the order is revealed towards the economic sphere in form of spontaneous order and organization.

  9. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum after bench press training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishino, Tomoya

    2017-04-01

    Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is often associated with asthma and mainly affects adolescent males with a tall, thin body habitus. A 17-year-old man complained of chest and pharyngeal pain after bench press training and spontaneous pneumomediastinum was diagnosed. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest pain of uncertain cause.

  10. Spontaneous cooperation for prosocials, but not for proselfs: Social value orientation moderates spontaneous cooperation behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mischkowski, Dorothee; Glöckner, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    Cooperation is essential for the success of societies and there is an ongoing debate whether individuals have therefore developed a general spontaneous tendency to cooperate or not. Findings that cooperative behavior is related to shorter decision times provide support for the spontaneous cooperation effect, although contrary results have also been reported. We show that cooperative behavior is better described as person × situation interaction, in that there is a spontaneous cooperation effect for prosocial but not for proself persons. In three studies, one involving population representative samples from the US and Germany, we found that cooperation in a public good game is dependent on an interaction between individuals’ social value orientation and decision time. Increasing deliberation about the dilemma situation does not affect persons that are selfish to begin with, but it is related to decreasing cooperation for prosocial persons that gain positive utility from outcomes of others and score high on the related general personality trait honesty/humility. Our results demonstrate that the spontaneous cooperation hypothesis has to be qualified in that it is limited to persons with a specific personality and social values. Furthermore, they allow reconciling conflicting previous findings by identifying an important moderator for the effect. PMID:26876773

  11. Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum as the presenting sign of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ângela Pereira

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SP results from nontraumatic mediastinal air leakage. It is uncommon in children requiring a high index of suspicion. Case Report: A 17-year-old tall thin boy, light smoker, with no history of trauma or lung disease presented to our emergency room with symptoms dominated by chest pain and mild dyspnea. He reported a violent cough event in the previous hours. Pneumomediastinum was suspected considering the presence of subcutaneous air in the supraclavicular region, and was confirmed by chest radiograph, which showed mediastinal air. Serology study was positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and therefore a macrolide was added to symptomatic treatment, with a complete recovery. Discussion/Conclusion: SP is a diagnosis to consider when facing an adolescent with acute chest pain. This condition is possibly underdiagnosed, given its benign course and mild symptoms. Smoking acts as a predisposing factor. SP has only exceptionally been described in Mycoplasma infection.

  12. Spontaneous atraumatic extensor pollicis longus rupture in the nonrheumatoid population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rada, Erin M; Shridharani, Sachin M; Lifchez, Scott D

    2013-01-01

    Extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon rupture is a well-described phenomenon in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Mechanisms of EPL tendon rupture in the nonrheumatoid population have also been described and include traumatic rupture, repetitive motion strain, and steroid injection into the tendon. The operative records for patients undergoing extensor pollicis longus reconstruction by the senior author were reviewed. Patients with a history of trauma to the wrist or inflammatory arthropathy were excluded. We identified 3 patients who presented with spontaneous EPL tendon rupture. These patients reported no risk factors (as listed earlier) or inciting event. All 3 patients had some exposure to local steroids but this exposure was not at the site of subsequent tendon rupture. All patients were operatively repaired and went on to full recovery of EPL function. In patients with sudden loss of extension of the thumb interphalangeal joint, a thorough history of steroid exposure including local steroid exposure remote to the affected EPL tendon may be relevant.

  13. Recovery of humoral immunity parameters in mice under a long-term action of tritium oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirillova, E.N.; Man'ko, V.M.; Muksinova, K.N.

    1986-01-01

    Using the mice-males of the CBA line at the age of 10-12 weeks and body mass of 20-23 g the recovery value of quantitative and qualitative factors of humoral immunity under a long-term action of tritium oxide which has been injected during 6 months in the quantity of 370 kBq per 1g of body mass (cumulative dose 8.73 Gy). The long-term internal mice irradiation with tritium oxide resulted in marked devastation of central and peripheral organs of immune system. An earlier and complete recovery of cells quantity in the bone marrow and spleen, recover up to 50% in lymphnodes and minimum repopulation (from 10 to 20%) in thymus as compared with tested animals of the same age is pointed out. In experimental mice CFU 5 pool decrease in bone marrow and spleen is found. CFUs content in the spleen recovered up to the norm, whereas in the bone marrow it constituted not more than 55% of the control. Deep function injury of V-lymphocyte and T - helper precursors the activity of which has not recovered during the whole observation period. The long-term tritium oxide intake lead to antibodies production suppression (by 30-50%), the tendency to the decrease of antibody formation of these animals has been conserved up to the end of life. The functional activity of T - suppressors in humoral response to thymus-dependent antigen during the remote periods upon long-term irradiation decreased more than twice

  14. Spontaneous ischaemic stroke in dogs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gredal, Hanne Birgit; Skerritt, G. C.; Gideon, P.

    2013-01-01

    Translation of experimental stroke research into the clinical setting is often unsuccessful. Novel approaches are therefore desirable. As humans, pet dogs suffer from spontaneous ischaemic stroke and may hence offer new ways of studying genuine stroke injury mechanisms.......Translation of experimental stroke research into the clinical setting is often unsuccessful. Novel approaches are therefore desirable. As humans, pet dogs suffer from spontaneous ischaemic stroke and may hence offer new ways of studying genuine stroke injury mechanisms....

  15. Spontaneity and international marketing performance

    OpenAIRE

    Souchon, Anne L.; Hughes, Paul; Farrell, Andrew M.; Nemkova, Ekaterina; Oliveira, Joao S.

    2016-01-01

    The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how today’s international marketers can perform better on the global scene by harnessing spontaneity. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw on contingency theory to develop a model of the spontaneity – international marketing performance relationship, and identify three potential m...

  16. (Bio)electrochemical ammonia recovery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuntke, P.; Sleutels, T.H.J.A.; Rodríguez Arredondo, M.; Georg, S.; Barbosa, S.G.; Heijne, Ter A.; Hamelers, Hubertus V.M.; Buisman, C.J.N.

    2018-01-01

    In recent years, (bio)electrochemical systems (B)ES have emerged as an energy efficient alternative for the recovery of TAN (total ammonia nitrogen, including ammonia and ammonium) from wastewater. In these systems, TAN is removed or concentrated from the wastewater under the influence of an

  17. Analysis of the Spontaneous Abortion in Chinese Married Women

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    高尔生; 邓新清; 何更生; 方可娟; 唐威; 楼超华

    1994-01-01

    The spontaneous abortion is a common type of pregnant outcomes. The spontaneous abortion rate can be used to indicate the women's fecundity and the level of the reproductive health. It is also a sensitive indicator for determing the social, economic, and health status and prenatal care. To explore the preventive method for spontaneous abortion and improve women's health level, it is important to evaluate the status of spontaneous abortion and to determine the factors affecting

  18. Spontaneous adrenal pheochromocytoma rupture complicated by intraperitoneal hemorrhage and shock

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwasnik Edward

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract MEN2A is a hereditary syndrome characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma, hyperparathyroidism, and pheochromocytoma. Classically patients with a pheochromocytoma initially present with the triad of paroxysmal headaches, palpitations, and diaphoresis accompanied by marked hypertension. However, although reported as a rare presentation, spontaneous hemorrhage within a pheochromocytoma can present as an abdominal catastrophe. Unrecognized, this transformation can rapidly result in death. We report the only documented case of a thirty eight year old gentleman with MEN2A who presented to a community hospital with hemorrhagic shock and peritonitis secondary to an unrecognized hemorrhagic pheochromocytoma. The clinical course is notable for an inability to localize the source of hemorrhage during an initial damage control laparotomy that stabilized the patient sufficiently to allow emergent transfer to our facility, re-exploration for continued hemorrhage and abdominal compartment syndrome, and ultimately angiographic embolization of the left adrenal artery for control of the bleeding. Following recovery from his critical illness and appropriate medical management for pheochromocytoma, he returned for interval bilateral adrenal gland resection, from which his recovery was unremarkable. Our review of the literature highlights the high mortality associated with the undertaking of an operative intervention in the face of an unrecognized functional pheochromocytoma. This reinforces the need for maintaining a high index of suspicion for pheochromocytoma in similar cases. Our case also demonstrates the need for a mutimodal treatment approach that will often be required in these cases.

  19. Spontaneous calcium transients in human neural progenitor cells mediated by transient receptor potential channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Peter J; Hübner, Rayk; Rolfs, Arndt; Frech, Moritz J

    2013-09-15

    Calcium signals affect many developmental processes, including proliferation, migration, survival, and apoptosis, processes that are of particular importance in stem cells intended for cell replacement therapies. The mechanisms underlying Ca(2+) signals, therefore, have a role in determining how stem cells respond to their environment, and how these responses might be controlled in vitro. In this study, we examined the spontaneous Ca(2+) activity in human neural progenitor cells during proliferation and differentiation. Pharmacological characterization indicates that in proliferating cells, most activity is the result of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels that are sensitive to Gd(3+) and La(3+), with the more subtype selective antagonist Ruthenium red also reducing activity, suggesting the involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels. In differentiating cells, Gd(3+) and La(3+)-sensitive TRP channels also appear to underlie the spontaneous activity; however, no sub-type-specific antagonists had any effect. Protein levels of TRPV2 and TRPV3 decreased in differentiated cells, which is demonstrated by western blot. Thus, it appears that TRP channels represent the main route of Ca(2+) entry in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs), but the responsible channel types are subject to substitution under differentiating conditions. The level of spontaneous activity could be increased and decreased by lowering and raising the extracellular K(+) concentration. Proliferating cells in low K(+) slowed the cell cycle, with a disproportionate increased percentage of cells in G1 phase and a reduction in S phase. Taken together, these results suggest a link between external K(+) concentration, spontaneous Ca(2+) transients, and cell cycle distribution, which is able to influence the fate of stem and progenitor cells.

  20. Spontaneous Vesicle Recycling in the Synaptic Bouton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sven eTruckenbrodt

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The trigger for synaptic vesicle exocytosis is Ca2+, which enters the synaptic bouton following action potential stimulation. However, spontaneous release of neurotransmitter also occurs in the absence of stimulation in virtually all synaptic boutons. It has long been thought that this represents exocytosis driven by fluctuations in local Ca2+ levels. The vesicles responding to these fluctuations are thought to be the same ones that release upon stimulation, albeit potentially triggered by different Ca2+ sensors. This view has been challenged by several recent works, which have suggested that spontaneous release is driven by a separate pool of synaptic vesicles. Numerous articles appeared during the last few years in support of each of these hypotheses, and it has been challenging to bring them into accord. We speculate here on the origins of this controversy, and propose a solution that is related to developmental effects. Constitutive membrane traffic, needed for the biogenesis of vesicles and synapses, is responsible for high levels of spontaneous membrane fusion in young neurons, probably independent of Ca2+. The vesicles releasing spontaneously in such neurons are not related to other synaptic vesicle pools and may represent constitutively releasing vesicles (CRVs rather than bona fide synaptic vesicles. In mature neurons, constitutive traffic is much dampened, and the few remaining spontaneous release events probably represent bona fide spontaneously releasing synaptic vesicles (SRSVs responding to Ca2+ fluctuations, along with a handful of CRVs that participate in synaptic vesicle turnover.

  1. SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL INVESTIGATIONS IN SEMENIC MOUNTAINS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. URDEA

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous Potential Investigations in Semenic Mountains. The use of geophysical methods such as that of Spontaneous Potential (SP to investigate areas where the geomorphological processes occur, has the role to identify less visible processes as for example subcutaneous erosion or piping, subsoil water drainage and finding specific spatial differences of these processes. Comparative study of these sites allows correlation between geomorphological factors, soil and climate, but also to observe the evolution of subsurface erosion or underground water infiltration over time. During this investigation a series of mesh grids have been made in areas with different characteristics (lithology, pedology, slope, exposition, etc. at different time periods in order to spot and analyse the change in data in the chosen sites, various conditions given. Values expressed in millivolts (mV obtained by the Spontaneous Potential method have been put into an algorithm for interpolation looking to yield a pattern of values of what is happening in the soil during that period of time. Thus, in the autumn, the investigation site at the nivation niche Baia Vulturilor, returned values of between -22.6 mV and 65.6 mV, while in spring in the same site, values were within the range of -14.4 mV / 30.1 mV. On the other hand, on the site of the cryopediment under the Semenic peak, in the spring, return values ranged from -40.4 mV and -1.1 mV. A particular case is that of the glacis near Piatra Goznei peak; in this area anthropogenic electricity influences on soil can be found. Based on some models a trend of water movement in the soil could be established, this depending heavily on the amount of precipitation infiltration, local lithology, depth of soil and their structure, and evapotranspiration process. Water movement in the soil may be a correlation with sediment movement in soil horizons and instability manifested on the slopes.

  2. Spontaneous Atraumatic Mediastinal Hemorrhage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morkos Iskander BSc, BMBS, MRCS, PGCertMedEd

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous atraumatic mediastinal hematomas are rare. We present a case of a previously fit and well middle-aged lady who presented with acute breathlessness and an increasing neck swelling and spontaneous neck bruising. On plain chest radiograph, widening of the mediastinum was noted. The bruising was later confirmed to be secondary to mediastinal hematoma. This life-threatening diagnostic conundrum was managed conservatively with a multidisciplinary team approach involving upper gastrointestinal and thoracic surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, intensivists, and hematologists along with a variety of diagnostic modalities. A review of literature is also presented to help surgeons manage such challenging and complicated cases.

  3. Spontaneous Retropharyngeal Emphysema: A Case Report | Chi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... is a rare clinical condition in pediatric otolaryngology. The predominant symptoms are sore throat, odynophagia, dysphagia, and neck pain. Here, we report a case of spontaneous retropharyngeal emphysema. Keywords: Iatrogenic injury, retropharyngeal emphysema, spontaneous retropharyngeal emphysem, trauma ...

  4. Analysis of Spontaneous and Nerve-Evoked Calcium Transients in Intact Extraocular Muscles in Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Cheng-Yuan; Hennig, Grant W.; Corrigan, Robert D.; Smith, Terence K.; von Bartheld, Christopher S.

    2012-01-01

    Extraocular muscles (EOMs) have unique calcium handling properties, yet little is known about the dynamics of calcium events underlying ultrafast and tonic contractions in myofibers of intact EOMs. Superior oblique EOMs of juvenile chickens were dissected with their nerve attached, maintained in oxygenated Krebs buffer, and loaded with fluo-4. Spontaneous and nerve stimulation-evoked calcium transients were recorded and, following calcium imaging, some EOMs were double-labeled with rhodamine-conjugated alpha-bungarotoxin (rhBTX) to identify EOM myofiber types. EOMs showed two main types of spontaneous calcium transients, one slow type (calcium waves with 1/2max duration of 2–12 s, velocity of 25–50 μm/s) and two fast “flash-like” types (Type 1, 30–90 ms; Type 2, 90–150 ms 1/2max duration). Single pulse nerve stimulation evoked fast calcium transients identical to the fast (Type 1) calcium transients. Calcium waves were accompanied by a local myofiber contraction that followed the calcium transient wavefront. The magnitude of calcium-wave induced myofiber contraction far exceeded those of movement induced by nerve stimulation and associated fast calcium transients. Tetrodotoxin eliminated nerve-evoked transients, but not spontaneous transients. Alpha-bungarotoxin eliminated both spontaneous and nerve-evoked fast calcium transients, but not calcium waves, and caffeine increased wave activity. Calcium waves were observed in myofibers lacking spontaneous or evoked fast transients, suggestive of multiply-innervated myofibers, and this was confirmed by double-labeling with rhBTX. We propose that the abundant spontaneous calcium transients and calcium waves with localized contractions that do not depend on innervation may contribute to intrinsic generation of tonic functions of EOMs. PMID:22579493

  5. Video-assisted thoracoscopy treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Haitao; Ren Jian; Che Jiaming; Hang Junbiao; Qiu Weicheng; Chen Zhongyuan

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To propose a treatment protocol by video thoracoscopy in spontaneous pneumothorax. Methods: One hundred and three patients underwent Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax and hemothorax. Indications included recurrent pneumothorax, persistent air leakage following conservative therapy, complicated hemothorax and CT scan identified bullae formation. Results: No operative deaths occurred, conversion rate was 2.91%, recurrence rate was 0.97%, complication rate was 3.81% and mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.6 days. Conclusions: VATS treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax is better than open chest surgery and also superior than conservative therapy

  6. Spontaneous Dissection of the Superior Mesenteric Artery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheldon, Patrick J.; Esther, James B.; Sheldon, Elana L.; Sparks, Steven R.; Brophy, David P.; Oglevie, Steven B.

    2001-01-01

    Spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is a rare occurrence, especially when not associated with aortic dissection. Currently, only 28 cases appear to have been reported. Due to the scarcity of cases in the literature, the natural history of isolated, spontaneous SMA dissection is unclear. CT has been reported to be useful for the initial diagnosis of SMA dissection [2-5]. We present two recent cases of spontaneous SMA dissection in which enhanced spiral CT was instrumental in following the disease process and guiding clinical decision making

  7. Endometriosis-related spontaneous diaphragmatic rupture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triponez, Frédéric; Alifano, Marco; Bobbio, Antonio; Regnard, Jean-François

    2010-10-01

    Non-traumatic, spontaneous diaphragmatic rupture is a rare event whose pathophysiology is not known. We report the case of endometriosis-related spontaneous rupture of the right diaphragm with intrathoracic herniation of the liver, gallbladder and colon. We hypothesize that the invasiveness of endometriotic tissue caused diaphragm fragility, which finally lead to its complete rupture without traumatic event. The treatment consisted of a classical management of diaphragmatic rupture, with excision of the endometriotic nodule followed by medical ovarian suppression for six months.

  8. Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Final report 1994--1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wasan, D.T.

    1995-12-01

    In this report, the authors present the results of their experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12.0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, the authors have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil, and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties, (5) investigated the effect of surfactant on the equilibrium and transient interfacial tension, (6) investigated the kinetics of oil removal from a silica surface, and (7) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, accounting for added surfactant. The results of the studies conducted during the course of this project are summarized.

  9. Decision support systems for recovery of endangered species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armstrong, C.E.

    1995-01-01

    The listing of a species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act invokes a suite of responses to help improve conditions for the recovery of that species, to include identification of stressors contributing to population loss, decision analysis of the impacts of proposed recovery options, and implementation of optimal recovery measures. The ability of a decision support system to quantify inherent stressor uncertainties and to identify the key stressors that can be controlled or eliminated becomes key to ensuring the recovery of an endangered species. The listing of the Snake River sockeye, spring/summer chinook, and fall chinook salmon species in the Snake River as endangered provides a vivid example of the importance of sophisticated decision support systems. Operational and physical changes under consideration at eight of the hydroelectric dams along the Columbia and Lower Snake River pose significant financial impacts to a variety of stakeholders involved in the salmon population recovery process and carry significant uncertainties of outcome. A decision support system is presented to assist in the identification of optimal recovery actions for this example that includes the following: creation of datamarts of information on environmental, engineering, and ecological values that influence species survival; incorporation of decision analysis tools to determine optimal decision policies; and the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to provide a context for decision analysis and to communicate the impacts of decision policies

  10. Sparse Vector Distributions and Recovery from Compressed Sensing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sturm, Bob L.

    It is well known that the performance of sparse vector recovery algorithms from compressive measurements can depend on the distribution underlying the non-zero elements of a sparse vector. However, the extent of these effects has yet to be explored, and formally presented. In this paper, I...... empirically investigate this dependence for seven distributions and fifteen recovery algorithms. The two morals of this work are: 1) any judgement of the recovery performance of one algorithm over that of another must be prefaced by the conditions for which this is observed to be true, including sparse vector...... distributions, and the criterion for exact recovery; and 2) a recovery algorithm must be selected carefully based on what distribution one expects to underlie the sensed sparse signal....

