High infection rate of zoonotic Eucoleus aerophilus infection in foxes from Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lalošević Vesna

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The respiratory capillariid nematode Eucoleus aerophilus (Creplin, 1839 infects wild and domestic carnivores and, occasionally, humans. Thus far, a dozen of human infections have been published in the literature but it cannot be ruled out that lung capillariosis is underdiagnosed in human medicine. Also, the apparent spreading of E. aerophilus in different geographic areas spurs new studies on the epidemiology of this nematode. After the recognition of the first human case of E. aerophilus infection in Serbia, there is a significant merit in enhancing knowledge on the distribution of the nematode. In the present work the infection rate of pulmonary capillariosis was investigated in 70 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes from the northern part of Serbia by autopsy. The estimated infection rate with Eucoleus aerophilus was 84%. In contrast, by copromicroscopic examination only 38% of foxes were positive. In addition, 10 foxes were investigated for the closely related species in nasal cavity, Eucoleus boehmi, and nine were positive. Our study demonstrates one of the highest infection rates of pulmonary capillariosis in foxes over the world.

The minimum or natural rate of flow and droplet size ejected by Taylor cone–jets: physical symmetries and scaling laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gañán-Calvo, A M; Rebollo-Muñoz, N; Montanero, J M

2013-01-01

We aim to establish the scaling laws for both the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady cone–jet mode of electrospray, and the size of the resulting droplets in that limit. Use is made of a small body of literature on Taylor cone–jets reporting precise measurements of the transported electric current and droplet size as a function of the liquid properties and flow rate. The projection of the data onto an appropriate non-dimensional parameter space maps a region bounded by the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady state. To explain these experimental results, we propose a theoretical model based on the generalized concept of physical symmetry, stemming from the system time invariance (steadiness). A group of symmetries rising at the cone-to-jet geometrical transition determines the scaling for the minimum flow rate and related variables. If the flow rate is decreased below that minimum value, those symmetries break down, which leads to dripping. We find that the system exhibits two instability mechanisms depending on the nature of the forces arising against the flow: one dominated by viscosity and the other by the liquid polarity. In the former case, full charge relaxation is guaranteed down to the minimum flow rate, while in the latter the instability condition becomes equivalent to the symmetry breakdown by charge relaxation or separation. When cone–jets are formed without artificially imposing a flow rate, a microjet is issued quasi-steadily. The flow rate naturally ejected this way coincides with the minimum flow rate studied here. This natural flow rate determines the minimum droplet size that can be steadily produced by any electrohydrodynamic means for a given set of liquid properties. (paper)

The minimum or natural rate of flow and droplet size ejected by Taylor cone-jets: physical symmetries and scaling laws

Science.gov (United States)

Gañán-Calvo, A. M.; Rebollo-Muñoz, N.; Montanero, J. M.

2013-03-01

We aim to establish the scaling laws for both the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady cone-jet mode of electrospray, and the size of the resulting droplets in that limit. Use is made of a small body of literature on Taylor cone-jets reporting precise measurements of the transported electric current and droplet size as a function of the liquid properties and flow rate. The projection of the data onto an appropriate non-dimensional parameter space maps a region bounded by the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady state. To explain these experimental results, we propose a theoretical model based on the generalized concept of physical symmetry, stemming from the system time invariance (steadiness). A group of symmetries rising at the cone-to-jet geometrical transition determines the scaling for the minimum flow rate and related variables. If the flow rate is decreased below that minimum value, those symmetries break down, which leads to dripping. We find that the system exhibits two instability mechanisms depending on the nature of the forces arising against the flow: one dominated by viscosity and the other by the liquid polarity. In the former case, full charge relaxation is guaranteed down to the minimum flow rate, while in the latter the instability condition becomes equivalent to the symmetry breakdown by charge relaxation or separation. When cone-jets are formed without artificially imposing a flow rate, a microjet is issued quasi-steadily. The flow rate naturally ejected this way coincides with the minimum flow rate studied here. This natural flow rate determines the minimum droplet size that can be steadily produced by any electrohydrodynamic means for a given set of liquid properties.

Rate of candidiasis among HIV-infected children in Spain in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (1997–2008)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Candidiasis is the most common opportunistic infection seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The aim of our study was to estimate the candidiasis rate and evaluate its trend in HIV-infected children in Spain during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) compared to HIV-uninfected children. Methods We carried out a retrospective study. Data were obtained from the records of the Minimum Basic Data Set from hospitals in Spain. All HIV-infected children were under 17 years of age, and a group of HIV-uninfected children with hospital admissions matching the study group by gender and age were randomly selected. The follow-up period (1997–2008) was divided into three calendar periods: a) From 1997 to 1999 for early-period HAART; b) from 2000 to 2002 for mid-period HAART; and c) from 2003 to 2008 for late-period HAART. Results Among children with hospital admissions, HIV-infected children had much higher values than HIV-uninfected children during each of the three calendar periods for overall candidiasis rates (150.0 versus 6.1 events per 1,000 child hospital admissions/year (p candidiasis rate (events per 1,000 HIV-infected children/year) decreased from 1997–1999 to 2000–2002 (18.8 to 10.6; p candidiasis, both non-ICM and ICM rates experienced significant decreases from 1997–1999 to 2003–2008 (15.9 to 5.7 (p candidiasis rate still remains higher than in the general population (from 1997 to 2008), candidiasis diagnoses have decreased among HIV-infected children throughout the HAART era, and it has ceased to be a major health problem among children with HIV infection. PMID:23510319

77 FR 75896 - Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2013

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-26

...-11213, Notice No. 16] Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2013...., Washington, DC 20590, (telephone 202-493- 1342); or Kathy Schnakenberg, FRA Alcohol/Drug Program Specialist... from FRA's Management Information System, the rail industry's random drug testing positive rate has...

75 FR 79308 - Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-20

...-11213, Notice No. 14] Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2011... random testing positive rates were .037 percent for drugs and .014 percent for alcohol. Because the... effective December 20, 2010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lamar Allen, Alcohol and Drug Program Manager...

Plastic surgeons' self-reported operative infection rates at a Canadian academic hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Wendy Ky; Kaur, Manraj Nirmal; Thoma, Achilleas

2014-01-01

Surgical site infection rates are of great interest to patients, surgeons, hospitals and third-party payers. While previous studies have reported hospital-acquired infection rates that are nonspecific to all surgical services, there remain no overall reported infection rates focusing specifically on plastic surgery in the literature. To estimate the reported surgical site infection rate in plastic surgery procedures over a 10-year period at an academic hospital in Canada. A review was conducted on reported plastic surgery surgical site infection rates from 2003 to 2013, based on procedures performed in the main operating room. For comparison, prospective infection surveillance data over an eight-year period (2005 to 2013) for nonplastic surgery procedures were reviewed to estimate the overall operative surgical site infection rates. A total of 12,183 plastic surgery operations were performed from 2003 to 2013, with 96 surgical site infections reported, corresponding to a net operative infection rate of 0.79%. There was a 0.49% surgeon-reported infection rate for implant-based procedures. For non-plastic surgery procedures, surgical site infection rates ranged from 0.04% for cataract surgery to 13.36% for high-risk abdominal hysterectomies. The plastic surgery infection rate at the study institution was found to be site infection rates. However, these results do not report patterns of infection rates germane to procedures, season, age groups or sex. To provide more in-depth knowledge of this topic, multicentre studies should be conducted.

Energy and IAQ Implications of Alternative Minimum Ventilation Rates in California Retail and School Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Spencer M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Fisk, William J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-01-01

For a stand-alone retail building, a primary school, and a secondary school in each of the 16 California climate zones, the EnergyPlus building energy simulation model was used to estimate how minimum mechanical ventilation rates (VRs) affect energy use and indoor air concentrations of an indoor-generated contaminant. The modeling indicates large changes in heating energy use, but only moderate changes in total building energy use, as minimum VRs in the retail building are changed. For example, predicted state-wide heating energy consumption in the retail building decreases by more than 50% and total building energy consumption decreases by approximately 10% as the minimum VR decreases from the Title 24 requirement to no mechanical ventilation. The primary and secondary schools have notably higher internal heat gains than in the retail building models, resulting in significantly reduced demand for heating. The school heating energy use was correspondingly less sensitive to changes in the minimum VR. The modeling indicates that minimum VRs influence HVAC energy and total energy use in schools by only a few percent. For both the retail building and the school buildings, minimum VRs substantially affected the predicted annual-average indoor concentrations of an indoor generated contaminant, with larger effects in schools. The shape of the curves relating contaminant concentrations with VRs illustrate the importance of avoiding particularly low VRs.

Phlebotomine fauna, natural infection rate and feeding habits of Lutzomyia cruzi in Jaciara, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veruska Nogueira de Brito

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Visceral leishmaniasis (VL in Brazil is transmitted by the phlebotomine Lutzomyia longipalpis and in some midwestern regions by Lutzomyia cruzi. Studies of the phlebotomine fauna, feeding habits and natural infection rate by Leishmania contribute to increased understanding of the epidemiological chain of leishmaniases and their vectorial capacity. Collections were performed in Jaciara, state of Mato Grosso from 2010-2013, during which time 2,011 phlebotomines (23 species were captured (68.70% Lu. cruzi and 20.52% Lutzomyia whitmani. Lu. cruzi females were identified by observing the shapes of the cibarium (a portion of the mouthpart and spermatheca, from which samples were obtained for polymerase chain reaction to determine the rates of natural infection. Engorged phlebotomines were assessed to identify the blood-meal host by ELISA. A moderate correlation was discovered between the number of Lu. cruzi and the temperature and the minimum rate of infection was 6.10%. Twenty-two females were reactive to the antisera of bird (28%, dog (3.30% and skunk (1.60%. We conclude that Lu. cruzi and Lu. whitmani have adapted to the urban environment in this region and that Lu. cruzi is the most likely vector of VL in Jaciara. Moreover, maintenance of Leishmania in the environment is likely aided by the presence of birds and domestic and synanthropic animals.

Minimum Symbol Error Rate Detection in Single-Input Multiple-Output Channels with Markov Noise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lars P.B.

2005-01-01

Minimum symbol error rate detection in Single-Input Multiple- Output(SIMO) channels with Markov noise is presented. The special case of zero-mean Gauss-Markov noise is examined closer as it only requires knowledge of the second-order moments. In this special case, it is shown that optimal detection...

State-level minimum wage and heart disease death rates in the United States, 1980-2015: A novel application of marginal structural modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Dyke, Miriam E; Komro, Kelli A; Shah, Monica P; Livingston, Melvin D; Kramer, Michael R

2018-07-01

Despite substantial declines since the 1960's, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States (US) and geographic disparities in heart disease mortality have grown. State-level socioeconomic factors might be important contributors to geographic differences in heart disease mortality. This study examined the association between state-level minimum wage increases above the federal minimum wage and heart disease death rates from 1980 to 2015 among 'working age' individuals aged 35-64 years in the US. Annual, inflation-adjusted state and federal minimum wage data were extracted from legal databases and annual state-level heart disease death rates were obtained from CDC Wonder. Although most minimum wage and health studies to date use conventional regression models, we employed marginal structural models to account for possible time-varying confounding. Quasi-experimental, marginal structural models accounting for state, year, and state × year fixed effects estimated the association between increases in the state-level minimum wage above the federal minimum wage and heart disease death rates. In models of 'working age' adults (35-64 years old), a $1 increase in the state-level minimum wage above the federal minimum wage was on average associated with ~6 fewer heart disease deaths per 100,000 (95% CI: -10.4, -1.99), or a state-level heart disease death rate that was 3.5% lower per year. In contrast, for older adults (65+ years old) a $1 increase was on average associated with a 1.1% lower state-level heart disease death rate per year (b = -28.9 per 100,000, 95% CI: -71.1, 13.3). State-level economic policies are important targets for population health research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hospital ownership: a risk factor for nosocomial infection rates?

Science.gov (United States)

Schröder, C; Behnke, M; Geffers, C; Gastmeier, P

2018-03-26

In some countries, a relationship between hospital ownership and the occurrence of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) rates has been described. To investigate the association between hospital ownership and occurrence of HCAI in Germany. Five different components of the German national nosocomial infection surveillance system were analysed with regard to the influence of hospital ownership in the period 2014-2016. Endpoints included ventilator-associated pneumonia, central-venous-catheter-associated bloodstream infections, urinary-catheter-associated urinary tract infections, surgical site infections (SSI) following hip prosthesis and colon surgery, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) and hand rub consumption per 1000 patient-days. Three hospital ownership types (public, non-profit and private) were analysed using univariate and multi-variate methods. The distribution of hospitals according to the three ownership types was similar in all components. In total, 661 intensive care units (ICUs), 149 departments performing colon procedures, and 349 departments performing hip prosthesis were included. In addition, 568 hospitals provided their MRSA rates and 236 provided their CDI rates, and 1833 ICUs and 12,934 non-ICUs provided their hand rub consumption data. In general, the differences between the hospital types were rather small and not significant for the ICUs. In the multi-variate analysis, public hospitals had a lower SSI rate following hip prosthesis (odds ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.65-0.99). Hospital ownership was not found to have a major influence on the incidence of HCAI in Germany. Copyright © 2018 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Minimum Wages on the Labor Force Participation Rates of Teenagers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessels, Walter J.

