Mass hysteria: one syndrome or two?

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that mass hysteria can be divided into two syndromes; one with predominant features of anxiety and the other with predominant abnormalities of motor behaviour. In the former condition, prior tension is absent and spread is by visual contact. In the latter, prior tension is present, initial cases can be identified and spread is gradual. METHOD: The development and resolution of neurological symptoms in 156 Nigerian school girls were studied and a diagnosis of 'mass hysteria' made. RESULTS: The signs and symptoms manifested by the school girls during the outbreak of illness had features of both 'anxiety' and 'motor' predominant forms of mass hysteria. CONCLUSIONS: Although there may be two patterns of symptom presentation in mass hysteria, other supposedly discrete features overlap. This weakens the argument that there are two separate syndromes.     

Crystallization mechanism and characteristics of silicomanganese slag melts used to make glass ceramics (Review)

Translated from Steklo i Keramica, No. 3, pp. 2–5, March, 1993.     

Pneumothorax. A complication of fine needle aspiration of breast tumors

Of 1,666 patients who underwent fine needle aspiration for breast lumps, 4 developed pneumothorax as a complication. The incidence of this complication in our patients is 1:417. The clinical manifestations were immediate chest pain, shoulder pain and, occasionally, dyspnea that developed later. Observation is sufficient treatment in most patients, and rarely is drainage of the pneumothorax required.     

Contour path FDTD method for analysis of pyramidal horns withcomposite inner E-plane walls

The contour path finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is used for modeling pyramidal horn antennas with or without composite E-plane inner walls. To model the pyramidal horn surface, a locally distorted grid is used. Modified equations are obtained based on the locally distorted grid and the assumptions of the contour path method. The developed algorithm is validated by comparing computed antenna gain patterns, with and without the presence of composite material, with available measurements     

Wettability of two-phase composites by molten metals

Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 6(354), pp. 40–44, June, 1992.     

Effect of the method of activation on properties of zeolite-containing hydrotreatment catalysts

Translated from Khimiya i Tekhonologiy Topliv i Masel, No. 3, pp. 33–34, March, 1992.     

On the Theory of Electrical Phenomena in Combustion of Heterogeneous Systems with Condensed Products

The effect of the electromotive force arising in combustion of heterogeneous systems with condensed products is explained. A convective mechanism of arising regions with different charge densities due to charge transfer by the gas filtered in the pores is formulated on the basis of the developed physical concepts, estimates, and analysis of experimental data. Key words: combustion, electron emission, filtration, electromotive force.