  11. A diagnostic score for the prediction of spontaneous resolution of acute hepatitis C virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beinhardt, Sandra; Payer, Berit Anna; Datz, Christian; Strasser, Michael; Maieron, Andreas; Dorn, Livia; Grilnberger-Franz, Evelyn; Dulic-Lakovic, Emina; Stauber, Rudolf; Laferl, Hermann; Aberle, Judith H; Holzmann, Heidemarie; Krall, Christoph; Vogel, Wolfgang; Ferenci, Peter; Hofer, Harald

    2013-11-01

    IL28B polymorphisms, jaundice, decline in HCV-RNA, IP-10, and gender have been proposed to be indicative of spontaneous clearance of acute hepatitis C virus infection. The aim of this study was to define a score enabling the discrimination of patients with spontaneous clearance of HCV from those with development of viral persistence and need for early antiviral treatment. 136 patients (74 male; 35 ± 15 years) were analyzed. From variables predictive of spontaneous clearance, calculated by univariate analysis, three scores were built. Analogous cut-offs were evaluated by computing area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Candidate variables and cut-offs were: (I) presence of IL28B C/C (p=0.027), (II) age (p=0.031; cut-off: 35 years), (III) peak-bilirubin (p=0.018; cut-off: 6 mg/dl), (IV) HCV-RNA decline within 4 weeks (p2.5 log), (V) serum IP-10 (p=0.003; cut-off: 546 pg/ml), (VI) presence of CD4(+) Th1 cells (p=0.024). Each variable was allocated to 0 or 1 point, an HCV-RNA decline of ≥ 1 log 10 but discrimination between AHC-patients with high potential for spontaneous clearance from candidates for early therapeutic intervention due to marginal chance of spontaneous resolution. Copyright © 2013 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Spontaneous Scalarization: Dead or Alive?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berti, Emanuele; Crispino, Luis; Gerosa, Davide; Gualtieri, Leonardo; Horbatsch, Michael; Macedo, Caio; Okada da Silva, Hector; Pani, Paolo; Sotani, Hajime; Sperhake, Ulrich

    2015-04-01

    In 1993, Damour and Esposito-Farese showed that a wide class of scalar-tensor theories can pass weak-field gravitational tests and exhibit nonperturbative strong-field deviations away from General Relativity in systems involving neutron stars. These deviations are possible in the presence of ``spontaneous scalarization,'' a phase transition similar in nature to spontaneous magnetization in ferromagnets. More than twenty years after the original proposal, binary pulsar experiments have severely constrained the possibility of spontaneous scalarization occurring in nature. I will show that these experimental constraints have important implications for the torsional oscillation frequencies of neutron stars and for the so-called ``I-Love-Q'' relations in scalar-tensor theories. I will also argue that there is still hope to observe strong scalarization effects, despite the strong experimental bounds on the original mechanism. In particular, I will discuss two mechanisms that could produce strong scalarization in neutron stars: anisotropy and multiscalarization. This work was supported by NSF CAREER Award PHY-1055103.

  13. FGF-2 induces behavioral recovery after early adolescent injury to the motor cortex of rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemati, Farshad; Kolb, Bryan

    2011-11-20

    Motor cortex injuries in adulthood lead to poor performance in behavioral tasks sensitive to limb movements in the rat. We have shown previously that motor cortex injury on day 10 or day 55 allow significant spontaneous recovery but not injury in early adolescence (postnatal day 35 "P35"). Previous studies have indicated that injection of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) enhances behavioral recovery after neonatal cortical injury but such effect has not been studied following motor cortex lesions in early adolescence. The present study undertook to investigate the possibility of such behavioral recovery. Rats with unilateral motor cortex lesions were assigned to two groups in which they received FGF-2 or bovine serum albumin (BSA) and were tested in a number of behavioral tests (postural asymmetry, skilled reaching, sunflower seed manipulation, forepaw inhibition in swimming). Golgi-Cox analysis was used to examine the dendritic structure of pyramidal cells in the animals' parietal (layer III) and forelimb (layer V) area of the cortex. The results indicated that rats injected with FGF-2 (but not BSA) showed significant behavioral recovery that was associated with increased dendritic length and spine density. The present study suggests a role for FGF-2 in the recovery of function following injury during early adolescence. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Detection of target phonemes in spontaneous and read speech.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, G; Cutler, A

    1988-01-01

    Although spontaneous speech occurs more frequently in most listeners' experience than read speech, laboratory studies of human speech recognition typically use carefully controlled materials read from a script. The phonological and prosodic characteristics of spontaneous and read speech differ considerably, however, which suggests that laboratory results may not generalise to the recognition of spontaneous speech. In the present study listeners were presented with both spontaneous and read speech materials, and their response time to detect word-initial target phonemes was measured. Responses were, overall, equally fast in each speech mode. However, analysis of effects previously reported in phoneme detection studies revealed significant differences between speech modes. In read speech but not in spontaneous speech, later targets were detected more rapidly than targets preceded by short words. In contrast, in spontaneous speech but not in read speech, targets were detected more rapidly in accented than in unaccented words and in strong than in weak syllables. An explanation for this pattern is offered in terms of characteristic prosodic differences between spontaneous and read speech. The results support claims from previous work that listeners pay great attention to prosodic information in the process of recognising speech.

  15. Spontaneous CP violation on the lattice

    CERN Document Server

    Laine, Mikko

    2000-01-01

    At finite temperatures around the electroweak phase transition, the thermodynamics of the MSSM can be described by a three-dimensional two Higgs doublet effective theory. This effective theory has a phase where CP is spontaneously violated. We study spontaneous CP violation with non-perturbative lattice simulations, and analyse whether one could end up in this phase for any physical MSSM parameter values.

  16. Nutritional Recovery Outcome among Moderately Malnourished ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nutritional Recovery Outcome among Moderately Malnourished Under-five Children in Communities Implementing Positive Deviance - Hearth or Community Health Workers' Nutrition Promotion Approaches in Karusi and Kirundo Provinces, Burundi.

  17. Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sung, Dong Wook; Jung, Seung Hyae; Yoon, Yup; Lim, Jae Hoon; Cho, Kyu Soek; Yang, Moon Ho

    1991-01-01

    Spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare manifestation of lung cancer. Eight cases of pneumothorax found in 1648 patients with lung cancer from 1979-1990 are reported. Histopathologic types of cancer were adenocarcinoma in three cases, squamous cell carcinoma in two cases, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma in two cases, and metastatic renal cell carcinoma in one case. The primary tumor mass was not found even after thoracotomy in two cases. Spontaneous pneumothorax occurred on the ipsilateral side of the cancer. All the patients were more than 40 years old with a history of smoking 1-2 packs a day for 20 to 50 years, and had chronic lung diseases. The authors emphasize that bronchogenic carcinoma may be one of the causes of spontaneous pneumothorax in appropriate clinical settings

  18. Spontaneous quasi single helicity regimes in EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frassinetti, L.; Brunsell, P. R.; Drake, J. R.; Menmuir, S.; Cecconello, M.

    2007-11-01

    In recent years, good progress toward a better understanding and control of the plasma performance in reversed-field pinch devices has been made. These improvements consist both of the discovery of spontaneous plasma regimes, termed the quasi single helicity (QSH) regime, in which part of the plasma core is no longer stochastic, and of the development of techniques for active control of plasma instabilities. In this paper, a systematic study of spontaneous QSH in the EXTRAP T2R device [P. R. Brunsell, H. Bergsaker, M. Cecconello et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 43, 1457 (2001)] is presented. In this device, QSH states can occur spontaneously and it is associated with magnetic and thermal structures. A statistical analysis to determine the most favorable experimental conditions to have a transition to the QSH regime will be presented. The results described here are useful to understand the underlying properties of QSH regimes in view of future applications of the QSH active control in EXTRAP T2R; they are also important to have a comparison with the QSH studied in other devices.

  19. Spontaneous low-frequency oscillations in cerebral vessels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schytz, Henrik W; Hansson, Andreas; Phillip, Dorte

    2010-01-01

    ). Analysis of CA by measurement of spontaneous oscillations in the low-frequency spectrum in cerebral vessels might be a useful tool for assessing risk and investigating different treatment strategies in carotid artery disease (CAD) and stroke. We reviewed studies exploring spontaneous oscillations...

  20. 75 FR 16498 - Buy American Exceptions Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-05, approved February 17, 2009) (Recovery Act), and implementing guidance... stalls at the River Terrace Senior Apartments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dominique G. Blom, Deputy... the Recovery Act and OMB's implementing guidance published on April 23, 2009 (74 FR 18449), this...

  1. Development of corrosion testing equipment under heat transfer and irradiation conditions to evaluate corrosion resistance of materials used in acid recovery evaporator. Contract research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motooka, Takafumi; Numata, Masami; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

    2002-01-01

    We have been evaluated the safety for corrosion of various metals applied to acid recovery evaporators by the mock-up tests using small scaled equipment and the reference tests in laboratories with small specimens. These tests have been conducted under-radioactive environment. The environment in practical reprocessing plants has many radioactive species. Therefore, the effect of irradiation on corrosion should be evaluated in detail. In this study, we have developed the corrosion testing equipment, which is employed to simulate environments in the acid recovery evaporators. This report describes the specification of corrosion testing equipment and the results of primary, reference and hot tests. Using the equipment, the corrosion test under heat transfer and irradiation conditions have been carried out for 930 hours in safety. It is expectable that useful corrosion test data in radioactive environment are accumulated with this equipment in future, and help the adequate choice of corrosion test condition in laboratories. (author)

  2. Spontaneous rupture of vaginal enterocele

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, J H; Galatius, H; Hansen, P K

    1985-01-01

    Spontaneous rupture of an enterocele is a rare complication. Only 24 cases including the present case have been reported in the literature. The patients were elderly and had had at least one vaginal operation. The patients were remarkably unaffected symptomatically on admission.......Spontaneous rupture of an enterocele is a rare complication. Only 24 cases including the present case have been reported in the literature. The patients were elderly and had had at least one vaginal operation. The patients were remarkably unaffected symptomatically on admission....

  3. Spontaneous and superfluid chiral edge states in exciton-polariton condensates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdsson, H.; Li, G.; Liew, T. C. H.

    2017-09-01

    We present a scheme of interaction-induced topological band structures based on the spin anisotropy of exciton-polaritons in semiconductor microcavities. We predict theoretically that this scheme allows the engineering of topological gaps, without requiring a magnetic field or strong spin-orbit interaction (transverse electric-transverse magnetic splitting). Under nonresonant pumping we find that an initially topologically trivial system undergoes a topological transition upon the spontaneous breaking of phase symmetry associated with polariton condensation. Under either nonresonant or resonant coherent pumping we find that it is also possible to engineer a topological dispersion that is linear in wave vector—a property associated with polariton superfluidity.

  4. Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rus, Holly M; Tiemensma, Jitske

    2017-01-01

    Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users ( n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration ( p Facebook use may negatively impact well-being.

  5. Spontaneous emission spectra and simulating multiple spontaneous generation coherence in a five-level atomic medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jiahua; Liu Jibing; Qi Chunchao; Chen Aixi

    2006-01-01

    We investigate the features of the spontaneous emission spectra in a coherently driven cold five-level atomic system by means of a radio frequency (rf) or microwave field driving a hyperfine transition within the ground state. It is shown that a few interesting phenomena such as spectral-line narrowing, spectral-line enhancement, spectral-line suppression, and spontaneous emission quenching can be realized by modulating the frequency and intensity of the rf-driving field in our system. In the dressed-state picture of the coupling and rf-driving fields, we find that this coherently driven atomic system has three close-lying levels so that multiple spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) arises. Our considered atomic model can be found in real atoms, such as rubidium or sodium, so a corresponding experiment can be done to observe the expected phenomena related to SGC reported by Fountoulakis et al. [Phys. Rev. A 73, 033811 (2006)], since no rigorous conditions are required

  6. Proposed Spontaneous Generation of Magnetic Fields by Curved Layers of a Chiral Superconductor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvorning, T.; Hansson, T. H.; Quelle, A.; Smith, C. Morais

    2018-05-01

    We demonstrate that two-dimensional chiral superconductors on curved surfaces spontaneously develop magnetic flux. This geometric Meissner effect provides an unequivocal signature of chiral superconductivity, which could be observed in layered materials under stress. We also employ the effect to explain some puzzling questions related to the location of zero-energy Majorana modes.

  7. A new class of spontaneously polarized materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Field, David; Plekan, Oksana; Cassidy, Andrew

    2011-01-01

    Very large electric fields form spontaneously within films of seemingly prosaic chemicals such as nitrous oxide or propane.We describe how the discovery of this unexpected phenomenon took place and how we attempt to understand the nature of the new class of spontaneously polarized materials...

  8. Spontaneous rupture of choledochal cyst: case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Ho Seob; Nam, Kyung Jin; Lee, Jin Hwa; Kim, Chan Sung; Choi, Jong Cheol; Oh, Jong Young

    2002-01-01

    Spontaneous rupture of a choledochal cyst leading to biliary peritonitis is a rare complication which can be fatal if not promptly diagnosed. The authors report the ultrasound and CT findings of two cases of spontaneous choledochal cystic rupture and the biliary peritonitis which ensued

  9. Spontaneous rupture of choledochal cyst: case report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Ho Seob; Nam, Kyung Jin; Lee, Jin Hwa; Kim, Chan Sung; Choi, Jong Cheol; Oh, Jong Young [Dong-a University College of Medicine, Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-11-01

    Spontaneous rupture of a choledochal cyst leading to biliary peritonitis is a rare complication which can be fatal if not promptly diagnosed. The authors report the ultrasound and CT findings of two cases of spontaneous choledochal cystic rupture and the biliary peritonitis which ensued.

  10. Spontaneous symmetry breaking and its cosmological consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobzarev, I.Yu.

    1975-01-01

    The concept of symmetry and of the spontaneous symmetry breaking are presented in popular form as applied to quantum physics. Though the presence of the spontaneous symmetry breaking is not proved directly for interactions of elementary particles, on considering the hypothesis of its presence as applied to the hot Universe theory a possibility of obtaining rather uncommon cosmological consequences is discussed. In particular, spontaneous symmetry breaking of vacuum and the rather hot Universe lead necessarily to the presence of the domain structure of the Universe with the surfase energy at the domain interface in the form of a real physical object

  11. Shared risk aversion in spontaneous and induced abortion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catalano, Ralph; Bruckner, Tim A; Karasek, Deborah; Adler, Nancy E; Mortensen, Laust H

    2016-05-01

    Does the incidence of spontaneous abortion correlate positively over conception cohorts with the incidence of non-clinically indicated induced abortion as predicted by shared risk aversion? We find that the number of spontaneous and non-clinically indicated induced abortions correlates in conception cohorts, suggesting that risk aversion affects both the conscious and non-conscious mechanisms that control parturition. Much literature speculates that natural selection conserved risk aversion because the trait enhanced Darwinian fitness. Risk aversion, moreover, supposedly influences all decisions including those that individuals can and cannot report making. We argue that these circumstances, if real, would manifest in conscious and non-conscious decisions to invest in prospective offspring, and therefore affect incidence of induced and spontaneous abortion over time. Using data from Denmark, we test the hypothesis that monthly conception cohorts yielding unexpectedly many non-clinically indicated induced abortions also yield unexpectedly many spontaneous abortions. The 180 month test period (January 1995 through December 2009), yielded 1 351 800 gestations including 156 780 spontaneous as well as 233 280 induced abortions 9100 of which were clinically indicated. We use Box-Jenkins transfer functions to adjust the incidence of spontaneous and non-clinically indicated induced abortions for autocorrelation (including seasonality), cohort size, and fetal as well as gestational anomalies over the 180-month test period. We use cross-correlation to test our hypothesized association. We find a positive association between spontaneous and non-clinically indicated induced abortions. This suggests, consistent with our theory, that mothers of conception cohorts that yielded more spontaneous abortions than expected opted more frequently than expected for non-clinically indicated induced abortion. Limitations of our work include that even the world's best registration system

  12. Group theory of spontaneous symmetry breaking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghaboussi, F.

    1987-01-01

    The connection between the minimality of the Higgs field potential and the maximal little groups of its representation obtained by spontaneous symmetry breaking is analyzed. It is shown that for several representations the lowest minimum of the potential is related to the maximal little group of those representations. Furthermore, a practical necessity criterion is given for the representation of the Higgs field needed for spontaneous symmetry breaking

  13. Bias in spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions in Japan.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shinichi Matsuda

    Full Text Available Attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs in Japan are not well known, and Japan's unique system of surveillance, called early post-marketing phase vigilance (EPPV, may affect these reporting attitudes. Our objectives were to describe potential effects of EPPV and to test whether ADR seriousness, prominence, and frequency are related to changes in reporting over time.A manufacturer's database of spontaneous ADR reports was used to extract data from individual case safety reports for 5 drugs subject to EPPV. The trend of reporting and the time lag between ADR onset and reporting to the manufacturer were examined. The following indices for ADRs occurring with each drug were calculated and analyzed to assess reporting trends: Serious:Non-serious ratio, High prominence:Low prominence ratio, and High frequency:Low frequency ratio.For all 5 drugs, the time lag between ADR onset and reporting to the manufacturer was shorter in the EPPV period than in the post-EPPV period. All drugs showed higher Serious:Non-serious ratios in the post-EPPV period. No specific patterns were observed for the High prominence:Low prominence ratio. The High frequency:Low frequency ratio for peginterferon alpha-2a and sevelamer hydrochloride decreased steadily throughout the study period.Healthcare professionals may be more likely to report serious ADRs than to report non-serious ADRs, but the effect of event prominence on reporting trends is still unclear. Factors associated with ADR reporting attitude in Japan might be different from those in other countries because of EPPV and the involvement of medical representatives in the spontaneous reporting process. Pharmacovigilance specialists should therefore be cautious when comparing data between different time periods or different countries. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of spontaneous ADR reporting in Japan.

  14. Presbycusis Disrupts Spontaneous Activity Revealed by Resting-State Functional MRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Chen Chen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Presbycusis, age-related hearing loss, is believed to involve neural changes in the central nervous system, which is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The goal of this study was to determine if presbycusis disrupted spontaneous neural activity in specific brain areas involved in auditory processing, attention and cognitive function using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI approach.Methods: Hearing and resting-state fMRI measurements were obtained from 22 presbycusis patients and 23 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls. To identify changes in spontaneous neural activity associated with age-related hearing loss, we compared the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF and regional homogeneity (ReHo of fMRI signals in presbycusis patients vs. controls and then determined if these changes were linked to clinical measures of presbycusis.Results: Compared with healthy controls, presbycusis patients manifested decreased spontaneous activity mainly in the superior temporal gyrus (STG, parahippocampal gyrus (PHG, precuneus and inferior parietal lobule (IPL as well as increased neural activity in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG, cuneus and postcentral gyrus (PoCG. A significant negative correlation was observed between ALFF/ReHo activity in the STG and average hearing thresholds in presbycusis patients. Increased ALFF/ReHo activity in the MFG was positively correlated with impaired Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B scores, indicative of impaired cognitive function involving the frontal lobe.Conclusions: Presbycusis patients have disrupted spontaneous neural activity reflected by ALFF and ReHo measurements in several brain regions; these changes are associated with specific cognitive performance and speech/language processing. These findings mainly emphasize the crucial role of aberrant resting-state ALFF/ReHo patterns in presbycusis patients and will lead to a better understanding of the

  15. Presbycusis Disrupts Spontaneous Activity Revealed by Resting-State Functional MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yu-Chen; Chen, Huiyou; Jiang, Liang; Bo, Fan; Xu, Jin-Jing; Mao, Cun-Nan; Salvi, Richard; Yin, Xindao; Lu, Guangming; Gu, Jian-Ping

    2018-01-01

    Purpose : Presbycusis, age-related hearing loss, is believed to involve neural changes in the central nervous system, which is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The goal of this study was to determine if presbycusis disrupted spontaneous neural activity in specific brain areas involved in auditory processing, attention and cognitive function using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approach. Methods : Hearing and resting-state fMRI measurements were obtained from 22 presbycusis patients and 23 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls. To identify changes in spontaneous neural activity associated with age-related hearing loss, we compared the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) of fMRI signals in presbycusis patients vs. controls and then determined if these changes were linked to clinical measures of presbycusis. Results : Compared with healthy controls, presbycusis patients manifested decreased spontaneous activity mainly in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), precuneus and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) as well as increased neural activity in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), cuneus and postcentral gyrus (PoCG). A significant negative correlation was observed between ALFF/ReHo activity in the STG and average hearing thresholds in presbycusis patients. Increased ALFF/ReHo activity in the MFG was positively correlated with impaired Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B) scores, indicative of impaired cognitive function involving the frontal lobe. Conclusions : Presbycusis patients have disrupted spontaneous neural activity reflected by ALFF and ReHo measurements in several brain regions; these changes are associated with specific cognitive performance and speech/language processing. These findings mainly emphasize the crucial role of aberrant resting-state ALFF/ReHo patterns in presbycusis patients and will lead to a better understanding of the

  16. SPHENOID SINUS (SS ANTERIOR MEDIAL TEMPORAL LOBE ENCEPHALOCELE (AMTLE WITH SPONTANEOUS CSF RHINORRHOEA : A CASE REPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laveena

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Cranial encephaloceles are the herniation of intracranial meninges and brain tissue through a defect in the cranium or skull base. These are rare conditions with an incidence of approximately 1 in 35,000 people, and are more common in the anterior cranial fossa than those in the middle one . 1,2 Temporal lobe herniation through a mid dle fossa defect into the lateral recess of the Sphenoid Sinus is even rarer than its medial representation. Intrasphenoidal encephaloceles are extremely rare findings 3 . Spontaneous, or primary, CSF fistula is a separate entity with no underlying cause of the CSF leak. Spontaneous CSF leaks are usually associated with a co - existing encephalocele of variable size 4 . We present a case of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhoea in a sphenoid sinus Anterior Medial Temporal lobe encephalocele herniating through a clinically silent lateral Craniopharyngeal canal.