In light of pressure on Congress to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15 per hour, a study looked at the effects such a raise would have on more than 10 million workers, many of them teenagers. The study used quarterly data on the labor force participation rates of teenagers from 1978 through 1999 and other studies to assess the effects of…

No Evidence that Infection Alters Global Recombination Rate in House Mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beth L Dumont

Full Text Available Recombination rate is a complex trait, with genetic and environmental factors shaping observed patterns of variation. Although recent studies have begun to unravel the genetic basis of recombination rate differences between organisms, less attention has focused on the environmental determinants of crossover rates. Here, we test the effect of one ubiquitous environmental pressure-bacterial infection-on global recombination frequency in mammals. We applied MLH1 mapping to assay global crossover rates in male mice infected with the pathogenic bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme Disease, and uninfected control animals. Despite ample statistical power to identify biologically relevant differences between infected and uninfected animals, we find no evidence for a global recombination rate response to bacterial infection. Moreover, broad-scale patterns of crossover distribution, including the number of achiasmate bivalents, are not affected by infection status. Although pathogen exposure can plastically increase recombination in some species, our findings suggest that recombination rates in house mice may be resilient to at least some forms of infection stress. This negative result motivates future experiments with alternative house mouse pathogens to evaluate the generality of this conclusion.

Prolonged operative time increases infection rate in tibial plateau fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Colman, Matthew; Wright, Adam; Gruen, Gary; Siska, Peter; Pape, Hans-Christoph; Tarkin, Ivan

2013-02-01

Fractures of the tibial plateau present a treatment challenge and are susceptible to both prolonged operative times and high postoperative infection rates. For those fractures treated with open plating, we sought to identify the relationship between surgical site infection and prolonged operative time as well as to identify other surgical risk factors. We performed a retrospective controlled analysis of 309 consecutive unicondylar and bicondylar tibial plateau fractures treated with open plate osteosynthesis at our institution's level I trauma centre during a recent 5-year period. We recorded operative times, injury characteristics, surgical treatment, and need for operative debridement due to infection. Operative times of infected cases were compared to uncomplicated surgical cases. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for postoperative infection. Mean operative time in the infection group was 2.8h vs. 2.2h in the non-infected group (p=0.005). 15 fractures (4.9%) underwent four compartment fasciotomies as part of their treatment, with a significantly higher infection rate than those not undergoing fasciotomy (26.7% vs. 6.8%, p=0.01). Open fracture grade was also significantly related to infection rate (closed fractures: 5.3%, grade 1: 14.3%, grade 2: 40%, grade 3: 50%, pinfection rates (13.9% vs. 8.7%, p=0.36). Multivariable logistic regression analysis of the entire study group identified longer operative times (OR 1.78, p=0.013) and open fractures (OR 7.02, psite infection. Operative times approaching 3h and open fractures are related to an increased overall risk for surgical site infection after open plating of the tibial plateau. Dual incision approaches with bicolumnar plating do not appear to expose the patient to increased risk compared to single incision approaches. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 1547 - Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2010

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-12

...-11213, Notice No. 13] RIN 2130-AA81 Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing... percent for alcohol. Because the industry-wide random drug testing positive rate has remained below 1.0... effective upon publication. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lamar Allen, Alcohol and Drug Program Manager...

78 FR 78275 - Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2014

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-26

...-11213, Notice No. 17] Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2014... December 26, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Powers, FRA Drug and Alcohol Program Manager, W38...-493-6313); or Sam Noe, FRA Drug and Alcohol Program Specialist, (telephone 615-719- 2951). Issued in...

Serious Infection Rates Among Children With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Enrolled in Medicaid.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraki, Linda T; Feldman, Candace H; Marty, Francisco M; Winkelmayer, Wolfgang C; Guan, Hongshu; Costenbader, Karen H

2017-11-01

To investigate the nationwide prevalence and incidence of serious infections among children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) enrolled in Medicaid, the US health insurance program for low-income patients. From Medicaid claims (2000-2006) we identified children ages 5 to 30 days apart) and lupus nephritis (LN; ≥2 ICD-9 codes for kidney disease on/after SLE codes). From hospital discharge diagnoses, we identified infection subtypes (bacterial, fungal, and viral). We calculated incidence rates (IRs) per 100 person-years, mortality rates, and hazard ratios adjusted for sociodemographic factors, medications, and preventive care. Among 3,500 children with identified SLE, 1,053 serious infections occurred over 10,108 person-years; the IR was 10.42 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 9.80-11.07) among all those with SLE and 17.65 per 100 person-years (95% CI 16.29-19.09) among those with LN. Bacterial infections were most common (87%, of which 39% were bacterial pneumonias). In adjusted models, African Americans and American Indians had higher rates of infections compared with white children, and those with comorbidities or receiving corticosteroids had higher infection rates than those without. Males had lower rates of serious infections compared to females. The 30-day postdischarge mortality rate was 4.4%. Overall, hospitalized infections were very common in children with SLE, with bacterial pneumonia being the most common infection. Highest infection risks were among African American and American Indian children, those with LN, comorbidities, and those taking corticosteroids. © 2017, American College of Rheumatology.

Relationship between neighborhood poverty rate and bloodstream infections in the critically ill.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendu, Mallika L; Zager, Sam; Gibbons, Fiona K; Christopher, Kenneth B

2012-05-01

Poverty is associated with increased risk of chronic illness, but its contribution to bloodstream infections is not well-defined. We performed a multicenter observational study of 14,657 patients, aged 18 yrs or older, who received critical care and had blood cultures drawn between 1997 and 2007 in two hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. Data sources included 1990 U.S. Census and hospital administrative data. Census tracts were used as the geographic units of analysis. The exposure of interest was neighborhood poverty rate categorized as 40%. Neighborhood poverty rate is the percentage of residents with income below the federal poverty line. The primary end point was bloodstream infection occurring 48 hrs before critical care initiation to 48 hrs after. Associations between neighborhood poverty rate and bloodstream infection were estimated by logistic regression models. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated by multivariable logistic regression models. Two thousand four-hundred thirty-five patients had bloodstream infections. Neighborhood poverty rate was a strong predictor of risk of bloodstream infection, with a significant risk gradient across neighborhood poverty rate quintiles. After multivariable analysis, neighborhood poverty rate in the highest quintiles (20%-40% and >40%) were associated with a 26% and 49% increase in bloodstream infection risk, respectively, relative to patients with neighborhood poverty rate of poverty rate, a proxy for decreased socioeconomic status, appears to be associated with risk of bloodstream infection among patients who receive critical care.

29 CFR 4.1b - Payment of minimum compensation based on collectively bargained wage rates and fringe benefits...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... bargained wage rates and fringe benefits applicable to employment under predecessor contract. 4.1b Section 4... collectively bargained wage rates and fringe benefits applicable to employment under predecessor contract. (a) Section 4(c) of the Service Contract Act of 1965 as amended provides special minimum wage and fringe...

Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection Rate after ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

CLABSI) rates remains a problem in developing countries due to the variations in surveillance practices and/or infection risk as non.availability of national data. Aim: The aim of the following study was to find out the CLABSI rate before and after ...

Impact of Rate Design Alternatives on Residential Solar Customer Bills. Increased Fixed Charges, Minimum Bills and Demand-based Rates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, Lori [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Davidson, Carolyn [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McLaren, Joyce [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Miller, John [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-09-01

With rapid growth in energy efficiency and distributed generation, electric utilities are anticipating stagnant or decreasing electricity sales, particularly in the residential sector. Utilities are increasingly considering alternative rates structures that are designed to recover fixed costs from residential solar photovoltaic (PV) customers with low net electricity consumption. Proposed structures have included fixed charge increases, minimum bills, and increasingly, demand rates - for net metered customers and all customers. This study examines the electricity bill implications of various residential rate alternatives for multiple locations within the United States. For the locations analyzed, the results suggest that residential PV customers offset, on average, between 60% and 99% of their annual load. However, roughly 65% of a typical customer's electricity demand is non-coincidental with PV generation, so the typical PV customer is generally highly reliant on the grid for pooling services.

5 CFR 551.301 - Minimum wage.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Minimum wage. 551.301 Section 551.301... FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Minimum Wage Provisions Basic Provision § 551.301 Minimum wage. (a)(1) Except... employees wages at rates not less than the minimum wage specified in section 6(a)(1) of the Act for all...

Infection after pacemaker implantation: infection rates and risk factors associated with infection in a population-based cohort study of 46299 consecutive patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Jens Brock; Jørgensen, Ole Dan; Møller, Mogens

2011-01-01

Infection is a serious complication of pacemaker (PM) systems. Although the rate of infection has been debated, the figures are largely unknown. We therefore studied the incidence of PM infection and its associated risk factors in the Danish population....

A minimum bit error-rate detector for amplify and forward relaying systems

KAUST Repository

Ahmed, Qasim Zeeshan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Aissa, Sonia

2012-01-01

In this paper, a new detector is being proposed for amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying system when communicating with the assistance of L number of relays. The major goal of this detector is to improve the bit error rate (BER) performance of the system. The complexity of the system is further reduced by implementing this detector adaptively. The proposed detector is free from channel estimation. Our results demonstrate that the proposed detector is capable of achieving a gain of more than 1-dB at a BER of 10 -5 as compared to the conventional minimum mean square error detector when communicating over a correlated Rayleigh fading channel. © 2012 IEEE.

A minimum bit error-rate detector for amplify and forward relaying systems

KAUST Repository

Ahmed, Qasim Zeeshan

2012-05-01

In this paper, a new detector is being proposed for amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying system when communicating with the assistance of L number of relays. The major goal of this detector is to improve the bit error rate (BER) performance of the system. The complexity of the system is further reduced by implementing this detector adaptively. The proposed detector is free from channel estimation. Our results demonstrate that the proposed detector is capable of achieving a gain of more than 1-dB at a BER of 10 -5 as compared to the conventional minimum mean square error detector when communicating over a correlated Rayleigh fading channel. © 2012 IEEE.

Relationship between xerostomia and salivary flow rates in HIV-infected individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nittayananta, Wipawee; Chanowanna, Nilnara; Pruphetkaew, Nannapat; Nauntofte, Birgitte

2013-08-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between self-reported xerostomia and salivary flow rates among HIV-infected individuals. A cross-sectional study was performed on 173 individuals (81 HIV-infected individuals, mean age: 32 years, and 92 non-HIV controls, mean age: 30 years). Subjective complaints of dry mouth, based on a self-report of xerostomia questions, and dry mouth, based on a visual analogue scale (VAS), were recorded along with measurements of salivary flow rate of both unstimulated and wax-stimulated whole saliva. The relationship between subjective responses to the xerostomia questions, the VAS of dry mouth, and objective measurements of salivary flow rates were analyzed. Responses to the questions--Do you carry water or a saliva substitute? and Have you had taste disturbance?--were significantly different between HIV-infected and non-HIV individuals (P flow rate. A significant correlation between the VAS of dry mouth and salivary flow rates was observed (P = 0.023). Responses to self-reported xerostomia questions reflects low unstimulated salivary flow rates. Thus, questions concerning dry mouth might be useful tools to identify HIV-infected individuals with hyposalivation, especially at a resting stage. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Dosing strategy based on prevailing aminoglycoside minimum inhibitory concentration in India: Evidence and issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balaji Veeraraghavan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aminoglycosides are important agents used for treating drug-resistant infections. The current dosing regimen of aminoglycosides does not achieve sufficient serum level concentration for the infected bacterial pathogen interpreted as susceptible based on laboratory testing. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined for nearly 2000 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by broth microdilution method. Results were interpreted based on CLSI and EUCAST interpretative criteria and the inconsistencies in the susceptibility profile were noted. This study provides insights into the inconsistencies existing in the laboratory interpretation and the corresponding clinical success rates. This urges the need for revising clinical breakpoints for amikacin, to resolve under dosing leading to clinical failure.

