Goal-driven attentional capture by appetitive and aversive smoking-related cues in nicotine dependent smokers

BACKGROUND: Conventionally, involuntary attentional capture by tobacco cues in smokers are seen as an implicit bias, operating independently of current search goals. Prominent attention research, however, has suggested that search goals can induce an involuntary attentional capture. In the current investigation, we tested whether appetitive and aversive smoking images affected attention through such a mechanism and whether there were group differences based on nicotine dependence. METHODS: We instructed non-smokers (NS), occasional smokers (OS; low dependence), and nicotine-dependent smokers (NDS; moderate-high dependence), to hold search goals for either an aversive or appetitive smoking category, or a category of non-smoking images. These images were presented in a stream of briefly appearing filler images, while task-irrelevant distractors were presented outside the stream. Distractors could be aversive or appetitive smoking images or a category of non-smoking images. Therefore, in some conditions, the distractors matched the current category being searched for, while in others it was incongruent. RESULTS: Task-irrelevant smoking distractors reduced target detection, compared to the non-smoking distractors, only when they were congruent with the specific category being searched for. There was no effect of either aversive or appetitive smoking distractors on performance when participants were searching for the non-smoking targets. Distractor interference did not differ between smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The results support a goal-driven mechanism underpinning involuntary attentional capture by smoking cues. These findings can be used to inform models of addiction and attention, and the display of health warnings. KEYWORDS

Two geomagnetic regional models for Albania and south-east Italy from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012 and comparison with IGRF-11

Here we present a revised geomagnetic reference model for the region comprising Albanian territory, south-east part of Italian Peninsula and Ionian Sea from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012. This study is based on the datasets of magnetic measurements taken during different campaigns in Albania and Italy in the time of concern, together with a total intensity data set from the Ørsted and CHAMP satellite missions. The model is designed to represent the Cartesian components, X, Y, Z and the total intensity F of the main geomagnetic field (and its secular variation) for the period of interest. To develop the model, we applied a Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis (SCHA) of the geomagnetic potential over a 16° cap with most of the observations concentrated in the central 4° half-angle. The use of a larger cap than that containing the data was made to reduce the typical problems in SV modelling over small regions. Also a new technique, called ``Radially Simplified Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis" (RS-SCHA), was developed to improve the model especially in the radial variation of the geomagnetic field components. Both these models provide an optimal representation of the geomagnetic field in the considered region compared with the International Geomagnetic Reference Field model (IGRF-11) and can be used as reference models to reduce magnetic surveys undertaken in the area during the time of validity of the model, or to extrapolate the field till 2012

General Surgery and Surgery: Textbooks for Training Foreign Medical Students

The most important thing in education is the development of future doctor is method of preliminary diagnosis of any disease, including surgical. The previously used textbooks on surgery has been described mainly the clinical manifestations of diseases and their treatment techniques, without clarifying the principles and preliminary diagnosis capabilities for students. After medical education the doctors of the general medical practice tasks determinations basic requirements of scope of knowledge and practical skills for graduating student of institute of higher education of IV level of accreditation: goal-directed methodical algorithm of questioning of the patient (getting anamnesis), physical examination, substantiation of provisional diagnosis, determinate algorithm of additional methods of investigations with analysis of received results, differential diagnosis, forming clinical diagnosis, substantiation of treatment program and it’s realization. In the future the young doctor can work not only the doctor of family medicine, but also the expert of other directions, for example - the surgeon. For preparation to practical workies application textbook “General Surgery” for students 2-3 years education and textbooks “General Surgery” and “Surgery” for 2-6 years education English language foreign students and including information on methods and principles of forming of preliminary diagnosis, differential diagnosis, clinical diagnosis and treatment of surgical patients (Ed: Bereznytskyy, Zakharash, & Mishalov, Shidlovskyj, 2016, 2019)

Two geomagnetic regional models for Albania and south-east Italy from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012 and comparison with IGRF-11