  17. Spontaneous polyploidization in cucumber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez-Madera, Axel O; Miller, Nathan D; Spalding, Edgar P; Weng, Yiqun; Havey, Michael J

    2017-07-01

    This is the first quantitative estimation of spontaneous polyploidy in cucumber and we detected 2.2% polyploids in a greenhouse study. We provide evidence that polyploidization is consistent with endoreduplication and is an on-going process during plant growth. Cucumber occasionally produces polyploid plants, which are problematic for growers because these plants produce misshaped fruits with non-viable seeds. In this study, we undertook the first quantitative study to estimate the relative frequency of spontaneous polyploids in cucumber. Seeds of recombinant inbred lines were produced in different environments, plants were grown in the field and greenhouse, and flow cytometry was used to establish ploidies. From 1422 greenhouse-grown plants, the overall relative frequency of spontaneous polyploidy was 2.2%. Plants possessed nuclei of different ploidies in the same leaves (mosaic) and on different parts of the same plant (chimeric). Our results provide evidence of endoreduplication and polysomaty in cucumber, and that it is an on-going and dynamic process. There was a significant effect (p = 0.018) of seed production environment on the occurrence of polyploid plants. Seed and seedling traits were not accurate predictors of eventual polyploids, and we recommend that cucumber producers rogue plants based on stature and leaf serration to remove potential polyploids.

  18. Anatomical recovery of the GABAergic system after a complete spinal cord injury in lampreys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romaus-Sanjurjo, D; Valle-Maroto, S M; Barreiro-Iglesias, A; Fernández-López, B; Rodicio, M C

    2018-03-15

    Lampreys recover locomotion spontaneously several weeks after a complete spinal cord injury. Dysfunction of the GABAergic system following SCI has been reported in mammalian models. So, it is of great interest to understand how the GABAergic system of lampreys adapts to the post-injury situation and how this relates to spontaneous recovery. The spinal cord of lampreys contains 3 populations of GABAergic neurons and most of the GABAergic innervation of the spinal cord comes from these local cells. GABAB receptors are expressed in the spinal cord of lampreys and they play important roles in the control of locomotion. The aims of the present study were to quantify: 1) the changes in the number of GABAergic neurons and innervation of the spinal cord and 2) the changes in the expression of the gabab receptor subunits b1 and b2 in the spinal cord of the sea lamprey after SCI. We performed complete spinal cord transections at the level of the fifth gill of mature larval lampreys and GABA immunohistochemistry or gabab in situ hybridization experiments. Animals were analysed up to 10 weeks post-lesion (wpl), when behavioural analyses showed that they recovered normal appearing locomotion (stage 6 in the Ayer's scale of locomotor recovery). We observed a significant decrease in the number of GABA-ir cells and fibres 1 h after lesion both rostral and caudal to the lesion site. GABA-ir cell numbers and innervation were recovered to control levels 1 to 2 wpl. At 1, 4 and 10 wpl the expression of gabab1 and gabab2 transcripts was significantly decreased in the spinal cord compared to control un-lesioned animals. This is the first study reporting the quantitative long-term changes in the number of GABAergic cells and fibres and in the expression of gabab receptors in the spinal cord of any vertebrate following a traumatic SCI. Our results show that in lampreys there is a full recovery of the GABAergic neurons and a decrease in the expression of gabab receptors when functional

  19. Spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture in alkaptonuria | Mohammed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Spontaneous Achilles tendon ruptures are uncommon. We present a 46-year-old man with spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture due to ochronosis. To our knowledge, this has not been previously reported in Sudan literature. The tendon of the reported patient healed well after debridement and primary repairs.

  20. Children's Spontaneous Vocalisations during Play: Aesthetic Dimensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Countryman, June; Gabriel, Martha; Thompson, Katherine

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the phenomenon of spontaneous vocalisations in the self-chosen, unstructured outdoor play of children aged 3-12. Spontaneous vocalisations encompass the whole range of children's unprompted, natural, expressive vocal soundings beyond spoken language. Non-participant observations at childcare centres and on elementary school…

  1. Measuring individual disaster recovery: a socioecological framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abramson, David M; Stehling-Ariza, Tasha; Park, Yoon Soo; Walsh, Lauren; Culp, Derrin

    2010-09-01

    Disaster recovery is a complex phenomenon. Too often, recovery is measured in singular fashion, such as quantifying rebuilt infrastructure or lifelines, without taking in to account the affected population's individual and community recovery. A comprehensive framework is needed that encompasses a much broader and far-reaching construct with multiple underlying dimensions and numerous causal pathways; without the consideration of a comprehensive framework that investigates relationships between these factors, an accurate measurement of recovery may not be valid. This study proposes a model that encapsulates these ideas into a single framework, the Socio-Ecological Model of Recovery. Using confirmatory factor analysis, an operational measure of recovery was developed and validated using the five measures of housing stability, economic stability, physical health, mental health, and social role adaptation. The data were drawn from a sample of displaced households following Hurricane Katrina. Measures of psychological strength, risk, disaster exposure, neighborhood contextual effects, and formal and informal help were modeled to examine their direct and indirect effects on recovery using a structural equation model. All five elements of the recovery measure were positively correlated with a latent measure of recovery, although mental health and social role adaptation displayed the strongest associations. An individual's psychological strength had the greatest association with positive recovery, followed by having a household income greater than $20,000 and having informal social support. Those factors most strongly associated with an absence of recovery included the time displaced since the hurricane, being disabled, and living in a community with substantial social disorder. The socio-ecological framework provides a robust means for measuring recovery, and for testing those factors associated with the presence or absence of recovery.

  2. Brain spontaneous fluctuations in sensorimotor regions were directly related to eyes open and eyes closed: evidences from a machine learning approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bishan eLiang

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have demonstrated that the difference between resting-state brain activations depends on whether the subject was eyes open (EO or eyes closed (EC. However, whether the spontaneous fluctuations are directly related to these two different resting states are still largely unclear. In the present study, we acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 24 healthy subjects (11 males, 20.17 ± 2.74 years under the EO and EC states. The amplitude of the spontaneous brain activity in low-frequency band was subsequently investigated by using the metric of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF for each subject under each state. A support vector machine (SVM analysis was then applied to evaluate whether the category of resting states could be determined from the brain spontaneous fluctuations. We demonstrated that these two resting states could be decoded from the identified pattern of brain spontaneous fluctuations, predominantly based on fALFF in the sensorimotor module. Specifically, we observed prominent relationships between increased fALFF for EC and decreased fALFF for EO in sensorimotor regions. Overall, the present results indicate that a SVM performs well in the discrimination between the brain spontaneous fluctuations of distinct resting states and provide new insight into the neural substrate of the resting states during EC and EO.

  3. Spontaneous baryogenesis from asymmetric inflaton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Fuminobu

    2015-10-01

    We propose a variant scenario of spontaneous baryogenesis from asymmetric inflaton based on current-current interactions between the inflaton and matter fields with a non-zero B-L charge. When the inflaton starts to oscillate around the minimum after inflation, it may lead to excitation of a CP-odd component, which induces an effective chemical potential for the B-L number through the current-current interactions. We study concrete inflation models and show that the spontaneous baryogenesis scenario can be naturally implemented in the chaotic inflation in supergravity.

  4. Rayleigh scattering under light-atom coherent interaction

    OpenAIRE

    Takamizawa, Akifumi; Shimoda, Koichi

    2012-01-01

    Semi-classical calculation of an oscillating dipole induced in a two-level atom indicates that spherical radiation from the dipole under coherent interaction, i.e., Rayleigh scattering, has a power level comparable to that of spontaneous emission resulting from an incoherent process. Whereas spontaneous emission is nearly isotropic and has random polarization generally, Rayleigh scattering is strongly anisotropic and polarized in association with incident light. In the case where Rabi frequen...

  5. Radiologic findings of acute spontaneous subdural hematomas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyun Jung; Bae, Won Kyong; Gyu, Cha Jang; Kim, Gun Woo; Cho, Won Su; Kim, Il Young; Lee, Kyung Suk [Soonchunhyang University, Chonan (Korea, Republic of). Chonan Hospital

    1998-03-01

    To evaluate the characteristic CT and cerebral angiographic findings in patients with acute spontaneous subdural hematomas and correlate these imaging findings with causes of bleeding and clinical outcome. Twenty-one patients with nontraumatic acute spontaneous subdural hematoma presenting during the last five years underwent CT scanning and cerebral angiography was performed in twelve. To determine the cause of bleedings, CT and angiographic findings were retrospectively analysed. Clinical history, laboratory and operative findings, and final clinical outcome were reviewed. Acute spontaneous subdural hematoma is a rare condition, and the mortality rate is high. In patients with acute spontaneous subdural hematoma, as seen on CT, associated subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage is strongly indicative of intracerebral vascular abnormalities such as aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation, and cerebral angiography is necessary. To ensure proper treatment and thus markedly reduce mortality, the causes of bleedings should be prompty determined by means of cerebral angiography. (author). 20 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

  6. Different responses of spontaneous and stimulus-related alpha activity to ambient luminance changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedetto, Alessandro; Lozano-Soldevilla, Diego; VanRullen, Rufin

    2017-12-04

    Alpha oscillations are particularly important in determining our percepts and have been implicated in fundamental brain functions. Oscillatory activity can be spontaneous or stimulus-related. Furthermore, stimulus-related responses can be phase- or non-phase-locked to the stimulus. Non-phase-locked (induced) activity can be identified as the average amplitude changes in response to a stimulation, while phase-locked activity can be measured via reverse-correlation techniques (echo function). However, the mechanisms and the functional roles of these oscillations are far from clear. Here, we investigated the effect of ambient luminance changes, known to dramatically modulate neural oscillations, on spontaneous and stimulus-related alpha. We investigated the effect of ambient luminance on EEG alpha during spontaneous human brain activity at rest (experiment 1) and during visual stimulation (experiment 2). Results show that spontaneous alpha amplitude increased by decreasing ambient luminance, while alpha frequency remained unaffected. In the second experiment, we found that under low-luminance viewing, the stimulus-related alpha amplitude was lower, and its frequency was slightly faster. These effects were evident in the phase-locked part of the alpha response (echo function), but weaker or absent in the induced (non-phase-locked) alpha responses. Finally, we explored the possible behavioural correlates of these modulations in a monocular critical flicker frequency task (experiment 3), finding that dark adaptation in the left eye decreased the temporal threshold of the right eye. Overall, we found that ambient luminance changes impact differently on spontaneous and stimulus-related alpha expression. We suggest that stimulus-related alpha activity is crucial in determining human temporal segmentation abilities. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Spontaneous onset of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Rooij, A.M.; Perez, R.S.G.M.; Huygen, F.J.; van Eijs, F.; van Kleef, M.; Bauer, M.C.R.; van Hilten, J.J.; Marinus, J.

    2010-01-01

    Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) usually develops after a noxious event, but spontaneous onsets have been described in 3-11% of the cases. The existence of spontaneous-onset CRPS is highly debated and the aim of the present study was therefore to compare the phenotypic characteristics of CRPS

  8. Modeling and simulation of multiphase multicomponent multiphysics porous media flows in the context of chemical enhanced oil recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Sourav; Daripa, Prabir; Fluids Team

    2015-11-01

    One of the most important methods of chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) involves the use of complex flooding schemes comprising of various layers of fluids mixed with suitable amounts of polymer or surfactant or both. The fluid flow is characterized by the spontaneous formation of complex viscous fingering patterns which is considered detrimental to oil recovery. Here we numerically study the physics of such EOR processes using a modern, hybrid method based on a combination of a discontinuous, multiscale finite element formulation and the method of characteristics. We investigate the effect of different types of heterogeneity on the fingering mechanism of these complex multiphase flows and determine the impact on oil recovery. We also study the effect of surfactants on the dynamics of the flow via reduction of capillary forces and increase in relative permeabilities. Supported by the grant NPRP 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation).

  9. Spatial diversity of spontaneous activity in the cortex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Yong-Yi Tan

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The neocortex is a layered sheet across which a basic organization is thought to widely apply. The variety of spontaneous activity patterns is similar throughout the cortex, consistent with the notion of a basic cortical organization. However, the basic organization is only an outline which needs adjustments and additions to account for the structural and functional diversity across cortical layers and areas. Such diversity suggests that spontaneous activity is spatially diverse in any particular behavioral state. Accordingly, this review summarizes the laminar and areal diversity in cortical activity during fixation and slow oscillations, and the effects of attention, anesthesia and plasticity on the cortical distribution of spontaneous activity. Among questions that remain open, characterizing the spatial diversity in spontaneous membrane potential may help elucidate how differences in circuitry among cortical regions supports their varied functions. More work is also needed to understand whether cortical spontaneous activity not only reflects cortical circuitry, but also contributes to determining the outcome of plasticity, so that it is itself a factor shaping the functional diversity of the cortex.

  10. Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rus, Holly M.; Tiemensma, Jitske

    2017-01-01

    Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users (n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration (p Facebook use may negatively impact well-being. PMID:28974938

  11. Socioeconomic position and the risk of spontaneous abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norsker, Filippa Nyboe; Espenhain, Laura; rogvi, Sofie

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the relationship between different indicators of socioeconomic position and the risk of spontaneous abortion.......To investigate the relationship between different indicators of socioeconomic position and the risk of spontaneous abortion....

  12. Successful medical management of a neonate with spontaneous splenic rupture and severe hemophilia A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badawy, Sherif M; Rossoff, Jenna; Yallapragada, Sushmita; Liem, Robert I; Sharathkumar, Anjali A

    2017-03-01

    Splenic rupture in neonates is a rare event, usually occurring in the setting of underlying predisposing conditions. Here, we present the case of a term neonate who presented with worsening anemia in the setting of known hemolytic disease during the newborn period and was later found to have a spontaneous splenic rupture. He was subsequently diagnosed with severe hemophilia A, and was managed medically with recombinant factor VIII replacement therapy without any surgical intervention. This is the first reported case of a neonate who had spontaneous splenic rupture and severe hemophilia A, and underwent successful medical treatment without any surgical intervention. Copyright © 2016 King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Spontaneous indices are inconsistent with arterial baroreflex gain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipman, Ruth D; Salisbury, Julie K; Taylor, J Andrew

    2003-10-01

    Spontaneously occurring, parallel fluctuations in arterial pressure and heart period are frequently used as indices of baroreflex function. Despite the convenience of spontaneous indices, their relation to the arterial baroreflex remains unclear. Therefore, in 97 volunteers, we derived 5 proposed indices (sequence method, alpha-index, transfer function, low-frequency transfer function, and impulse response function), compared them with arterial baroreflex gain (by the modified Oxford pharmacologic technique), and examined their relation to carotid distensibility and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. The subjects comprised men and women (n=41) aged 25 to 86 years, 30% of whom had established coronary artery disease. Generally, the indices were correlated with each other (except alpha-index and low-frequency transfer function) and with baroreflex gain. However, the Bland-Altman method demonstrated that the spontaneous indices had limits of agreement as large as the baroreflex gain itself. Even in individuals within the lowest tertile of baroreflex gain for whom baroreflex gain appears to be the most clinically relevant, spontaneous indices failed to relate to baroreflex gain. In fact, for these individuals, there was no correlation between any index and baroreflex gain. Forward stepwise linear regression showed that all spontaneous indices and baroreflex gain were related to respiratory sinus arrhythmia, but only baroreflex gain was related to carotid distensibility. Therefore, these data suggest that spontaneous indices are inadequate estimates of gain and are inconsistent with arterial baroreflex function.

  14. Mechanisms underlying recovery of zooplankton in Lake Orta after liming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Piscia

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to improve the understanding of the large-scale mechanisms underlying the recovery of the zooplankton of Lake Orta from historical contamination, following reduced input of ammonia and metals and the subsequent 1989/90 liming intervention. The industrial pollution had been severe and long-lasting (1929-1990. Zooplankton biodiversity has improved, but most of the new taxa appearing in our counts are rotifers, while many calanoids and the large cladoceran predators (Bythotrephes and Leptodora that are common in the nearby Lake Maggiore, were still absent from Lake Orta 17 years after liming. To aid understanding of the large-scale mechanisms controlling changes in annual richness, we assessed the annual persistence (P of Crustacea and Rotifera taxa as an estimator of whether propagules that survived introduction, as result of the natural recolonization process, also thrived. We found that the rate of introduction of zooplankton colonists and their persistence in the water column of Lake Orta changed from 1971 to 2007. New rotifer taxa appeared in the lake after the mid-1980s, when discharge of toxic substances decreased, but their annual persistence was low (P<0.5 until the turn of the century. The numerical values of rotifer and crustacean persistence in Lake Orta were unexpectedly high in 2001 and 2007 (0.55 and 0.72 for rotifers, 0.85 and 0.86 for crustacean, respectively, much higher than in limed lakes in Sudbury, Canada, and in adjacent Lake Maggiore. We hypothesize this could be related to the lack of Cladoceran predators and zooplanktivorous fish in the pelagic waters of Lake Orta.

  15. Improvements in scaling of counter-current imbibition recovery curves using a shape factor including permeability anisotropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbasi, Jassem; Sarafrazi, Shiva; Riazi, Masoud; Ghaedi, Mojtaba

    2018-02-01

    Spontaneous imbibition is the main oil production mechanism in the water invaded zone of a naturally fractured reservoir (NFR). Different scaling equations have been presented in the literature for upscaling of core scale imbibition recovery curves to field scale matrix blocks. Various scale dependent parameters such as gravity effects and boundary influences are required to be considered in the upscaling process. Fluid flow from matrix blocks to the fracture system is highly dependent on the permeability value in the horizontal and vertical directions. The purpose of this study is to include permeability anisotropy in the available scaling equations to improve the prediction of imbibition assisted oil production in NFRs. In this paper, a commercial reservoir simulator was used to obtain imbibition recovery curves for different scenarios. Then, the effect of permeability anisotropy on imbibition recovery curves was investigated, and the weakness of the existing scaling equations for anisotropic rocks was demonstrated. Consequently, an analytical shape factor was introduced that can better scale all the curves related to anisotropic matrix blocks.

  16. Integrated genomic approaches to identification of candidate genes underlying metabolic and cardiovascular phenotypes in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Morrissey, C.; Grieve, I.; Heinig, M.; Atanur, S.; Petretto, E.; Pravenec, Michal; Hubner, N.; Aitman, T. J.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 43, č. 21 (2011), s. 1207-1218 ISSN 1094-8341 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA301/08/0166; GA MŠk(CZ) ME10019 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : eQTL * spontaneously hypertensive rat * quantitative trait transcript * sequence variation Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.735, year: 2011

  17. Dynamics of the universe and spontaneous symmetry breaking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazanas, D.

    1980-01-01

    It is shown that the presence of a phase transition early in the history of the universe, associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking (believed to take place at very high temperatures at which the various fundamental interactions unify), significantly modifies its dynamics and evolution. This is due to the energy 'pumping' during the phase transition from the vacuum to the substance, rather than the gravitating effects of the vacuum. The expansion law of the universe then differs substantially from the relation considered so far for the very early time expansion. In particular it is shown that under certain conditions this expansion law is exponential. It is further argued that under reasonable assumptions for the mass of the associated Higgs boson this expansion stage could last long enough to potentially account for the observed isotropy of the universe.

