A sense of embodiment is reflected in people's signature size

BACKGROUND: The size of a person's signature may reveal implicit information about how the self is perceived although this has not been closely examined. METHODS/RESULTS: We conducted three experiments to test whether increases in signature size can be induced. Specifically, the aim of these experiments was to test whether changes in signature size reflect a person's current implicit sense of embodiment. Experiment 1 showed that an implicit affect task (positive subliminal evaluative conditioning) led to increases in signature size relative to an affectively neutral task, showing that implicit affective cues alter signature size. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrated increases in signature size following experiential self-focus on sensory and affective stimuli relative to both conceptual self-focus and external (non-self-focus) in both healthy participants and patients with anorexia nervosa, a disorder associated with self-evaluation and a sense of disembodiment. In all three experiments, increases in signature size were unrelated to changes in self-reported mood and larger than manipulation unrelated variations. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these findings suggest that a person's sense of embodiment is reflected in their signature size

Recursive Bayesian estimation for respiratory motion correction in Nuclear Medicine imaging

Respiratory motion correction degrades quantitatively and qualitatively Nuclear Medicine images. We propose that adaptive approaches are required to correct for the irregular breathing patterns often encountered in the clinical setting, which can be addressed within a Bayesian tracking formulation. This allows inference of the hidden organ configurations using only knowledge of an external observation such as a parametrized external surface. The flexible framework described provides a method to correct for organ motion whilst accommodating for irregular unseen respiratory patterns. In this work we utilize a Kalman filter and compare it with a Particle filter. A novel adaptive state transition model is also introduced to describe the evolution of organ configurations. The Kalman filter marginally outperforms the Particle filter, both approaches however offer an effective motion correction mechanism, correcting for motion with errors of around 1-3mm. We present results of simulated PET images derived from XCAT to demonstrate the efficacy of the approach. © 2012 IEEE

Atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome presenting initially as suspected meningococcal disease: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of acute renal failure in children and is usually linked with Escherichia coli O157 infection. With a fatality rate of around 5%, some reports have associated antibiotic treatment with a worsening prognosis.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>We describe a female infant patient, initially treated for suspected meningococcal septicaemia, who went on to develop renal complications and thrombocytopenia characteristic of HUS. A subsequent positive stool sample for <it>E. coli </it>O157 confirmed HUS as an appropriate diagnosis, although there was no evidence of diarrhoea or vomiting throughout the course of her management.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The urgency of early recognition and treatment for suspected meningococcal disease in very young children while entirely appropriate can initially divert attention from other serious conditions. Evidence of infection with <it>E. coli </it>O157 infection in this case also highlights what can be a blurred distinction between atypical (non-diarrhoeal) HUS from classical HUS of infective origin.</p

Individual-Based Model Framework to Assess Population Consequences of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure in Bottlenose Dolphins

Marine mammals are susceptible to the effects of anthropogenic contaminants. Here we examine the effect of different polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) accumulation scenarios on potential population growth rates using, as an example, data obtained for the population of bottlenose dolphins from Sarasota Bay, Florida. To achieve this goal, we developed an individual-based model framework that simulates the accumulation of PCBs in the population and modifies first-year calf survival based on maternal blubber PCB levels. In our example the current estimated annual PCB accumulation rate for the Sarasota Bay dolphin population might be depressing the potential population growth rate. However, our predictions are limited both by model naivety and parameter uncertainty. We emphasize the need for more data collection on the relationship between maternal blubber PCB levels and calf survivorship, the annual accumulation of PCBs in the blubber of females, and the transfer of PCBs to the calf through the placenta and during lactation. Such data require continued efforts directed toward long-term studies of known individuals in wild and semi-wild populations

Sporadic paediatric diarrhoeal illness in urban and rural sites in Nyanza province, Kenya

Objective: Investigate differences in the infectious aetiology, health seeking behaviour, and provider practices with regard to diarrhoeal illness among children presenting to urban versus rural clinics in Western Kenya.Design: Laboratory-based, passive surveillance.Setting: The urban portion of the study was conducted at the paediatric outpatient clinic of Nyanza Provincial Hospital in Kisumu. The rural portion of the study was conducted at four outpatient clinics in the Asembo Bay community approximately 20 kilometers west of Kisumu.Subjects: Children aged less than five years presenting to medical facilities for the treatment of diarrhoea from October 2001-October 2003 at the urban site and May 1997-April 2003 for the rural sites.Results: Among the 1303 urban and 1247 rural specimens collected, 24% of specimens yielded a bacterial pathogen (24% urban, 25% rural). Campylobacter was the predominant bacterial pathogen (17% urban, 15% rural), followed by Shigella and nontyphoidal Salmonella (both 4% urban and 5% rural). In both communities, susceptibilities of these pathogens to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics was low

Potential for airborne transmission of infection in the waiting areas of healthcare premises: stochastic analysis using a Monte Carlo model

