Liquid infiltration of monolithic open-access Fabry-Perot microcavities.

We describe a monolithic approach to fabricating large-scale arrays of high-finesse and low-mode-volume Fabry-Perot microcavities with open access to the air core. A stress-driven buckling self-assembly technique was used to form half-symmetric curved-mirror cavities, and a dry etching process was subsequently used to create micropores through the upper mirror. We show that the cavities retain excellent optical properties, with reflectance-limited finesse ∼2500 and highly predictable Laguerre-Gaussian modes. We furthermore demonstrate the ability to introduce liquids into the cavity region by microinjection through the pores. Applications in sensing, optofluidics, and cavity quantum electrodynamics are envisioned.

The spin Hall effect in a quantum gas.

Electronic properties such as current flow are generally independent of the electron's spin angular momentum, an internal degree of freedom possessed by quantum particles. The spin Hall effect, first proposed 40 years ago, is an unusual class of phenomena in which flowing particles experience orthogonally directed, spin-dependent forces--analogous to the conventional Lorentz force that gives the Hall effect, but opposite in sign for two spin states. Spin Hall effects have been observed for electrons flowing in spin-orbit-coupled materials such as GaAs and InGaAs (refs 2, 3) and for laser light traversing dielectric junctions. Here we observe the spin Hall effect in a quantum-degenerate Bose gas, and use the resulting spin-dependent Lorentz forces to realize a cold-atom spin transistor. By engineering a spatially inhomogeneous spin-orbit coupling field for our quantum gas, we explicitly introduce and measure the requisite spin-dependent Lorentz forces, finding them to be in excellent agreement with our calculations. This 'atomtronic' transistor behaves as a type of velocity-insensitive adiabatic spin selector, with potential application in devices such as magnetic or inertial sensors. In addition, such techniques for creating and measuring the spin Hall effect are clear prerequisites for engineering topological insulators and detecting their associated quantized spin Hall effects in quantum gases. As implemented, our system realizes a laser-actuated analogue to the archetypal semiconductor spintronic device, the Datta-Das spin transistor.

[Robotic-assisted laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy: Study in donors and recipients from 155 cases]. / Néphrectomie laparoscopique assistée par robot dans le cadre du donneur-vivant : étude chez les donneurs et les receveurs à partir de 155 cas.

AIM: To evaluate morbidity and renal function of the donor and recipient during a robotic-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It is a retrospective study of 155 consecutive patients by robot-assisted laparoscopy in the living donor. Mean operating time, warm ischemia time, blood loss, complications according to the Clavien classification and evolution of creatinine clearance were analyzed in the donors. Recovery of graft function, complications and changes in creatinine clearance were observed in recipients. RESULTS: The mean operating time was 176 (±23) minutes. The mean warm ischemia time was 4.8 (±0.6) minutes. Twenty seven complications were noted. The loss of renal function was 19% at 5 years in donors. Renal recovery was immediate for 153 recipients. Two were delayed due to sepsis. Two patients lost their graft at 15 and 18 months. Seventeen complications have been identified. The mean kidney function of the recipients is measured at 63ml/min at 5 years. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy procedure appears to provide the donor with low morbidity and a moderate decrease in creatinine clearance at 19% at 5 years. Morbidity is also low in recipients with very satisfactory 5-year mean renal function. The technique should promote donation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Tunable spin-orbit coupling via strong driving in ultracold-atom systems.

Spin-orbit coupling is an essential ingredient in topological materials, conventional and quantum-gas-based alike. Engineered spin-orbit coupling in ultracold-atom systems-unique in their experimental control and measurement opportunities-provides a major opportunity to investigate and understand topological phenomena. Here we experimentally demonstrate and theoretically analyze a technique for controlling spin-orbit coupling in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate using amplitude-modulated Raman coupling.

Raman-induced interactions in a single-component Fermi gas near an s-wave Feshbach resonance.

Ultracold gases of interacting spin-orbit-coupled fermions are predicted to display exotic phenomena such as topological superfluidity and its associated Majorana fermions. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a route to strongly interacting single-component atomic Fermi gases by combining an s-wave Feshbach resonance (giving strong interactions) and spin-orbit coupling (creating an effective p-wave channel). We identify the Feshbach resonance by its associated atomic loss feature and show that, in agreement with our single-channel scattering model, this feature is preserved and shifted as a function of the spin-orbit-coupling parameters.

