The relative effects of external spatial and motoric factors on the bimanual coordination of discrete movements

The ability to coordinate the two hands effectively is a fundamental requirement for many everyday tasks. To investigate how bimanual coordination is achieved we asked subjects to perform discrete bimanual key-press responses under conditions in which the motoric (i.e., muscles employed) and external spatial (i.e., direction of movement in external space) relationships between the actions of the left and right index fingers were systematically varied. Subjects made simultaneous right and left index finger key-presses in response to an auditory tone. The right finger always made downward flexion movements whilst the left finger either flexed in a downward/upward direction, or extended in a downward/upward direction. Unimanual control trials of each movement type for both hands were also performed. Reaction times for each hand (RTs) and the inter-response interval (IRI) were recorded . Right hand RTs were significantly affected only when the left finger performed motorically different actions, but were unaffected by the external spatial direction in which the left hands actions were made. The IRI results followed a similar pattern with the worst coordination (highest IRI) occurring when the left finger performed different motor actions to the right finger regardless of the direction of the left hand movement. In contrast to other recent results from experiments examining oscillatory tasks (e.g., Mechsner et al. 2001), our results suggest that in discrete tasks there is a dominance of the motor relationship between the hands over the external spatial relationship.     

Periodic breathing and genetics

The episodic waxing and waning of ventilation is a fundamental event in sleep apnea syndromes. Post-hypoxic frequency decline (PHFD) and periodic breathing (PB) are evoked by brief hypoxic exposures in unanaesthetized and unrestrained inbred C57BL/6J mice, but not in A/J mice; and expression of PHFD differs not only among these mice strains but in among rat strains as well. These observations along with the current literature on genetic factors that operate on ventilatory behavior at rest and with chemosensory drive lead to the hypothesis that genetic factors infer some proportion of risk for the ventilatory instability observed in human sleep apnea syndromes.     

Serum levels of total IgE in non-allergic children

The purpose of this study was to establish the range of total serum IgE in a healthy population lacking personal and family history of allergy, as well as the influence of genetic factors (family history of allergy), environmental factors (degree of air pollution), age, and sex on the serum IgE levels. Using a commercial enzyme immunoassay (Phadezym IgE Prist) the mean serum level of IgE was determined in 363 non-atopic children from 0 to 12 years of age. The geometric mean of serum IgE increased according to age, indicating a positive correlation between both. Higher mean values of serum IgE were found for children with a family history of allergy, than for children without (27.82 and 14.49 U/ml respectively). The percentage of variation due to age was about 94.5% in children with no family history of allergy. The mean value of serum IgE increased with the degree of air pollution in the living area (15.49 U/ml in non-polluted areas, 20.78 U/ml in very polluted areas). However, the influence of air pollution was smaller than the influence of family history on the mean values of serum IgE. The mean value of serum IgE was not modified by sex.     

Production and characterization of antisera specific for the erb-portion of p75, the presumptive transforming protein of avian erythroblastosis virus

The polypeptide pattern of intracytoplasmic A particles, isolated from mammary tumors of ICRC mice, displayed a prominant doublet of about 75,000 molecular weight (Ap75) and a lesser band of 42,000 molecular weight (Ap42). A particle proteins were analyzed by tryptic fingerprint mapping and compared to similarly treated core proteins (p10, p14, p23, and p28) of murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) purified from the milk of ICRC mice. Comparison of the peptide maps showed that almost all the major spots of the MuMTV core proteins could be located within the map of Ap75, and that Ap42 contained peptides of only p28 and p14. Since tryptic peptide maps of MuMTV core proteins have been shown to be strain-specific markers, we conclude that the A particles present in mammary tumors of ICRC mice are coded for by the same genes that code for the virions present in the milk of these mice.     

Stimulus range influences intensity and hedonic ratings of flavour

Five concentrations of an artificial orange drink were presented for sensory evaluation in three overlapping concentration ranges. Three sensory panels, each of 30 subjects, rated the concentrations for intensity of flavour (intensity scale), relation to ideal flavour intensity (ideal-point scale), and pleasantness (hedonic scale). Except for the two extreme concentrations, neither of which was presented in more than one range, in all three response tasks the mean rating for a given concentration varied with the concentration range in which it was presented. However, the mean ratings showed good correspondence across response tasks (e.g. the concentration perceived as "moderately sweet" on the intensity scale was perceived as "just right" on the ideal-point scale and of maximal pleasantness on the hedonic scale), suggesting a link between the intensity and hedonic dimensions of sensory experience.     

