Temperature measurement of fragment emitting systems in Au+Au 35 MeV/nucleon collisions

We report on the results of experiments performed to investigate the Au1Au 35 MeV/nucleon reaction. The reaction products generated in the disassembly of the unique source formed in central collisions and those coming from the decay of the quasiprojectile in peripheral and midperipheral ones ~five different impact parameters! were identified through a careful data selection based on the study of energy and angular distributions. The excitation energies of the fragment sources have been extracted through a calorimetric method and by means of a comparison with model calculations. The nuclear temperatures of these decaying systems have been measured from the relative isotopic abundances and, also for central collisions, from the relative populations of excited states. The temperatures of the quasiprojectile disassembling systems are slowly increasing going towards smaller impact parameter. The relationship between temperature and excitation energy seems to be almost independent of the characteristics of the emitting source. The extracted caloric curve shows a slow monotonic increase with increasing excitation energy. A comparison with data derived from Au fragmentation at much higher incident energies is discussed. @S0556-2813~98!04408-2

Assessment of left and right atrial function by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography following percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale

Background. The purpose of the present study was to analyze segmental atrial function by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in patients with patent foramen ovale six months after the implantation of occluder devices.. Methods. Patients with atrial septal devices (n = 65) were followed up for six months after device implantation and compared with a normal age-matched group (n = 35). A subgroup of 12 patients who developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) after device insertion were also studied. Atrial peak ventricular systolic longitudinal strain (LS), circumferential strain (CS), and area strain (AS) and peak pre–atrial contraction longitudinal strain, circumferential strain, and area strain were determined using 3D STE, and SDs of times to peaks of regional atrial strain were calculated as indices of dyssynchrony. 3DSTE was able to measure atrial strain in 62 of the 65 implanted patients and in all patients with PAF. Results. The mean time for analysis with 3D STE was 20% shorter than with two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (p<0.05). Values of interobserver and intraobserver variability of atrial strain by 3DSTE were <11% and <13%, respectively. LS, CS, and AS were reduced in patients with atrial devices compared with controls, and further reductions of these parameters were observed in patients with PAF. By multivariate analysis, LS (p=0.002), AS (p<0.001), and CS (p<0.05) were independent predictors of PAF. Patients with PAF showed smaller peak pre–atrial contraction longitudinal strain and peak pre–atrial contraction area strain compared with controls. Conclusions. Patients with atrial septal devices have significant global and segmental atrial dysfunction as assessed by 3DSTE. The localized regional dysfunction is likely due to the direct mechanical effect associated with occluder implantation. This may have implications for the evaluation of long term atrial function and selection of devices of appropriate sizes

Individual differences in the acquisition of non‐linguistic audio‐visual associations in 5 year olds

Audio‐visual associative learning – at least when linguistic stimuli are employed – is known to rely on core linguistic skills such as phonological awareness. Here we ask whether this would also be the case in a task that does not manipulate linguistic information. Another question of interest is whether executive skills, often found to support learning, may play a larger role in a non‐linguistic audio‐visual associative task compared to a linguistic one. We present a new task that measures learning when having to associate non‐linguistic auditory signals with novel visual shapes. Importantly, our novel task shares with linguistic processes such as reading acquisition the need to associate sounds with arbitrary shapes. Yet, rather than phonemes or syllables, it uses novel environmental sounds – therefore limiting direct reliance on linguistic abilities. Five‐year‐old French‐speaking children (N = 76, 39 girls) were assessed individually in our novel audio‐visual associative task, as well as in a number of other cognitive tasks evaluating linguistic abilities and executive functions. We found phonological awareness and language comprehension to be related to scores in the audio‐visual associative task, while no correlation with executive functions was observed. These results underscore a key relation between foundational language competencies and audio‐visual associative learning, even in the absence of linguistic input in the associative task

A case report of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery disease: Graves' disease-induced coronary artery vasospasm

Background: Coronary artery spasm can occur either in response to drugs or toxins. This response may result in hyper-reactivity of vascular smooth muscles or may occur spontaneously as a result of disorders in the coronary vasomotor tone. Hyperthyroidism is associated with coronary artery spasm. Case summary: A 49-year-old female patient with a 2-day history of intermittent chest pain and electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischaemia was referred for emergency coronary angiography. This revealed severe right coronary artery (RCA) and left main (LM) coronary artery ostial vasospasm, both subsequently relieved with administration of multiple doses intracoronary nitroglycerine. Intravascular optical coherence tomography showed absence of atherosclerosis and no evidence of thrombus or dissection confirming the diagnosis of coronary artery vasospasm. Laboratory tests of the thyroid function were performed immediately after coronary angiography revealing Graves' disease as the cause of vasospasm. Discussion: Our case represents a rare presentation of Graves' disease-induced RCA and LM coronary artery ostial vasospasm. In patients with coronary artery vasospasm thyroid function study should be mandatory, especially in young female patients