Helicobacter pylori Infection Rates in Patients Undergoing Endoscopy in the Interior of Borneo.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Feng Yih; Chong, Hock Chin; Tan, Yew Eng; Heng, Sophia Si Ling; Asilah, Siti Mohd Desa; Ridwan, Hashim

2016-04-01

Very limited data are available on the Helicobacter pylori infection among the population of interior Borneo. We aimed to investigate the H. pylori infection rate among an endoscoped interior Borneo population and to report the differences between the infected and noninfected patients. We retrospectively analyzed the data of the rapid urease test (RUT) records in Endoscopy Unit Hospital Keningau from January 2009 to May 2014. Student's t-test, chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used accordingly. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for H. pylori infection. Birth cohort was analyzed against H. pylori infection rate with chi-square test. Overall, there were 215 of 774 (27.8%) positive RUTs. Patients with H. pylori infection were younger (47.66 ± 14.93 vs 50.50 ± 15.02 years, p = .019), more likely to be female (OR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.12-2.13, p = .008) and originated from the Pensiangan district (OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.01-2.64, p = .047). Chinese patients were less likely infected with H. pylori (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.16-0.80, p = .013). Birth cohort was significantly associated with H. pylori infection rate (χ(2) (7) = 14.71, p = .040) with an increasing trend of H. pylori infection rate in patients born later (χ(2) (1) = 5.26, p = .022). The overall H. pylori infection rate in this population was unexpectedly low. Accordingly, it may be a recent arrival in this community. Gender, age, dietary practice, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity were among the factors associated with H. pylori infection. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Low average blister-rust infection rates may mean high control costs

Science.gov (United States)

Robert Marty

1965-01-01

The Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, in cooperation with Federal and State forest-pest-control agencies, undertook a survey of blister-rust infection rates in the white pine region of the East during 1962 and 1963. Those engaged in blister-rust-control activities will not be surprised at the survey's results. We found that infection rates were significantly...

Infection rate of toxoplasma gondii and age distribution in female patients with sterility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shuhong; Dai Pei; Cui Liming; Zong Shan; Zuo Wenjing

2006-01-01

Objective: To discuss the relationship between the infection of Toxoplasma gondii and female sterility. Methods: Toxoplasma gondii serum antibody were determined in 882 women with sterility (experimental group) and 107 normal bearing women (control group) by using ELISA. At the same time the differences of the infection with Toxoplasma gondii between the ages of the sterility women were analyzed. Results: The positive rate in experimental group was 15.87% (140/882), the positive rate in control group was 5.61% (6/107), remarkable difference was found between two groups (P<0.01). The infection rate in the different age groups (20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 and ≥40) is 5.63%, 15.24%, 17.91%, 19.44% and 15.38%. Conclusion: Toxoplasma gondii infection may be one of the factors which can cause sterility, and the infection rates at different ages have no instinct differences. (authors)

Rates of cardiovascular disease following smoking cessation in patients with HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petoumenos, K; Worm, S; Reiss, P

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to estimate the rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events after stopping smoking in patients with HIV infection.......The aim of the study was to estimate the rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events after stopping smoking in patients with HIV infection....

Infection after pacemaker implantation: infection rates and risk factors associated with infection in a population-based cohort study of 46299 consecutive patients

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Jens Brock; Jørgensen, Ole Dan; Møller, Mogens; Arnsbo, Per; Mortensen, Peter Thomas; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis

2011-01-01

Aims Infection is a serious complication of pacemaker (PM) systems. Although the rate of infection has been debated, the figures are largely unknown. We therefore studied the incidence of PM infection and its associated risk factors in the Danish population. Methods and results Since 1982, all PM implantation and removal procedures performed in Denmark have been prospectively recorded in the Danish Pacemaker Register. All patients (n = 46299) who underwent implantation between 1982 and 2007 were included. The total length of surveillance was 236 888 PM-years. The incidence of infection was calculated according to the total number of PM-years. The incidence of surgical site infection (≤365 days after PM implantation) was compared with later infection in first implant and replacement procedures. Multiple-record and multiple-event-per-subject proportional hazards analyses were used to identify the independent risk factors of PM infection. Surgical site infection occurred in 192 cases after first implantation (incidence rate 4.82/1000 PM-years), and in 133 cases after replacement (12.12/1000 PM-years). Infections occurring more than 365 days after the first implantation occurred in 153 cases (1.02/1000 PM-years), and in 118 cases after replacement (3.26/1000 PM-years). Independent factors associated with an increased risk of PM infection were a greater number of PM operations (including replacements), male sex, younger age, implantation during the earliest part of the study period, and absence of antibiotics (P< 0.001). Conclusion The overall risk of infection after PM implantation was low. A greater number of operations augmented the risk of infection. This should be taken into account when considering revisions of PM systems. PMID:21252172

The impact of alcohol hand sanitizer use on infection rates in an extended care facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Fendler, E J; Ali, Y; Hammond, B S; Lyons, M K; Kelley, M B; Vowell, N A

2002-06-01

Nosocomial infections are a major problem in health care facilities, resulting in extended durations of care and substantial morbidity. Since alcohol gel hand sanitizers combine high immediate antimicrobial efficacy with ease of use, this study was carried out to determine the effect of the use of alcohol gel hand sanitizer by caregivers on infection types and rates in an extended care facility. Infection rate and type data were collected in a 275-bed extended care facility for 34 months (July 1997 to May 2000), during which an alcohol gel hand sanitizer was used by the caregivers in 2 units of the facility. The primary infection types found were urinary tract with Foley catheter, respiratory tract, and wound infections. Comparison of the infection types and rates for the units where hand sanitizer was used with those for the control units where the hand sanitizer was not used showed a 30.4% decrease in infection rates for the 34-month period in the units where hand sanitizer was used. This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control program.

Short gamma-ray burst formation rate from BATSE data using E{sub p} -L{sub p} correlation and the minimum gravitational-wave event rate of a coalescing compact binary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yonetoku, Daisuke; Sawano, Tatsuya; Toyanago, Asuka [College of Science and Engineering, School of Mathematics and Physics, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192 (Japan); Nakamura, Takashi [Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Takahashi, Keitaro, E-mail: yonetoku@astro.s.kanazawa-u.ac.jp, E-mail: takashi@tap.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan)

2014-07-01

Using 72 short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) with well determined spectral data observed by BATSE, we determine their redshift and luminosity by applying the E{sub p} -L{sub p} correlation for SGRBs found by Tsutsui et al. For 53 SGRBs with an observed flux brighter than 4 × 10{sup –6} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}, the cumulative redshift distribution up to z = 1 agrees well with that of 22 Swift SGRBs. This suggests that the redshift determination by the E{sub p} -L{sub p} correlation for SGRBs works well. The minimum event rate at z = 0 is estimated as R{sub on−axis}{sup min}=6.3{sub −3.9}{sup +3.1}× 10{sup −10} events Mpc{sup −3} yr{sup −1}, so that the minimum beaming angle is 0.°6-7.°8 assuming a merging rate of 10{sup –7}- 4 × 10{sup –6} events Mpc{sup –3} yr{sup –1} suggested from the binary pulsar data. Interestingly, this angle is consistent with that for SGRB 130603B of ∼4°-8°. On the other hand, if we assume a beaming angle of ∼6° suggested from four SGRBs with the observed beaming angle value, then the minimum event rate including off-axis SGRBs is estimated as R{sub all}{sup min}=1.15{sub −0.66}{sup +0.56} × 10{sup −7} events Mpc{sup −3} yr{sup −1}. If SGRBs are induced by the coalescence of binary neutron stars (NSs) and/or black holes (BHs), then this event rate leads to a minimum gravitational-wave detection rate of 3.8{sub −2.2}{sup +1.8} (146{sub −83}{sup +71}) events yr{sup −1} for an NS-NS (NS-BH) binary, respectively, by a worldwide network with KAGRA, advanced-LIGO, advanced-VIRGO, and GEO.

Reduction in Surgical Wound Infection Rates Associated with Reporting Data to Surgeons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GD Taylor

1994-01-01

Full Text Available Several studies have shown that wound infection (surgical site infection [ ssi ] rates fall when surgeons are provided with data on their performance. Since 1987, the authors have been performing concurrent surveillance of surgical patients and confidentially reporting surgeon-specific ssi rates to individual surgeons and their clinical directors, and providing surgeons with the mean rates of their peers. The program has been gradually refined and expanded. Data are now collected on wound infection risk and report risk adjusted rates compared with the mean for hospitals in the United States National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (nnis data bank. Since inception through to December 1993, ssi rates have fallen 68% in clean contaminated general surgery cases (relative risk [rr] 0.36, 95% ci 0.2 to 0.6, P=0.0001, 64% in clean plastic surgery cases (rr 0.35, 95% ci 0.06 to 1.8, 72% in caesarean section cases (rr 0.23, 95% ci 0.03 to 1.96 and 42% in clean cardiovascular surgery cases (rr 0.59, 95% ci 0.34 to 1.0. In clean orthopedic surgery the ssi rate remained stable from 1987 through 1992. In 1993 a marked increase was experienced. Reasons for this are being explored. Overall there was a 32% decrease in ssi rate between the index year and 1993 or, in percentage terms, 2.8% to 1.9% (rr 0.65, 95% ci 0.51 to 0.86, P=0.002. ssi surveillance should become standard in Canadian hospitals interested in improving the quality of surgical care and reducing the clinical impact and cost associated with nosocomial infection.

Infection Rate in 1033 Elective Neurosurgical Procedures at a University Hospital in South China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hongwei; Liu, Xiyao; Wang, Zhanxiang

2017-09-01

Objective  Infection following surgery is a serious complication, especially in neurosurgery. The aim of the study is to report the change of incidence rates of infection in patients undergoing elective neurosurgical procedures at a university hospital in South China as well as the risk factors. Material and Methods  The medical records and postoperative courses for patients undergoing 1,033 neurosurgical procedures from 2008 to 2014 were reviewed retrospectively to determine the incidence of neurosurgical infection, the identity of the offending organisms, and the factors associated with infection. Results  A total of 33 patients (40 cases) experienced postoperative infection representing 3.19% of the study population. Twenty cases were incision infections (1.94%), and 20 were cranial/spinal infections (1.94%) including 15 intracranial infections and 5 intraspinal infections. The 2.4-fold greater incidence of postoperative infection in 2008 to 2010 was compared with that in 2011 to 2014 with perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis ( p neurosurgery (1.08%). The most common offending organism was Staphylococcus aureus (27.5%). Foreign body implantation, operative time > 4 hours, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (13 infections in 158 patients; p <0.001) were risk factors for infections ( p <0.05). Conclusion  The neurosurgical infection rate is usually low with perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis even in developing countries. Less foreign body implantation, shorter operative times, and controlling CSF leak could reduce infection rates. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Minimum airflow reset of single-duct VAV terminal boxes

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Young-Hum

Single duct Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems are currently the most widely used type of HVAC system in the United States. When installing such a system, it is critical to determine the minimum airflow set point of the terminal box, as an optimally selected set point will improve the level of thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ) while at the same time lower overall energy costs. In principle, this minimum rate should be calculated according to the minimum ventilation requirement based on ASHRAE standard 62.1 and maximum heating load of the zone. Several factors must be carefully considered when calculating this minimum rate. Terminal boxes with conventional control sequences may result in occupant discomfort and energy waste. If the minimum rate of airflow is set too high, the AHUs will consume excess fan power, and the terminal boxes may cause significant simultaneous room heating and cooling. At the same time, a rate that is too low will result in poor air circulation and indoor air quality in the air-conditioned space. Currently, many scholars are investigating how to change the algorithm of the advanced VAV terminal box controller without retrofitting. Some of these controllers have been found to effectively improve thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. However, minimum airflow set points have not yet been identified, nor has controller performance been verified in confirmed studies. In this study, control algorithms were developed that automatically identify and reset terminal box minimum airflow set points, thereby improving indoor air quality and thermal comfort levels, and reducing the overall rate of energy consumption. A theoretical analysis of the optimal minimum airflow and discharge air temperature was performed to identify the potential energy benefits of resetting the terminal box minimum airflow set points. Applicable control algorithms for calculating the ideal values for the minimum airflow reset were developed and

Zika and Chikungunya virus detection in naturally infected Aedes aegypti in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Cevallos, Varsovia; Ponce, Patricio; Waggoner, Jesse J; Pinsky, Benjamin A; Coloma, Josefina; Quiroga, Cristina; Morales, Diego; Cárdenas, Maria José

2018-01-01

The wide and rapid spread of Chikungunya (CHIKV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses represent a global public health problem, especially for tropical and subtropical environments. The early detection of CHIKV and ZIKV in mosquitoes may help to understand the dynamics of the diseases in high-risk areas, and to design data based epidemiological surveillance to activate the preparedness and response of the public health system and vector control programs. This study was done to detect ZIKV and CHIKV viruses in naturally infected fed female Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquitoes from active epidemic urban areas in Ecuador. Pools (n=193; 22 pools) and individuals (n=22) of field collected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from high-risk arboviruses infection sites in Ecuador were analyzed for the presence of CHIKV and ZIKV using RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that both ZIKV and CHIKV viruses circulating in Ecuador correspond to the Asian lineages. Minimum infection rate (MIR) of CHIKV for Esmeraldas city was 2.3% and the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) was 3.3%. The minimum infection rate (MIR) of ZIKV for Portoviejo city was 5.3% and for Manta city was 2.1%. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) for Portoviejo city was 6.9% and 2.6% for Manta city. Detection of arboviruses and infection rates in the arthropod vectors may help to predict an outbreak and serve as a warning tool in surveillance programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial degradation rates of small peptides and amino acids in the oxygen minimum zone of Chilean coastal waters

Science.gov (United States)

Pantoja, Silvio; Rossel, Pamela; Castro, Rodrigo; Cuevas, L. Antonio; Daneri, Giovanni; Córdova, Candy

2009-07-01

We found similar microbial degradation rates of labile dissolved organic matter in oxic and suboxic waters off northern Chile. Rates of peptide hydrolysis and amino acid uptake in unconcentrated water samples were not low in the water column where oxygen concentration was depleted. Hydrolysis rates ranged from 65 to 160 nmol peptide L -1 h -1 in the top 20 m, 8-28 nmol peptide L -1 h -1 between 100 and 300 m (O 2-depleted zone), and 14-19 nmol peptide L -1 h -1 between 600 and 800 m. Dissolved free amino acid uptake rates were 9-26, 3-17, and 6 nmol L -1 h -1 at similar depth intervals. Since these findings are consistent with a model of comparable potential activity of microbes in degrading labile substrates of planktonic origin, we suggest, as do other authors, that differences in decomposition rates with high and low oxygen concentrations may be a matter of substrate lability. The comparison between hydrolysis and uptake rates indicates that microbial peptide hydrolysis occurs at similar or faster rates than amino acid uptake in the water column, and that the hydrolysis of peptides is not a rate-limiting step for the complete remineralization of labile macromolecules. Low O 2 waters process about 10 tons of peptide carbon per h, double the amount processed in surface-oxygenated water. In the oxygen minimum zone, we suggest that the C balance may be affected by the low lability of the dissolved organic matter when this is upwelled to the surface. An important fraction of dissolved organic matter is processed in the oxygen minimum layer, a prominent feature of the coastal ocean in the highly productive Humboldt Current System.

