OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether left atrial appendage outflow velocity alone or in relation to left atrial diameter is a superior predictor of sinus rhythm maintenance after cardioversion compared with traditional clinical or echocardiography parameters. DESIGN: Sixty-two patients with their first episode of atrial fibrillation were examined using echocardiography before DC-cardioversion. At one

Current atrial fibrillation (AF) management guidelines suggest that initially a decision must be made to apply either a rate control or rhythm control strategy in the individual patient. However, patients' selection remains substantially empirical and the strategy initially chosen often proves unsuccessful and alternative therapies must be adopted. Thus, it seems desirable to develop and apply tes

We describe how a standard reinforcement learning algorithm can be changed to include a second contextual input that is used to modulate the learning in the original algorithm. The new algorithm takes the context into account during relearning when the previously learned actions are no longer valid. The algorithm was tested on a number of cognitive experiment and shown to reproduce the learning in

Both stearic acid and methyl stearate chemisorbs onto an oxide surface of aluminum with an asymmetric coordination of the carboxylate group as concluded from infrared (IR) spectroscopy data. Similarities in the IR spectra of the films from the two compounds suggest that the ester is bonded in the same way as the acid, and that the ester therefore undergoes hydrolysis during the surface reaction. X

Abstract The Swedisn box apparatus was modified to include an oxygen analysis of the exhaust gases to be compared with the conventional exhaust gas temperature measurement. A slow-burning material shows good correlation between the temperature measurement and the rate of heat release. A fast-burning material, however, consumes all the available oxygen, and the temperature measurement becomes a mea

Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) in porphyrin-oligothiophene-fullerene triad was reported experimentally [J. Ikemoto, K. Takimiya, Y. Aso. T. Otsubo, M. Fujitsuka, O. Ito, Org. Lett. 4 (2002) 309], and the weak distance dependence of the oligothiophene spacer was found. In this Letter, ICT in this triad is theoretically investigated with quantum chemistry method as well as the 2D and 3D real s

We compared the effects of Alzheimer’s peptide (Ab1–42), a1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) and an ACT/Ab1–42 mixture on human glioma DK-MG cells. The solution of Ab (5 mM) formed by 2-h incubation at room temperature induced tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels by 55 and 45%, respectively, and increased gelatinase B activity by 67%, while exposure of cells to the ACT/Ab1–42 mixtu

Under anaerobic conditions S. cerevisiae produces glycerol to regenerate NAD+ from the excess NADH produced in cell metabolism. We here report on the role of an uncharacterized protein, Yig1p (YpI201cp), in anaerobic glycerol production. Yig1p was previously shown to interact in two-hybrid tests with the GPP1 and GPP2 encoded glycerol 3-phosphatase (Gpp), and we here demonstrate that strains overe

This study examined job satisfaction among occupational therapists in Swedish psychiatric care, and investigated how clinical supervision, organizational aspects and demographic characteristics contributed to job satisfaction. We received 332 returned questionnaires, corresponding to a response rate of 66.9%. Job satisfaction factors that emerged were: general satisfaction with work, communication

In this paper we proposed a method for evaluating a homogeneous broadening (DeltaE(h)) and inhomogeneous broadening (DeltaE(i)) of the resonant energy level width independently by using current-voltage characteristics in double barrier resonant tunneling diodes (DBRTDs). The line shape of the resonant energy broadening is assumed as a convolution of Lorentz function and a Gauss function. Measured

There are specific receptors for the active metabolite of vitamin D on the pancreatic beta cells and severe vitamin D deficiency can inhibit insulin secretion. In the present study 14 middle aged men with impaired glucose tolerance and low glucose-stimulated insulin values received 2 micrograms alphacalcidol daily for 18 months. On treatment there was a transient increase of both the peak and the

Abstract in Undetermined A selective overview of Swedish Bronze Age research during the late 1980s is presented. The dominant topics were settlement archaeology, spatial analysis, bronze metalwork and rock art with local or regional perspectives. Both generalistic and particularistic approaches are not- able with the use of quantitative and qualitative methods in a search of comprehensive views fo

The Cromer blood group system consists of eight high incidence and three low incidence antigens carried on decay-accelerating factor (DAF). This report describes the identification and characterization of a new Cromer high incidence antigen, named SERF. Sequence analyses of DNA from a Thai female whose serum contained the alloantibody to a high incidence antigen in the Cromer blood group system (a