No abstract

BackgroundPreviously alternate nostril yoga breathing (anuloma-viloma pranayama) was shown to reduce the blood pressure (BP) in people with hypertension. An elevated BP has been associated with poor performance in certain tasks requiring attention and co-ordination. The Purdue pegboard task assesses manual dexterity and eye-hand co-ordination.Material/MethodsIn the present study there were ninety participants with essential hypertension. Their ages ranged from 20 to 59 years (group average age ±S.D., 49.7±9.5 years; sixty males). Participants were randomized as three groups, with thirty participants in each group. One group practiced alternate nostril yoga breathing for 10 minutes, the second group practiced breath awareness for the same duration and the third group was given a control intervention (i.e., reading a magazine with neutral content). Assessments were taken before and after the interventions for participants of the three groups. Assessments included the blood pressure and performance in the Purdue pegboard task. Data were analyzed with a repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc analyses were Bonferroni adjusted.ResultsFollowing alternate nostril breathing (ANYB) there was a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.001 and p<0.05), and an improvement in Purdue pegboard task scores for both hands (p<0.05), and for the right hand (p<.001). Breath awareness (the control session) also showed a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (p<0.05). The right hand scores improved in the group reading a magazine (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe results suggest that the immediate effect of ANYB is to reduce the BP while improving the performing in a task requiring attention, bimanual dexterity and visuo-motor co-ordination.

The lack of sulfidation of copper in indoor atmospheric corrosion has been attributed to the 1ormation of copper oxide on copper, i.e., the oxide which forms on the copper surface initiany inhiDits the growth of corrosion (sulfide films) on the surface. A permeation tuDe apparatus has been constructed with a quartz crystal microbalance (sensitivity ,~10-sg) to elucidate the reaction of copper and copper oxide with H2S. The film composition was measured with ESCA and Auger spectroscopy and the film thickness was measured with the quartz crystal microbalance to avoid the ambiguity of thickness estimation from sputter rate measurements in depth pronling. Results indicate that copper oxides grown in air (several hundred A thick) provide good protection against h2S at low relative humidities, but little protection at high relative humidities. Oxides grown in pure oxygen provide more protection, but still tarnish rapidly at l~igner relative l~umim~ies. * Electrochemical Society Active Member. ) unless CC License in place (see abstract). ecsdl.org/site/terms_use address. Redistribution subject to ECS terms of use (see 132.239.1.231 Downloaded on 2014-11-17 to IP ) unless CC License in place (see abstract). ecsdl.org/site/terms_use address. Redistribution subject to ECS terms of use (see

A major function of the skin is the regulation of body temperature by sweat secretions. Sweat glands secrete water and salt, especially NaCl. Excreted water evaporates, cooling the skin surface, and Na ions are reabsorbed by the epithelial sodium channels (ENaC). Mutations in ENaC subunit genes lead to a severe multi-system (systemic) form of pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) type I, characterized by salt loss from aldosterone target organs, including sweat glands in the skin. In this study, we mapped the sites of localization of ENaC in the human skin by confocal microscopy using polyclonal antibodies generated against human αENaC. Our results reveal that ENaC is expressed strongly in all epidermal layers except stratum corneum, and also in the sebaceous glands, eccrine glands, arrector pili smooth muscle cells, and intra-dermal adipocytes. In smooth muscle cells and adipocytes, ENaC is co-localized with F-actin. No expression of ENaC was detected in the dermis. CFTR is strongly expressed in sebaceous glands. In epidermal appendages noted, except the eccrine sweat glands, ENaC is mainly located in the cytoplasm. In the eccrine glands and ducts, ENaC and CFTR are located on the apical side of the membrane. This localization of ENaC is compatible with ENaC's role in salt reabsorption. PHA patients may develop folliculitis, miliaria rubra, and atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions, due to sweat gland duct occlusion and inflammation of eccrine glands as a result of salt accumulation.

The corrosion growth kinetics for Cu, Ni, and Ag in an air-conditioned telephone office and a nonair-conditioned telephone office basement have been obtained by measuring the film thicknesses on coupons exposed for various times. The film constituents and thicknesses on these materials were obtained by AES and cathodic reduction. Over a two year period, Ag tarnishes linearly and the major film constituents are sulfur and chlorine. Copper and nickel corrosion data have been fitted to parabolic growth rate kinetics and the film thicknesses have been extrapolated to 40 years. The major film constituents on Cu and Ni are oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur. The film constituents and thicknesses have also been obtained by exposing the same materials in the One Year environmental test. The constituents are similar to the films grown in the field. Acceleration factors for the One Year test for these materials have been derived by comparing film thicknesses to those developed in the field. It is concluded that the One Year test is a suitable test for Cu and Ni but not for Ag. * Electrochemical Society Active Member.