Evaluation of an ultraviolet room disinfection protocol to decrease nursing home microbial burden, infection and hospitalization rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovach, Christine R; Taneli, Yavuz; Neiman, Tammy; Dyer, Elaine M; Arzaga, Alvin Jason A; Kelber, Sheryl T

2017-03-03

The focus of nursing home infection control procedures has been on decreasing transmission between healthcare workers and residents. Less evidence is available regarding whether decontamination of high-touch environmental surfaces impacts infection rates or resident outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine if ultraviolet disinfection is associated with changes in: 1) microbial counts and adenosine triphosphate counts on high-touch surfaces; and 2) facility wide nursing home acquired infection rates, and infection-related hospitalization. The study was conducted in one 160-bed long-term care facility. Following discharge of each resident, their room was cleaned and then disinfected using a newly acquired ultraviolet light disinfection device. Shared living spaces received weekly ultraviolet light disinfection. Thirty-six months of pretest infection and hospitalization data were compared with 12 months of posttest data. Pre and posttest cultures were taken from high-touch surfaces, and luminometer readings of adenosine triphosphate were done. Nursing home acquired infection rates were analyzed relative to hospital acquired infection rates using analysis of variance procedures. Wilcoxon signed rank tests, The Cochran's Q, and Chi Square were also used. There were statistically significant decreases in adenosine triphosphate readings on all high-touch surfaces after cleaning and disinfection. Culture results were positive for gram-positive cocci or rods on 33% (n = 30) of the 90 surfaces swabbed at baseline. After disinfectant cleaning, 6 of 90 samples (7.1%) tested positive for a gram-positive bacilli, and after ultraviolet disinfection 4 of the 90 samples (4.4%) were positive. There were significant decreases in nursing home acquired relative to hospital-acquired infection rates for the total infections (p = .004), urinary tract infection rates (p = .014), respiratory system infection rates (p = .017) and for rates of infection of the skin

Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection Rate after ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

find out the CLABSI rate before and after central line (CL) bundle intervention and compare the outcome with international surveillance ... was reduced from 10.1 to 6.5 per 1000 CL days after interventions and had significant correlation with overall bundle ..... Sales AE, Almenoff PL, et al. Reduction of central line infections ...

[Prediction of schistosomiasis infection rates of population based on ARIMA-NARNN model].

Science.gov (United States)

Ke-Wei, Wang; Yu, Wu; Jin-Ping, Li; Yu-Yu, Jiang

2016-07-12

To explore the effect of the autoregressive integrated moving average model-nonlinear auto-regressive neural network (ARIMA-NARNN) model on predicting schistosomiasis infection rates of population. The ARIMA model, NARNN model and ARIMA-NARNN model were established based on monthly schistosomiasis infection rates from January 2005 to February 2015 in Jiangsu Province, China. The fitting and prediction performances of the three models were compared. Compared to the ARIMA model and NARNN model, the mean square error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the ARIMA-NARNN model were the least with the values of 0.011 1, 0.090 0 and 0.282 4, respectively. The ARIMA-NARNN model could effectively fit and predict schistosomiasis infection rates of population, which might have a great application value for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis.

Schistosomes infection rate in relation to environmental factors in school children.

Science.gov (United States)

Raja'a, Y A; Assiragi, H M; Abu-Luhom, A A; Mohammed, A B; Albahr, M H; Ashaddadi, M A; Al Muflihi, A N

2000-07-01

An epidemiological comparative survey aimed at determination of prevalence and focal distribution of Schistosomes infection and intestinal parasites to provide a reference for evaluating the need for community intervention. All children of 14th October Primary School were involved. The children were from 7 villages that lie on the Assahul valley of lbb governorates in Yemen. The total number was 230 with (82%) boys and (18%) girls. Their age was between 5-18 years with a mean of 10.24 +/- 2.6 years. Millipore and modified Kato techniques were adopted to quantify urinary and intestinal Schistosomes eggs. Other ova, larvae, cysts were recorded whenever seen. It was revealed that there was a Schistosomes infection rate of 37%. The mansoni prevalence was 35%, hematobia was 5% and mixed infections were 3%. Light infection was classified among 17% of all children; moderate infection among 18% and no intense mansoni infection was determined. Whereas in the case of hematobia species, 2% were intense and 3% were light. Intensity in all children was 5% eggs/g feces in case of intestinal bilharzia and 1% egg/10 ml urine in case of urinary. With regard to the prevalence of any soil-transmitted parasites, it was found to be 69% (Ascariosis 68%, Trichuriosis 10%). Double infection was found in 10%. Hookworm eggs were not seen. Infection rates with other parasites were as follows: Giardiosis 18%, Amoebiosis 14%, ova of Hymenolepes nana were seen in 13%, Taeniosis affected 13% and E. Vermicularis 1%. Bivariate analysis revealed significant associations between Schistosomes infection with residence near the valley, male sex and frequent water contact activities. No significant association was found with the age of the child, parents' education, availability of latrine or household standpipe water. In conclusion, schistosomosis was moderate, whereas soil transmitted helminthosis were intense.

Applicability of the minimum entropy generation method for optimizing thermodynamic cycles

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Cheng Xue-Tao; Liang Xin-Gang

2013-01-01

Entropy generation is often used as a figure of merit in thermodynamic cycle optimizations.In this paper,it is shown that the applicability of the minimum entropy generation method to optimizing output power is conditional.The minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number do not correspond to the maximum output power when the total heat into the system of interest is not prescribed.For the cycles whose working medium is heated or cooled by streams with prescribed inlet temperatures and prescribed heat capacity flow rates,it is theoretically proved that both the minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number correspond to the maximum output power when the virtual entropy generation induced by dumping the used streams into the environment is considered.However,the minimum principle of entropy generation is not tenable in the case that the virtual entropy generation is not included,because the total heat into the system of interest is not fixed.An irreversible Carnot cycle and an irreversible Brayton cycle are analysed.The minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number do not correspond to the maximum output power if the heat into the system of interest is not prescribed.

Applicability of the minimum entropy generation method for optimizing thermodynamic cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Xue-Tao; Liang Xin-Gang

2013-01-01

Entropy generation is often used as a figure of merit in thermodynamic cycle optimizations. In this paper, it is shown that the applicability of the minimum entropy generation method to optimizing output power is conditional. The minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number do not correspond to the maximum output power when the total heat into the system of interest is not prescribed. For the cycles whose working medium is heated or cooled by streams with prescribed inlet temperatures and prescribed heat capacity flow rates, it is theoretically proved that both the minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number correspond to the maximum output power when the virtual entropy generation induced by dumping the used streams into the environment is considered. However, the minimum principle of entropy generation is not tenable in the case that the virtual entropy generation is not included, because the total heat into the system of interest is not fixed. An irreversible Carnot cycle and an irreversible Brayton cycle are analysed. The minimum entropy generation rate and the minimum entropy generation number do not correspond to the maximum output power if the heat into the system of interest is not prescribed. (general)

Reply to Comment on ‘The cancer Warburg effect may be a testable example of the minimum entropy production rate principle’

Science.gov (United States)

Sabater, Bartolomé; Marín, Dolores

2018-03-01

The minimum rate principle is applied to the chemical reaction in a steady-state open cell system where, under constant supply of the glucose precursor, reference to time or to glucose consumption does not affect the conclusions.

[Changing medical practices and nosocomial infection rates in French maternity units from 1997 to 2000].

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent-Boulétreau, A; Caillat-Vallet, E; Dumas, A M; Ayzac, L; Chapuis, C; Emery, M N; Girard, R; Haond, C; Lafarge-Leboucher, J; Tissot-Guerraz, F; Fabry, J

2005-04-01

In this study we describe the changes in medical practices and nosocomial infection rates in obstetrics observed through a surveillance network in the South East of France. The maternity units which belong to this network participated in voluntary surveillance using the network's methodology. The criteria for the diagnosis of nosocomial infections were in accordance with the methods described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 101240 pregnancies including 18503 caesareans (18.3%) were included in the network from 1997 to 2000. During the study period, nosocomial infection rates following caesarean section and vaginal delivery decreased respectively from 7.8% to 4.3% (p infection control programs in maternity units has been confirmed by the results of this surveillance network. During the study period, both obstetrics-related risk factors for nosocomial infection and observed hospital-acquired infection rates were dramatically reduced, what prove an improvement of quality of care in maternity units.

Rate, correlates and outcomes of repeat pregnancy in HIV-infected women.

Science.gov (United States)

Floridia, M; Tamburrini, E; Masuelli, G; Martinelli, P; Spinillo, A; Liuzzi, G; Vimercati, A; Alberico, S; Maccabruni, A; Pinnetti, C; Frisina, V; Dalzero, S; Ravizza, M

2017-07-01

The aim of the study was to assess the rate, determinants, and outcomes of repeat pregnancies in women with HIV infection. Data from a national study of pregnant women with HIV infection were used. Main outcomes were preterm delivery, low birth weight, CD4 cell count and HIV plasma viral load. The rate of repeat pregnancy among 3007 women was 16.2%. Women with a repeat pregnancy were on average younger than those with a single pregnancy (median age 30 vs. 33 years, respectively), more recently diagnosed with HIV infection (median time since diagnosis 25 vs. 51 months, respectively), and more frequently of foreign origin [odds ratio (OR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-1.68], diagnosed with HIV infection in the current pregnancy (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.35-2.11), and at their first pregnancy (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.06-1.66). In women with sequential pregnancies, compared with the first pregnancy, several outcomes showed a significant improvement in the second pregnancy, with a higher rate of antiretroviral treatment at conception (39.0 vs. 65.4%, respectively), better median maternal weight at the start of pregnancy (60 vs. 61 kg, respectively), a higher rate of end-of-pregnancy undetectable HIV RNA (60.7 vs. 71.6%, respectively), a higher median birth weight (2815 vs. 2885 g, respectively), lower rates of preterm delivery (23.0 vs. 17.7%, respectively) and of low birth weight (23.4 vs. 15.4%, respectively), and a higher median CD4 cell count (+47 cells/μL), with almost no clinical progression to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage C (CDC-C) HIV disease (0.3%). The second pregnancy was significantly more likely to end in voluntary termination than the first pregnancy (11.4 vs. 6.1%, respectively). Younger and foreign women were more likely to have a repeat pregnancy; in women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple

The infection rate of Daphnia magna by Pasteuria ramosa conforms with the mass-action principle.

Science.gov (United States)

Regoes, R R; Hottinger, J W; Sygnarski, L; Ebert, D

2003-10-01

In simple epidemiological models that describe the interaction between hosts with their parasites, the infection process is commonly assumed to be governed by the law of mass action, i.e. it is assumed that the infection rate depends linearly on the densities of the host and the parasite. The mass-action assumption, however, can be problematic if certain aspects of the host-parasite interaction are very pronounced, such as spatial compartmentalization, host immunity which may protect from infection with low doses, or host heterogeneity with regard to susceptibility to infection. As deviations from a mass-action infection rate have consequences for the dynamics of the host-parasite system, it is important to test for the appropriateness of the mass-action assumption in a given host-parasite system. In this paper, we examine the relationship between the infection rate and the parasite inoculum for the water flee Daphnia magna and its bacterial parasite Pasteuria ramosa. We measured the fraction of infected hosts after exposure to 14 different doses of the parasite. We find that the observed relationship between the fraction of infected hosts and the parasite dose is largely consistent with an infection process governed by the mass-action principle. However, we have evidence for a subtle but significant deviation from a simple mass-action infection model, which can be explained either by some antagonistic effects of the parasite spores during the infection process, or by heterogeneity in the hosts' susceptibility with regard to infection.

