DREAMS OF THE MALE CHILD: AN EEG STUDY.

32 6-12 YR. OLD BOYS WERE AWAKENED A TOTAL OF 249 TIMES DURING EPISODES OF REM SLEEP. SOME ITEM OF SUBSTANTIVE MENTAL CONTENT WAS REPORTED ON 72% OF THESE AWAKENINGS, A PERCENTAGE OF DREAM RECALL ONLY SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THAT COMMONLY OBSERVED WITH ADULTS. REPORTED DREAMS WERE PREDOMINANTLY "GOOD" OR AFFECTIVELY NEUTRAL, AND THEIR MANIFEST CONTENT OFTEN DEALT IN A RELATIVELY DIRECT MANNER WITH MAJOR FOCI OF JUVENILE AND PREADOLESCENT SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT: PARENTS, SIBLINGS, MALE PEERS, RECREATIONAL OR PLAY SETTINGS AND ACTIVITIES. THE FREQUENCY OF FRIENDLY OR APPROACH SOCIAL THEMES INCREASED WITH AGE, BUT UNFRIENDLY OR ESCAPE SOCIAL THEMES WERE MORE PROMINENT AMONG THE YOUNGER BOYS. PRESLEEP VIEWING OF AN AGGRESSIVE FILM STIMULUS APPEARED TO REDUCE DREAM INTENSITY IN GENERAL AND HOSTILE-UNPLEASANT CONTENT IN PARTICULAR. (18 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forestomach acidosis in six New World camelids

Forestomach acidosis was diagnosed in 2 llamas and 4 alpacas. All were young, group-housed, sexually intact males. Clinical signs included forestomach atony, lethargy, ataxia, diarrhea, and tachycardia. Forestomach distention was observed in only 1 llama. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included low forestomach fluid pH, hyperchloremia, hypokalemia, and metabolic acidosis. Although camelids differ from domestic ruminants in typical management practices and behavioral, anatomic, and physiologic characteristics, they are, nonetheless, susceptible to forestomach acidosis. Gastric fluid analysis was essential for an accurate diagnosis. Four of 6 camelids recovered after PO and IV treatment with alkalinizing agents and fluids, antibiotics, and thiamine.     

Intra-assay performance characteristics of five assays for quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA in plasma

Three kits (Roche AMPLICOR human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [HIV-1] Monitor, Chiron enhanced-sensitivity bDNA, and Organon Teknika NASBA HIV-1 QT) and two in-house assays (from National Genetics Institute and Baylor College of Medicine) were compared with a blinded panel. The results were evaluated as to intra-assay sensitivity, precision, and ability to detect differences in a dilution series.     

Intraclass correlation estimates in a school-based smoking prevention study. Outcome and mediating variables, by sex and ethnicity

Most school-based smoking prevention studies employ designs in which schools or classrooms are assigned to different treatment conditions while observations are made on individual students. This design requires that the treatment effect be assessed against the between-school variance. However, the between-school variance is usually larger than the variance that would be obtained if students were individually randomized to different conditions. Consequently, the power of the test for a treatment effect is reduced, and it becomes difficult to detect important treatment effects. To assess the potential loss of power or to calculate appropriate sample sizes, investigators need good estimates of the intraclass correlations for the variables of interest. The authors calculated intraclass correlations for some common outcome variables in a school-based smoking prevention study, using a three-level model-i.e., students nested within classrooms and classrooms nested within schools. The authors present the intraclass correlation estimates for the entire data set, as well as separately by sex and ethnicity. They also illustrate the use of these estimates in the planning of future studies.     

Temperature-sensitive mutants of influenza A virus. XIV. Production and evaluation of influenza A/Georgia/74-ts-1[E] recombinant viruses in human adults

The two temperature-sensitive (ts) lesions present in influenza A/Hong Kong/68-ts-1[E] (H3N2 68) virus were transferred via genetic reassortment to influenza A/Georgia/74 (H3N2 74) wild-type virus. A recombinant clone possessing both ts lesions and the shutoff temperature of 38 C of the Hong Kong/68 ts donor and the two surface antigens of the Georgia/74 wild-type virus was administered to 32 seronegative adult volunteers. Thirty-one volunteers were infected, of whom only five experienced mild afebrile upper respiratory tract illness. The wild-type recipient virus was a cloned population that induced illness in five of six infected volunteers. Therfore, the attenuation exhibited by the Georgia/74-ts-1[E] virus could reasonably be assumed to be due to the acquisition of the two ts-1[E] lesions by the Georgia/74 wild-type virus. The serum and nasal wash antibody responses of the ts-1[E] vaccinees were equivalent to those of the volunteers who received wild-type virus. The two ts lesions present in the Hong Kong/68-ts-1[E] virus have now been transferred three times to a wild-type virus bearing a new hemagglutinin, and in each instance the new ts recombination exhibited a similar, satisfactory level of attenuation and antigenicity for adults. It seems likely that the transfer of the ts-1[E] lesions to any new influenza virus will regularly result in attenuation of a recombinat virus possessing the new surface antigens.     