Peierls substitution in an engineered lattice potential.

Artificial gauge fields open the possibility to realize quantum many-body systems with ultracold atoms, by engineering Hamiltonians usually associated with electronic systems. In the presence of a periodic potential, artificial gauge fields may bring ultracold atoms closer to the quantum Hall regime. Here, we describe a one-dimensional lattice derived purely from effective Zeeman shifts resulting from a combination of Raman coupling and radio-frequency magnetic fields. In this lattice, the tunneling matrix element is generally complex. We control both the amplitude and the phase of this tunneling parameter, experimentally realizing the Peierls substitution for ultracold neutral atoms.

Dynamics of a tunable superfluid junction.

We study the population dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential throughout the crossover from Josephson dynamics to hydrodynamics. At barriers higher than the chemical potential, we observe slow oscillations well described by a Josephson model. In the limit of low barriers, the fundamental frequency agrees with a simple hydrodynamic model, but we also observe a second, higher frequency. A full numerical simulation of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation giving the frequencies and amplitudes of the observed modes between these two limits is compared to the data and is used to understand the origin of the higher mode. Implications for trapped matter-wave interferometers are discussed.

Persistence of partial molar placenta and severe preeclampsia after selective termination in a twin pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Triploid molar pregnancies are usually managed by evacuation of the uterine contents. CASE: A 25-year-old woman had a clomiphene citrate-induced twin pregnancy. Ultrasound scan at 13 weeks revealed one anomalous twin. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a karyotype of 69, XXY and a normal other twin. In an attempt to salvage the normal fetus, selective termination was successfully performed at 15 weeks by intracardiac potassium chloride injection. However, the placenta continued to grow and severe preeclampsia developed at 19 weeks, requiring pregnancy termination. CONCLUSION: Selective termination of a triploid twin does not guarantee resolution of molar growth and sequelae of the mole; severe preeclampsia can still develop.

Uptake of choline from salmon flesh and its conversion to glycine betaine in response to salt stress in Shewanella putrefaciens.

When cultured in M63 minimal medium plus 0.6 M NaCl, the growth of Shewanella putrefaciens was strongly inhibited. The addition of an extract from smoked salmon to this medium restored the growth almost to the unstressed level. A comparison of the 13C NMR spectra of intracellular solutes extracted from S. putrefaciens cells cultured in both conditions revealed the accumulation of glycine betaine (GB) from the smoked salmon extract (SSE). Analysis of the osmoprotective properties of this extract for several strains of Escherichia coli (which differ from each other in their ability to accumulate GB (i) from the surrounding environment, and (ii) from its hydroxylated precursor choline), demonstrated the absence of GB in the SSE. From the overall results, we inferred that salt-stressed S. putrefaciens cells accumulated GB from choline present in the SSE. Furthermore, the use of [14C]-labeled betaines gave evidence that S. putrefaciens (i) oxidised choline to GB, (ii) accumulated GB as a non-metabolisable osmolyte (up to 1300 nmol (mg dw)(-1) when cultured in a medium containing 0.5 M NaCl and either 1 mM choline or 1 mM GB), and (iii) both choline and GB uptake activities were osmotically upregulated (both activities were increased more than 50-fold in media containing 0.4 to 0.6 M NaCl). In all, our results suggest that in salted smoked salmon, S. putrefaciens imports and oxidises choline, leading to the intracellular accumulation of GB.

Recent advances in the assessment of aberrant behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement in individuals with developmental disabilities.

Many aberrant behaviors exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities are maintained by "automatic reinforcement". These behaviors are often difficult to treat, with the most effective behavioral interventions often resulting in only moderate success. However, a series of recent studies has advanced our ability to understand and treat these behaviors through the innovative use of behavioral assessment. We review the recent development of three categories of assessments: (a) nonhypothesis-based stimulus preference assessments, (b) hypothesis-based stimulus preference assessments, and (c) hypothesis-based assessments incorporating noncontingent reinforcement and sensory extinction procedures. We consider each category's contribution to both our ability to prescribe effective behavioral interventions and our ability to more fully understand the concept of automatic reinforcement.