12 CFR 3.6 - Minimum capital ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... should have well-diversified risks, including no undue interest rate risk exposure; excellent control... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Minimum capital ratios. 3.6 Section 3.6 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY MINIMUM CAPITAL RATIOS; ISSUANCE...

Forced-air warming discontinued: periprosthetic joint infection rates drop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott D. Augustine

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Several studies have shown that the waste heat from forced-air warming (FAW escapes near the floor and warms the contaminated air resident near the floor. The waste heat then forms into convection currents that rise up and contaminate the sterile field above the surgical table. It has been shown that a single airborne bacterium can cause a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI following joint replacement surgery. We retrospectively compared PJI rates during a period of FAW to a period of air-free conductive fabric electric warming (CFW at three hospitals. Surgical and antibiotic protocols were held constant. The pooled multicenter data showed a decreased PJI rate of 78% following the discontinuation of FAW and a switch to air-free CFW (n=2034; P=0.002. The 78% reduction in joint implant infections observed when FAW was discontinued suggests that there is a link between the waste FAW heat and PJIs.

The Effect of Minimum Wages on Adolescent Fertility: A Nationwide Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullinger, Lindsey Rose

2017-03-01

To investigate the effect of minimum wage laws on adolescent birth rates in the United States. I used a difference-in-differences approach and vital statistics data measured quarterly at the state level from 2003 to 2014. All models included state covariates, state and quarter-year fixed effects, and state-specific quarter-year nonlinear time trends, which provided plausibly causal estimates of the effect of minimum wage on adolescent birth rates. A $1 increase in minimum wage reduces adolescent birth rates by about 2%. The effects are driven by non-Hispanic White and Hispanic adolescents. Nationwide, increasing minimum wages by $1 would likely result in roughly 5000 fewer adolescent births annually.

Construction of Protograph LDPC Codes with Linear Minimum Distance

Science.gov (United States)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Sam; Jones, Christopher

2006-01-01

A construction method for protograph-based LDPC codes that simultaneously achieve low iterative decoding threshold and linear minimum distance is proposed. We start with a high-rate protograph LDPC code with variable node degrees of at least 3. Lower rate codes are obtained by splitting check nodes and connecting them by degree-2 nodes. This guarantees the linear minimum distance property for the lower-rate codes. Excluding checks connected to degree-1 nodes, we show that the number of degree-2 nodes should be at most one less than the number of checks for the protograph LDPC code to have linear minimum distance. Iterative decoding thresholds are obtained by using the reciprocal channel approximation. Thresholds are lowered by using either precoding or at least one very high-degree node in the base protograph. A family of high- to low-rate codes with minimum distance linearly increasing in block size and with capacity-approaching performance thresholds is presented. FPGA simulation results for a few example codes show that the proposed codes perform as predicted.

Parasitic helminth infections in native sheep (Mehraban in Hamedan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamal Gharekhani

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Sheep play an important role in national economy and social economy in rural areas in Iran. The main goal of this study was to investigate the fauna and frequency of parasitic helminth infections prevalent in native sheep in Hamedan, western Iran. From April 2010 to March 2011, the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts of 100-sheep were examined using conventional parasitological methods. The overall infection rate was found as 69%. No infection was found in esophagus and rumens. Parabronema skerjabini (22% and Ostertagia circumcincta (1% were recorded as the maximum and minimum cases for the presence of nematode, respectively. On the other hand, the most dominant of trematode and cestode were Fasciola hepatica (13% and Monezia expansa (13%, respectively. The highest infection rate was reported in summer (84%. The prevalence of helminth infection was varied among gender, seasons and age groups. In conclusion, this is the first report of parasitic helminth infections in sheep in Hamedan province in western Iran. Our results provide baseline information for the future studies.

HCV infection among Saudi population: high prevalence of genotype 4 and increased viral clearance rate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed S Abdel-Moneim

Full Text Available HCV is a major etiological agent of liver disease with a high rate of chronic evolution. The virus possesses 6 genotypes with many subtypes. The rate of spontaneous clearance among HCV infected individuals denotes a genetic determinant factor. The current study was designed in order to estimate the rate of HCV infection and ratio of virus clearance among a group of infected patients in Saudi Arabia from 2008 to 2011. It was additionally designed to determine the genotypes of the HCV in persistently infected patients. HCV seroprevalence was conducted on a total of 15,323 individuals. Seropositive individuals were tested by Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HCV assay to determine the ratio of persistently infected patients to those who showed spontaneous viral clearance. HCV genotyping on random samples from persistently infected patients were conducted based on the differences in the 5'untranslated region (5'UTR. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 7.3% of the totally examined sera. A high percentage of the HCV infected individuals experienced virus clearance (48.4%. HCV genotyping revealed the presence of genotypes 1 and 4, the latter represented 97.6% of the tested strains. Evidences of the widespread of the HCV genotype 4 and a high rate of HCV virus clearance were found in Saudi Arabia.

Dissemination of the CDC's Hand Hygiene Guideline and impact on infection rates.

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Larson, Elaine L; Quiros, Dave; Lin, Susan X

2007-12-01

The diffusion of national evidence-based practice guidelines and their impact on patient outcomes often go unmeasured. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate implementation and compliance with clinical practices recommended in the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hand Hygiene Guideline, (2) compare rates of health care-associated infections (HAI) before and after implementation of the Guideline recommendations, and (3) examine the patterns and correlates of changes in rates of HAI. We used pre- and post-Guideline implementation site visits and surveys in the setting of 40 US hospitals--members of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System--and measured HAI rates 1 year before and after publication of the CDC Guideline and used direct observation of hand hygiene compliance and Guideline implementation scores. All study hospitals had changed their policies and procedures and provided products in compliance with Guideline recommendations; 89.8% of 1359 staff members surveyed anonymously reported that they were familiar with the Guideline. However, in 44.2% of the hospitals (19/40), there was no evidence of a multidisciplinary program to improve compliance. Hand hygiene rates remained low (mean, 56.6%). Rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections were significantly lower in hospitals with higher rates of hand hygiene (P hand hygiene compliance on other HAI rates was identified. Other factors occurring over time could affect rates of HAI. Observed hand hygiene compliance rates were likely to overestimate rates in actual practice. The study may have been of too short duration to detect the impact of a practice guideline. Wide dissemination of this Guideline was not sufficient to change practice. Only some hospitals had initiated multidisciplinary programs; practice change is unlikely without such multidisciplinary efforts and explicit administrative support.

Estimating progression rates for human papillomavirus infection from epidemiological data.

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Jit, Mark; Gay, Nigel; Soldan, Kate; Hong Choi, Yoon; Edmunds, William John

2010-01-01

A Markov model was constructed in order to estimate type-specific rates of cervical lesion progression and regression in women with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). The model was fitted to age- and type-specific data regarding the HPV DNA and cytological status of women undergoing cervical screening in a recent screening trial, as well as cervical cancer incidence. It incorporates different assumptions about the way lesions regress, the accuracy of cytological screening, the specificity of HPV DNA testing, and the age-specific prevalence of HPV infection. Combinations of assumptions generate 162 scenarios for squamous cell carcinomas and 54 scenarios for adenocarcinomas. Simulating an unscreened cohort of women infected with high-risk HPV indicates that the probability of an infection continuing to persist and to develop into invasive cancer depends on the length of time it has already persisted. The scenarios and parameter sets that produce the best fit to available epidemiological data provide a basis for modeling the natural history of HPV infection and disease.

High Variability in Nosocomial Clostridium difficile Infection Rates Across Hospitals After Colorectal Resection.

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Aquina, Christopher T; Probst, Christian P; Becerra, Adan Z; Hensley, Bradley J; Iannuzzi, James C; Noyes, Katia; Monson, John R T; Fleming, Fergal J

2016-04-01

Hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection is associated with adverse patient outcomes and high medical costs. The incidence and severity of C. difficile has been rising in both medical and surgical patients. Our aim was to assess risk factors and variation associated with the development of nosocomial C. difficile colitis among patients undergoing colorectal resection. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study included segmental colectomy and proctectomy cases in New York State from 2005 to 2013. The study cohort included 150,878 colorectal resections. Patients with a documented previous history of C. difficile infection or residence outside of New York State were excluded. A diagnosis of C. difficile colitis either during the index hospital stay or on readmission within 30 days was the main measure. C. difficile colitis occurred in 3323 patients (2.2%). Unadjusted C. difficile colitis rates ranged from 0% to 11.3% among surgeons and 0% to 6.8% among hospitals. After controlling for patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics using mixed-effects multivariable analysis, significant unexplained variation in C. difficile rates remained present across hospitals but not surgeons. Patient factors explained only 24% of the total hospital-level variation, and known surgeon and hospital-level characteristics explained an additional 8% of the total hospital-level variation. Therefore, ≈70% of the hospital variation in C. difficile infection rates remained unexplained by captured patient, surgeon, and hospital factors. Furthermore, there was an ≈5-fold difference in adjusted C. difficile rates across hospitals. A limited set of hospital and surgeon characteristics was available. Colorectal surgery patients appear to be at high risk for C. difficile infection, and alarming variation in nosocomial C. difficile infection rates currently exists among hospitals after colorectal resection. Given the high morbidity and cost associated with C. difficile colitis

Splenectomy is associated with higher infection and pneumonia rates among trauma laparotomy patients.

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Fair, Kelly A; Connelly, Christopher R; Hart, Kyle D; Schreiber, Martin A; Watters, Jennifer M

2017-05-01

Splenectomy increases lifetime risk of thromboembolism (VTE) and is associated with long-term infectious complications, primarily, overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI). Our objective was to evaluate risk of VTE and infection at index hospitalization post-splenectomy. Retrospective review of all patients who received a laparotomy in the NTDB. Propensity score matching for splenectomy was performed, based on ISS, abdominal abbreviated injury score >3, GCS, sex and mechanism. Major complications, VTE, and infection rates were compared. Multiple logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate splenectomy-associated complications. 93,221 laparotomies were performed and 17% underwent splenectomy. Multiple logistic regression models did not demonstrate an association between splenectomy and major complications (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.91-1.03, p = 0.25) or VTE (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.96-1.14, p = 0.33). Splenectomy was independently associated with infection (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.14, p = 0.045). Subgroup analysis of patients with infection demonstrated that splenectomy was most strongly associated with pneumonia (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.26-1.57, p Splenectomy is not associated with higher overall complication or VTE rates during index hospitalization. However, splenectomy is associated with a higher rate of pneumonia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

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Bos, Aaron, E-mail: abos1210@gmail.com; Ahmed, Osman [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States); Jilani, Danial [Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (United States); Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M. [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States)

2015-06-15

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole.

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bos, Aaron; Ahmed, Osman; Jilani, Danial; Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M.

2015-01-01

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole

29 CFR 525.9 - Criteria for employment of workers with disabilities under certificates at special minimum wage...

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2010-07-01

... certificates at special minimum wage rates. 525.9 Section 525.9 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued... special minimum wage rates. (a) In order to determine that special minimum wage rates are necessary in... at the special minimum wage rate; (3) The productivity of the workers with disabilities compared to...

Benchmarking of urinary tract infection rates: experiences from the intensive care unit component of the German national nosocomial infections surveillance system.

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Gastmeier, P; Behnke, M; Schwab, F; Geffers, C

2011-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether surveillance of symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in intensive care units (ICUs) leads to reduced CAUTI rates. Data from the German national nosocomial infection surveillance system (KISS: Krankenhaus Infektions Surveillance Systems) from three starter periods were used for the analysis (1997-2000, 2001/2002, 2003 or later). For each period data from the first and third years of participation were compared. Pooled CAUTI rates were calculated by month of participation and a linear regression model was adapted. A total of 547 ICUs provided data to the KISS ICU component from January 1997 to June 2008. According to the study protocol 1966 symptomatic CAUTI cases from 267 ICUs were included in the analysis. When comparing the symptomatic CAUTI rates in the third and first years, the overall relative risk was 0.86 (0.77-0.96). A much smaller surveillance effect for CAUTI was observed compared with similar data for ventilator-associated pneumonia and primary bloodstream infections. A lack of awareness by many intensivists for CAUTI compared with the other two infection types may be responsible. Reducing symptomatic CAUTI is also possible however and including CAUTI in the overall ICU surveillance activities does not create a significant additional workload. Copyright © 2011 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between nutrient enrichment, pleurocerid snail density and trematode infection rate in streams

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Ciparis, Serena; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Voshell, J. Reese

2013-01-01

Summary 1. Nutrient enrichment is a widespread environmental problem in freshwater ecosystems. Eutrophic conditions caused by nutrient enrichment may result in a higher prevalence of infection by trematode parasites in host populations, due to greater resource availability for the molluscan first intermediate hosts. 2. This study examined relationships among land use, environmental variables indicating eutrophication, population density of the pleurocerid snail, Leptoxis carinata, and trematode infections. Fifteen study sites were located in streams within the Shenandoah River catchment (Virginia, U.S.A.), where widespread nutrient enrichment has occurred. 3. Snail population density had a weak positive relationship with stream water nutrient concentration. Snail population density also increased as human activities within stream catchments increased, but density did not continue to increase in catchments where anthropogenic disturbance was greatest. 4. Cercariae from five families of trematodes were identified in L. carinata, and infection rate was generally low (<10%). Neither total infection rate nor the infection rate of individual trematode types showed a positive relationship with snail population density, nutrients or land use. 5. There were statistically significant but weak relationships between the prevalence of infection by two trematode families and physical and biological variables. The prevalence of Notocotylidae was positively related to water depth, which may be related to habitat use by definitive hosts. Prevalence of Opecoelidae had a negative relationship with orthophosphate concentration and a polynomial relationship with chlorophyll a concentration. Transmission of Opecoelid trematodes between hosts may be inhibited by eutrophic conditions. 6. Leptoxis carinata appears to be a useful species for monitoring the biological effects of eutrophication and investigating trematode transmission dynamics in lotic systems.