  18. Distinct spontaneous shrinkage of a sporadic vestibular schwannoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Xiaowen; Cayé-Thomasen, Per; Stangerup, Sven-Eric

    2013-01-01

    on "shrinkage" or "negative growth" or "regression" or "involution" of the tumor were selected, and the contents on the rate, extent and mechanism of spontaneous tumor shrinkage were extracted and reviewed. The reported rate of spontaneous shrinkage of vestibular schwannoma is 5-10% of patients managed......We present a case with outspoken spontaneous vestibular schwannoma shrinkage and review the related literature. The patient was initially diagnosed with a left-sided, intrameatal vestibular schwannoma, which subsequently grew into the cerebello-pontine angle (CPA), followed by total shrinkage...... of the CPA component without any intervention over a 12-year observation period. The literature on spontaneous tumor shrinkage was retrieved by searching the subject terms "vestibular schwannoma, conservative management" in PubMed/MEDLINE database, without a time limit. Of the published data, the articles...

  19. Spontaneous breathing during lung-protective ventilation in an experimental acute lung injury model: high transpulmonary pressure associated with strong spontaneous breathing effort may worsen lung injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Takeshi; Uchiyama, Akinori; Matsuura, Nariaki; Mashimo, Takashi; Fujino, Yuji

    2012-05-01

    We investigated whether potentially injurious transpulmonary pressure could be generated by strong spontaneous breathing and exacerbate lung injury even when plateau pressure is limited to ventilation, each combined with weak or strong spontaneous breathing effort. Inspiratory pressure for low tidal volume ventilation was set at 10 cm H2O and tidal volume at 6 mL/kg. For moderate tidal volume ventilation, the values were 20 cm H2O and 7-9 mL/kg. The groups were: low tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingweak, low tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingstrong, moderate tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingweak, and moderate tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingstrong. Each group had the same settings for positive end-expiratory pressure of 8 cm H2O. Respiratory variables were measured every 60 mins. Distribution of lung aeration and alveolar collapse were histologically evaluated. Low tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingstrong showed the most favorable oxygenation and compliance of respiratory system, and the best lung aeration. By contrast, in moderate tidal volume ventilation+spontaneous breathingstrong, the greatest atelectasis with numerous neutrophils was observed. While we applied settings to maintain plateau pressure at ventilation+spontaneous breathingstrong, transpulmonary pressure rose >33 cm H2O. Both minute ventilation and respiratory rate were higher in the strong spontaneous breathing groups. Even when plateau pressure is limited to mechanical ventilation, transpulmonary pressure and tidal volume should be strictly controlled to prevent further lung injury.

  20. Solid waste landfills under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle D

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-11-01

    This document provides guidance for meeting: (1) Guidelines for the Land Disposal of Solid Waste (40 CFR 241); (2) Criteria for Classification of Solid Waste Disposal Facilities and Practices (40 CFR 257); and (3) Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (MSWLFs) (40 CFR Part 258). Revisions to 40 CFR 257 and a new Part 258 were published in the Federal Register (56 FR 50978, 10/9/91). The Guidelines for the Land Disposal of Solid Waste set requirements and recommended procedures to ensure that the design, construction, and operation of land disposal sites is done in a manner that will protect human health and the environment. These regulations are applicable to MSWLFs and non-MSWLFs (e.g., landfills used only for the disposal of demolition debris, commercial waste, and/or industrial waste). These guidelines are not applicable to the, land disposal of hazardous, agricultural, and/or mining wastes. These criteria are to be used under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in determining which solid waste disposal facilities pose a reasonable possibility of adversely affecting human health or the environment. Facilities failing to satisfy these criteria will be considered to be open dumps which are prohibited under Section 4005 of RCRA. The Criteria for MSWLFs are applicable only to MSWLFs, including those MSWLFs in which sewage sludge is co-disposed with household waste. Based on specific criteria, certain MSWLFs are exempt from some, or all, of the regulations of 40 CFR 258. MSWLFs that fail to satisfy the criteria specified in 40 CFR 258 are also considered open dumps for the purposes of Section 4005 of RCRA. Through the use of a series of interrelated flow diagrams, this guidance document directs the reader to each design, operation, maintenance, and closure activity that must be performed for MSWLFs and non-MSWLFs.

  1. Psychological mechanisms and the ups and downs of personal recovery in bipolar disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Dodd, Alyson; Mezes, Barbara; Lobban, Fiona; Jones, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Background: Personal recovery is recognised as an important outcome for individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), and is distinct from symptomatic and functional recovery. Recovery-focused psychological therapies show promise. As with therapies aiming to delay relapse and improve symptoms, research on the psychological mechanisms underlying recovery is crucial to inform effective recovery-focused therapy. However, empirical work is limited. This study investigated whether negative beliefs about...

  2. Recent technological advances in the application of nano-catalytic technology to the enhanced recovery and upgrading of bitumen and heavy oils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pereira Almao, P. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Schulich School of Engineering

    2013-11-01

    Advances in Nanotechnology, such as manufacturing of nano-catalysts allow the online (during processing) and on site production of nano-catalysts for heavy oils upgrading. These inventions have also facilitated the development of two lines of heavy oils upgrading processes that make use of nano-catalysts for producing upgraded oil: In Situ Upgrading and Field Upgrading. Producing chemical upgrading of heavy oils is achievable and economically viable at lower temperatures and lower pressures than used in most upgraders if the use of nano-catalysts were implemented. The spontaneity of thermal, steam and hydro processing reactions for converting the different chemical families of hydrocarbons present in the heaviest fractions of heavy oils and bitumen (HO-B) into lighter products was shown recently. Spontaneity was measured by the value of the change of free energy at low pressure. These undesirable paths are spontaneous and uncontrollable under thermal cracking conditions, and require providing years of residence time for intermolecular hydrogen redistribution to minimize olefins polymerization, if at all possible. Instead, hydroprocessing in the presence of hydrogen activating catalysts would create an abundance of hydrogen radicals impeding large molecules condensation and olefins proliferation. In Situ Upgrading: performs coupled Enhanced Oil Recovery with In Reservoir Upgrading via Hot Fluid Injection (HFI). The heat handling of this HFI process and the production of transportable oil with no need of diluent from the start of operation completes the originality of it. This technology uses heavy fractions separated from produced oil to reintroduce heat into the reservoir along with suspended nano-catalysts and hydrogen. These components react in the well bore and inside the reservoir to release more heat (hydroprocessing reactions are exothermic) producing light gases and volatile hydrocarbons that contribute to increase oil detachment from the rock resulting in

  3. Damage Accumulation and Recovery in Gold-Ion-Irradiated Barium Titanate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Weilin; Weber, William J.; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai

    2001-06-04

    Single-crystal barium titanate (BaTiO) wafers were irradiated 60? off the surface normal at 170 and 300 K using 1.0 MeV Au ions over a fluence range from 0.03 to 0.19 ions/nm. Disorder on both the Ba and Ti sublattices has been studied in situ using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry along the <110> axial direction. At these irradiation temperatures, the temperature dependence of disordering is small. The dose for amorphization under these conditions is on the order of 0.5 dpa, which is 50% of that required to amorphize SrTiO under similar conditions. At low damage levels, recovery of disorder is observed at room temperature, suggesting at least one lower temperature recovery stage. For more highly damaged states, two distinct recovery stages have been identified between 420 and 570 K and between 720 and 870 K. The recovery stage between 420 and 570 K is associated with the critical temperature for full amorphization ({approx}550 K) in BaTiO. The higher temperature recovery stage is most likely associated with epitaxial recrystallization.

  4. Spontaneous generation of rapidly transmissible prions in transgenic mice expressing wild-type bank vole prion protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Joel C; Giles, Kurt; Stöhr, Jan; Oehler, Abby; Bhardwaj, Sumita; Grillo, Sunny K; Patel, Smita; DeArmond, Stephen J; Prusiner, Stanley B

    2012-02-28

    Currently, there are no animal models of the most common human prion disorder, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), in which prions are formed spontaneously from wild-type (WT) prion protein (PrP). Interestingly, bank voles (BV) exhibit an unprecedented promiscuity for diverse prion isolates, arguing that bank vole PrP (BVPrP) may be inherently prone to adopting misfolded conformations. Therefore, we constructed transgenic (Tg) mice expressing WT BVPrP. Tg(BVPrP) mice developed spontaneous CNS dysfunction between 108 and 340 d of age and recapitulated the hallmarks of prion disease, including spongiform degeneration, pronounced astrogliosis, and deposition of alternatively folded PrP in the brain. Brain homogenates of ill Tg(BVPrP) mice transmitted disease to Tg(BVPrP) mice in ∼35 d, to Tg mice overexpressing mouse PrP in under 100 d, and to WT mice in ∼185 d. Our studies demonstrate experimentally that WT PrP can spontaneously form infectious prions in vivo. Thus, Tg(BVPrP) mice may be useful for studying the spontaneous formation of prions, and thus may provide insight into the etiology of sporadic CJD.

  5. The Effect of Live Spontaneous Harp Music on Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann Marie Chiasson

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was performed to investigate the effect of live, spontaneous harp music on individual patients in an intensive care unit (ICU, either pre- or postoperatively. The purpose was to determine whether this intervention would serve as a relaxation or healing modality, as evidenced by the effect on patient’s pain, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate variability. Each consenting patient was randomly assigned to receive either a live 10-minute concert of spontaneous music played by an expert harpist or a 10-minute rest period. Spontaneous harp music significantly decreased patient perception of pain by 27% but did not significantly affect heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, or heart rate variability. Trends emerged, although being not statistically significant, that systolic blood pressure increased while heart rate variability decreased. These findings may invoke patient engagement, as opposed to relaxation, as the underlying mechanism of the decrease in the patients’ pain and of the healing benefit that arises from the relationship between healer, healing modality, and patient.

  6. Cigarette, alcohol, and caffeine consumption: risk factors for spontaneous abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasch, Vibeke

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To study the association between cigarette, alcohol, and caffeine consumption and the occurrence of spontaneous abortion. METHODS: The study population consisted of 330 women with spontaneous abortion and 1168 pregnant women receiving antenatal care. A case-control design was utilized;...... units alcohol per week and 375 mg or more caffeine per day during pregnancy may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.......OBJECTIVE: To study the association between cigarette, alcohol, and caffeine consumption and the occurrence of spontaneous abortion. METHODS: The study population consisted of 330 women with spontaneous abortion and 1168 pregnant women receiving antenatal care. A case-control design was utilized......; cases were defined as women with a spontaneous abortion in gestational week 6-16 and controls as women with a live fetus in gestational week 6-16. The variables studied comprise age, parity, occupational situation, cigarette, alcohol, and caffeine consumption. The association between cigarette, alcohol...

  7. Spontaneous Hedonic Reactions to Social Media Cues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Koningsbruggen, Guido M; Hartmann, Tilo; Eden, Allison; Veling, Harm

    2017-05-01

    Why is it so difficult to resist the desire to use social media? One possibility is that frequent social media users possess strong and spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media cues, which, in turn, makes it difficult to resist social media temptations. In two studies (total N = 200), we investigated less-frequent and frequent social media users' spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media cues using the Affect Misattribution Procedure-an implicit measure of affective reactions. Results demonstrated that frequent social media users showed more favorable affective reactions in response to social media (vs. control) cues, whereas less-frequent social media users' affective reactions did not differ between social media and control cues (Studies 1 and 2). Moreover, the spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media (vs. control) cues were related to self-reported cravings to use social media and partially accounted for the link between social media use and social media cravings (Study 2). These findings suggest that frequent social media users' spontaneous hedonic reactions in response to social media cues might contribute to their difficulties in resisting desires to use social media.

  8. Disaster Debris Recovery Database - Recovery

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The US EPA Disaster Debris Recovery Database (DDRD) promotes the proper recovery, recycling, and disposal of disaster debris for emergency responders at the federal,...

  9. Spontaneous globe luxation associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Ashok Kumar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous globe luxation is a rarely reported condition which can lead to complications like optic neuropathy. Common causes are thyroid eye disease, shallow orbit and floppy eyelid syndrome. We report a case of spontaneous globe luxation with the onset and severity associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. To our knowledge, this is the first case of spontaneous globe luxation associated with COPD.

  10. Spontaneous emission in the presence of a realistically sized cylindrical waveguide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dung, Ho Trung

    2016-01-01

    Various quantities characterizing the spontaneous emission process of a dipole emitter including the emission rate and the emission pattern can be expressed in terms of the Green tensor of the surrounding environment. By expanding the Green tensor around some analytically known background one as a Born series, and truncating it under appropriate conditions, complicated boundaries can be tackled with ease. However, when the emitter is embedded in the medium, even the calculation of the first-order term in the Born series is problematic because of the presence of a singularity. We show how to eliminate this singularity for a medium of arbitrary size and shape by expanding around the bulk medium rather than vacuum. In the highly symmetric configuration of an emitter located on the axis of a realistically sized cylinder, it is shown that the singularity can be removed by changing the integral variables and then the order of integration. Using both methods, we investigate the spontaneous emission rate of an initially excited two-level dipole emitter, embedded in a realistically sized cylinder, which can be a common optical fiber in the long-length limit and a disk in the short-length limit. The spatial distribution of the emitted light is calculated using the Born-expansion approach, and local-field corrections to the spontaneous emission rate are briefly discussed. (paper)

  11. Infrared aspects of spontaneous symmetry breaking of gauge theories in two and three dimensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, H.T.

    1987-01-01

    The spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in SU(N) quantum chromodynamics (QCD) in two dimensions is investigated by calculating the order parameter , where psi is the fermion in the theory, in the authors approximation. In the chiral limit, where the mass of the fermion m → O, is found to be non-zero both in the finite N and N → infinity cases. This implies that chiral symmetry is spontaneously broken by infrared effects in all these cases. The Wilson loop expectation value is calculated for again SU(N) QCD in two dimensions, without fermions. In two dimensions, the Coulomb potential is linear, and thus confining. Under the authors approximation, the area law of the Wilson loop is indeed obtained as expected, for all values of N; in addition, the N-dependent polynomial multiplying the Wilson exponential is also obtained. In quantum electrodynamics (QED) in three dimensions there is a possibility of spontaneous breaking of parity. The authors consider this possibility by studying and the photon propagator. It is found that in the limit m → O, is zero and the photon has a zero mass pole. Therefore, there is no sign of spontaneous parity violation in (QED) in three dimensions induced by infrared effects, in contrast to the positive result of chiral symmetry breaking in two dimensions

  12. Recovery in soccer : part ii-recovery strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nédélec, Mathieu; McCall, Alan; Carling, Chris; Legall, Franck; Berthoin, Serge; Dupont, Gregory

    2013-01-01

    In the formerly published part I of this two-part review, we examined fatigue after soccer matchplay and recovery kinetics of physical performance, and cognitive, subjective and biological markers. To reduce the magnitude of fatigue and to accelerate the time to fully recover after completion, several recovery strategies are now used in professional soccer teams. During congested fixture schedules, recovery strategies are highly required to alleviate post-match fatigue, and then to regain performance faster and reduce the risk of injury. Fatigue following competition is multifactorial and mainly related to dehydration, glycogen depletion, muscle damage and mental fatigue. Recovery strategies should consequently be targeted against the major causes of fatigue. Strategies reviewed in part II of this article were nutritional intake, cold water immersion, sleeping, active recovery, stretching, compression garments, massage and electrical stimulation. Some strategies such as hydration, diet and sleep are effective in their ability to counteract the fatigue mechanisms. Providing milk drinks to players at the end of competition and a meal containing high-glycaemic index carbohydrate and protein within the hour following the match are effective in replenishing substrate stores and optimizing muscle-damage repair. Sleep is an essential part of recovery management. Sleep disturbance after a match is common and can negatively impact on the recovery process. Cold water immersion is effective during acute periods of match congestion in order to regain performance levels faster and repress the acute inflammatory process. Scientific evidence for other strategies reviewed in their ability to accelerate the return to the initial level of performance is still lacking. These include active recovery, stretching, compression garments, massage and electrical stimulation. While this does not mean that these strategies do not aid the recovery process, the protocols implemented up until

  13. The Importance of Clinical Phenotype in Understanding and Preventing Spontaneous Preterm Birth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esplin, M Sean

    2016-02-01

    Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) is a well-known cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity. The search for the underlying pathways, documentation of the genetic causes, and identification of markers of spontaneous PTB have been marginally successful due to the fact that it is highly complex, with numerous processes that lead to a final common pathway. There is a great need for a comprehensive, consistent, and uniform classification system, which will be useful in identifying mechanisms, assigning prognosis, aiding in clinical management, and can identify areas of interest for intervention and future study. Effective classification systems must overcome obstacles including the lack of widely accepted definitions and uncertainty about inclusion of classifying features (e.g., presentation at delivery and multiple gestations) and levels of detail of these features. The optimal classification system should be based on the clinical phenotype, including characteristics of the mother, fetus, placenta, and the presentation for delivery. We present a proposed phenotyping system for spontaneous PTB. Future classification systems must establish a universally accepted set of definitions and a standardized clinical workup for all PTBs including the minimum clinical data to be collected and the laboratory and pathologic evaluation that should be completed. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  14. Thoracoscopic CO laser coagulation shrinkage of blebs in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sensaki, Koji; Arai, Tsunenori; Kikuchi, Keiichi; Takagi, Keigo; Tanaka, Susumu; Kikuchi, Makoto

    1992-06-01

    Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common disease in young people. Operative intervention has been done in most of the recurrent cases. Recently thoracoscopic treatment has been tested as a less invasive treatment modarity. We adopted carbon monoxide (CO) laser for thoracoscopic treatment of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax. CO laser (wavelength; 5.4 micrometers ) could be delivered by chalcogenide glass (As - S) covered with a teflon sheath and ZnSe fiber tip. The sterilized flexible bronchoscope was inserted through the thoracoscopic outer sheath under local anesthesia. Shrinkage of blebs was obtained by non-contact method of CO laser irradiation. Laser power at the tip was 2.5 - 5 W and irradiation duration was 0.5 s each. Excellent shrinkage of bleb and bulla could be obtained by CO laser without perforation complication. Advantages of CO laser as a thoracoscopic treatment were: (1) capability of fiber delivery (flexible thoracoscopy was easy to operate and clear to visualize the blebs which were frequently found at the apical portion of the lung, and (2) shallow extinction length (good shrinkage of blebs, low risk of perforation, and thin layer of carbonization). In conclusion, our new technique of thoracoscopic CO laser irradiation was found to be a safe and effective treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax.

  15. Effectiveness of the food recovery at the retailing stage under shelf life uncertainty: An application to Italian food chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muriana, Cinzia

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The food recovery is seen as suitable way to manage food near to its expiry date. • The variability of the products shelf life must be taken into account. • The paper addresses the mathematic modeling of the profit related to food recovery. • The optimal time to withdraw the products is determinant for food recovery. - Abstract: Food losses represent a significant issue affecting food supply chains. The possibility of recovering such products can be seen as an effective way to reduce such a phenomenon, improve supply chain performances and ameliorate the conditions of undernourished people. The topic has been already investigated by a previous paper enforcing the hypothesis of deterministic and constant Shelf Life (SL) of products. However, such a model cannot be properly extended to products affected by uncertainties of the SL as it does not take into account the deterioration costs and loss of profits due to the overcoming of the SL within the cycle time. Thus the present paper presents an extension of the previous one under stochastic conditions of the food quality. Differently from the previous publication, this work represents a general model applicable to all supply chains, especially to those managing fresh products characterized by uncertain SL such as fruits and vegetables. The deterioration costs and loss of profits are included in the model and the optimal time at which to withdraw the products from the shelves as well as the quantities to be shipped at each alternative destination have been determined. A comparison of the proposed model with that reported in the previous publication has been carried out in order to underline the impact of the SL variability on the optimality conditions. The results show that the food recovery strategy in the presence of uncertainty of the food quality is rewarding, even if the optimal profit is lower than that of the deterministic case

  16. Effectiveness of the food recovery at the retailing stage under shelf life uncertainty: An application to Italian food chains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muriana, Cinzia, E-mail: cinzia.muriana@unipa.it

    2015-07-15

    Highlights: • The food recovery is seen as suitable way to manage food near to its expiry date. • The variability of the products shelf life must be taken into account. • The paper addresses the mathematic modeling of the profit related to food recovery. • The optimal time to withdraw the products is determinant for food recovery. - Abstract: Food losses represent a significant issue affecting food supply chains. The possibility of recovering such products can be seen as an effective way to reduce such a phenomenon, improve supply chain performances and ameliorate the conditions of undernourished people. The topic has been already investigated by a previous paper enforcing the hypothesis of deterministic and constant Shelf Life (SL) of products. However, such a model cannot be properly extended to products affected by uncertainties of the SL as it does not take into account the deterioration costs and loss of profits due to the overcoming of the SL within the cycle time. Thus the present paper presents an extension of the previous one under stochastic conditions of the food quality. Differently from the previous publication, this work represents a general model applicable to all supply chains, especially to those managing fresh products characterized by uncertain SL such as fruits and vegetables. The deterioration costs and loss of profits are included in the model and the optimal time at which to withdraw the products from the shelves as well as the quantities to be shipped at each alternative destination have been determined. A comparison of the proposed model with that reported in the previous publication has been carried out in order to underline the impact of the SL variability on the optimality conditions. The results show that the food recovery strategy in the presence of uncertainty of the food quality is rewarding, even if the optimal profit is lower than that of the deterministic case.