Mediated smoking cessation programs in the Stanford five-city project

Two mediated smoking cessation programs were subjected to a field evaluation. The Quit Kit is a printed self-help package, and "Calling It Quits" consists of five segments which were aired on the local television news. A sample of 239 persons requested the Quit Kit and were followed. At the 2-month and 12-month follow-ups, respectively, 13.6% and 17.9% of those surveyed reported abstinence. Results indicate the potential of mediated interventions.     

Cyclic nucleotide levels in human breast cancer and in rat mammary tissues during tumor development

The levels of cyclic adenosine 3:5-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 3:5-monophosphate (cGMP) were studied in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors of Sprague-Dawley rats and in human breast cancer. In the rat carcinomas, these levels were significantly lower than in non-malignant tissues when calculated on the basis of DNA content, but higher (cAMP) or equal (cGMP) when calculated on the basis of weight. In human breast cancer the cyclic nucleotide levels were higher than in non-malignant tissues according to both methods of calculation. No correlation was found in human carcinomas between the cyclic nucleotide levels and mitotic index, nuclear grade, tumor size, or lymph node involvement. The rat tumors were subclassified according to state of differentiation, mitotic index, and state of development. Not all the sub-groups had cAMP levels different from normal values. Differences in cAMP levels between the sub-groups could not be correlated with tumor growth rates and/or mitotic index. Thus, cyclic nucleotides may not be useful in prognosis of breast cancer.     

Effects of female sterilization: one year follow-up in a prospective controlled study of psychological and psychiatric outcome

A prospective controlled study of the psychological effects of elective interval and postpartum tubal sterilization was carried out on a selected sample of women. Subjects were interviewed pre-operatively (n = 138) and one year post-operatively (n = 116; 83%), using standardized instruments and procedures, including the Present State Examination. No differences within or between sterilization and control groups were found over the follow-up year in the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity, which was no higher than would be expected in a general population sample. Beneficial effects of sterilization were reported on a number of psychosexual variables. Adverse effects such as regret or deterioration in marital relationship were rare, but were more likely to occur in postpartum subjects, among whom abdominal pain was also reported more commonly at one year follow-up than pre-operatively. The relevance of "normal" postnatal events and of the role of pre-operative counselling are considered in relation to these findings. Less favourable outcome at one year follow-up was commonly associated with higher PSE scores pre-operatively.     

Longitudinal studies of drug abuse in a fifteen-year-old population. 5. Prognostic factors

In an attempt to identify prognostic factors, non-drug users and abusers in the Gothenburg year cohort of 1953 were compared with reference to background data. Individuals with chronic abuse differed most from the "normal" group. Prognostic factors for drug abuse were: member of a multiproblem family, child psychiatric care, contact with the Social Welfare Administration at an early age, truancy, placement in special class, premature drop-out from school, admitted high-frequency drug use in a school questionnaire, for boys early registration for crimes and for girls nervous complaints. The results indicate the necessity of earlier and more effective prevention.     

The effect of cost containment on the practice of cardiology: predictions

When health care cost containment is tied to unit pricing, the system may become price-driven rather than care-driven. Although the incentives engendered by unit pricing may not necessarily result in practices detrimental to the young or the patient with relatively pure disease, the potential for adverse effects on the elderly, the poor and the chronically ill is real. Hospitals will soon emphasize quick turnover, efficiency and intensive care. Diagnostic evaluations and chronic disease care will be moved out of hospitals into physician owned-and-operated facilities and out-of-hospital settings, respectively. The health care system will fractionate, and quality control will require restructuring to achieve the present level of quality assurance. Cardiologists, as well as other physicians, will need to alter their teaching style and teaching locations. Better methods for predicting outcomes will need to be developed; we will no longer have the safety net of following a patient closely and altering management plans according to the patient's response. Cost containment may occur under diagnosis related groups, preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations and other prepaid or "capped" systems. There are, however, many issues relative to cost versus quality that need to be resolved if severe detrimental effects on care are to be avoided.