Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae bacteremia after dog bite

A case of erysipeloid with bacteraemia caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (ER) in a previously healthy 41-year old man is presented. The bacterium was probably introduced by the bite of a dog. He was treated successfully with penicillin V. The ER bacteraemia occurred without complications of endocarditis.     

A Composite Index of Compliance for Chronic In‐Center Hemodialysis Patients

We developed a composite compliance index as the sum of the compliance scores for interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), pre‐dialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations (each scored from zero to 3, with 3 indicating the poorest compliance), and skipping hemodialysis sessions (scored from zero to 9, with 9 indicating the poorest compliance). We used this composite score to prospectively evaluate compliance in 25 prevalent hemodialysis patients over a period of 1 year. We then followed these patients for another 3.5 years. The patients studied were divided into two groups: group A (poor compliance) consisted of 9 subjects with composite score ≥ 9 (13.2 ± 3.2); group B (better compliance) consisted of 16 subjects with composite score < 9 (4.7 ± 1.8). Age, duration of hemodialysis, and frequency of diabetes mellitus did not differ between the groups. Group A contained higher fractions of subjects with history of alcoholism (66.7% vs 12.5%, p = 0.010), other substance addiction (44.4% vs 0%, p = 0.010), and severe psychosocial problems (88.9% vs 18.8%, p = 0.002). Mean survival from the beginning of observation, estimated by actuarial life‐table survival analysis, was 1.19 years in group A and 2.60 years in group B (p = 0.0265). A composite compliance index incorporating domains indicating adherence to diet, medications, and dialysis schedule identified other behavioral problems in poorly compliant patients. Hemodialysis patients characterized by this composite index as poorly compliant had shortened survival.     

设计实例designideas级联低压差稳压器、SMPS抑制纹波，保持效率

降压型SMPS（开关电源）能有效地将未稳压的电源转换为稳定的输出电压。但是．输出端会出现由开关而产生的有害纹波和输入瞬变。如将有噪声的电源加在RF功率放大器上．则会在广播频谱中注入寄生信号或调制噪声。模拟系统工程师与RF系统工程师都青睐传统的低噪声电源设计．它包括一个变压器、整流器和滤波器．后面是一个线性稳压器。一只低压差线性稳压器的低输出噪声和高PSRR（电源抑制比）可以确保干净的电源．不会造成对功率放大器输出的干扰。     

The multicultural perspective in therapy: A social constructionist approach.

Discusses the theoretical and clinical applications of the postmodern paradigm of social constructionism as a basis for counseling culturally different clients. Such applications avoid the trap of perpetuating the status-quo when working with minority and marginalized clientele. The main points of multiculturalism and social constructionism are summarized, and issues of mutual concern to both perspectives are examined. Applications to psychotherapy are explored, and the challenges of applying the social constructionist approach to culturally competent counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do We Stand on Common Ground? A Threat Appraisal Model for Terror Alerts Issued by the Department of Homeland Security

The fabric and faces of threat, and the expediency and efficiency in the communication of threat, are examined with a threat appraisal model. This model is empirically tested on an ongoing communication challenge, the issuance of terror alerts by the United States' Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing on how threat is appraised by both the conservative and liberal audiences. Findings showed a shared view by the DHS and conservative audiences on the levels and nature of threats; liberal audiences thought otherwise. Though there appeared to be a consensus between the conservative and liberal audiences on the efficacy of threat communication, more internal consistency within DHS is needed to optimise its effectiveness.     

Fire evacuation skills: Cognitive-behavioral versus computer-mediated instruction

Fifty-six fourth-grade children participated in this study to assess three training procedures for relative effectiveness in acquiring fire emergency skills and attaining knowledge. The first training approach was behavioral, the second used animated graphics, and the third used still graphics. Each of the training groups was compared to a control group that received no treatment. Performance on dependent measures was assessed before and immediately after training. It was hypothesized that the behavioral and animated-graphics conditions would produce the greatest level of skill and knowledge acquisition. Results demonstrated a significantly higher level of fire emergency skill acquisition and knowledge attainment for both the behavioral and animated-graphics groups relative to the still-graphics group and the control group, which had no training. The value of using computer-mediated strategies for fire-safety skills training was demonstrated.     