  17. Development of natural cellulase inhibitor mediated intensified biological pretreatment technology using Pleurotus florida for maximum recovery of cellulose from paddy straw under solid state condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naresh Kumar, Manickam; Ravikumar, Rajarathinam; Thenmozhi, Senniyappan; Kirupa Sankar, Muthuvelu

    2017-11-01

    Inhibitor mediated intensified bio-pretreatment (IMBP) technology using natural cellulase inhibitor (NCI) for maximum cellulose recovery from paddy straw was studied. Pretreatment was carried out under solid state condition. Supplementation of 8% NCI in pretreatment medium improves cellulose recovery and delignification by 1.2 and 1.5-fold respectively, compared to conventional bio-pretreatment due to inhibition of 61% of cellulase activity in IMBP. Further increase in NCI concentration showed negative effect on Pleurotus florida growth and suppress the laccase productivity by 1.1-fold. Laccase activity in IMBP was found to be 2.0U/mL on 19 th day, which is higher than (1.5U/mL) conventional bio-pretreatment. Physico-chemical modifications in paddy straw before and after pretreatment were analysed by SEM, ATR-FTIR, XRD and TGA. According to these findings, the IMBP technology can be a viable eco-friendly technology for sustainable production of bioethanol with maximum cellulose recovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 76 FR 61379 - Final Recovery Plan, Bexar County Karst Invertebrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-04

    ...] Final Recovery Plan, Bexar County Karst Invertebrates AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... availability of our final recovery plan, for the nine Bexar County Karst Invertebrates under the Endangered... County karst invertebrates were listed as endangered species on December 26, 2000 (65 FR 81419): Rhadine...

  19. Surgical management of spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bal Krishna Shrestha

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage is the spontaneous brainstem hemorrhage associated with long term hypertension but not having definite focal or objective lesion. It is a catastrophic event which has a poor prognosis and usually managed conservatively. It is not uncommon, especially in eastern Asian populations, accounting approximately for 10% of the intracerebral hemorrhage. Before the advent of computed tomography, the diagnosis of brainstem hemorrhage was usually based on the clinical picture or by autopsy and believed to be untreatable via surgery. The introduction of computed tomography permitted to categorize the subtypes of brainstem hemorrhage with more predicted outcome. Continuous ongoing developments in the stereotactic surgery and microsurgery have added more specific surgical management in these patients. However, whether to manage conservatively or promptly with surgical evacuation of hematoma is still a controversy. Studies have shown that an accurate prognostic assessment based on clinical and radiological features on admission is critical for establishing a reasonable therapeutic approach. Some authors have advocate conservative management, whereas others have suggested the efficacy of surgical treatment in brainstem hemorrhage. With the widening knowledge in microsurgical techniques as well as neuroimaging technology, there seems to have more optimistic hope of surgical management of spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage for better prognosis. Here we present five cases of severe spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage patients who had undergone surgery; and explore the possibilities of surgical management in patients with the spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage.

  20. Shared risk aversion in spontaneous and induced abortion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Catalano, Ralph; Bruckner, Tim A.; Karasek, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    spontaneous and non-clinically indicated induced abortions. This suggests, consistent with our theory, that mothers of conception cohorts that yielded more spontaneous abortions than expected opted more frequently than expected for non-clinically indicated induced abortion. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION...

  1. Spontaneous regression of brain arteriovenous malformations--a clinical study and a systematic review of the literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buis, Dennis R.; van den Berg, René; Lycklama, Geert; van der Worp, H. Bart; Dirven, Clemens M. F.; Vandertop, W. Peter

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Complete spontaneous obliteration of a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare event, with 67 angiographically proven cases in the world literature. We present a new case and a systematic literature review to determine possible mechanisms underlying this unusual

  2. Spontaneous passage of long, sharp gastrointestinal foreign body in a child.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karthikeyan, Vilvapathy Senguttuvan; Ansari, Mohammed Gaffoor; Suresh, Ramasamy; Easwaran, Bettaiyagowder

    2015-01-19

    Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem in children. Up to 90% of these FBs pass spontaneously. FBs reaching the stomach usually pass out spontaneously. Exceptions to this spontaneous passage include a long FB that cannot cross the pylorus, duodenum or ileocaecal junction. We present a case of a 9-year boy who accidentally ingested a long paper pin, which spontaneously passed in 26 h. This case is being reported to highlight the successful spontaneous passage of a 4 cm long sharp foreign body in a child. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  3. Numerical investigation of complex flooding schemes for surfactant polymer based enhanced oil recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Sourav; Daripa, Prabir

    2015-11-01

    Surfactant-polymer flooding is a widely used method of chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in which an array of complex fluids containing suitable and varying amounts of surfactant or polymer or both mixed with water is injected into the reservoir. This is an example of multiphase, multicomponent and multiphysics porous media flow which is characterized by the spontaneous formation of complex viscous fingering patterns and is modeled by a system of strongly coupled nonlinear partial differential equations with appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Here we propose and discuss a modern, hybrid method based on a combination of a discontinuous, multiscale finite element formulation and the method of characteristics to accurately solve the system. Several types of flooding schemes and rheological properties of the injected fluids are used to numerically study the effectiveness of various injection policies in minimizing the viscous fingering and maximizing oil recovery. Numerical simulations are also performed to investigate the effect of various other physical and model parameters such as heterogeneity, relative permeability and residual saturation on the quantities of interest like cumulative oil recovery, sweep efficiency, fingering intensity to name a few. Supported by the grant NPRP 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation).

  4. Acute febrile illness in cirrhosis - thinking beyond spontaneous bacterial peritonitis!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Ajay K; Sircar, Shohini; Jain, Mayank; Adkar, Sagar; Waghmare, Chandrashekhar; Chahwala, Fatema

    2012-10-01

    The aim of this study was to look at the aetiological factors presenting as acute febrile illness in cirrhotic patients. The study group included all cirrhotic patients admitted as inpatients between January and December 2011 with a history of fever of less than seven days duration. Detailed history, clinical examination and investigations, as required, were noted. The data collected were analysed. A total of 42 patients formed the study group. The male-to-female ratio was 9.5:1. The mean age at presentation was 45.09 years (24-77 years). The aetiological factors for fever were: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (20), lower respiratory tract infection (8), urinary tract infection (6), lower limb cellulitis (4), acute cholecystitis (2) and malaria (2). The mean MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) score at presentation was 20.4. Three patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and a mean MELD score of 31 died during the hospital admission. Febrile illness in cirrhosis is attributable to multiple causes. Outcome is dependent on the severity of underlying liver disease.

  5. Detection of target phonemes in spontaneous and read speech

    OpenAIRE

    Mehta, G.; Cutler, A.

    1988-01-01

    Although spontaneous speech occurs more frequently in most listeners’ experience than read speech, laboratory studies of human speech recognition typically use carefully controlled materials read from a script. The phonological and prosodic characteristics of spontaneous and read speech differ considerably, however, which suggests that laboratory results may not generalize to the recognition of spontaneous and read speech materials, and their response time to detect word-initial target phonem...

  6. Recovery Act. Tapoco project. Cheoah upgrade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran, Paul [Alcoa Inc., Alcoa Center, PA (United States)

    2013-10-02

    Under Funding Opportunity Announcement Number: DE-FOA-0000120, Recovery Act: Hydroelectric Facility Modernization, Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI), a fully owned subsidiary of Alcoa Inc., implemented major upgrades at its Cheoah hydroelectric facility near Robbinsville, North Carolina.

  7. Spontaneous Splenic Rupture in Melanoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadi Mirfazaelian

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous rupture of spleen due to malignant melanoma is a rare situation, with only a few case reports in the literature. This study reports a previously healthy, 30-year-old man who came with chief complaint of acute abdominal pain to emergency room. On physical examination, abdominal tenderness and guarding were detected to be coincident with hypotension. Ultrasonography revealed mild splenomegaly with moderate free fluid in abdominopelvic cavity. Considering acute abdominal pain and hemodynamic instability, he underwent splenectomy with splenic rupture as the source of bleeding. Histologic examination showed diffuse infiltration by tumor. Immunohistochemical study (positive for S100, HMB45, and vimentin and negative for CK, CD10, CK20, CK7, CD30, LCA, EMA, and chromogranin confirmed metastatic malignant melanoma. On further questioning, there was a past history of a nasal dark skin lesion which was removed two years ago with no pathologic examination. Spontaneous (nontraumatic rupture of spleen is an uncommon situation and it happens very rarely due to neoplastic metastasis. Metastasis of malignant melanoma is one of the rare causes of the spontaneous rupture of spleen.

  8. Inherently safe in situ uranium recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krumhansl, James L; Brady, Patrick V

    2014-04-29

    An in situ recovery of uranium operation involves circulating reactive fluids through an underground uranium deposit. These fluids contain chemicals that dissolve the uranium ore. Uranium is recovered from the fluids after they are pumped back to the surface. Chemicals used to accomplish this include complexing agents that are organic, readily degradable, and/or have a predictable lifetime in an aquifer. Efficiency is increased through development of organic agents targeted to complexing tetravalent uranium rather than hexavalent uranium. The operation provides for in situ immobilization of some oxy-anion pollutants under oxidizing conditions as well as reducing conditions. The operation also artificially reestablishes reducing conditions on the aquifer after uranium recovery is completed. With the ability to have the impacted aquifer reliably remediated, the uranium recovery operation can be considered inherently safe.

  9. Q-feber som årsag til spontan abort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Stine Yde; Mølbak, Kåre; Hjøllund, Niels Henrik

    2011-01-01

    Q-fever is a zoonotic infection. Pregnant women constitute a specific risk group as the infection may cause spontaneous abortion, intrauterine death, growth retardation, oligohydramnios and premature birth. A 39 year-old veterinarian had a spontaneous abortion in pregnancy week seven. During the ...

  10. Energy recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in EU: proposals to assess the management performance under a circular economy perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rada Elena Cristina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In 2015 the European Commission issued a package of documents on Circular Economy concerning an integrated revision of legislative proposals on waste management. The aim was to stimulate a European transition towards a circular economy concept, which is expected to foster competitiveness, sustainable economic growth and new jobs generation. Three indicators are proposed in this paper to contribute to the assessment of the energy recovery management performance from MSW in a scenario of circular economy: a referring to MSW directly used (RMSW or indirectly used (SRF as input of thermochemical plants, an indicator can be the percentage of waste having LHV > 13MJ/kg; b referring to the MSW directly or indirectly used as input of thermochemical plants, the percentage of waste having ash recovered; c referring to food waste, percentage of this stream sent to anaerobic digestion. The above indicators, proposed and discussed in this paper, have to be integrated with other ones in order to complete the quantification of the role of MSW management in term of energy recovery under a circular economy strategy. It is not the aim of the present paper to give a comprehensive solution to this complex issue.

  11. Spontaneously broken global symmetries and cosmology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shafi, Q.; Vilenkin, A.

    1984-01-01

    Phase transitions associated with spontaneously broken global symmetries, in case these occur in nature, can have important cosmological implications. This is illustrated through two examples. The first one shows how the spontaneous breaking of a global U(1) symmetry, present, for instance, in the minimal SU(5) model, can lead to an inflationary phase. The second example illustrates how topologically stable strings associated with the breaking of U(1) symmetry make an appearance at (or near) the end of the inflationary era

  12. Why Am I Remembering This Now? Predicting the Occurrence of Involuntary (Spontaneous) Episodic Memories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berntsen, Dorthe; Staugaard, Soren Rislov; Sorensen, Louise Maria Torp

    2013-01-01

    Involuntary episodic memories are memories of events that come to mind spontaneously, that is, with no preceding retrieval attempts. They are common in daily life and observed in a range of clinical disorders in the form of negative, intrusive recollections or flashbacks. However, little is known about their underlying mechanisms. Here we report a…

  13. Flow Friction or Spontaneous Ignition?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoltzfus, Joel M.; Gallus, Timothy D.; Sparks, Kyle

    2012-01-01

    "Flow friction," a proposed ignition mechanism in oxygen systems, has proved elusive in attempts at experimental verification. In this paper, the literature regarding flow friction is reviewed and the experimental verification attempts are briefly discussed. Another ignition mechanism, a form of spontaneous combustion, is proposed as an explanation for at least some of the fire events that have been attributed to flow friction in the literature. In addition, the results of a failure analysis performed at NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility are presented, and the observations indicate that spontaneous combustion was the most likely cause of the fire in this 2000 psig (14 MPa) oxygen-enriched system.

  14. Functional recovery after cervical spinal cord injury: Role of neurotrophin and glutamatergic signaling in phrenic motoneurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Luther C; Gransee, Heather M; Sieck, Gary C; Mantilla, Carlos B

    2016-06-01

    Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) interrupts descending neural drive to phrenic motoneurons causing diaphragm muscle (DIAm) paralysis. Recent studies using a well-established model of SCI, unilateral spinal hemisection of the C2 segment of the cervical spinal cord (SH), provide novel information regarding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of functional recovery after SCI. Over time post-SH, gradual recovery of rhythmic ipsilateral DIAm activity occurs. Recovery of ipsilateral DIAm electromyogram (EMG) activity following SH is enhanced by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the region of the phrenic motoneuron pool. Delivery of exogenous BDNF either via intrathecal infusion or via mesenchymal stem cells engineered to release BDNF similarly enhance recovery. Conversely, recovery after SH is blunted by quenching endogenous BDNF with the fusion-protein TrkB-Fc in the region of the phrenic motoneuron pool or by selective inhibition of TrkB kinase activity using a chemical-genetic approach in TrkB(F616A) mice. Furthermore, the importance of BDNF signaling via TrkB receptors at phrenic motoneurons is highlighted by the blunting of recovery by siRNA-mediated downregulation of TrkB receptor expression in phrenic motoneurons and by the enhancement of recovery evident following virally-induced increases in TrkB expression specifically in phrenic motoneurons. BDNF/TrkB signaling regulates synaptic plasticity in various neuronal systems, including glutamatergic pathways. Glutamatergic neurotransmission constitutes the main inspiratory-related, excitatory drive to motoneurons, and following SH, spontaneous neuroplasticity is associated with increased expression of ionotropic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in phrenic motoneurons. Evidence for the role of BDNF/TrkB and glutamatergic signaling in recovery of DIAm activity following cervical SCI is reviewed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Spontaneous Perforation of Pyometra: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Pyometra is the accumulation of purulent material in the uterine cavity. Its reported incidence is 0.01–0.5% in gynecologic patients; however, as far as elderly patients are concerned, its incidence is 13.6% [3]. The most common cause of pyometra is malignant diseases of genital tract and the consequences of their treatment (radiotherapy. Other causes are benign tumors like leiomyoma, endometrial polyps, senile cervicitis, cervical occlusion after surgery, puerperal infections, and congenital cervical anomalies. Spontaneous rupture of the uterus is an extremely rare complication of pyometra. To our knowledge, only 21 cases of spontaneous perforation of pyometra have been reported in English literature since 1980. This paper reports an additional case of spontaneous uterine rupture.

  16. Humidification of Blow-By Oxygen During Recovery of Postoperative Pediatric Patients: One Unit's Journey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donahue, Suzanne; DiBlasi, Robert M; Thomas, Karen

    2018-02-02

    To examine the practice of nebulizer cool mist blow-by oxygen administered to spontaneously breathing postanesthesia care unit (PACU) pediatric patients during Phase one recovery. Existing evidence was evaluated. Informal benchmarking documented practices in peer organizations. An in vitro study was then conducted to simulate clinical practice and determine depth and amount of airway humidity delivery with blow-by oxygen. Informal benchmarking information was obtained by telephone interview. Using a three-dimensional printed simulation model of the head connected to a breathing lung simulator, depth and amount of moisture delivery in the respiratory tree were measured. Evidence specific to PACU administration of cool mist blow-by oxygen was limited. Informal benchmarking revealed that routine cool mist oxygenated blow-by administration was not widely practiced. The laboratory experiment revealed minimal moisture reaching the mid-tracheal area of the simulated airway model. Routine use of oxygenated cool mist in spontaneously breathing pediatric PACU patients is not supported. Copyright © 2017 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Infiltrating blood-derived macrophages are vital cells playing an anti-inflammatory role in recovery from spinal cord injury in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shechter, Ravid; London, Anat; Varol, Chen; Raposo, Catarina; Cusimano, Melania; Yovel, Gili; Rolls, Asya; Mack, Matthias; Pluchino, Stefano; Martino, Gianvito; Jung, Steffen; Schwartz, Michal

    2009-07-01

    Although macrophages (MPhi) are known as essential players in wound healing, their contribution to recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) is a subject of debate. The difficulties in distinguishing between different MPhi subpopulations at the lesion site have further contributed to the controversy and led to the common view of MPhi as functionally homogenous. Given the massive accumulation in the injured spinal cord of activated resident microglia, which are the native immune occupants of the central nervous system (CNS), the recruitment of additional infiltrating monocytes from the peripheral blood seems puzzling. A key question that remains is whether the infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi contribute to repair, or represent an unavoidable detrimental response. The hypothesis of the current study is that a specific population of infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi is functionally distinct from the inflammatory resident microglia and is essential for recovery from SCI. We inflicted SCI in adult mice, and tested the effect of infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi on the recovery process. Adoptive transfer experiments and bone marrow chimeras were used to functionally distinguish between the resident microglia and the infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi. We followed the infiltration of the monocyte-derived MPhi to the injured site and characterized their spatial distribution and phenotype. Increasing the naïve monocyte pool by either adoptive transfer or CNS-specific vaccination resulted in a higher number of spontaneously recruited cells and improved recovery. Selective ablation of infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi following SCI while sparing the resident microglia, using either antibody-mediated depletion or conditional ablation by diphtheria toxin, impaired recovery. Reconstitution of the peripheral blood with monocytes resistant to ablation restored the lost motor functions. Importantly, the infiltrating monocyte-derived MPhi displayed a local anti

  18. Spontaneous regression of metastases from malignant melanoma: a case report

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kalialis, Louise V; Drzewiecki, Krzysztof T; Mohammadi, Mahin

    2008-01-01

    A case of a 61-year-old male with widespread metastatic melanoma is presented 5 years after complete spontaneous cure. Spontaneous regression occurred in cutaneous, pulmonary, hepatic and cerebral metastases. A review of the literature reveals seven cases of regression of cerebral metastases......; this report is the first to document complete spontaneous regression of cerebral metastases from malignant melanoma by means of computed tomography scans. Spontaneous regression is defined as the partial or complete disappearance of a malignant tumour in the absence of all treatment or in the presence...

  19. Exploring the building blocks of social cognition: spontaneous agency perception and visual perspective taking in autism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwickel, Jan; White, Sarah J; Coniston, Devorah; Senju, Atsushi; Frith, Uta

    2011-10-01

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorders have highly characteristic impairments in social interaction and this is true also for those with high functioning autism or Asperger syndrome (AS). These social cognitive impairments are far from global and it seems likely that some of the building blocks of social cognition are intact. In our first experiment, we investigated whether high functioning adults who also had a diagnosis of AS would be similar to control participants in terms of their eye movements when watching animated triangles in short movies that normally evoke mentalizing. They were. Our second experiment using the same movies, tested whether both groups would spontaneously adopt the visuo-spatial perspective of a triangle protagonist. They did. At the same time autistic participants differed in their verbal accounts of the story line underlying the movies, confirming their specific difficulties in on-line mentalizing. In spite of this difficulty, two basic building blocks of social cognition appear to be intact: spontaneous agency perception and spontaneous visual perspective taking.