Here we present a revised geomagnetic reference model for the region comprising Albanian territory, southeast part of Italian Peninsula and Ionian Sea from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012. This study is based on the datasets of magnetic measurements taken during different campaigns in Albania and Italy in the time of concern, together with a total intensity data set from the ∅rsted and CHAMP satellite missions. The model is designed to represent the Cartesian components, X, Y, Z and the total intensity F of the main geomagnetic field (and its secular variation SV) for the period of interest. To develop the model, we applied a Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis (SCHA) of the geomagnetic potential over a 16° cap with most of the observations concentrated in the central 4° half-angle. The use of a larger cap than that containing the data was made to reduce the typical problems in SV modelling over small regions. Also a new technique, called "Radially Simplified Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis" (RS-SCHA), was developed to improve the model especially in the radial variation of the geomagnetic field components. Both these models provide an optimal representation of the geomagnetic field in the considered region compared with the International Geomagnetic Reference Field model (IGRF-11) and can be used as reference models to reduce magnetic surveys undertaken in the area during the time of validity of the model, or to extrapolate the field till 2012

Alcohol affects neuronal substrates of response inhibition but not of perceptual processing of stimuli signalling a stop response

Alcohol impairs inhibitory control, including the ability to terminate an initiated action. While there is increasing knowledge about neural mechanisms involved in response inhibition, the level at which alcohol impairs such mechanisms remains poorly understood. Thirty-nine healthy social drinkers received either 0.4g/kg or 0.8g/kg of alcohol, or placebo, and performed two variants of a Visual Stop-signal task during acquisition of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The two task variants differed only in their instructions: in the classic variant (VSST), participants inhibited their response to a “Go-stimulus” when it was followed by a “Stop-stimulus”. In the control variant (VSST_C), participants responded to the “Go-stimulus” even if it was followed by a “Stop-stimulus”. Comparison of successful Stop-trials (Sstop)>Go, and unsuccessful Stop-trials (Ustop)>Sstop between the three beverage groups enabled the identification of alcohol effects on functional neural circuits supporting inhibitory behaviour and error processing. Alcohol impaired inhibitory control as measured by the Stop-signal reaction time, but did not affect other aspects of VSST performance, nor performance on the VSST_C. The low alcohol dose evoked changes in neural activity within prefrontal, temporal, occipital and motor cortices. The high alcohol dose evoked changes in activity in areas affected by the low dose but importantly induced changes in activity within subcortical centres including the globus pallidus and thalamus. Alcohol did not affect neural correlates of perceptual processing of infrequent cues, as revealed by conjunction analyses of VSST and VSST_C tasks. Alcohol ingestion compromises the inhibitory control of action by modulating cortical regions supporting attentional, sensorimotor and action-planning processes. At higher doses the impact of alcohol also extends to affect subcortical nodes of fronto-basal ganglia- thalamo-cortical motor circuits. In contrast, alcohol appears to have little impact on the early visual processing of infrequent perceptual cues. These observations clarify clinically-important effects of alcohol on behaviour

Urgent endovascular ligature of a ruptured splenic artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient with acute pancreatitis : a case report

Introduction: We report on the successful endovascular treatment of a ruptured splenic artery pseudoaneurysm. Our patient had acute pancreatitis superimposed on chronic calcific pancreatitis and chronic renal impairment. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was used to assess post-embolization results. Case presentation: Our patient was a 67-year-old white Caucasian man with recurrent pancreatitis. Computed tomography angiography showed a pancreatic pseudocyst with a ruptured pseudoaneurysm, which was successfully embolized using an endovascular percutaneous approach. At six months, persistent renal failure led to contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. This confirmed the absence of turbulent blood flow and extravasation of contrast medium in the pseudocyst. Conclusion: Our experience with this case leads us to support the role of interventional radiology as a first-line treatment tool. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can be used to follow-up embolization procedures in patients with impaired renal function

Linear Collider Test of a Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Mechanism in left-right Symmetric Theories