Effects of extrusion processing on nutrients in dry pet food

Extrusion cooking is commonly used to produce dry pet foods. As a process involving heat treatment, extrusion cooking can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the nutritional quality of the product. Desirable effects of extrusion comprise increase in palatability, destruction of undesirable nutritionally active factors and improvement in digestibility and utilisation of proteins and starch. Undesirable effects of extrusion include reduction of protein quality due to e.g. the Maillard reaction, decrease in palatability and loss of heat‐labile vitamins. Effects of extrusion processing on the nutritional values of feeds for livestock have been well documented. Literature results concerning effects of extrusion on dry pet foods, however, are scarce. The present review discusses the results of studies investigating the impact of extrusion cooking on the nutritional quality of dry pet foods. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluating Internet end-to-end performance: overview of test methodology and results

OBJECTIVE: An evaluation of Internet end-to-end performance was conducted for the purpose of better understanding the overall performance of Internet pathways typical of those used to access information in National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases and, by extension, other Internet-based biomedical information resources. DESIGN: The evaluation used a three-level test strategy: 1) user testing to collect empirical data on internet performance as perceived by users when accessing NLM Web-based databases, 2) technical testing to analyze the Internet paths between the NLM and the user's desktop computer terminal, and 3) technical testing between the NLM and the World Wide Web ("Web") server computer at the user's institution to help characterize the relative performance of Internet pathways. MEASUREMENTS: Time to download the front pages of NLM Web sites and conduct standardized searches of NLM databases, data transmission capacity between NLM and remote locations (known as the bulk transfer capacity [BTC]), "ping" round-trip time as an indication of the latency of the network pathways, and the network routing of the data transmissions (number and sequencing of hops). RESULTS: Based on 347 user tests spread over 16 locations, the median time per location to download the main NLM home page ranged from 2 to 59 seconds, and 1 to 24 seconds for the other NLM Web sites tested. The median time to conduct standardized searches and get search results ranged from 2 to 14 seconds for PubMed and 4 to 18 seconds for Internet Grateful Med. The overall problem rate was about 1 percent; that is, on the average, users experienced a problem once every 100 test measurements. The user terminal tests at five locations and Web host tests at 13 locations provided profiles of BTC, RTT, and network routing for both dial-up and fixed Internet connections. CONCLUSION: The evaluation framework provided a profile of typical Internet performance and insights into network performance and time-of-day/day-of-week variability. This profile should serve as a frame of reference to help identify and diagnose connectivity problems and should contribute to the evolving concept of Internet quality of service.     

An examination of small fatigue crack morphology

Test results for the growth of a small corner crack under cyclic loading are presented. The number of grains that are crossed by the crack front ranges from about three to ten during the crack advance. Crack path profile measurements on the adjacent corner faces are presented. Also, a microscopic examination of the crack path morphology of a polished and etched surface that is adjacent to the corner reveals the presence of complex branching mechanisms, and localized regions of intensive damage. Examination of sub-surfaces reveals that though branching and localized damage are present, they diminish with increasing depth of the subsurface. It is concluded that during early growth, the crack surface deviates substantially from an idealized planar surface model, and that Modes I, II, and III are all operative.     

Mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells in children using G-CSF after carboplatin containing myelosuppressive chemotherapy

PURPOSE: Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) apheresis provides an alternative to autologous marrow harvest as a source of hematologic stem cells for transplantation in children with solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight children with metastatic or recurrent solid tumors underwent 27 apheresis procedures. Recovery from myelosuppressive chemotherapy occurred without continuous daily growth factor support prior to mobilization. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) at 16 microgs/kg/day was used to increase stem cells in the peripheral circulation. CD 34 positive cells, mononuclear cells (MNC), and CFU-GM were measured in the apheresis products. Prior chemotherapy was examined as a clinical factor that affected PBSC yield. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between CD 34+/kg and CFU-GM/kg of the products (r = 0.758, P < 0.001). Patients receiving cumulative doses of carboplatin over 1,600 mg/m2 produced adequate MNC (1 x 10(8)/kg) but yielded significantly less CD 34+ cells or CFU-GM than those patients receiving less carboplatin. Prior doses of etoposide and ifosfamide did not effect PBSC yield. CONCLUSIONS: The mobilization technique was well tolerated, and the products obtained produced trilineage engraftment in the patients that underwent peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Peripheral blood stem cell apheresis in children can be optimized by selection of appropriate candidates and mobilization with G-CSF after an absence of hematopoietic growth factor support.