  20. Runoff and sediment yield of tilled and spontaneous grass-covered olive groves grown on sloping land

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palese, A.M.; Ringersma, Jacquelijn; Baartman, J.E.M.; Peters, P.; Xiloyannis, C.

    2015-01-01

    Soil erosion in olive groves is a widespread phenomenon in the Mediterranean Basin. Many studies have investigated the effects of tillage and herbaceous ground cover (spontaneous or seeded) in their effectiveness to reduce soil erosion in a wide range of Mediterranean sites under different

  1. Effects of Degree of Superheat on the Running Performance of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC Waste Heat Recovery System for Diesel Engines under Various Operating Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Yang

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzed the variation law of engine exhaust energy under various operating conditions to improve the thermal efficiency and fuel economy of diesel engines. An organic Rankine cycle (ORC waste heat recovery system with internal heat exchanger (IHE was designed to recover waste heat from the diesel engine exhaust. The zeotropic mixture R416A was used as the working fluid for the ORC. Three evaluation indexes were presented as follows: waste heat recovery efficiency (WHRE, engine thermal efficiency increasing ratio (ETEIR, and output energy density of working fluid (OEDWF. In terms of various operating conditions of the diesel engine, this study investigated the variation tendencies of the running performances of the ORC waste heat recovery system and the effects of the degree of superheat on the running performance of the ORC waste heat recovery system through theoretical calculations. The research findings showed that the net power output, WHRE, and ETEIR of the ORC waste heat recovery system reach their maxima when the degree of superheat is 40 K, engine speed is 2200 r/min, and engine torque is 1200 N·m. OEDWF gradually increases with the increase in the degree of superheat, which indicates that the required mass flow rate of R416A decreases for a certain net power output, thereby significantly decreasing the risk of environmental pollution.

  2. Novel folliculin (FLCN) mutation and familial spontaneous pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, J-F; Shen, X-Q; Zhu, F; Tian, L

    2017-01-01

    Familial spontaneous pneumothorax is one of the characteristics of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS), which is an autosomal dominant disease caused by the mutation of folliculin (FLCN). To investigate the mutation of FLCN gene in a familial spontaneous pneumothorax. Prospective case study. Clinical and genetic data of a Chinese family with four patients who presented spontaneous pneumothorax in the absence of skin lesions or renal tumors were collected. CT scan of patient's lung was applied for observation of pneumothorax. DNA sequencing of the coding exons (4-14 exons) of FLCN was performed for all 11 members of the family and 100 unrelated healthy controls. CT scan of patient's lung showed spontaneous pneumothorax. A mutation (c. 510C > G) that leads to a premature stop codon (p. Y170X) was found in the proband using DNA sequencing of coding exons (4-14 exons) of FLCN. This mutation was also observed in the other affected members of the family. A nonsense mutation of FLCN was found in a spontaneous pneumothorax family. Our results expand the mutational spectrum of FLCN in patients with BHDS. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Spontaneous oscillation of tension and sarcomere length in skeletal myofibrils. Microscopic measurement and analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anazawa, T; Yasuda, K; Ishiwata, S

    1992-05-01

    We have devised a simple method for measuring tension development of single myofibrils by micromanipulation with a pair of glass micro-needles. The tension was estimated from the deflection of a flexible needle under an inverted phase-contrast microscope equipped with an image processor, so that the tension development is always accompanied by the shortening of the myofibril (auxotonic condition) in the present setup. The advantage of this method is that the measurement of tension (1/30 s for time resolution and about 0.05 micrograms for accuracy of tension measurement; 0.05 microns as a spatial resolution for displacement of the micro-needle) and the observation of sarcomere structure are possible at the same time, and the technique to hold myofibrils, even single myofibrils, is very simple. This method has been applied to study the tension development of glycerinated skeletal myofibrils under the condition where spontaneous oscillation of sarcomeres is induced, i.e., the coexistence of MgATP, MgADP and inorganic phosphate without free Ca2+. Under this condition, we found that the tension of myofibrils spontaneously oscillates accompanied by the oscillation of sarcomere length with a main period of a few seconds; the period was lengthened and shortened with stretch and release of myofibrils. A possible mechanism of the oscillation is discussed.

  4. Autonomic Recovery Is Delayed in Chinese Compared with Caucasian following Treadmill Exercise.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Sun

    Full Text Available Caucasian populations have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD when compared with their Chinese counterparts and CVD is associated with autonomic function. It is unknown whether autonomic function during exercise recovery differs between Caucasians and Chinese. The present study investigated autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise in healthy Caucasians and Chinese. Sixty-two participants (30 Caucasian and 32 Chinese, 50% male performed an acute bout of treadmill exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve. Heart rate variability (HRV and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS were obtained during 5-min epochs at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise. HRV was assessed using frequency [natural logarithm of high (LnHF and low frequency (LnLF powers, normalized high (nHF and low frequency (nLF powers, and LF/HF ratio] and time domains [Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD, natural logarithm of RMSSD (LnRMSSD and R-R interval (RRI]. Spontaneous BRS included both up-up and down-down sequences. At pre-exercise, no group differences were observed for any HR, HRV and BRS parameters. During exercise recovery, significant race-by-time interactions were observed for LnHF, nHF, nLF, LF/HF, LnRMSSD, RRI, HR, and BRS (up-up. The declines in LnHF, nHF, RMSSD, RRI and BRS (up-up and the increases in LF/HF, nLF and HR were blunted in Chinese when compared to Caucasians from pre-exercise to 30-min to 60-min post-exercise. Chinese exhibited delayed autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise. This delayed autonomic recovery may result from greater sympathetic dominance and extended vagal withdrawal in Chinese.Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-IPR-15006684.

  5. Autonomic Recovery Is Delayed in Chinese Compared with Caucasian following Treadmill Exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Peng; Yan, Huimin; Ranadive, Sushant M; Lane, Abbi D; Kappus, Rebecca M; Bunsawat, Kanokwan; Baynard, Tracy; Hu, Min; Li, Shichang; Fernhall, Bo

    2016-01-01

    Caucasian populations have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when compared with their Chinese counterparts and CVD is associated with autonomic function. It is unknown whether autonomic function during exercise recovery differs between Caucasians and Chinese. The present study investigated autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise in healthy Caucasians and Chinese. Sixty-two participants (30 Caucasian and 32 Chinese, 50% male) performed an acute bout of treadmill exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve. Heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were obtained during 5-min epochs at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise. HRV was assessed using frequency [natural logarithm of high (LnHF) and low frequency (LnLF) powers, normalized high (nHF) and low frequency (nLF) powers, and LF/HF ratio] and time domains [Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), natural logarithm of RMSSD (LnRMSSD) and R-R interval (RRI)]. Spontaneous BRS included both up-up and down-down sequences. At pre-exercise, no group differences were observed for any HR, HRV and BRS parameters. During exercise recovery, significant race-by-time interactions were observed for LnHF, nHF, nLF, LF/HF, LnRMSSD, RRI, HR, and BRS (up-up). The declines in LnHF, nHF, RMSSD, RRI and BRS (up-up) and the increases in LF/HF, nLF and HR were blunted in Chinese when compared to Caucasians from pre-exercise to 30-min to 60-min post-exercise. Chinese exhibited delayed autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise. This delayed autonomic recovery may result from greater sympathetic dominance and extended vagal withdrawal in Chinese. Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-IPR-15006684.

  6. Damage accumulation and recovery in gold-ion-irradiated barium titanate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, W.; Weber, W.J. E-mail: bill.weber@pnl.gov; Thevuthasan, S

    2001-04-01

    Single-crystal barium titanate (BaTiO{sub 3}) wafers were irradiated 60 deg. off the surface normal at 170 and 300 K using 1.0 MeV Au{sup 2+} ions over a fluence range from 0.03 to 0.19 ions/nm{sup 2}. Disorder on both the Ba and Ti sublattices has been studied in situ using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry along the <1 1 0> axial direction. At these irradiation temperatures, the temperature dependence of disordering is small. The dose for amorphization under these conditions is on the order of 0.5 dpa, which is 50% of that required to amorphize SrTiO{sub 3} under similar conditions. At low damage levels, recovery of disorder is observed at room temperature, suggesting at least one lower temperature recovery stage. For more highly damaged states, two distinct recovery stages have been identified between 420 and 570 K and between 720 and 870 K. The recovery stage between 420 and 570 K is associated with the critical temperature for full amorphization ({approx}550 K) in BaTiO{sub 3}. The higher temperature recovery stage is most likely associated with epitaxial recrystallization.

  7. Imaging of early spontaneous osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis of the knee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kusayama, Takeshi; Tomatsu, Taisuke

    1999-01-01

    In this paper, the available of MRI in diagnosis on early spontaneous osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis was investigated. Subjects were 5 cases (5 knees) with spontaneous osteonecrosis (stage 1 in Koshino's classification) and 96 cases (104 knees) in osteoarthritis who were more than 50 years old. Patients with an early spontaneous osteonecrosis were elderly females and had night pain and severe spontaneous pain. On MRI, lesions of all cases were clearly detected in early stage. On the other hand, only 47 of 104 knees (45%) were detected in patients with osteoarthritis, and mirror lesions at shank sides were detected in 45 of 47 knees. These results suggest that it is possible to diagnose early spontaneous osteonecrosis from osteoarthritis by MRI image with the clue to mirror lesion at shank sides, incidence, stage, etc. On the diagnosis of early spontaneous osteonecrosis, MRI image should be performed as soon as possible if a patient was older, had no anamnesis of lesions, and no changes by the X-ray radiography in spite of severe pain of the knee joints. (K.H.)

  8. Aspirin attenuates spontaneous recurrent seizures in the chronically epileptic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Kun; Hu, Ming; Yuan, Bo; Liu, Jian-Xin; Liu, Yong

    2017-08-01

    Neuroinflammatory processes are pathologic hallmarks of both experimental and human epilepsy, and could be implicated in the neuronal hyperexcitability. Aspirin represents one of the non-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects in long-term application. This study was carried out to assess the anti-epileptic effects of aspirin when administered during the chronic stage of temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE] in mice. The alteration of hippocampal neurogenesis was also examined for raising a possible mechanism underlying the protective effect of anti-inflammatory treatment in the TLE. Two months after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus, the chronically epileptic mice were treated with aspirin (20 mg, 60 mg or 80 mg/kg) once a day for 10 weeks. Spontaneous recurrent seizures were monitored by video camera for 2 weeks. To evaluate the profile of hippocampal neurogenesis, the newly generated cells in the dentate gyrus were labeled by the proliferation marker BrdU. The newborn neurons that extended axons to CA3 area were visualized by cholera toxin B subunit retrograde tracing. Administration of aspirin with a dosage of 60 mg or 80 mg/kg initiated at 2 months after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus significantly reduced the frequency and duration of spontaneous recurrent seizures. Aspirin treatment also increased the number of newborn neurons with anatomic integration through improving the survival of the newly generated cells. Aspirin treatment during the chronic stage of TLE could attenuate the spontaneous recurrent seizures in mice. Promotion of hippocampal neurogenesis and inhibition of COX-PGE2 pathway might partly contribute to this anti-epileptic effect. Highlights • Aspirin attenuates spontaneous recurrent seizures of chronically epileptic mice • Aspirin increases neurogenesis of chronically epileptic hippocampus by improving the survival of newly generated cells • Promotion of hippocampal neurogenesis and inhibition

  9. Spontaneous resolution of pituitary apoplexy in a giant boy under 10 years old.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chentli, Farida; Bey, Abderrahim; Belhimer, Faiza; Azzoug, Said

    2012-01-01

    Pituitary gigantism is a very rare condition; the occurrence of pituitary apoplexy in children younger than 10 years old is even rarer. The aim of our study is to report this exceptional association. A boy aged 9 years and 6 months was hospitalized for the first time in November 2011 for symptoms suggesting pituitary apoplexy. The onset of his disease was difficult to determine as his health record has been poorly maintained. On October 10, 2011, he presented to an emergency department with a sudden drop of visual acuity with diplopia and retro-orbital headaches. An ophthalmological exam found very low visual acuity (1/20) with papillary edema. An MRI of the patient's brain revealed a hemorrhagic pituitary process reaching the chiasma, which was compressed, especially on the right side. Thereafter, the patient's vision improved spontaneously. Clinical examination was normal except for gigantism (+5 SD compared to the target stature). Hormonal assessment argued for mixed secretion [growth hormone (GH) = 39 ng/mL, n ≤ 5, prolactin ( PRL) = 470 ng/mL, n gigantism: phenomenon quite exceptional and worth to be reported.

  10. Spontaneous infected biloma: case report | Kimani | East African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Biloma is defined as any collection of bile outside the biliary tree. It mainly results from surgical complications and abdominal trauma. Spontaneous biloma is extremely rare and is occasionally associated with choledocholithiasis. This report describes a case of spontaneous biloma diagnosed radiologically and confirmed at ...

  11. Spontaneous resolution of post-traumatic chronic subdural hematoma

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Here, we present a case of spontaneously resolved post-traumatic bilateral chronic subdural hematoma within a period of one month in a 55-year-old male and we discuss the probable mechanisms of pathophysiology in the spontaneous resolution of chronic subdural hematoma. Keywords: Antiaggregation therapy, chronic ...

  12. Spontaneously broken spacetime symmetries and the role of inessential Goldstones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Remko; Roest, Diederik; Stefanyszyn, David

    2017-10-01

    In contrast to internal symmetries, there is no general proof that the coset construction for spontaneously broken spacetime symmetries leads to universal dynamics. One key difference lies in the role of Goldstone bosons, which for spacetime symmetries includes a subset which are inessential for the non-linear realisation and hence can be eliminated. In this paper we address two important issues that arise when eliminating inessential Goldstones. The first concerns the elimination itself, which is often performed by imposing so-called inverse Higgs constraints. Contrary to claims in the literature, there are a series of conditions on the structure constants which must be satisfied to employ the inverse Higgs phenomenon, and we discuss which parametrisation of the coset element is the most effective in this regard. We also consider generalisations of the standard inverse Higgs constraints, which can include integrating out inessential Goldstones at low energies, and prove that under certain assumptions these give rise to identical effective field theories for the essential Goldstones. Secondly, we consider mappings between non-linear realisations that differ both in the coset element and the algebra basis. While these can always be related to each other by a point transformation, remarkably, the inverse Higgs constraints are not necessarily mapped onto each other under this transformation. We discuss the physical implications of this non-mapping, with a particular emphasis on the coset space corresponding to the spontaneous breaking of the Anti-De Sitter isometries by a Minkowski probe brane.

  13. Spontaneous symmetry breaking in N=3 supergravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zinov'ev, Yu.M.

    1986-01-01

    The possibility of the spontaneous symmetry breaking without a cosmological term in N=3 supergravity is investigated. A new, dual version of N=3 supergravity - U(3)-supergravity is constructed. Such a theory is shown to admit a spontaneous supersymmetry breaking without a cosmological term and with three arbitrary scales, including partial super-Higgs effect N=3 → N=2 and N=3 → N=1

  14. Symmetry restoration in spontaneously broken induced gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amati, D.; Russo, J.

    1990-01-01

    We investigate the recuperation of expected invariant behaviours in a non-metric gravity theory in which the full general relativistic invariance is broken spontaneously. We show how dangerous increasing energy behaviours of physical amplitudes cancel in a highly non-trivial way. This evidences the expected loss of the vacuum generated scale in the UV regime and gives support for the consistency of spontaneously broken gravity theories. (orig.)

  15. Optimization-based design of waste heat recovery systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cignitti, Stefano

    /or selected. This dissertation focuses on the chemical product and process systems used for waste heat recovery. Here, chemical products are working fluids, which are under continuous development and screening to fulfill regulatory environmental protection and safe operation requirements. Furthermore......, for the recovery of low-grade waste heat, new fluids and processes are needed to make the recovery technically and economically feasible. As the chemical product is influential in the design of the process system, the design of novel chemical products must be considered with the process system. Currently, state...... product and process system in terms of efficiency and sustainability. Today, some of the most important chemical product design problems are solvents and working fluids. Solvents are a vital part in the recovery of valuable resources in separation processes or waste water treatment. Working fluids...

  16. Use of coal-oil agglomerates for particulate gold recovery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvez, J.P.S.; Kim, M.J.; Wong, P.L.M.; Tran, T. [University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW (Australia). School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry

    1998-09-01

    The underlying principles by which gold is recovered by coal-oil agglomerates was investigated. The effects of various parameters such as oil:coal ratios, agglomerate:ore ratios, pH and coal particle size on gold recovery were evaluated using synthetic gold bearing samples, bituminous coal, and diesel oil and kerosene. The effects of sulfides on gold recovery and the depth of gold particle penetration within the agglomerates were also investigated. Results showed that gold recovery was increased by increasing agglomerate:ore ratio, decreasing oil:coal ratio and decreasing coal particle size. There was no significant difference in gold recoveries at pH range of 4-12 and at up to 5% sulfides in the feed.

  17. Identification and molecular characterization of a naturally occurring RNA virus mutant defective in the initiation of host recovery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xin Hongwu; Ding Shouwei

    2003-01-01

    The host recovery response is characterized by the disappearance of disease symptoms and activation of the RNA silencing virus resistance in the new growth following an initial symptomatic infection. However, it is not clear what triggers the initiation of recovery, which occurs naturally only in some virus-host interactions. Here we report the identification and characterization of a spontaneous mutant of Tobacco streak virus (TSV) that became defective in triggering recovery in tobacco plants. Infectious full-length cDNA clones corresponding to the tripartite RNA genome were constructed from both the wild-type and the nonrecovery mutant of TSV (TSVnr), the first sets of infectious cDNA clones from an Ilarvirus. Genetic and molecular analyses identified an A → G mutation in the TSVnr genome that was sufficient to confer nonrecovery when introduced into TSV. The mutation was located in the intergenic region of RNA 3 upstream of the mapped transcriptional start site of the coat protein mRNA. Intriguingly, induction of recovery by TSV was not accompanied by virus clearance and TSV consistently accumulated to significantly higher levels than TSVnr did even though TSVnr-infected plants displayed severe symptoms throughout the course of infection. Thus, our findings indicate that recovery of host can be initiated by minimal genetic changes in a viral genome and may occur in the absence of virus clearance. Mechanisms possibly involved in the initiation of host recovery are discussed

  18. Thoracoscopic modified pleural tent for spontaneous pneumothorax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawachi, Riken; Matsuwaki, Rie; Tachibana, Keisei; Karita, Shin; Nakazato, Yoko; Tanaka, Ryota; Nagashima, Yasushi; Takei, Hidefumi; Kondo, Haruhiko

    2016-08-01

    We developed a modified pleural tent (m-tent) procedure and used it in our hospital in almost 30 consecutive patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. The objective of this study was to clarify the feasibility and effectiveness of a thoracoscopic m-tent for the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. From July 2013 to November 2014, 107 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were treated in our institution. Eighty-nine of these patients were analysed retrospectively. The inclusion criteria for thoracoscopic m-tent for spontaneous pneumothorax were multiple and widespread bullae, postoperative relapse and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. The surgical procedures were usually performed through three ports. After bullectomy, an m-tent is made to strip the parietal pleura off the chest wall from about the level of the fourth or fifth rib to the apex, and two or three ligations are then applied to fix the pleural tent and lung parenchyma. Patients in whom an m-tent was not indicated underwent bullectomy plus coverage using absorbable materials. Twenty-seven patients underwent bullectomy plus m-tent (m-tent group) and 62 underwent bullectomy plus coverage over a staple line using an absorbable material such as a polyglycolic acid sheet or nitrocellulose sheet (coverage group). No severe postoperative complications were observed in either group. The m-tent and coverage groups showed significant differences in operation time (129 vs 86 min, mean), haemorrhage (12.8 vs 7.2 ml), postoperative hospital stay (3.7 vs 2.9 days) and postoperative painkiller intake (8.6 vs 6.8 days). Recurrence was observed in 1 (3.7%) and 2 patients (3.2%), respectively. The thoracoscopic m-tent procedure requires a longer operation, a longer hospital stay and greater painkiller intake. However, these differences are acceptable, and an m-tent should be considered as an option for pleural reinforcement in spontaneous pneumothorax, especially in patients who are complicated with severe pulmonary

  19. Evidence-based post-exercise recovery strategies in basketball.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calleja-González, Julio; Terrados, Nicolás; Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan; Delextrat, Anne; Jukic, Igor; Vaquera, Alejandro; Torres, Lorena; Schelling, Xavier; Stojanovic, Marko; Ostojic, Sergej M

    2016-01-01

    Basketball can be described as a moderate-to-long duration exercise including repeated bouts of high-intensity activity interspersed with periods of low to moderate active recovery or passive rest. A match is characterized by repeated explosive activities, such as sprints, jumps, shuffles and rapid changes in direction. In top-level modern basketball, players are frequently required to play consecutive matches with limited time to recover. To ensure adequate recovery after any basketball activity (i.e., match or training), it is necessary to know the type of fatigue induced and, if possible, its underlying mechanisms. Despite limited scientific evidence to support their effectiveness in facilitating optimal recovery, certain recovery strategies are commonly utilized in basketball. It is particularly important to optimize recovery because players spend a much greater proportion of their time recovering than they do in training. Therefore, the main aim of this report is to facilitate useful information that may lead to practical application, based on the scientific evidence and applied knowledge specifically in basketball.

