Low Entropy Future Boundary Conditions.

A number of ways to detect future, low-entropy, boundary conditions are considered. The most important of these is the use of slowly-decaying isotopes and the observation (or prediction) of galactic dynamics. There is the expectation that future developments in experimental or observational technique will yield positive results.

Apparent Power Laws Can Occur without Criticality.

Power laws often lead to the conclusion that self-organized criticality is at work. This is not the case, and power laws can also occur away from criticality or can occur for other reasons.

Causality Is an Effect, II.

Causality follows the thermodynamic arrow of time, where the latter is defined by the direction of entropy increase. After a brief review of an earlier version of this article, rooted in classical mechanics, we give a quantum generalization of the results. The quantum proofs are limited to a gas of Gaussian wave packets.

Bacterial resistance to antibodies: a model evolutionary study.

The tangled nature model of evolution (reviewed in the main text) is adapted for use in the study of antibody resistance acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Exchanges of DNA and the acquisition of resistant gene sequences are considered. For the parameters used, resistant strains rapidly proliferate and dominate, although initial intense antibiotic treatment can occasionally prevent this. Variation in genome distribution appears to be long tailed. If this is reflected in nature, the occurrence of resistant bacterial strains can be expected, as well as considerable variation in patient outcomes.

Resident Rounds Part III: Case Report: Fatal Cryptococcal Panniculitis in a Lung Transplant Recipient.

Cryptococcal panniculitis is a rare entity previously reported in only 13 solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Cutaneous cryptococcosis in SOT recipients warrants extensive systemic workup and treatment as if central nervous system (CNS) disease is present. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of panniculitis in the immunocompromised host, as early diagnosis and treatment are critical. We report a fatal case of cryptococcal panniculitis in a 44-year-old lung transplant recipient.