A social skills training program for preschoolers with developmental delays. Generalization and social validity.

This investigation was designed to assess a social skills training program with 32 developmentally delayed preschoolers. Subjects were evaluated in an unstructured play session, matched for levels of appropriate and inappropriate social behaviors, and assigned to either a treatment or control condition. The treatment group (N = 16) was presented with a 6-week protocol involving positive reinforcement, modeling, rehearsal, feedback, and time out. Controls (N = 16) received no instruction beyond regular classroom activities during the 6 weeks. The two groups were reevaluated in a posttest session and again in a generalization setting where two peers with developmental delays (not included in either experimental condition) were included. Prosocial behaviors were successfully taught and maintained in generalization settings. Efforts to reduce inappropriate behaviors were less successful. A test of social validity via teachers' ratings of videotapes of pretest and posttest assessments was also conducted. Implications for generalization and social validity research are discussed.

Reliability of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills in Individuals with Severe Retardation (MESSIER).

Recently, the concepts of social competence and social skills have become important aspects of the evolving definitions of mental retardation. However, no psychometrically sound instruments exist for assessing social skills in lower functioning developmentally disabled people. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Individuals with Severe Retardation (MESSIER)--a new scale designed to measure social skills in adults with severe developmental disabilities. The authors conducted a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest and interrater reliability of the MESSIER. It was determined that the MESSIER has high stability across raters and good stability over time. In addition, good internal consistency was established with coefficient alpha. Potential uses for the scale and directions for future research are discussed.

Comparing methods for maintaining the safety of a child with pica.

Pica, a potentially life-threatening behavior problem exhibited among persons with mental retardation is sometimes addressed by methods such as application of restraints to reduce or eliminate associated risks (Rojahn, Schroeder, & Mulick, 1980). However, restraints may be associated with decreases in social interaction and negative impact on quality of life. We evaluated two methods (restraint vs. no restraint) for maintaining the safety of a client with pica on three dimensions: (a) level of pica, (b) therapist effort, and (c) impact on quality of life. Both methods prevented pica, however, the no restraint condition required less therapist effort and had less negative impact on quality of life. All three dimensions were included in a clinical decision-making model to determine the least restrictive, safe level of restraint for a 4-year-old girl while assessment and treatment procedures were conducted. The clinical utility of this multifactor decision-making model is discussed.

Noncontingent attention for the treatment of excessive medical complaints in a medically fragile man with mental retardation.

Providing medical care to individuals with developmental disabilities who have medical problems may pose several challenges with regard to accurate and reliable report of symptoms. In addition, medical complaints may take on operant functions such as an attention function or an escape function as a result of the natural consequences in the environment. It may be difficult to withhold reinforcers for medical complaints such as attention or escape, making a standard analog functional analysis or extinction-based intervention less appropriate. Recent studies have shown that noncontingent reinforcement without extinction and noncontingent reinforcement using alternative reinforcers can be effective in reducing problem behavior. One practical implication of these findings is that noncontingent reinforcement may be an appropriate treatment in cases where the reinforcer responsible for behavioral maintenance cannot be identified or withheld. In the current study, attention served as a reinforcer for a young man with medical complaints and noncontingent attention without ignoring effectively reduced the participant's excessive medical complaints.

Treatment of self-injury and hand mouthing following inconclusive functional analyses.

Numerous studies have used functional analyses to prescribe interventions for severe behavior disorders. The majority of these studies have focused on behavior that is clearly maintained by socially mediated reinforcement, such as contingent access to attention, tangibles, or escape from instructional demands. However, a significant proportion of functional analyses do not yield conclusive results. We examined interventions for 3 children with severe disabilities following inconclusive functional analyses. First, preferred stimuli were identified for each child via a stimulus preference assessment. Second, a functional analysis was conducted for 2 of the 3 children. High rates of aberrant behavior were seen even (if not especially) in no-interaction sessions. The 3rd child was observed for several consecutive no-interaction sessions; behavior persisted in this condition. Third, interventions based on environmental enrichment were analyzed in an analogue setting. For all of the children, environmental enrichment decreased aberrant behavior if preferred stimuli were used in the procedure. To obtain further reductions in aberrant behavior, explicit reinforcement of toy play was required for 2 children, and a brief (5-s) time-out was necessary with 1 child. Finally, effects of treatment carried over to the school or home environment following teacher or family training. Results are discussed in the context of basic reinforcement principles and future directions for research.

