Relationship between quantum decoherence times and solvation dynamics in condensed phase chemical systems

A relationship between the time scales of quantum coherence loss and short-time solvent response for a solute/bath system is derived for a Gaussian wave packet approximation for the bath. Decoherence and solvent response times are shown to be directly proportional to each other, with the proportionality coefficient given by the ratio of the thermal energy fluctuations to the fluctuations in the system-bath coupling. The relationship allows the prediction of decoherence times for condensed phase chemical systems from well developed experimental methods.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, late

A Slice of Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES): Insights from 441 Children with FPIES as Provided by Caregivers in the International FPIES Association

BACKGROUND: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy. There is little known about the demographic characteristics, food triggers, and risk factors for FPIES. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the demographic characteristics, food triggers, risk factors, and management in children with FPIES. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed surveys completed by 410 caregiver-members of the International FPIES Association, both at a conference for families affected by FPIES and online. RESULTS: Most of the children were female (50.7%), white (86.2%), and atopic (54.8%), with a median age of 2 years (ranging from 2 months to 19 years). The most common food groups avoided were grains (60.0%), cow\u27s milk (52.4%), vegetables (42.7%), and fruits (38.0%). Avocado was the most commonly avoided fruit. Avoiding avocado was associated with increased likelihood of avoiding banana (P \u3c .001). Of these children, 69.4% avoided at least 2 food groups because of FPIES, and 20.3% had a first-degree relative with FPIES. Having a first-degree relative with FPIES was associated with increased likelihood of avoiding multiple food groups (P = .035). CONCLUSIONS: The most common food group avoided was grains, consistent with recent literature. Avocado avoidance was higher than previously reported, and this is the first report of an association between avocado and banana avoidance in FPIES. Avoiding multiple food groups because of FPIES was more common than previously reported. A large proportion of children in our cohort had first-degree relatives with FPIES, and, furthermore, having a first-degree relative with FPIES was significantly associated with the affected child avoiding multiple food groups

A Slice of FPIES (food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome): Insights from 441 children with FPIES as provided by caregivers in the International FPIES Association.

BACKGROUND: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy. There is little known about the demographic characteristics, food triggers, and risk factors for FPIES. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the demographic characteristics, food triggers, risk factors, and management in children with FPIES. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed surveys completed by 410 caregiver-members of the International FPIES Association, both at a conference for families affected by FPIES and online. RESULTS: Most of the children were female (50.7%), white (86.2%), and atopic (54.8%), with a median age of 2 years (ranging from 2 months to 19 years). The most common food groups avoided were grains (60.0%), cow\u27s milk (52.4%), vegetables (42.7%), and fruits (38.0%). Avocado was the most commonly avoided fruit. Avoiding avocado was associated with increased likelihood of avoiding banana (P \u3c .001). Of these children, 69.4% avoided at least 2 food groups because of FPIES, and 20.3% had a first-degree relative with FPIES. Having a first-degree relative with FPIES was associated with increased likelihood of avoiding multiple food groups (P = .035). CONCLUSIONS: The most common food group avoided was grains, consistent with recent literature. Avocado avoidance was higher than previously reported, and this is the first report of an association between avocado and banana avoidance in FPIES. Avoiding multiple food groups because of FPIES was more common than previously reported. A large proportion of children in our cohort had first-degree relatives with FPIES, and, furthermore, having a first-degree relative with FPIES was significantly associated with the affected child avoiding multiple food groups

Molecule-based photonically switched half and full adder

A single molecule logic gate using electronically excited states and ionization/fragmentation can take advantage of the differences in cross-sections for one and two photon absorption. Fault tolerant optically pumped half adder and full adder are discussed as applications. A full adder requires two separate additions, and the logic concatenation that is required to implement this is physically achieved by an intramolecular transfer along the side chain of 2-phenylethyl-N,N-dimethylamine (PENNA). Solutions of the kinetic equations for the temporal evolution of the concentration of different states in the presence of time-varying laser fields are used to illustrate the high contrast ratios that are potentially possible for such devices

Frequent false positive beta human chorionic gonadotropin tests in immunoglobulin A deficiency

A patient with IgA deficiency had a series of positive serum pregnancy tests which led to medical and surgical procedures for suspected molar pregnancy. These tests were found to be falsely positive due to heterophile antibody. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of false positive βhCG assays in sera of IgA deficient patients. Sera from a panel of IgA deficient (IgA < 7 mg/dl) patients were tested for the presence of βHCG using three different assays, and also for IgG anti-goat and anti-mouse antibodies. Patients were seen at Mount Sinai Medical Center and included 54 patients (ages 1–80 years, 32 females, 22 males) with IgA deficiency. Thirty percent of 54 IgA deficient patient sera yielded positive pregnancy tests by one or more of the three βhCG assays, however, none of the patients were pregnant. In comparison to sera of normal controls, 39% of the patient sera contained significant amounts of anti-goat antibody and 18% contained significant amounts of anti-mouse antibody. While heterophile antibodies are common in IgA deficient serum, false positive assays for βhCG in IgA deficient serum have not been previously reported. The possibility of false positive test results should be considered prior to invasive procedures in IgA deficient patients