There are various diagrams leading to neutrinoless double beta decay in left-right symmetric theories based on the gauge group SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R. All can in principle be tested at a linear collider running in electron-electron mode. We argue that the so-called lambda-diagram is the most promising one. Taking the current limit on this diagram from double beta decay experiments, we evaluate the relevant cross section e e to W_L W_R, where W_L is the Standard Model W-boson and W_R the one from SU(2)_R. It is observable if the life-time of double beta decay and the mass of the W_R are close to current limits. Beam polarization effects and the high-energy behaviour of the cross section are also analyzed.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures. v2: minor changes, references added, to be published in EPJ

Left-right symmetry at LHC and precise 1-loop low energy data

Despite many tests, even the Minimal Manifest Left-Right Symmetric Model (MLRSM) has never been ultimately confirmed or falsified. LHC gives a new possibility to test directly the most conservative version of left-right symmetric models at so far not reachable energy scales. If we take into account precise limits on the model which come from low energy processes, like the muon decay, possible LHC signals are strongly limited through the correlations of parameters among heavy neutrinos, heavy gauge bosons and heavy Higgs particles. To illustrate the situation in the context of LHC, we consider the "golden" process $pp \to e^+ N$. For instance, in a case of degenerate heavy neutrinos and heavy Higgs masses at 15 TeV (in agreement with FCNC bounds) we get $\sigma(pp \to e^+ N)>10$ fb at $\sqrt{s}=14$ TeV which is consistent with muon decay data for a very limited $W_2$ masses in the range (3008 GeV, 3040 GeV). Without restrictions coming from the muon data, $W_2$ masses would be in the range (1.0 TeV, 3.5 TeV). Influence of heavy Higgs particles themselves on the considered LHC process is negligible (the same is true for the light, SM neutral Higgs scalar analog). In the paper decay modes of the right-handed heavy gauge bosons and heavy neutrinos are also discussed. Both scenarios with typical see-saw light-heavy neutrino mixings and the mixings which are independent of heavy neutrino masses are considered. In the second case heavy neutrino decays to the heavy charged gauge bosons not necessarily dominate over decay modes which include only light, SM-like particles.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figs, KL-KS and new ATLAS limits taken into accoun

A geomagnetic reference model for Albania, Southern Italy and the Ionian Sea from 1990 to 2005

Taking advantage of the measurements undertaken during the Albanian and Italian magnetic repeat station networks since 1990, as well as of a selected set of Ørsted satellite total field measurements, a magnetic reference model for the region comprising the Albanian territory, the southern part of the Italian Peninsula, and the Ionian Sea is presented. The model, designed to model the components of the main geomagnetic field for epochs between 1990 and 2005, has been developed by means of spherical cap harmonic analysis applied to a cap of semiangle 8°, larger than that investigated to take into account the appropriate spatial wavelength content of the main geomagnetic field over the region. The goodness of the fit to the real data suggests that the model can be used as a reference model to reduce magnetic surveys developed in the area during the time of validity of the model

Dynamics of parameters of elastic-elastic properties of arterial wall in patients with morbid obesity after conduction of bariatric treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, 2.8 million people die every year from diseases associated with overweight or obesity. Abdominal-visceral form is a serious predictor of mortality from cardiovascular disease. The aim of the work was to evaluate the dynamics of rigidity of the arterial wall in patients with morbid obesity after the administration of bariatric treatment. The study included 22 patients with morbid obesity, 11 women and 11 men (50%). The average age of patients was 41.9 ± 2.38 years. All patients were under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of State Establishment "Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy of Health Ministry of Ukraine", which included surgeons, anesthetists, cardiologists and endocrinologists. Weight loss after bariatric treatment of obesity was accompanied by positive changes in the cardiometabolic profile in patients, which was manifested not only by improving blood pressure control, decreasing doses and the number of medications taken, but also reducing the rigidity of the arterial wall, which in turn led to the reduction of the risk of serious cardiovascular events in future