BACKGROUND Infraclavicular approach of the subclavian veins is commonly used for central venous access. However, aberrant catheter tip locations are frequently quoted for this approach. It was hypothesized that with the shoulder pulled downwards, the angle between the internal jugular and subclavian veins may increase, directing subclavian catheters into the internal jugular vein. This prospect...

The analytical solutions of the N -dimensional Schrödinger equation with position-dependent mass for a general class of central potentials is obtained via the series expansion method. The position-dependent mass is expanded in series about origin. As a special case, the analytical bound-state series solutions and the recursion relation of the linear-plus-Coulomb (Cornell) potential with the dec...

The segregation of sensory information into distinct cortical areas is an important organizational feature of mammalian sensory systems. Here, we provide functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) evidence for the functional delineation of somatosensory representations in the human central sulcus region. Data were collected with a 3-Tesla scanner during two stimulation protocols, a punctate t...

The validity of the central venous and water-filled oesophageal catheter technique as a measure of pleural pressure changes was tested in ten healthy subjects in different body positions during inspiratory efforts with occluded airways, by comparing the simultaneous changes in mouth pressure (delta Pm) taken to represent pleural pressure changes, in central venous pressure (delta Pcv) and in oe...

This work presents a parallel version of a complex numerical algorithm for solving an el-astohydrodynamic piezoviscous lubrication problem studied in tribology. The numerical algorithm combines regula falsi, ®xed point techniques, ®nite elements and duality methods. The execution of the sequential program on a workstation requires signi®cant CPU time and memory resources. Thus, in order to redu...

The central projection of the fish lateral line displays somatotopic ordering. In order to know when and how this ordering is established, we have labelled single sensory neurones and followed the growth of their neurites. We show that the neuromast cells and the corresponding neurones are not related by a fixed lineage, and also that somatotopic differences between anterior and posterior line ...

A central bar repeatedly presented in alternation with two flanking bars can lead to the disappearance of the central bar. Recently it has been suggested that this masking effect could be explained by object-mediated updating: the information from the central bar is integrated into the representation of the flankers, leading not only to the disappearance of the central bar as a separate object,...

The vestibular system is responsible for keeping an animal oriented with respect to gravity. It is a sensory system that maintains the position of the eyes, body, and limbs in reference to the position of the head. Proper interpretation of neurologic deficits and precise neuroanatomic localization are essential to diagnose and prognosticate the underlying disorder. Neurologic examination can co...

The activation of cardiovascular reflexes for postural adaptation questions whether, in healthy humans, the central blood volume is optimised to support the upright position. A functional definition of an 'optimal circulating volume' that provides the heart with enough central blood volume to establish a maximal cardiac output (CO) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (S(v,O2)) at rest was evalua...