BACKGROUND: Although many infections that are transmissible from person to person are acquired through direct contact between individuals, a minority, notably pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), measles and influenza are known to be spread by the airborne route. Airborne infections pose a particular threat to susceptible individuals whenever they are placed together with the index case in confined spaces. With this in mind, waiting areas of healthcare facilities present a particular challenge, since large numbers of people, some of whom may have underlying conditions which predispose them to infection, congregate in such spaces and can be exposed to an individual who may be shedding potentially pathogenic microorganisms. It is therefore important to understand the risks posed by infectious individuals in waiting areas, so that interventions can be developed to minimise the spread of airborne infections. METHOD: A stochastic Monte Carlo model was constructed to analyse the transmission of airborne infection in a hypothetical 132 m3 hospital waiting area in which occupancy levels, waiting times and ventilation rate can all be varied. In the model the Gammaitoni-Nucci equation was utilized to predict probability of susceptible individuals becoming infected. The model was used to assess the risk of transmission of three infectious diseases, TB, influenza and measles. In order to allow for stochasticity a random number generator was applied to the variables in the model and a total of 10000 individual simulations were undertaken. The mean quanta production rates used in the study were 12.7, 100 and 570 per hour for TB, influenza and measles, respectively. RESULTS: The results of the study revealed the mean probability of acquiring a TB infection during a 30-minute stay in the waiting area to be negligible (i.e. 0.0034), while that for influenza was an order of magnitude higher at 0.0262. By comparison the mean probability of acquiring a measles infection during the same period was 0.1349. If the duration of the stay was increased to 60 minutes then these values increased to 0.0087, 0.0662 and 0.3094, respectively. CONCLUSION: Under normal circumstances the risk of acquiring a TB infection during a visit to a hospital waiting area is minimal. Likewise the risks associated with the transmission of influenza, although an order of magnitude greater than those for TB, are relatively small. By comparison, the risks associated with measles are high. While the installation of air disinfection may be beneficial, when seeking to prevent the transmission of airborne viral infection it is important to first minimize waiting times and the number of susceptible individuals present before turning to expensive technological solutions

State of the California current 2012-13: No such thing as an “average” year

This report reviews the state of the California Current System (CCS) between winter 2012 and spring 2013, and includes observations from Washington State to Baja California. During 2012, large-scale climate modes indicated the CCS remained in a cool, productive phase present since 2007. The upwelling season was delayed north of 42°N, but regions to the south, especially 33° to 36°N, experienced average to above average upwelling that persisted throughout the summer. Contrary to the indication of high production suggested by the climate indices, chlorophyll observed from surveys and remote sensing was below average along much of the coast. As well, some members of the forage assemblages along the coast experienced low abundances in 2012 surveys. Specifically, the concentrations of all lifestages observed directly or from egg densities of Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax, and northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, were less than previous years’ survey estimates. However, 2013 surveys and observations indicate an increase in abundance of northern anchovy. During winter 2011/2012, the increased presence of northern copepod species off northern California was consistent with stronger southward transport. Krill and small-fraction zooplankton abundances, where examined, were generally above average. North of 42°N, salps returned to typical abundances in 2012 after greater observed concentrations in 2010 and 2011. In contrast, salp abundance off central and southern California increased after a period of southward transport during winter 2011/2012. Reproductive success of piscivorous Brandt’s cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, was reduced while planktivorous Cassin’s auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus was elevated. Differences between the productivity of these two seabirds may be related to the available forage assemblage observed in the surveys. California sea lion pups from San Miguel Island were undernourished resulting in a pup mortality event perhaps in response to changes in forage availability. Limited biological data were available for spring 2013, but strong winter upwelling coastwide indicated an early spring transition, with the strong upwelling persisting into early summer

An analysis of clinical process measures for acute healthcare delivery in Appalachia: The Roane Medical Center experience

OBJECTIVE: To survey management of selected emergency healthcare needs in a Tennessee community hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive report, discharges and associated standard process measures were retrospectively studied for Roane Medical Center (RMC) in Harriman, Tennessee (pop. 6,757). Hospital data were extracted from a nationwide database of short-term acute care hospitals to measure 16 quality performance measures in myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, and pneumonia during the 14 month interval ending March 2005. The data also permitted comparisons with state and national reference groups. RESULTS: Of RMC patients with myocardial infarction (MI), 94% received aspirin on arrival, a figure higher than both state (85%) and national (91%) averages. Assessment of left ventricular dysfunction among heart failure patients was also higher at RMC (98%) than the state (74%) or national (79%) average. For RMC pneumonia patients, 79% received antibiotics within 4 h of admission, which compared favorably with State (76%) and national (75%) average. RMC scored higher on 13 of 16 clinical process measures (p<0.01, sign test analysis, >95% CI) compared to state and national averages. DISCUSSION: Although acute health care needs are often met with limited resources in medically underserved regions, RMC performed above state and national average for most process measures assessed in this review. Our data were derived from one facility and the associated findings may not be applicable in other healthcare settings. Further studies are planned to track other parameters and specific clinical outcomes at RMC, as well as to identify specific institutional policies that facilitate attainment of target quality measures