An Epidemic Model of Computer Worms with Time Delay and Variable Infection Rate

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Yu Yao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With rapid development of Internet, network security issues become increasingly serious. Temporary patches have been put on the infectious hosts, which may lose efficacy on occasions. This leads to a time delay when vaccinated hosts change to susceptible hosts. On the other hand, the worm infection is usually a nonlinear process. Considering the actual situation, a variable infection rate is introduced to describe the spread process of worms. According to above aspects, we propose a time-delayed worm propagation model with variable infection rate. Then the existence condition and the stability of the positive equilibrium are derived. Due to the existence of time delay, the worm propagation system may be unstable and out of control. Moreover, the threshold τ0 of Hopf bifurcation is obtained. The worm propagation system is stable if time delay is less than τ0. When time delay is over τ0, the system will be unstable. In addition, numerical experiments have been performed, which can match the conclusions we deduce. The numerical experiments also show that there exists a threshold in the parameter a, which implies that we should choose appropriate infection rate β(t to constrain worm prevalence. Finally, simulation experiments are carried out to prove the validity of our conclusions.

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates in an adult intensive care unit in Lebanon: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings.

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Kanj, Souha S; Zahreddine, Nada; Rosenthal, Victor Daniel; Alamuddin, Lamia; Kanafani, Zeina; Molaeb, Bassel

2013-09-01

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach for the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in an adult intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital member of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) in Lebanon. A before-after prospective active surveillance study was carried out to determine rates of CAUTI in 1506 ICU patients, hospitalized during 10 291 bed-days. The study period was divided into two phases: phase 1 (baseline) and phase 2 (intervention). During phase 1, surveillance was performed applying the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN). In phase 2, we adopted a multidimensional approach that included: (1) a bundle of infection control interventions, (2) education, (3) surveillance of CAUTI rates, (4) feedback on CAUTI rates, (5) process surveillance, and (6) performance feedback. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CAUTI rates across time-periods. We recorded a total of 9829 urinary catheter-days: 306 in phase 1 and 9523 in phase 2. The rate of CAUTI was 13.07 per 1000 urinary catheter-days in phase 1, and was decreased by 83% in phase 2 to 2.21 per 1000 urinary catheter-days (risk ratio 0.17; 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.5; p=0.0002). Our multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the CAUTI rate. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Improving Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rates in the Medical Units

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Taha, Haytham; Raji, Salama J.; Khallaf, Abeer; Abu Hija, Seham; Mathew, Raji; Rashed, Hanan; Du Plessis, Christelle; Allie, Zaytoen; Ellahham, Samer

2017-01-01

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in Abu Dhabi is the main tertiary care referral hospital in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with 560 bed capacity with a high occupancy rate. SKMC senior management has made a commitment to make quality and patient safety a top priority. Preventing health care associated infections, including Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), is a high priority for our hospital. In order to improve CAUTI rates a multidisciplinary task force team was formed and led this performance improvement project. The purpose of this publication is to indicate the quality improvement interventions implemented to reduce CAUTI rates and the outcome of those interventions. We chose to conduct the pilot study in General Medicine as it is the busiest department in the hospital, with an average of 390 patients admitted per month during the study period. The study period was from March 2015 till April 2016. Our aim was to reduce CAUTI rates per 1000 device days in the medical units. Implemented interventions resulted in a reduction of CAUTI from 6.8 per 1000 device days in March 2015 to zero CAUTI in February through April 2016. PMID:28469893

75% success rate after open debridement, exchange of tibial insert, and antibiotics in knee prosthetic joint infections.

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Holmberg, Anna; Thórhallsdóttir, Valdís Gudrún; Robertsson, Otto; W-Dahl, Annette; Stefánsdóttir, Anna

2015-01-01

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a leading cause of early revision after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Open debridement with exchange of tibial insert allows treatment of infection with retention of fixed components. We investigated the success rate of this procedure in the treatment of knee PJIs in a nationwide material, and determined whether the results were affected by microbiology, antibiotic treatment, or timing of debridement. 145 primary TKAs revised for the first time, due to infection, with debridement and exchange of the tibial insert were identified in the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register (SKAR). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (37%) followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) (23%). Failure was defined as death before the end of antibiotic treatment, revision of major components due to infection, life-long antibiotic treatment, or chronic infection. The overall healing rate was 75%. The type of infecting pathogen did not statistically significantly affect outcome. Staphylococcal infections treated without a combination of antibiotics including rifampin had a higher failure rate than those treated with rifampin (RR = 4, 95% CI: 2-10). In the 16 cases with more than 3 weeks of symptoms before treatment, the healing rate was 62%, as compared to 77% in the other cases (p = 0.2). The few patients with a revision model of prosthesis at primary operation had a high failure rate (5 of 8). Good results can be achieved by open debridement with exchange of tibial insert. It is important to use an antibiotic combination including rifampin in staphylococcal infections.

Incidence rates of enterovirus 71 infections in young children during a nationwide epidemic in Taiwan, 2008-09.

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Min-Shi Lee

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Enterovirus 71 (EV71 is causing life-threatening outbreaks in tropical Asia. In Taiwan and other tropical Asian countries, although nationwide EV71 epidemics occur cyclically, age-specific incidence rates of EV71 infections that are critical to estimate disease burden and design vaccine trials are not clear. A nationwide EV71 epidemic occurred in 2008-09 in Taiwan, which provided a unique opportunity to estimate age-specific incidence rates of EV71 infections. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively recruited 749 healthy neonates and conducted follow-ups from June 2006 to December 2009. Sera were obtained from participants at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of age for measuring EV71 neutralizing antibody titers. If the participants developed suspected enterovirus illnesses, throat swabs were collected for virus isolation. RESULTS: We detected 28 EV71 infections including 20 symptomatic and 8 asymptomatic infections. Age-specific incidence rates of EV71 infection increased from 1.71 per 100 person-years at 0-6 months of age to 4.09, 5.74, and 4.97 per 100 person-years at 7-12, 13-24, and 25-36 months of age, respectively. Cumulative incidence rate was 15.15 per 100 persons by 36 months of age, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of EV71 infections in Taiwan increased after 6 months of age during EV71 epidemics. The cumulative incidence rate was 15% by 36 months of age, and 29% of EV71 infections were asymptomatic in young children.

Recurrence rate of clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

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Kelsen, Judith R; Kim, Jason; Latta, Dan; Smathers, Sarah; McGowan, Karin L; Zaoutis, Theodore; Mamula, Petar; Baldassano, Robert N

2011-01-01

The incidence and associated morbidity of Clostridium difficile (CD) infection has been increasing at an alarming rate in North America. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea in the USA. Patients with CDAD have longer average hospital admissions and additional hospital costs. Evidence has demonstrated that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher incidence of CD in comparison to the general population. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of recurrence of CD in hospitalized pediatric patients with IBD compared to hospitalized controls. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether infection with CD resulted in a more severe disease course of IBD. This was a nested case control retrospective study of hospitalized pediatric patients. Diagnosis of CD was confirmed with stool Toxin A and B analysis. The following data were obtained from the medical records: demographic information, classification of IBD including location of disease, IBD therapy, and prior surgeries. In addition, prior hospital admissions within 1 year and antibiotic exposure were recorded. The same information was recorded following CD infection. Cases were patients with IBD and CD; two control populations were also studied: patients with CD but without IBD, and patients with IBD but without CD. For aim 1, a total of 111 eligible patients with IBD and CD infection and 77 eligible control patients with CD infection were included. The rate of recurrence of CD in the IBD population was 34% compared to 7.5% in the control population (P < 0.0001). In evaluating the effect of CD infection on IBD disease severity, we compared the 111 IBD patients with CD to a second control population of 127 IBD patients without CD. 57% of IBD-CD patients were readmitted with an exacerbation of disease within 6 months of infection with CD and 67% required escalation of therapy following CD infection, compared to 30% of IBD patients without CD (P

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Findings of Device-Associated Infections Rate in an Intensive Care Unit of a Lebanese University Hospital

Science.gov (United States)

Kanj, SS; Kanafani, ZA; Sidani, N; Alamuddin, L; Zahreddine, N; Rosenthal, VD

2012-01-01

Objectives: To determine the rates of device-associated healthcare-associated infections (DA-HAI), microbiological profile, bacterial resistance, length of stay (LOS), excess mortality and hand hygiene compliance in one intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital member of the International Infection Control Consortium (INICC) in Beirut, Lebanon. Materials and Methods: An open label, prospective cohort, active DA-HAI surveillance study was conducted on adults admitted to a tertiary-care ICU in Lebanon from November 2007 to March 2010. The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by INICC. Data collection was performed in the participating ICUs. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at INICC headquarters on proprietary software. DA-HAI rates were recorded by applying the definitions of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We analyzed the DA-HAI, mechanical ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLA-BSI), and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates, microorganism profile, excess LOS, excess mortality, and hand hygiene compliance. Results: A total of 666 patients hospitalized for 5,506 days acquired 65 DA-HAIs, an overall rate of 9.8% [(95% confidence interval (CI) 7.6–12.3], and 11.8 (95% CI 9.1–15.0) DA-HAIs per 1000 ICU-days. The CLA-BSI rate was 5.2 (95% CI 2.8–8.7) per 1000 catheter-days; the VAP rate was 8.1 (95% CI 5.5–11.7) per 1000 ventilator-days; and the CAUTI rate was 4.1 (95% CI 2.6–6.2) per 1000 catheter-days. LOS of patients was 7.3 days for those without DA-HAI, 13.8 days for those with CLA-BSI, 18.8 days for those with VAP. Excess mortality was 40.9% [relative risk (RR) 3.14; P 0.004] for CLA-BSI. Mortality of VAP and CAUTI was not significantly different from patients without DA-HAI. Escherichia coli was the most common isolated microorganism. Overall hand hygiene compliance was 84.9% (95% CI 82

International nosocomial infection control consortium findings of device-associated infections rate in an intensive care unit of a Lebanese university hospital

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S S Kanj

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To determine the rates of device-associated healthcare-associated infections (DA-HAI, microbiological profile, bacterial resistance, length of stay (LOS, excess mortality and hand hygiene compliance in one intensive care unit (ICU of a hospital member of the International Infection Control Consortium (INICC in Beirut, Lebanon. Materials and Methods: An open label, prospective cohort, active DA-HAI surveillance study was conducted on adults admitted to a tertiary-care ICU in Lebanon from November 2007 to March 2010. The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by INICC. Data collection was performed in the participating ICUs. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at INICC headquarters on proprietary software. DA-HAI rates were recorded by applying the definitions of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. We analyzed the DA-HAI, mechanical ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP, central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLA-BSI, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI rates, microorganism profile, excess LOS, excess mortality, and hand hygiene compliance. Results: A total of 666 patients hospitalized for 5,506 days acquired 65 DA-HAIs, an overall rate of 9.8% [(95% confidence interval (CI 7.6-12.3], and 11.8 (95% CI 9.1-15.0 DA-HAIs per 1000 ICU-days. The CLA-BSI rate was 5.2 (95% CI 2.8-8.7 per 1000 catheter-days; the VAP rate was 8.1 (95% CI 5.5-11.7 per 1000 ventilator-days; and the CAUTI rate was 4.1 (95% CI 2.6-6.2 per 1000 catheter-days. LOS of patients was 7.3 days for those without DA-HAI, 13.8 days for those with CLA-BSI, 18.8 days for those with VAP. Excess mortality was 40.9% [relative risk (RR 3.14; P 0.004] for CLA-BSI. Mortality of VAP and CAUTI was not significantly different from patients without DA-HAI. Escherichia coli was the most common isolated microorganism. Overall hand hygiene compliance was 84.9% (95% CI 82

Impact of a multicomponent hand hygiene intervention strategy in reducing infection rates at a university hospital in Saudi Arabia.