  20. [Bacterial vaginosis and spontaneous preterm birth].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brabant, G

    2016-12-01

    To determine if bacterial vaginosis is a marker for risk of spontaneous preterm delivery and if its detection and treatment can reduce this risk. Consultation of the database Pubmed/Medline, Science Direct, and international guidelines of medical societies. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a dysbiosis resulting in an imbalance in the vaginal flora through the multiplication of anaerobic bacteria and jointly of a disappearance of well-known protective Lactobacilli. His diagnosis is based on clinical Amsel criteria and/or a Gram stain with establishment of the Nugent score. The prevalence of the BV extraordinarily varies according to ethnic and/or geographical origin (4-58 %), in France, it is close to 7 % in the first trimester of pregnancy (EL2). The link between BV and spontaneous premature delivery is low with an odds ratio between 1.5 and 2 in the most recent studies (EL3). Metronidazole or clindamycin is effective to treat BV (EL3). It is recommended to prescribe one of these antibiotics in the case of symptomatic BV (Professional Consensus). The testing associated with the treatment of BV in the global population showed no benefit in the prevention of the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery (EL2). Concerning low-risk asymptomatic population (defined by the absence of antecedent of premature delivery), it has been failed profit to track and treat the BV in the prevention of the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery (EL1). Concerning the high-risk population (defined by a history of preterm delivery), it has been failed profit to track and treat the VB in the prevention of the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery (EL3). However, in the sub population of patients with a history of preterm delivery occurred in a context of materno-fetal bacterial infection, there may be a benefit to detect and treat early and systematically genital infection, and in particular the BV (Professional Consensus). The screening and treatment of BV during pregnancy in asymptomatic low

  1. Bispectoral index scores of pediatric patients under dental treatment and recovery conditions: Study of children assigned for general anesthesia under propofol and isofloran regimes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dana Tahririan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: This study was planned to determine the relationship between bispectoral index (BIS during dental treatment and recovery conditions in children undergoing two regimes of anesthesia of propofol and isoflurane. Materials and Methods: In this single-blind clinical trial study, 57 4-7-year-old healthy children who had been referred for dental treatment under general anesthesia between 60 and 90 min were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to two groups, after obtaining their parents′ written consent. The anesthesia was induced by inhalation. For the first group, the anesthesia was preserved by a mixture of oxygen (50%, nitrous oxide (50%, and isoflurane (1%. For the second group, the anesthesia was preserved by a mixture of oxygen (50%, nitrous oxide (50%, and propofol was administered intravenously at a dose of 100 Ng/kg/min. The patients′ vital signs, BIS, and agitation scores were recorded every 10 min. The data were analyzed by repeated measure ANOVA and t-tests at a significance level of α = 0.05 using SPSS version 20. Results: The results of independent t-test for anesthesia time showed no statistically significant difference between isoflurane and propofol (P = 0.87. Controlling age, the BIS difference between the two anesthetic agents was not significant (P > 0.05; however, it was negatively correlated with the duration of anesthesia and the discharge time (P = 0.001, r = -0.308 and (P < 0.001, r = -0.55. Conclusion: The same depth of anesthesia is produced by propofol and isoflurane, but lower recovery complications from anesthesia are observed with isoflurane.

  2. Merkel Cell Carcinoma with Spontaneous Regression: A Case Report and Immunohistochemical Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hitoshi Terui

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma that only rarely regresses spontaneously. Since little is known about the immunological mechanisms involved in the spontaneous regression of MCC, we describe a case of MCC with spontaneous regression and employed immunohistochemical staining for cytotoxic and immunosuppressive molecules to investigate possible mechanisms involved in the spontaneous regression of MCC. Interestingly, compared to conventional MCC, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in MCC with spontaneous regression contained higher numbers of CD8+ cells and granulysin-bearing cells and lower numbers of CD206+ cells. Our present study suggests one of the possible reasons for the spontaneous regression of MCC.

  3. Spontaneous ovulation or male effect in alpacas and llamas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumar JB

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available New discoveries in ovulation induced mammals, researchers considered the question of whether spontaneous and induced ovulations are distinct entities or individual parts of a single continuum of a “malefacilitated oestrus and ovulation”. This rigid classification should be taken with precaution, because is possible that the various mechanisms involved in the spontaneous ovulation can, under specific conditions coexist in some determined species. It is possible that male hormones can provoke the ovulation by masculine pheromones. The “Ram Effect” can be used to synchronize ewes naturally, for artificial insemination. Pheromones are specialized hormones released by the ram and smelled by the ewes; they are found in the wool and wax, in such a way that synchronized the heat and the advancement of the breeding season Also, using artificial vaginal-cervical stimulation (AVS with a glass rod, ovulation has been induced in the mink, shrews and felids. This form of tactile stimulation (AVS has found no ability for induction of ovulation in SAC. Additional stimuli/cues are often necessary to facilitate the ovulatory response. They include olfactory, visual, auditory or posture, more of them very common in SAC. Few research studies in alpacas and llamas showed a variable number of females ovulating by the sole proximity of the male to the female, by adopting the copulatory position (posture (sitting or prone position, female to female mounting (tactile, males mounting females covered with aprons to avoid penis intromission (tactile and auditory, interrupted matings, sitting close to a male copulating to a female (visual, olfactory?, the guttural sound (orgling made by the copulating male (auditory, and probably other non-identified cues. The rate of spontaneous ovulation in alpacas and llamas, increase up to 50% during the breeding season. These spontaneous ovulation has been diagnosed by sexual behavior (female rejection to the male, by

  4. Spontaneous poisoning by Prosopis juliflora (Leguminosae) in sheep

    Science.gov (United States)

    The aim of this paper is to describe the first report of clinical, epidemiological and pathological aspects of spontaneous poisoning by Prosopis juliflora in sheep. Of a total of 500 sheep at risk, two adult male sheep were affected; one died spontaneously and the other animal was examined, euthaniz...

  5. Ecological Recovery Potential of Freshwater Organisms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gergs, André; Classen, Silke; Strauss, Tido

    2016-01-01

    Chemical contaminants released into the in the environment may have adverse effects on (non-target) species, populations and communities. The return of a stressed system to its pre-disturbance or other reference state, i.e. the ecological recovery, may depend on various factors related...... serve as a decision criterion in the environmental risk assessment of chemical stressors remains to be evaluated. For a generic consideration of recovery in the risk assessment of chemicals, we reviewed case studies of natural and artificial aquatic systems and evaluate five aspects that might cause...... to the affected taxon, the ecosystem of concern and the type of stressor with consequences for the assessment and management of risks associated with chemical contaminants. Whereas the effects caused by short-term exposure might be acceptable to some extent, the conditions under which ecological recovery can...

  6. Cavity enhanced rephased amplified spontaneous emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    A Williamson, Lewis; J Longdell, Jevon

    2014-01-01

    Amplified spontaneous emission is usually treated as an incoherent noise process. Recent theoretical and experimental work using rephasing optical pulses has shown that rephased amplified spontaneous emission (RASE) is a potential source of wide bandwidth time-delayed entanglement. Due to poor echo efficiency the plain RASE protocol does not in theory achieve perfect entanglement. Experiments done to date show a very small amount of entanglement at best. Here we show that RASE can, in principle, produce perfect multimode time-delayed two mode squeezing when the active medium is placed inside a Q-switched cavity. (paper)

  7. The influence of spontaneous activity on stimulus processing in primary visual cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schölvinck, M L; Friston, K J; Rees, G

    2012-02-01

    Spontaneous activity in the resting human brain has been studied extensively; however, how such activity affects the local processing of a sensory stimulus is relatively unknown. Here, we examined the impact of spontaneous activity in primary visual cortex on neuronal and behavioural responses to a simple visual stimulus, using functional MRI. Stimulus-evoked responses remained essentially unchanged by spontaneous fluctuations, combining with them in a largely linear fashion (i.e., with little evidence for an interaction). However, interactions between spontaneous fluctuations and stimulus-evoked responses were evident behaviourally; high levels of spontaneous activity tended to be associated with increased stimulus detection at perceptual threshold. Our results extend those found in studies of spontaneous fluctuations in motor cortex and higher order visual areas, and suggest a fundamental role for spontaneous activity in stimulus processing. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. New Perspectives on Spontaneous Brain Activity: Dynamic Networks and Energy Matter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tozzi, Arturo; Zare, Marzieh; Benasich, April A

    2016-01-01

    Spontaneous brain activity has received increasing attention as demonstrated by the exponential rise in the number of published article on this topic over the last 30 years. Such "intrinsic" brain activity, generated in the absence of an explicit task, is frequently associated with resting-state or default-mode networks (DMN)s. The focus on characterizing spontaneous brain activity promises to shed new light on questions concerning the structural and functional architecture of the brain and how they are related to "mind". However, many critical questions have yet to be addressed. In this review, we focus on a scarcely explored area, specifically the energetic requirements and constraints of spontaneous activity, taking into account both thermodynamical and informational perspectives. We argue that the "classical" definitions of spontaneous activity do not take into account an important feature, that is, the critical thermodynamic energetic differences between spontaneous and evoked brain activity. Spontaneous brain activity is associated with slower oscillations compared with evoked, task-related activity, hence it exhibits lower levels of enthalpy and "free-energy" (i.e., the energy that can be converted to do work), thus supporting noteworthy thermodynamic energetic differences between spontaneous and evoked brain activity. Increased spike frequency during evoked activity has a significant metabolic cost, consequently, brain functions traditionally associated with spontaneous activity, such as mind wandering, require less energy that other nervous activities. We also review recent empirical observations in neuroscience, in order to capture how spontaneous brain dynamics and mental function can be embedded in a non-linear dynamical framework, which considers nervous activity in terms of phase spaces, particle trajectories, random walks, attractors and/or paths at the edge of the chaos. This takes us from the thermodynamic free-energy, to the realm of "variational

  9. Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Computed Tomographic Characteristics and Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimara de la Caridad Vergara Santos

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: strokes are the third leading cause of death among adults and 10-15 % of them are due to spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Objective: to characterize spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage through computed tomography scan and its outcome. Methods: a case series study was conducted comprising patients diagnosed with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to the Arnaldo Milián Castro Provincial University Hospital in Villa Clara from January 2009 to January 2010. Tomographic variables of interest were derived from evaluation of spontaneous intracerebral hematomas. Results: fifty-nine cases of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage were studied, 23 were located in lobar regions, 4 had severe midline shift, and 2 showed volume greater than 80 ml. Eight out of eleven with extension into the ventricular system had an unfavorable outcome. Among those with thalamic hemorrhage, patients with diameter larger than 4cm and extension into the ventricular system died. Patients with putaminal hemorrhage larger than 4 cm and posterior fossa hematoma with hydrocephalus had a poor outcome, as well as most individuals (55 with other mass effects. Most lobar hematomas (14 out of 23 had a satisfactory outcome, unlike cerebellar and brainstem hematomas. Conclusions: tomographic variables that had a negative impact on the outcome were: volume greater than 80 ml, severe midline shift, diameter larger than 4 cm, extension into the ventricular system, hydrocephalus, other signs of mass effect and brainstem location.

  10. Lymphocytes from wasted mice express enhanced spontaneous and {gamma}-ray-induced apoptosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Woloschak, G.E. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)]|[Loyola Univ. Medical Center, Maywood, IL (United States); Chang-Liu, Chin-Mei [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Chung, Jen; Libertin, C.R. [Loyola Univ. Medical Center, Maywood, IL (United States)

    1993-09-01

    Mice bearing the autosomal recessive mutation wasted (wst/wst) display a disease pattern including faulty repair of DNA damage in lymphocytes after radiation exposure, neurologic abnormalities, and immunodeficiency. Many of the features of this mouse model have suggested a premature or increased spontaneous frequency of apoptosis in thymocytes; past work has shown an inability to establish cultured T cell lines, an abnormally high death rate of stimulated T cells in culture, and an increased sensitivity of T cells to the killing effects of ionizing radiations in wst/wst mice relative to controls. The experiments reported here were designed to examine splenic and thymic lymphocytes from wasted and control mice for signs of early apoptosis. Our results revealed enhanced expression of Rp-8 mRNA (associated with apoptosis) in thymic lymphocytes and reduced expression in splenic lymphocytes of wst/wst mice relative to controls; expression of Rp-2 and Td-30 mRNA (induced during apoptosis) were not detectable in spleen or thymus. Higher spontaneous DNA fragmentation was observed in wasted mice than in controls; however, {gamma}-ray-induced DNA fragmentation peaked at a lower dose and occurred to a greater extent in wasted mice relative to controls. These results provide evidence for high spontaneous and {gamma}-ray-induced apoptosis in T cells of wasted mice as a mechanism underlying the observed lymphocyte and DNA repair abnormalities.

  11. Molecular Darwinism: the contingency of spontaneous genetic variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arber, Werner

    2011-01-01

    The availability of spontaneously occurring genetic variants is an important driving force of biological evolution. Largely thanks to experimental investigations by microbial geneticists, we know today that several different molecular mechanisms contribute to the overall genetic variations. These mechanisms can be assigned to three natural strategies to generate genetic variants: 1) local sequence changes, 2) intragenomic reshuffling of DNA segments, and 3) acquisition of a segment of foreign DNA. In these processes, specific gene products are involved in cooperation with different nongenetic elements. Some genetic variations occur fully at random along the DNA filaments, others rather with a statistical reproducibility, although at many possible sites. We have to be aware that evolution in natural ecosystems is of higher complexity than under most laboratory conditions, not at least in view of symbiotic associations and the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer. The encountered contingency of genetic variation can possibly best ensure a long-term persistence of life under steadily changing living conditions.

  12. Overcoming challenges to the recovery of declining amphibian populations in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walls, Susan; Ball, Lianne C.; Barichivich, William J.; Dodd, Kenneth; Enge, Kevin M; Gorman, Thomas A.; O'Donnell, Katherine; Palis, John G; Semlitsch, Raymond D.

    2016-01-01

    The US Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) affords many potential benefits to species threatened with extinction. However, most at-risk amphibians—one of the most imperiled vertebrate groups—remain unlisted under the provisions of the ESA, and many impediments to recovery exist for those species that have been listed. Of the 35 US amphibian species and distinct population segments (“taxa”) listed under the ESA, 40% currently lack a final (completed) recovery plan, 28.6% lack designated critical habitat, and 8.6% lack both. For taxa that have recovery plans, the time between their listing and the development of those plans was from 2 to 29 years, and the time between their listing and the designation of critical habitat ranged from 0 to 14 years. The underlying causes of such delays in protection are complex and constitute obstacles to recovery of imperiled species. We outline a series of strategic actions by which these challenges may be overcome.

  13. Spontaneous perseverative turning in rats with radiation-induced hippocampal damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mickley, G.A.; Ferguson, J.L.; Nemeth, T.J.; Mulvihill, M.A.; Alderks, C.E.

    1989-01-01

    This study found a new behavioral correlate of lesions specific to the dentate granule cell layer of the hippocampus: spontaneous perseverative turning. Irradiation of a portion of the neonatal rat cerebral hemispheres produced hypoplasia of the granule cell layer of the hippocampal dentate gyrus while sparing the rest of the brain. Radiation-induced damage to the hippocampal formation caused rats placed in bowls to spontaneously turn in long, slow bouts without reversals. Irradiated subjects also exhibited other behaviors characteristic of hippocampal damage (e.g., perseveration in spontaneous exploration of the arms of a T-maze, retarded acquisition of a passive avoidance task, and increased horizontal locomotion). These data extend previously reported behavioral correlates of fascia dentata lesions and suggest the usefulness of a bout analysis of spontaneous bowl turning as a measure of nondiscrete-trial spontaneous alternation and a sensitive additional indicator of radiation-induced hippocampal damage

  14. A New Mouse Model That Spontaneously Develops Chronic Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Fransén-Pettersson

    Full Text Available Here we characterize a new animal model that spontaneously develops chronic inflammation and fibrosis in multiple organs, the non-obese diabetic inflammation and fibrosis (N-IF mouse. In the liver, the N-IF mouse displays inflammation and fibrosis particularly evident around portal tracts and central veins and accompanied with evidence of abnormal intrahepatic bile ducts. The extensive cellular infiltration consists mainly of macrophages, granulocytes, particularly eosinophils, and mast cells. This inflammatory syndrome is mediated by a transgenic population of natural killer T cells (NKT induced in an immunodeficient NOD genetic background. The disease is transferrable to immunodeficient recipients, while polyclonal T cells from unaffected syngeneic donors can inhibit the disease phenotype. Because of the fibrotic component, early on-set, spontaneous nature and reproducibility, this novel mouse model provides a unique tool to gain further insight into the underlying mechanisms mediating transformation of chronic inflammation into fibrosis and to evaluate intervention protocols for treating conditions of fibrotic disorders.

  15. Association between Nutritional Status with Spontaneous Abortion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahimeh Ahmadi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Spontaneous abortion is the most common adverse pregnancy outcome. We aimed to investigate a possible link between nutrient deficiencies and the risk of spontaneous abortion. Materials and Methods: This case-control study included the case group (n=331 experiencing a spontaneous abortion before 14 weeks of pregnancy and the control group (n=331 who were healthy pregnant women over 14 weeks of pregnancy. The participants filled out Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ, in which they reported their frequency of consumption for a given serving of each food item during the past three months, on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The reported frequency for each food item was converted to a daily intake. Then, consumption of nutrients was compared between the two groups. Results: There are significant differences between the two groups regarding consumed servings/day of vegetables, bread and cereal, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, fats, oils and dairy products (P=0.012, P<0.001, P=0.004, P<0.001, P=0.019, respectively. There are significant differences between the two groups in all micronutrient including folic acid, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc (P<0.001. Conclusion: Poor nutrientions may be correlated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion

  16. Recent advances on failure and recovery in networks of networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shekhtman, Louis M.; Danziger, Michael M.; Havlin, Shlomo

    2016-01-01

    Until recently, network science has focused on the properties of single isolated networks that do not interact or depend on other networks. However it has now been recognized that many real-networks, such as power grids, transportation systems, and communication infrastructures interact and depend on other networks. Here, we will present a review of the framework developed in recent years for studying the vulnerability and recovery of networks composed of interdependent networks. In interdependent networks, when nodes in one network fail, they cause dependent nodes in other networks to also fail. This is also the case when some nodes, like for example certain people, play a role in two networks, i.e. in a multiplex. Dependency relations may act recursively and can lead to cascades of failures concluding in sudden fragmentation of the system. We review the analytical solutions for the critical threshold and the giant component of a network of n interdependent networks. The general theory and behavior of interdependent networks has many novel features that are not present in classical network theory. Interdependent networks embedded in space are significantly more vulnerable compared to non-embedded networks. In particular, small localized attacks may lead to cascading failures and catastrophic consequences. Finally, when recovery of components is possible, global spontaneous recovery of the networks and hysteresis phenomena occur. The theory developed for this process points to an optimal repairing strategy for a network of networks. Understanding realistic effects present in networks of networks is required in order to move towards determining system vulnerability.

