Neuralgic amyotrophy: A rare cause of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis

In 1994, 171 (27%) of all positive blood cultures in our hospital were due to Acinetobacter species. Of these, 138 cultures were considered significant, 91 (66%) were community-acquired and 47 (34%) were nosocomial. Most acinetobacter bacteraemia in children < or = 1 year old was community-acquired, while nosocomial infection was more common in children > 1 year old (P = 0.01). Most children < or = 5 years old were severely malnourished. The incidence of bacteraemia was lowest during the post-monsoon to early winter months. Acinetobacter bacteraemia associated mortality was twice (16%) that of all other patients (7.7%, P < 0.0005) and accounted for 4.5% of all hospital deaths during the study period. Bacteraemia caused by Acinetobacter species is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among our patient population with diarrhoeal disease.     

Stress monitoring using a distributed wireless intelligent sensor system

We are developing personal health monitors based on a wireless body area network (BAN) of intelligent sensors. Individual monitors will be integrated into a distributed wireless system for synchronized monitoring of a group of subjects. This system could be used during the selection process and as part of a psychophysiological evaluation of military members undergoing intense training. We use measures of heart-rate variability to quantify stress level prior to and during training as well as to predict stress resistance. This task requires reliable, high-precision instrumentation and synchronized measurements from a group of individuals over prolonged periods (days of training).     

Everyday green space and experienced well-being: the significance of wildlife encounters

A broad and growing evidence base suggests the potential for time spent in natural environments to promote human health and well-being. Whilst evidence of such benefits is rapidly accumulating, we still know relatively little about the role of wildlife encounters in shaping the well-being potential of people’s routine green/blue space interactions, particularly amongst non-specialists. This article addresses this conceptual gap, drawing on the findings of a three-stage, qualitative, interpretive study which sought to understand and situate people’s natural environment well-being experiences within their everyday lives. Wildlife encounters were emphasised by study participants in the context of four types of well-being experience: social, immersive, symbolic and achievement oriented. These are explored within this paper, before discussing the influence of past experiences and current life circumstances on participants’ wildlife relationships. Consideration is also given to how environmental managers might focus activity and investment to balance opportunities for such wildlife experiences with the ongoing priorities of delivering socially inclusive, ecologically rich and climate change-resilient green spaces.     

Instantaneous Coefficients of Gear Tooth Friction

In a gear contact as simulated on a roller test machine, the instantaneous coefficient of friction follows the concept of transition from boundary to hydrodynamic lubrication. The coefficient has been found to increase with increasing load and to decrease with increasing sum velocity, sliding velocity, and oil viscosity as each of these quantities is varied individually. The viscosity was determined by the temperature of the oil entering contact and the viscosity-temperature characteristics of the lubricant. The results have been combined in a formula which closely represents the data. When this formula is used in gear scoring calculations, the same type of U-shaped load-speed curve is obtained as has been found on several gear test rigs.     

Biodegradation of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Eosinophil Peroxidase

Eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) is one of the major oxidant‐producing enzymes during inflammatory states in the human lung. The degradation of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) upon incubation with human EPO and H₂O₂ is reported. Biodegradation of SWCNTs is higher in the presence of NaBr, but neither EPO alone nor H₂O₂ alone caused the degradation of nanotubes. Molecular modeling reveals two binding sites for SWCNTs on EPO, one located at the proximal side (same side as the catalytic site) and the other on the distal side of EPO. The oxidized groups on SWCNTs in both cases are stabilized by electrostatic interactions with positively charged residues. Biodegradation of SWCNTs can also be executed in an ex vivo culture system using primary murine eosinophils stimulated to undergo degranulation. Biodegradation is proven by a range of methods including transmission electron microscopy, UV‐visible‐NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and confocal Raman imaging. Thus, human EPO (in vitro) and ex vivo activated eosinophils mediate biodegradation of SWCNTs: an observation that is relevant to pulmonary responses to these materials.     

Artificial neural networks and logistic regression as tools for prediction of survival in patients with Stages I and II non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: This study examines the role of participation in psychosocial treatment as a mediator of the clinical effectiveness of clozapine. METHODS: Subjects participated in a 12-month double-blind random-assignment trial comparing clozapine and haloperidol in patients hospitalized 30 to 364 days for refractory schizophrenia at 15 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. A broker-advocate case management intervention was used to facilitate participation in psychosocial treatments and to document such participation. RESULTS: Between those who continued receiving clozapine (n=122) or a conventional antipsychotic drug (n=169) for 12 months, those receiving clozapine were more likely to participate in psychosocial rehabilitation treatment. Although they were no more likely to receive clinical recommendations for such treatments, they were more likely to both verbally accept recommendations and to act on them. Structural equation modeling shows that participation in psychosocial treatment did not play a mediating role in clozapine's effect on outcomes at 6 months, but was associated with both reduced symptoms and improved quality of life at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Clozapine facilitates participation in psychosocial treatment, and such enhanced participation is associated with improved quality-of-life and symptom outcomes. Psychosocial rehabilitation should be offered concomitantly with clozapine.     

Corrected estimates of WAIS—R short form reliability and standard error of measurement.

Corrects computation and rounding errors in composite reliability estimates for the summary measures of the complete Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised (WAIS--R) and the 7-subtest short form (D. Schretlen, R. H. B. Benedict, and J. H. Bobholz; see record 1995-04011-001) to provide more accurate reliability and standard error of measurement information. Composite reliabilities for the summary scores with both WAIS-R forms and standard errors of measurement for the 7-subtest short form and the complete WAIS-R summary scores are presented. Standard deviations for the IQ scores are also summarized. These values differ from the sum of scaled scores that appear in the WAIS-R manual (D. Wechsler, 1981). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concomitant occurrence of hypodontia and supernumerary teeth in a patient with Down syndrome

BACKGROUND: Birth asphyxia is a major cause of neonatal mortality. An understanding of the determinants of mortality among asphyxiated neonates will help formulate effective management protocols. METHODS: One hundred and fifty consecutive neonates with birth asphyxia (apnoea or gasping respiration at 1-minute of age) were prospectively studied. The association of the outcome variable, namely, mortality before discharge, was documented in relation to a number of clinically important risk factors. RESULTS: The neonatal mortality of 24.7% (37/150) among asphyxiated neonates was 34.5-times compared to that of the non-asphyxiated population (p < 0.001). The mortality rates in preterm-and term-asphyxiated neonates were 47.8% and 6%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The relative risk of mortality increased progressively with increased birth-weight. On univariate analysis, prematurity, low birth-weight, respiratory distress, severity of asphyxia, hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, apnoea, acidosis and seizures were found to be significant risk factors of death. However, on step wise regression analysis, prematurity emerged as the most significant determinant of mortality. The highest positive predictive value (58.3%) for mortality was documented for hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in mortality among asphyxiated neonates will require aggressive management of prematurity-related neonatal complications and hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.