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Al Kuwaiti, Ahmed

2017-09-01

Few studies have reported the correlation between hand hygiene (HH) practices and infection rates in Saudi Arabia. This work was aimed to study the effect of a multicomponent HH intervention strategy in improving HH compliance and reducing infection rates at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia between January 2014 and December 2016. A yearlong multicomponent HH intervention, which included various strategies recommended by the World Health Organization, was introduced. HH compliance among staff and infection rates observed in the inpatient wards were assessed and compared at pre- and post-interventional phases. There was a significant increase in mean HH compliance from 50.17% to 71.75% after the intervention ( P  infection (HAI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates decreased from 3.37 to 2.59 and from 3.73 to 1.75, respectively ( P  infection rates. Further studies on cost-effectiveness of such a model could augment to these findings.

Does exchange arthroplasty of an infected shoulder prosthesis provide better eradication rate and better functional outcome, compared to a permanent spacer or resection arthroplasty? a systematic review.

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George, D A; Volpin, A; Scarponi, S; Haddad, F S; Romanò, C L

2016-02-01

The best surgical modality for treating chronic periprosthetic shoulder infections has not been established, with a lack of randomised comparative studies. This systematic review compares the infection eradication rate and functional outcomes after single- or two-stage shoulder exchange arthroplasty, to permanent spacer implant or resection arthroplasty. Full-text papers and those with an abstract in English published from January 2000 to June 2014, identified through international databases, such as EMBASE and PubMed, were reviewed. Those reporting the success rate of infection eradication after a single-stage exchange, two-stage exchange, resection arthroplasty or permanent spacer implant, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months and sample size of 5 patients were included. Eight original articles reporting the results after resection arthroplasty (n = 83), 6 on single-stage exchange (n = 75), 13 on two-stage exchange (n = 142) and 8 papers on permanent spacer (n = 68) were included. The average infection eradication rate was 86.7 % at a mean follow-up of 39.8 months (SD 20.8) after resection arthroplasty, 94.7 % at 46.8 months (SD 17.6) after a single-stage exchange, 90.8 % at 37.9 months (SD 12.8) after two-stage exchange, and 95.6 % at 31.0 months (SD 9.8) following a permanent spacer implant. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.650). Regarding functional outcome, patients treated with single-stage exchange had statistically significant better postoperative Constant scores (mean 51, SD 13) than patients undergoing a two-stage exchange (mean 44, SD 9), resection arthroplasty (mean 32, SD 7) or a permanent spacer implant (mean 31, SD 9) (p = 0.029). However, when considering studies comparing pre- and post-operative Constant scores, the difference was not statistically significant. This systematic review failed to demonstrate a clear difference in infection eradication and functional improvement between all four

Impact of daily chlorhexidine baths and hand hygiene compliance on nosocomial infection rates in critically ill patients.

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Martínez-Reséndez, Michel Fernando; Garza-González, Elvira; Mendoza-Olazaran, Soraya; Herrera-Guerra, Alexis; Rodríguez-López, Juan Manuel; Pérez-Rodriguez, Edelmiro; Mercado-Longoria, Roberto; Camacho-Ortiz, Adrián

2014-07-01

Up to 25% of all nosocomial infections (NIs) develop in critically ill patients. Our objective was to evaluate chlorhexidine (CHX) bathing and hand hygiene (HH) compliance in the reduction of NIs in the intensive care unit. The study comprised three 6-month periods: preintervention (PIP; soap/water bathing), intervention (IP; bathing with CHX-impregnated wipes), and postintervention (PoIP; soap/water bathing). An HH program was implemented during the IP and PoIP. Primary outcomes were global and specific NI rates. A total of 1007 patients were included. Infection rates per 100 discharges were higher in the PIP compared with the IP and also higher in the PoIP compared with the IP (P = .0004 and .0109, respectively). Global infection rates per 1000 hospital-days were higher in the PIP than in the IP (P = .0268). The rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) were higher in the PIP than in the IP (P = .036 and .0001, respectively). Isolation of Acinetobacter baumannii from VAP specimens (P = .0204) and isolation of Candida spp from CAUTI specimens (P = .0005) decreased as well. The combined intervention reduced global and specific infection rates, including rates of VAP associated with A baumannii and CAUTI associated with Candida spp. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of removing mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infections from central line-associated bloodstream infection rates in the National Healthcare Safety Network, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

See, Isaac; Soe, Minn M; Epstein, Lauren; Edwards, Jonathan R; Magill, Shelley S; Thompson, Nicola D

2017-03-01

Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) event data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network from 2014, the first year of required use of the mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (MBI-LCBI) definition, were analyzed to assess the impact of removing MBI-LCBI events from CLABSI rates. CLABSI rates decreased significantly in some location types after removing MBI-LCBI events, and MBI-LCBI events will be removed from publicly reported CLABSI rates. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effects of a catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention campaign on infection rate, catheter utilization, and health care workers' perspective at a community safety net hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Dorinne; Nussle, Richard; Cruz, Abner; Kane, Gail; Toomey, Michael; Bay, Curtis; Ostovar, Gholamabbas Amin

2016-01-01

Preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections is in the forefront of health care quality. However, nurse and physician engagement is a common barrier in infection prevention efforts. After implementation of a multidisciplinary catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention campaign, we studied the impact of our campaign and showed its association with reducing the CAUTI rate and catheter utilization and the positive effect on health care workers' engagement and perspectives. CAUTI prevention campaigns can lead to lower infection rates and change health care workers' perspective. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on central line-associated bloodstream infections rates in adult intensive care units of 8 cities of Turkey: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABs) have long been associated with excess lengths of stay, increased hospital costs and mortality attributable to them. Different studies from developed countries have shown that practice bundles reduce the incidence of CLAB in intensive care units. However, the impact of the bundle strategy has not been systematically analyzed in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) setting in developing countries, such as Turkey. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control approach to reduce the rates of CLAB in 13 ICUs of 13 INICC member hospitals from 8 cities of Turkey. Methods We conducted active, prospective surveillance before-after study to determine CLAB rates in a cohort of 4,017 adults hospitalized in ICUs. We applied the definitions of the CDC/NHSN and INICC surveillance methods. The study was divided into baseline and intervention periods. During baseline, active outcome surveillance of CLAB rates was performed. During intervention, the INICC multidimensional approach for CLAB reduction was implemented and included the following measures: 1- bundle of infection control interventions, 2- education, 3- outcome surveillance, 4- process surveillance, 5- feedback of CLAB rates, and 6- performance feedback on infection control practices. CLAB rates obtained in baseline were compared with CLAB rates obtained during intervention. Results During baseline, 3,129 central line (CL) days were recorded, and during intervention, we recorded 23,463 CL-days. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CLAB rates within hospital across time periods. The baseline CLAB rate was 22.7 per 1000 CL days, which was decreased during the intervention period to 12.0 CLABs per 1000 CL days (IRR 0.613; 95% CI 0.43 – 0.87; P 0.007). This amounted to a 39% reduction in the incidence rate of CLAB

Device-associated infection rates, mortality, length of stay and bacterial resistance in intensive care units in Ecuador: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium’s findings

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado Yepez, Estuardo; Bovera, Maria M; Rosenthal, Victor D; González Flores, Hugo A; Pazmiño, Leonardo; Valencia, Francisco; Alquinga, Nelly; Ramirez, Vanessa; Jara, Edgar; Lascano, Miguel; Delgado, Veronica; Cevallos, Cristian; Santacruz, Gasdali; Pelaéz, Cristian; Zaruma, Celso; Barahona Pinto, Diego

2017-01-01

AIM To report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) study conducted in Quito, Ecuador. METHODS A device-associated healthcare-acquired infection (DA-HAI) prospective surveillance study conducted from October 2013 to January 2015 in 2 adult intensive care units (ICUs) from 2 hospitals using the United States Centers for Disease Control/National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN) definitions and INICC methods. RESULTS We followed 776 ICU patients for 4818 bed-days. The central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate was 6.5 per 1000 central line (CL)-days, the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rate was 44.3 per 1000 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, and the catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate was 5.7 per 1000 urinary catheter (UC)-days. CLABSI and CAUTI rates in our ICUs were similar to INICC rates [4.9 (CLABSI) and 5.3 (CAUTI)] and higher than NHSN rates [0.8 (CLABSI) and 1.3 (CAUTI)] - although device use ratios for CL and UC were higher than INICC and CDC/NSHN’s ratios. By contrast, despite the VAP rate was higher than INICC (16.5) and NHSN’s rates (1.1), MV DUR was lower in our ICUs. Resistance of A. baumannii to imipenem and meropenem was 75.0%, and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam was higher than 72.7%, all them higher than CDC/NHSN rates. Excess length of stay was 7.4 d for patients with CLABSI, 4.8 for patients with VAP and 9.2 for patients CAUTI. Excess crude mortality in ICUs was 30.9% for CLABSI, 14.5% for VAP and 17.6% for CAUTI. CONCLUSION DA-HAI rates in our ICUs from Ecuador are higher than United States CDC/NSHN rates and similar to INICC international rates. PMID:28289522

High third-generation cephalosporin resistant Enterobacteriaceae prevalence rate among neonatal infections in Dakar, Senegal

OpenAIRE

Breurec, Sebastien; Bouchiat, Coralie; Sire, Jean-Marie; Moquet, Olivier; Bercion, Raymond; Cisse, Moussa Fafa; Glaser, Philippe; Ndiaye, Ousmane; Ka, Sidy; Salord, Helene; Seck, Abdoulaye; Sy, Haby Signate; Michel, Remy; Garin, Benoit

2016-01-01

International audience; Background: Neonatal infection constitutes one of Senegal’s most important public health problems, with amortality rate of 41 deaths per 1,000 live births.Methods: Between January 2007 and March 2008, 242 neonates with suspected infection were recruited at threeneonatal intensive care units in three major tertiary care centers in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Neonatal infections wereconfirmed by positive bacterial blood or cerebrospinal fluid culture. The microbiologi...

A 34 ampere-hour nickel-cadmium minimum trickle charge testing

Science.gov (United States)

Timmerman, P. J.

1985-01-01

The current rates used for trickle charging batteries are critical in maintaining a full charge and in preventing an overcharge condition. The importance of the trickle charge rate comes from the design, maintenance and operational requirements of an electrical power system. The results of minimum trickle charge testing performed on six 34 ampere-hour, nickel-cadmium cells manufactured by General Electric are described. The purpose of the testing was to identify the minimum trickle charge rates at temperatures of 15 C and 30 C.

Comparative efficacy of one versus two doses of praziquantel on cure rate of Schistosoma mansoni infection and re-infection in Mayuge District, Uganda

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tukahebwa, Edridah M.; Vennervald, Birgitte J; Nuwaha, Fred

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: The current recommended control strategy for schistosomiasis is annual treatment using 40 mg/kg of praziquantel. However, praziquantel is only effective on adult worms and giving a second dose may increase its efficacy. We assessed the effect of one versus two doses of praziquantel...... on cure rate and re-infection with Schistosoma mansoni in a high endemic community along Lake Victoria, Uganda. METHODOLOGY: To investigate the effect of the two regimens, 395 infected people were randomised into two groups; one received a single standard dose of praziquantel (Distocide® 600 mg, Shin...... Poong Pharmaceuticals, Seoul, Republic of Korea), 40mg/kg body weight, while the other group received a second dose 2 weeks later. Cure rate and infection intensity were assessed 9 weeks after the first treatment using standard parasitological procedures. Re-infection levels were monitored 8 and 24...

29 CFR 520.409 - When will authority to pay apprentices special minimum wages become effective and what is the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... wages become effective and what is the special minimum wage rate? 520.409 Section 520.409 Labor... apprentices special minimum wages become effective and what is the special minimum wage rate? (a) An... Division. (b) The wage rate specified by the apprenticeship program becomes the special minimum wage rate...