Effectiveness of functional communication training with and without extinction and punishment: a summary of 21 inpatient cases.

Functional communication training (FCT) is a frequently used treatment for reducing problem behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities. Once the operant function of problem behavior is identified by a functional analysis, the client is taught to emit an appropriate communicative response to obtain the reinforcer that is responsible for behavioral maintenance. Studies on FCT have typically used small numbers of participants, have reported primarily on clients for whom FCT was successful, and have varied with respect to their use of other treatment components. The main purposes of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of FCT for treating severe problem behavior in a relatively large sample of individuals with mental retardation (N = 21) and to determine the contribution of extinction and punishment components to FCT treatment packages. FCT with extinction was effective in reducing problem behavior for the majority of clients and resulted in at least a 90% reduction in problem behavior in nearly half the applications. However, when demand or delay-to-reinforcement fading was added to FCT with extinction, treatment efficacy was reduced in about one half of the applications. FCT with punishment (both with and without fading) resulted in at least a 90% reduction in problem behavior for every case in which it was applied.

Treatment of pica through multiple analyses of its reinforcing functions.

We conducted functional analyses of the pica of 3 participants. The pica of 1 participant appeared to be maintained by automatic reinforcement; that of the other 2 participants appeared to be multiply controlled by social and automatic reinforcement. Subsequent preference and treatment analyses were used to identify stimuli that would complete with the automatic function of pica for the 3 participants. These analyses also identified the specific aspect of oral stimulation that served as automatic reinforcement for 2 of the participants. In addition, functional analysis-based treatments were used to address the socially motivated components of 2 of the participants' pica. Results are discussed in terms of (a) the importance of using the results of functional analyses to develop treatments for pica and (b) the advantages of developing indirect analyses to identify specific sources of reinforcement for automatically reinforced behavior.

Taming the "no-show" tiger: decreasing the rate of absenteeism at educational programs.

A multidisciplinary staff development department developed a continuous quality improvement project to study the consistently high absentee rate for scheduled training and its relationship to the class registration process. Data were collected using a 9-question survey of students who failed to attend scheduled training. Findings show that changes to the class registration process resulted in a decrease in the number of absentees under the control of the staff development department from an average of 43% to 6% by the end of the year-long review period. The overall absentee rate stabilized at 20% and has been established as the benchmark for this setting.

[Bullous cutaneous mastocytosis revealed by acute disease secondary to morphine administration]. / Mastocytose cutanée bulleuse révélée par un malaise grave secondaire à la prise de morphinique.

UNLABELLED: Mastocytosis in children shows in three clinical forms. The rarest is the diffuse or bullous form. CASE REPORT: Since one month of age an infant showed a diffuse erythema and vesicle rash. At four months of age, serious discomfort after morphinic absorption led to the diagnosis of bullous cutaneous mastocytosis. Histologic examination confirmed this diagnosis. The clinical severity led to intravenous corticosteroid and antihistamine therapy. COMMENTS: Bullous cutaneous mastocytosis is unusual in children. However, it should be considered if there are any doubts because of its serious complications and iatrogenic therapeutic risks. Some serious cases require intravenous corticosteroid therapy. Appropriate care enables a normal development with a disappearance of the disease before the teenage years.

Synthetic partial waves in ultracold atomic collisions.

Interactions between particles can be strongly altered by their environment. We demonstrate a technique for modifying interactions between ultracold atoms by dressing the bare atomic states with light, creating an effective interaction of vastly increased range that scatters states of finite relative angular momentum at collision energies where only s-wave scattering would normally be expected. We collided two optically dressed neutral atomic Bose-Einstein condensates with equal, and opposite, momenta and observed that the usual s-wave distribution of scattered atoms was altered by the appearance of d- and g-wave contributions. This technique is expected to enable quantum simulation of exotic systems, including those predicted to support Majorana fermions.