The importance of information localization in scene gist recognition.

People can recognize the meaning or gist of a scene from a single glance, and a few recent studies have begun to examine the sorts of information that contribute to scene gist recognition. The authors of the present study used visual masking coupled with image manipulations (randomizing phase while maintaining the Fourier amplitude spectrum; random image structure evolution [RISE]; J. Sadr & P. Sinha, 2004) to explore whether and when unlocalized Fourier amplitude information contributes to gist perception. In 4 experiments, the authors found that differences between scene categories in the Fourier amplitude spectrum are insufficient for gist recognition or gist masking. Whereas the global 1/f spatial frequency amplitude spectra of scenes plays a role in gist masking, local phase information is necessary for gist recognition and for the strongest gist masking. Moreover, the ability to recognize the gist of a target image was influenced by mask recognizability, suggesting that conceptual masking occurs even at the earliest stages of scene processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mapping the active sites of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase and glycerol kinase with monoammine chromium(III) ATP

The 12 isomers of monoammine chromium(III) ATP have been used to probe the ATP binding sites of yeast 3-phosphoglycerate kinase and glycerol kinase from Candida mycoderma. Inhibition studies of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase show a dramatic decrease in isomer binding only when the ammonia is in the Delta axial facial anti position. This suggests an open site architecture with only one strong contact point between the coordination sphere and the enzyme surface. These results agree well with the computer modeling studies of bidentate chromium ATP into the nucleotide site determined by X-ray crystallography [McPhillips, T., et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 4118-4127]. Both methods describe an open site strongly supporting the validity of the inhibition studies. Inhibition studies of glycerol kinase show significant decreases in binding for all the tested ammonia positions, suggesting a closed site architecture with many contacts between the coordination sphere and the surface of the enzyme. This is in good agreement with X-ray studies [Hurley, T., et al. (1993) Science 259, 673-677] on the Escherichia coli glycerol kinase. Inhibition studies of hexokinase previously reported [Rawlings, J., et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 11204-11210] more closely resemble those of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, suggesting the surprising result that however closely hexokinase and glycerol kinase are related structurally the site around the coordination sphere in hexokinase is functionally open like that of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase.     

Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal?

The authors investigated the role of homosexual arousal in exclusively heterosexual men who admitted negative affect toward homosexual individuals. Participants consisted of a group of homophobic men (n?=?35 ) and a group of nonhomophobic men (n?=?29); they were assigned to groups on the basis of their scores on the Index of Homophobia (W. W. Hudson & W. A. Ricketts, 1980). The men were exposed to sexually explicit erotic stimuli consisting of heterosexual, male homosexual, and lesbian videotapes, and changes in penile circumference were monitored. They also completed an Aggression Questionnaire (A. H. Buss & M. Perry, 1992). Both groups exhibited increases in penile circumference to the heterosexual and female homosexual videos. Only the homophobic men showed an increase in penile erection to male homosexual stimuli. The groups did not differ in aggression. Homophobia is apparently associated with homosexual arousal that the homophobic individual is either unaware of or denies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ultrasonic crack characterization via a constrained inversion algorithm

The Kirchhoff approximation is used to show that the time domain impulse response of an isolated flat crack can be given a simple geometrical interpretation in terms of the derivative of a projected length function. For an elliptical crack, this derivative can be obtained explicitly to yield the two edge-diffracted waves which originate from the flashpoints of the crack. An explicit coordinate invariant expression is obtained from this elliptical crack solution which relates the time difference, t, between the arrival of these edge-diffracted waves and the crack size and orientation. Previously, we have proposed that this expression, together with t measurements in different scattering directions, could be used in a regression analysis as the basis for performing a constrained inversion of crack scattering data (i.e., where we attempt to obtain the best equivalent flat elliptical crack that fits the scattering measurements). Here we will demonstrate some results of applying the proposed algorithm using noisy synthetic data. The sensitivity of the results to both, number of measurements and transducer orientation, will be discussed.