OBJECTIVE The long QT syndrome (LQTS) is characterized by prolonged repolarization and propensity to syncope and sudden death due to polymorphic ventricular tachycardias such as torsade de pointes (TdP). The exact mechanism of TdP is unclear, but pause-induced early afterdepolarizations (EADs) have been implicated in its initiation. In this study we investigate the mechanism of pause-induced EA...

Earlier impressionistic analyses of Dalabon indicate that the grammatical word is often realized as either an accentual phrase, or an intonational phrase, followed by a pause. Unusually, it can also be interrupted by a silent pause, with each section being realized as separate intonational phrases. Our results support these earlier impressions, although this use of the silent pause appears to b...

We consider the use of natural pauses to aid analysis of spontaneous speech, studying four Japanese dialogues concerning a simulated direction-finding task. Using new techniques, we added to existing transcripts information concerning the placement and length of significant pauses within turns (breathing intervals of any length or silences longer than approximately 400 milliseconds). We then ad...

This study investigated the effect of variation in partner-initiated pause time on the expressive communication of young people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Eight participants aged 8;11-20;08 years (mean 16;02 years) participated in the study. Three pause time conditions (2, 10, and 45 seconds) were trialled during a scripted shared storybook reading task. A total o...

Polymerase II (Pol II) transcriptional termination depends on two independent genetic elements: poly(A) signals and downstream terminator sequences. The latter may either promote cotranscriptional RNA cleavage or pause elongating Pol II. We demonstrate that the previously characterized MAZ4 pause element promotes Pol II termination downstream of a poly(A) signal, dependent on both the proximity...

A critical question in tapping behavior is to understand whether the temporal control is exerted on the duration and trajectory of the downward-upward hand movement or on the pause between hand movements. In the present study, we determined the duration of both the movement execution and pauses of monkeys performing a synchronization-continuation task (SCT), using the speed profile of their tap...

Pauses in spontaneous speaking constitute a rich source of data for several disciplines. They have been used to enhance automatic segmentation of speech, classification of patients with acquired communication disorders, the design of psycholinguistic models of speaking, and the analysis of psychological disorders. Unfortunately, however, although pause analysis has been with us for more than 40...

BACKGROUND The identification of the molecular-genetic substrate underlying the various forms of the congenital long-QT syndrome (LQTS) has sparked studies into possible genotype-phenotype correlations with the aim of developing genotype-tailored therapy. The onset of torsade de pointes (TdP) may differ among LQTS patients, being pause dependent in some but not all. This disparity may point to ...

Fracture repair is influenced by the mechanical environment, particularly when cyclic loads are applied across the fracture site. However, the specific mechanical loading parameters that accelerate fracture healing are unknown. Intact bone adaptation studies show enhanced bone formation with pauses inserted between loading cycles. We hypothesized pause-inserted noninvasive external loading to m...