  17. Recovery from schizophrenia and the recovery model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, Richard

    2009-07-01

    The recovery model refers to subjective experiences of optimism, empowerment and interpersonal support, and to a focus on collaborative treatment approaches, finding productive roles for user/consumers, peer support and reducing stigma. The model is influencing service development around the world. This review will assess whether optimism about outcome from serious mental illness and other tenets of the recovery model are borne out by recent research. Remission of symptoms has been precisely defined, but the definition of 'recovery' is a more diffuse concept that includes such factors as being productive and functioning independently. Recent research and a large, earlier body of data suggest that optimism about outcome from schizophrenia is justified. A substantial proportion of people with the illness will recover completely and many more will regain good social functioning. Outcome is better for people in the developing world. Mortality for people with schizophrenia is increasing but is lower in the developing world. Working appears to help people recover from schizophrenia, and recent advances in vocational rehabilitation have been shown to be effective in countries with differing economies and labor markets. A growing body of research supports the concept that empowerment is an important component of the recovery process. Key tenets of the recovery model - optimism about recovery from schizophrenia, the importance of access to employment and the value of empowerment of user/consumers in the recovery process - are supported by the scientific research. Attempts to reduce the internalized stigma of mental illness should enhance the recovery process.

  18. Simulating spontaneously generated coherence in a four-level atomic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Aijun; Gao Jinyue; Wu Jinhui; Wang Lei

    2005-01-01

    We study the spontaneous emission property of a four-level atomic system driven by two coherent fields. By numerical calculations in the bare state picture, we show that such interesting phenomena as extremely narrow peaks and spontaneous emission quenching can be realized, which are well understood by qualitative explanations in the partially and fully dressed state pictures. Especially, this coherently driven atomic system has two close-lying levels in the partially dressed state picture so that spontaneously generated coherence arises. Using our considered scheme it is feasible to carry out experiments based on spontaneously generated coherence because all rigorous requirements have been avoided in the bare state picture

  19. 76 FR 72449 - Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-23

    ... manufactured goods used in and incorporated into a project funded through the Academic Research Infrastructure... iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in and incorporated into a project funded through the Academic... Recovery Act projects funded by the Academic Research Infrastructure--Recovery and Reinvestment Program...

  20. Interprofessional learning, impression management, and spontaneity in the acute healthcare setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Elaine; McAllister, Sue; Ward, Paul R; Russell, Alison

    2016-09-01

    Spontaneous learning is integral to definitions of interprofessional learning (IPL) because it has been suggested that spontaneous learning can be deeply connected with the work that people do in collaboration with colleagues via their professional networks. However, its nature and the processes involved are not well understood. Goffman's theory of impression management offers a useful theoretical framework to consider the way in which interaction in the workplace connects to spontaneous learning. This article explores the current literature to investigate the usefulness of this framework to better understand and identify spontaneous learning in the workplace. Aspects such as the connections between spontaneous learning occurring in formal and informal work activities, the spaces in which it occurs, and the influence of professional networking are considered. It is proposed that research directed to developing a better understanding of the nature of spontaneous learning in IPL will assist in connecting this learning to formal IPL curricula, enhancing IPL and patient outcomes.

  1. Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection following Topical Hormone Replacement Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander L. Pan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare condition, usually presenting as an acute coronary syndrome, and is often seen in states associated with high systemic estrogen levels such as pregnancy or oral contraceptive use. While topical hormonal replacement therapy may result in increased estrogen levels similar to those documented with oral contraceptive use, there are no reported cases of spontaneous coronary dissection with topical hormonal replacement therapy. We describe a 53-year-old female who developed two spontaneous coronary dissections while on topical hormonal replacement therapy. The patient had no other risk factors for coronary dissection. After withdrawal from topical hormonal therapy, our patient has done well and has not had recurrent coronary artery dissections over a one-year follow-up period. The potential contributory role of topical hormonal therapy as a cause of spontaneous coronary dissection should be recognized.

  2. Recovery of 241Am/Be neutron sources, Wooster, Ohio

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tompkins, J.A.; Wannigman, D.; Hatler, V.

    1998-07-01

    In August 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) submitted to the US Department of Energy (DOE) a partial list of licensed radioactive sealed sources to be recovered under a pilot project initiating Radioactive Source Recovery Program (RSRP) operations. The first of the pilot project recoveries was scheduled for September 1997 at Eastern Well Surveys in Wooster, Ohio, a company with five unwanted sealed sources on the NRC list. The sources were neutron emitters, each containing 241 Am/Be with activities ranging from 2.49 to 3.0 Ci. A prior radiological survey had established that one of these sources, a Gulf Nuclear Model 71-1 containing 3 Ci of 241 Am, was contaminated with 241 Am and might be leaking. The other four sources were obsolete and could no longer be used by Eastern Well Surveys for their intended application in well-logging applications due to NRC decertification of these sources. All of the sources exceeded the limits established for Class C waste under 10 CFR 61.55 and, as a result, are the ultimate responsibility of the DOE under the provisions of PL 99-240. This report describes the cooperative effort between the DOE and NRC to recover the sources and transport them to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for deactivation under the RSRP. This operation alleviated any potential risk to the public health and safety from the site which might result from the leaking neutron sources or the potential mismanagement of unwanted sources. The on-site recovery occurred on September 23, 1997, and was performed by personnel from LANL and its contractor and was observed by staff from the Region III office of the NRC. All aspects of the recovery were successfully accomplished, and the sources were received at LANL on September 29, 1997. Experience gained during this operation will be used to formulate operational poilicies and procedures which will contribute to the eventual routine recovery operations of a full-scale RSRP

  3. Letter-By-Letter Reading: Natural Recovery and Response to Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pélagie M. Beeson

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The present investigation provides a longitudinal study of an individual (RB with acquired alexia following left posterior cerebral artery stroke. At initial testing, RB exhibited acquired alexia characterized by letter-by-letter (LBL reading, mild anomic aphasia, and acquired agraphia. Repeated measures of reading accuracy and rate were collected for single words and text over the course of one year, along with probes of naming and spelling abilities. Improvements associated with natural recovery (i.e., without treatment were documented up to the fourth month post onset, when text reading appeared to be relatively stable. Multiple oral reading (MOR treatment was initiated at 22 weeks post-stroke, and additional improvements in reading rate and accuracy for text were documented that were greater than those expected on the basis of spontaneous recovery alone. Over the course of one year, reading reaction times for single words improved, and the word-length effect that is the hallmark of LBL reading diminished. RB's response to treatment supports the therapeutic value of MOR treatment to in LBL readers. His residual impairment of reading and spelling one-year post stroke raised the question as to whether further progress was impeded by degraded orthographic knowledge.

  4. Validation of second trimester miscarriages and spontaneous deliveries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sundtoft, Iben Blaabjerg; Sneider, Kirstine; Christiansen, Ole Bjarne

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To validate the diagnosis of second trimester miscarriages/deliveries (16+0 weeks to 27+6 weeks of gestation) recorded as miscarriages in the Danish National Patient Registry or spontaneous deliveries in the Danish Medical Birth Registry, and asses the validity of risk factors, pregnancy...... information and calculated positive predictive values of the registry diagnoses stratified by type of registry, as well as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and kappa coefficients of risk factors, pregnancy complications, and cerclage. RESULTS: Miscarriage/spontaneous delivery in the second......-based information on pregnancy complications need to be improved. We recommend that all pregnancies ending spontaneously beyond the first trimester are included in the national birth registry and described by appropriate variables....

  5. Detection of target phonemes in spontaneous and read speech

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mehta, G.; Cutler, A.

    1988-01-01

    Although spontaneous speech occurs more frequently in most listeners' experience than read speech, laboratory studies of human speech recognition typically use carefully controlled materials read from a script. The phonological and prosodic characteristics of spontaneous and read speech differ

  6. Spontaneous lateral temporal encephalocele.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuncbilek, Gokhan; Calis, Mert; Akalan, Nejat

    2013-01-01

    A spontaneous encephalocele is one that develops either because of embryological maldevelopment or from a poorly understood postnatal process that permits brain herniation to occur. We here report a rare case of lateral temporal encephalocele extending to the infratemporal fossa under the zygomatic arch. At birth, the infant was noted to have a large cystic mass in the right side of the face. After being operated on initially in another center in the newborn period, the patient was referred to our clinic with a diagnosis of temporal encephalocele. He was 6 months old at the time of admission. Computerized tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed a 8 × 9 cm fluid-filled, multiloculated cystic mass at the right infratemporal fossa. No intracranial pathology or connection is seen. The patient was operated on to reduce the distortion effect of the growing mass. The histopathological examination of the sac revealed well-differentiated mature glial tissue stained with glial fibrillary acid protein. This rare clinical presentation of encephaloceles should be taken into consideration during the evaluation of the lateral facial masses in the infancy period, and possible intracranial connection should be ruled out before surgery to avoid complications.

  7. Qualification of spontaneous undirected locomotor behavior of fish for sublethal toxicity testing. Part 2. Variability of measurement parameters under toxicant-induced stress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grillitsch, B.; Vogl, C.; Wytek, R.

    1999-12-01

    Spontaneous locomotor behavior of semiadult zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) was recorded under sublethal short-term exposure to the anionic technical surfactant, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (C{sub 10-13}-LAS) and cadmium in single compound tests using an automated video-monitoring and object-tracing system. Vertical position and swimming velocity in the horizontal and vertical directions were used as behavioral measurement parameters. Data were analyzed by different statistical methods. In pairwise comparisons, consistent, statistically significant, and toxicant-induced alterations of locomotor behavior were observed only for test concentrations, which also caused aspectoric symptoms of intoxication. This comparatively low sensitivity of the behavioral indication criteria was related to high variation in the measurement parameters and corresponding high, minimum detectable, statistically significant, and toxicant-induced deviations. In contrast, results obtained by regression analysis showed significant trends in locomotor activity over the range of toxicant concentrations tested. Thus, the findings support the inappropriateness of no observed effect concentrations and the lowest observed effect concentrations as summary measures of toxicity and indicate that the regression analysis approach is superior to the analysis of variance approach.

  8. Factors Associated with Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus in Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Kong

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infections spontaneously clear in approximately 15–45% of infected individuals. Factors which influence spontaneous HCV clearance remain to be identified. The purpose of the present study was to identify variables associated with spontaneous HCV clearance in a referred population of Chinese patients. The prevalence of host, viral, and environmental factors known to influence the outcome of HCV infections was compared in 92 HCV spontaneous clearance subjects and 318 HCV persistent infection subjects. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify those factors associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. In univariate analysis, female gender, a history of icteric hepatitis, serologic evidence of concurrent HBV infection, and rs12979860 CC genotype were positively associated with spontaneous HCV clearance, while alcohol consumption was negatively associated with clearance. In multivariate analysis, female gender, a history of icteric hepatitis, concurrent HBV infection, and rs12979860 CC genotype remained independent variables associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. Spontaneous HCV clearance is more likely to occur in females, subjects with a history of icteric hepatitis, HBV coinfections, and those with the rs12979860 CC genotype.

  9. Antihypertensive and Antihypertrophic Effects of Acupuncture at PC6 Acupoints in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats and the Underlying Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan-Juan Xin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA at PC6 on the hypertension and myocardial hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs. Thirty SHRs were randomized into model, SHR + EA, and SHR + Sham EA group with WKY rats as normal control. EA was applied once a day in 8 consecutive weeks. The blood pressure (BP, cardiac function, and hypertrophy as well as the underlying mechanisms were investigated. After EA treatment, the enhanced BP in SHR + EA group was significantly lower compared to both the period before EA and model group. Echocardiographic, morphological studies showed that the enhanced left ventricular anterior and posterior wall end-diastolic (LVAWd and LVPWd thickness, diameters and cross-sectional area (CSA of cardiac myocyte, as well as the ratio of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW, were markedly diminished in SHR + EA group, while the reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular short axis fraction shortening, and E/A ratio were significantly ameliorated. The levels of Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE and Angiotensin II Type 1 and 2 receptors (AT1R, AT2R in SHRs were also significantly attenuated by EA. The results suggest that EA at bilateral PC6 could arrest the hypertension development and ameliorate the cardiac hypertrophy and malfunction in SHRs, which might be mediated by the regulation of ACE, AT1R, and AT2R.

  10. Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax with pulmonary metastases of synovial sarcoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matushita, J.P.K.; Azevedo, C.M. de

    1989-01-01

    The association of bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax with pulmonary tumor is uncommon and with pulmonary metastases is rare. The clinical and radiological features of bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax from a synovial sarcoma in a 14 years old boy are described. (author) [pt

  11. Visually Evoked Spiking Evolves While Spontaneous Ongoing Dynamics Persist

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huys, Raoul; Jirsa, Viktor K; Darokhan, Ziauddin

    2016-01-01

    attractor. Its existence guarantees that evoked spiking return to the spontaneous state. However, the spontaneous ongoing spiking state and the visual evoked spiking states are qualitatively different and are separated by a threshold (separatrix). The functional advantage of this organization...

  12. Effect of low dose gamma radiation on stamen-hairs of different clones of Tradescantia presenting variability in the frequency of spontaneous mutations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, C.S.

    1976-01-01

    Changes in the frequency of spontaneous somatic mutations were studied for three different clones of Tradescantia heterozygotes for flower and stamen-hair color keeping them under controlled or natural conditions in order to verify the effect of different environmental conditions on the different genotypes. The effect of inflorescence age on the variation of spontaneous mutations was studied choosing young and old inflorescences of a same plant. Low dose irradiation experiments were carried out with those clones to elucidate the radiation effects on the clones presenting changes in the frequency of spontaneous mutations. The chronic-and acute irradiation effects of low dose irradiation of the stamen-hair of Tradescantia were also studied. Results are discussed. (M.A.) [pt

  13. Tooth display and lip position during spontaneous and posed smiling in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Der Geld, Pieter; Oosterveld, Paul; Berge, Stefaan J; Kuijpers-Jagtman, Anne M

    2008-08-01

    To analyze differences in tooth display, lip-line height, and smile width between the posed smiling record, traditionally produced for orthodontic diagnosis, and the spontaneous (Duchenne) smile of joy. The faces of 122 male participants were each filmed during spontaneous and posed smiling. Spontaneous smiles were elicited through the participants watching a comical movie. Maxillary and mandibular lip-line heights, tooth display, and smile width were measured using a digital videographic method for smile analysis. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare measurements of posed and spontaneous smiling. Maxillary lip-line heights during spontaneous smiling were significantly higher than during posed smiling. Compared to spontaneous smiling, tooth display in the (pre)molar area during posed smiling decreased by up to 30%, along with a significant reduction of smile width. During posed smiling, also mandibular lip-line heights changed and the teeth were more covered by the lower lip than during spontaneous smiling. Reduced lip-line heights, tooth display, and smile width on a posed smiling record can have implications for the diagnostics of lip-line height, smile arc, buccal corridors, and plane of occlusion. Spontaneous smiling records next to posed smiling records are therefore recommended for diagnostic purposes. Because of the dynamic nature of spontaneous smiling, it is proposed to switch to dynamic video recording of the smile.

  14. MR demonstration of spontaneous acute epidural hematoma of the thoracic spine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avrahami, E.; Tadmor, R.; Feibel, M.; Itzhak, Y.; Tel Aviv Univ.; Ram, Z.; Tel Aviv Univ.

    1989-01-01

    Two patients with spontaneous epidural hematoma of the thoracic spine are presented. The magnetic resonance (MR) examination performed within the first hours following the onset of symptoms demonstrated an epidural elongated lesion impinging on the spinal cord, compatible with hematoma. In one of the patients this finding was surgically confirmed. The second patient improved under steroid treatment. The MR findings were highly suggestive of the pathological nature of the lesion. The MR examination should replace other diagnostic procedures, such as computerised tomography (CT) and myelography. (orig.)

  15. Spontaneous regression of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hassan, S J

    2010-01-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin predominantly affecting elderly Caucasians. It has a high rate of local recurrence and regional lymph node metastases. It is associated with a poor prognosis. Complete spontaneous regression of Merkel cell carcinoma has been reported but is a poorly understood phenomenon. Here we present a case of complete spontaneous regression of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma demonstrating a markedly different pattern of events from those previously published.

  16. An unusual case of spontaneous esophagopleural fistula

    OpenAIRE

    Manoranjan Dash; Thitta Mohanty; Jyoti Patnaik; Narayan Mishra; Saswat Subhankar; Priyadarsini Parida

    2017-01-01

    Esophago-pleural fistula (EPF) is an uncommon condition, despite of an anatomical proximity of these structures. Causes of EPF include pneumonectomy for suppurative or tubercular disease of lung and carcinoma lung, malignancy of esophagus. Benign EPF is rare and may be due to trauma or infection. The most common infectious cause is tuberculosis. Spontaneous development of fistula between esophagus and pleura is rarely described in literature. We, hereby present a spontaneous case of such a ra...

  17. Hematome Extra - Dural Rachidien Spontane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cl. Gros

    1967-01-01

    Full Text Available Four personal cases of Spontaneous Spinal Epidurdl Hemerrhage are Reported. And 29 additional cases have been analysed by reviewing the literature. The clinical radiologcal and surgical aspects were discussed.

  18. 46 CFR 133.160 - Rescue boat embarkation, launching and recovery arrangements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ...) OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSELS LIFESAVING SYSTEMS Requirements for All OSVs § 133.160 Rescue boat embarkation, launching and recovery arrangements. (a) Each davit for a rescue boat must be approved under approval series... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Rescue boat embarkation, launching and recovery...

  19. Capillary filling rules and displacement mechanisms for spontaneous imbibition of CO2 for carbon storage and EOR using micro-model experiments and pore scale simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, E.; Yang, J.; Crawshaw, J.; Boek, E. S.

    2012-04-01

    In the 1980s, Lenormand et al. carried out their pioneering work on displacement mechanisms of fluids in etched networks [1]. Here we further examine displacement mechanisms in relation to capillary filling rules for spontaneous imbibition. Understanding the role of spontaneous imbibition in fluid displacement is essential for refining pore network models. Generally, pore network models use simple capillary filling rules and here we examine the validity of these rules for spontaneous imbibition. Improvement of pore network models is vital for the process of 'up-scaling' to the field scale for both enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and carbon sequestration. In this work, we present our experimental microfluidic research into the displacement of both supercritical CO2/deionised water (DI) systems and analogous n-decane/air - where supercritical CO2 and n-decane are the respective wetting fluids - controlled by imbibition at the pore scale. We conducted our experiments in etched PMMA and silicon/glass micro-fluidic hydrophobic chips. We first investigate displacement in single etched pore junctions, followed by displacement in complex network designs representing actual rock thin sections, i.e. Berea sandstone and Sucrosic dolomite. The n-decane/air experiments were conducted under ambient conditions, whereas the supercritical CO2/DI water experiments were conducted under high temperature and pressure in order to replicate reservoir conditions. Fluid displacement in all experiments was captured via a high speed video microscope. The direction and type of displacement the imbibing fluid takes when it enters a junction is dependent on the number of possible channels in which the wetting fluid can imbibe, i.e. I1, I2 and I3 [1]. Depending on the experiment conducted, the micro-models were initially filled with either DI water or air before the wetting fluid was injected. We found that the imbibition of the wetting fluid through a single pore is primarily controlled by the

  20. Recovery of adrenal function in a patient with confirmed Addison's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, M; Gorick, S; Swords, F M

    2013-01-01

    Addison's disease is a condition characterised by immune-mediated destruction of the adrenal glands leading to a requirement of lifelong replacement therapy with mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid. We present a case of a 53-year-old man who presented at the age of 37 years with nausea, fatigue and dizziness. He was found to have postural hypotension and buccal pigmentation. His presenting cortisol level was 43 nmol/l with no response to Synacthen testing. He made an excellent response to conventional replacement therapy with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone and then remained well for 16 years. On registering with a new endocrinologist, his hydrocortisone dose was revised downwards and pre- and post-dose serum cortisol levels were assessed. His pre-dose cortisol was surprisingly elevated, and so his dose was further reduced. Subsequent Synacthen testing was normal and has remained so for further 12 months. He is now asymptomatic without glucocorticoid therapy, although he continues on fludrocortisone 50 μg daily. His adrenal antibodies are positive, although his ACTH and renin levels remain elevated after treatment. Addison's disease is generally deemed to lead to irreversible cell-mediated immune destruction of the adrenal glands. For this reason, patients receive detailed counselling and education on the need for lifelong replacement therapy. To our knowledge, this is the third reported case of spontaneous recovery of the adrenal axis in Addison's disease. Recovery may therefore be more common than previously appreciated, which may have major implications for the treatment and monitoring of this condition, and for the education given to patients at diagnosis. Partial recovery from Addison's disease is possible although uncommon.Patients with long-term endocrine conditions on replacement therapy still benefit from regular clinical and biochemical assessment, to revisit optimal management.As further reports of adrenal axis recovery emerge, this may