Case-mix adjustment approach to benchmarking prevalence rates of nosocomial infection in hospitals in Cyprus and Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kritsotakis, Evangelos I; Dimitriadis, Ioannis; Roumbelaki, Maria; Vounou, Emelia; Kontou, Maria; Papakyriakou, Panikos; Koliou-Mazeri, Maria; Varthalitis, Ioannis; Vrouchos, George; Troulakis, George; Gikas, Achilleas

2008-08-01

To examine the effect of heterogeneous case mix for a benchmarking analysis and interhospital comparison of the prevalence rates of nosocomial infection. Cross-sectional survey. Eleven hospitals located in Cyprus and in the region of Crete in Greece. The survey included all inpatients in the medical, surgical, pediatric, and gynecology-obstetrics wards, as well as those in intensive care units. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria were used to define nosocomial infection. The information collected for all patients included demographic characteristics, primary admission diagnosis, Karnofsky functional status index, Charlson comorbidity index, McCabe-Jackson severity of illness classification, use of antibiotics, and prior exposures to medical and surgical risk factors. Outcome data were also recorded for all patients. Case mix-adjusted rates were calculated by using a multivariate logistic regression model for nosocomial infection risk and an indirect standardization method.Results. The overall prevalence rate of nosocomial infection was 7.0% (95% confidence interval, 5.9%-8.3%) among 1,832 screened patients. Significant variation in nosocomial infection rates was observed across hospitals (range, 2.2%-9.6%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the mean predicted risk of nosocomial infection across hospitals ranged from 3.7% to 10.3%, suggesting considerable variation in patient risk. Case mix-adjusted rates ranged from 2.6% to 12.4%, and the relative ranking of hospitals was affected by case-mix adjustment in 8 cases (72.8%). Nosocomial infection was significantly and independently associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 3.6 [95% confidence interval, 2.1-6.1]). The first attempt to rank the risk of nosocomial infection in these regions demonstrated the importance of accounting for heterogeneous case mix before attempting interhospital comparisons.

Infection Rates in Open Fractures of the Tibia: Is the 6-Hour Rule Fact or Fiction?

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Ameya S. Kamat

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. Emergency debridement has long been the standard of care for open fractures of the tibia as infection is an important complication. The timing of operative debridement can be debated. We review open fractures of the tibia and compare infection rates in those that were operated on within and after 6-hours. Method. 103 consecutive open fractures of the tibia were reviewed. The data was analysed retrospectively with regard to severity of fracture and incidence of infection. Infection rates over a three-month period were compared between the two groups. Results. 12 (11.6% patients developed an infection within the first 3 months of injury. 7 of which were taken to theatre within 6-hours, and 5 after 6-hours. No significant differences were found between these two groups. Conclusion. There is no significant difference in timing of surgery. Initial basic interventions may play more of a role in limiting the risk of infection.

Comparison of urinary tract infection rates among 2- to 12-month-old febrile infants with RSV infections using 1999 and 2011 AAP diagnostic criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaluarachchi, Dinushan; Kaldas, Virginia; Roques, Euripedes; Nunez, Randolph; Mendez, Magda

2014-07-01

Infants with RSV infections have been found to have a clinically significant rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a revised Clinical Practice Guideline on UTIs in 2011, which includes major changes in diagnostic criteria for UTIs. Past research has been done using previous diagnostic criteria. The objective of the study is to assess the rate of UTIs in febrile infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections according to the 2011 revised AAP Diagnostic Criteria and compare the rate of UTIs against the 1999 AAP Diagnostic Criteria. A retrospective comparative study of febrile infants (2-12 months) with RSV infections admitted to the Inpatient Pediatric unit of Lincoln Medical and Mental Center, Bronx, NY, from September through April 2006 to 2012. We applied the AAP's 1999 and 2011 diagnostic criteria for UTIs separately to assess the rates of UTIs. A total of 359 RSV-positive febrile patients who were investigated for UTIs were enrolled. Pyuria was found in 11.1% (40/359), positive urine culture 10 000 to 50 000 was found in 1.4% (5/359) and ≥50 000 in 4.7% (17/359). The rate of UTIs using AAP's 1999 criteria was 6.1% (22/359), and using the 2011 criteria the rate was 1.1% (4/359). The rate of UTIs was significantly different between the 2 groups (odds ratio [confidence interval] = 0.17 [0.05, 0.5], P = .001). The rate of UTIs in RSV-positive febrile infants is very low (1.1%) with the 2011 AAP diagnostic criteria. Previously described increased risk of UTIs may represent asymptomatic bacteriuria or contaminated specimens. © The Author(s) 2014.

Analysis of power ramp rate and minimum power controllability of the MMS model for a plant dynamics analysis of a Prototype SFR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Eui Kwang; Kim, Dehee; Joo, Hyungkook; Lee, Taeho

2014-01-01

A full plant dynamic model was developed for a prototype SFR using the Modular Modeling System (MMS). It includes the modeling of various subsystems such as the neutronics, primary and intermediate sodium systems of the NSSS, steam and water systems of the BOP, BOP controls, and the supervisory plant controls. The NSSS model is subdivided into component models, such as a Core, IHXs, Pumps, SGs, and the rest of the NSSS loop model. The BOP model is subdivided into a steam subsystem, feedwater subsystem, and preheater subsystem. Plant transient tests were performed to study the operational considerations. It includes varying the power ramp rate and studying the controllability at minimum power. Plant transient tests were performed to study operational considerations by using the MMS model for a prototype SFR. It includes varying the power ramp rate, studying the controllability at the minimum power set point. At a power ramp rate of higher than 2%, the steam temperature has a large deviation from the target. As the power set point decreases, the PHTS hot leg temperature and steam temperature tend to have higher deviations. After further refinement of the MMS model, it can be useful for developing the plant operation logics of the prototype SFR

30 CFR 77.606-1 - Rubber gloves; minimum requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Rubber gloves; minimum requirements. 77.606-1... COAL MINES Trailing Cables § 77.606-1 Rubber gloves; minimum requirements. (a) Rubber gloves (lineman's gloves) worn while handling high-voltage trailing cables shall be rated at least 20,000 volts and shall...

Truth in Reporting: How Data Capture Methods Obfuscate Actual Surgical Site Infection Rates within a Health Care Network System.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordeianou, Liliana; Cauley, Christy E; Antonelli, Donna; Bird, Sarah; Rattner, David; Hutter, Matthew; Mahmood, Sadiqa; Schnipper, Deborah; Rubin, Marc; Bleday, Ronald; Kenney, Pardon; Berger, David

2017-01-01

Two systems measure surgical site infection rates following colorectal surgeries: the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pay-for-performance initiatives use National Healthcare Safety Network data for hospital comparisons. This study aimed to compare database concordance. This is a multi-institution cohort study of systemwide Colorectal Surgery Collaborative. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program requires rigorous, standardized data capture techniques; National Healthcare Safety Network allows 5 data capture techniques. Standardized surgical site infection rates were compared between databases. The Cohen κ-coefficient was calculated. This study was conducted at Boston-area hospitals. National Healthcare Safety Network or National Surgical Quality Improvement Program patients undergoing colorectal surgery were included. Standardized surgical site infection rates were the primary outcomes of interest. Thirty-day surgical site infection rates of 3547 (National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) vs 5179 (National Healthcare Safety Network) colorectal procedures (2012-2014). Discrepancies appeared: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database of hospital 1 (N = 1480 patients) routinely found surgical site infection rates of approximately 10%, routinely deemed rate "exemplary" or "as expected" (100%). National Healthcare Safety Network data from the same hospital and time period (N = 1881) revealed a similar overall surgical site infection rate (10%), but standardized rates were deemed "worse than national average" 80% of the time. Overall, hospitals using less rigorous capture methods had improved surgical site infection rates for National Healthcare Safety Network compared with standardized National Surgical Quality Improvement Program reports. The correlation coefficient

Lovastatin delays infection and increases survival rates in AG129 mice infected with dengue virus serotype 2.

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Marlen Martinez-Gutierrez

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It has been reported that treatment of DENV-infected cultures with Lovastatin (LOV, can affect viral assembly. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of LOV on the survival rate and viremia levels of DENV-2-infected AG129 mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Mice were inoculated with 1 × 10(6 plaque-forming units (PFU/ml of DENV-2 and treated with LOV (200 mg/kg/day. Pre-treatment with one or three doses of LOV increased the survival rate compared to untreated mice (7.3 and 7.1 days, respectively, compared to 4.8 days. Viremia levels also decreased by 21.8% compared to untreated mice, but only in the group administered three doses prior to inoculation. When LOV was administered after viral inoculation, the survival rate increased (7.3 days in the group treated at 24 hpi, 6.8 days in the group treated at 48 hpi and 6.5 days in the group treated with two doses compared to the untreated group (4.8 days. Interestingly, the serum viral titer increased by 24.6% in mice treated at 48 hpi with a single dose of LOV and by 21.7% in mice treated with two doses (at 24 and 48 hpi of LOV compared to untreated mice. Finally histopathological changes in the liver and spleen in infected and untreated mice included massive extramedullary erythropoiesis foci and inflammatory filtration, and these characteristics were decreased or absent in LOV-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that the effect of LOV on viremia depends on the timing of treatment and on the number of doses administered. We observed a significant increase in the survival rate in both schemes due to a delay in the progression of the disease. However, the results obtained in the post-treatment scheme must be handled carefully because this treatment scheme increases viremia and we do not know how this increase could affect disease progression in humans.

Oxygen at Nanomolar Levels Reversibly Suppresses Process Rates and Gene Expression in Anammox and Denitrification in the Oxygen Minimum Zone off Northern Chile

OpenAIRE

Dalsgaard, Tage; Stewart, Frank J.; Thamdrup, Bo; De Brabandere, Loreto; Revsbech, Niels Peter; Ulloa, Osvaldo; Canfield, Don E.; DeLong, Edward

2014-01-01

A major percentage (20 to 40%) of global marine fixed-nitrogen loss occurs in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Concentrations of O[subscript 2] and the sensitivity of the anaerobic N[subscript 2]-producing processes of anammox and denitrification determine where this loss occurs. We studied experimentally how O[subscript 2] at nanomolar levels affects anammox and denitrification rates and the transcription of nitrogen cycle genes in the anoxic OMZ off Chile. Rates of anammox and denitrification w...

C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and orthopedic implant infection.

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Kerryl E Piper

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR have been shown to be useful for diagnosis of prosthetic hip and knee infection. Little information is available on CRP and ESR in patients undergoing revision or resection of shoulder arthroplasties or spine implants. METHODS/RESULTS: We analyzed preoperative CRP and ESR in 636 subjects who underwent knee (n=297, hip (n=221 or shoulder (n=64 arthroplasty, or spine implant (n=54 removal. A standardized definition of orthopedic implant-associated infection was applied. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to determine ideal cutoff values for differentiating infected from non-infected cases. ESR was significantly different in subjects with aseptic failure infection of knee (median 11 and 53.5 mm/h, respectively, p=<0.0001 and hip (median 11 and 30 mm/h, respectively, p=<0.0001 arthroplasties and spine implants (median 10 and 48.5 mm/h, respectively, p=0.0033, but not shoulder arthroplasties (median 10 and 9 mm/h, respectively, p=0.9883. Optimized ESR cutoffs for knee, hip and shoulder arthroplasties and spine implants were 19, 13, 26, and 45 mm/h, respectively. Using these cutoffs, sensitivity and specificity to detect infection were 89 and 74% for knee, 82 and 60% for hip, and 32 and 93% for shoulder arthroplasties, and 57 and 90% for spine implants. CRP was significantly different in subjects with aseptic failure and infection of knee (median 4 and 51 mg/l, respectively, p<0.0001, hip (median 3 and 18 mg/l, respectively, p<0.0001, and shoulder (median 3 and 10 mg/l, respectively, p=0.01 arthroplasties, and spine implants (median 3 and 20 mg/l, respectively, p=0.0011. Optimized CRP cutoffs for knee, hip, and shoulder arthroplasties, and spine implants were 14.5, 10.3, 7, and 4.6 mg/l, respectively. Using these cutoffs, sensitivity and specificity to detect infection were 79 and 88% for knee, 74 and 79% for hip, and 63 and 73% for shoulder arthroplasties, and 79 and

Dynamics of tsetse natural infection rates in the Mouhoun river, Burkina Faso, in relation with environmental factors

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Jérémy eBouyer

2013-08-01

Full Text Available In Burkina Faso, the cyclical vectors of African animal trypanosomoses (AAT are riverine tsetse species, namely Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank (G.p.g. and Glossina tachinoides Westwood (G. t. (Diptera: Glossinidae. Experimental work demonstrated that environmental stress can increase the sensitivity of tsetse to trypanosome infection.Seasonal variations of the tsetse infection rates were monitored monthly over 17 months (May 2006-Sept 2007 in two sites (Douroula and Kadomba. In total, 1,423 flies were dissected and the infection of the proboscis, middle intestine and salivary glands was noted. All the positive organs were analyzed using monospecific polymerase chain reaction (PCR primers. To investigate the role of different environmental factors, fly infection rates were analyzed using generalized linear mixed binomial models using the species, sex, and monthly averages of the maximal, minimal and mean daily temperatures, rainfalls, Land Surface Temperature day (LSTd and night (LSTn as fixed effects and the trap position as a random effect.The overall infection rate was 10% from which the predominant species was T. congolense (7.6% of the flies, followed by T. vivax (2.2% of the flies. The best model (lowest AICc for the global infection rates was the one with the maximal daily temperature only as fixed effect (p<0.001. For T. congolense, the best model was the one with the tsetse species, sex, maximal daily temperature and rainfalls as fixed effect, where the maximal daily temperature was the main effect (p<0.001. The number of T. vivax infections was too low to allow the models to converge. The maturation rate of T. congolense was very high (94%, and G. t. harbored a higher maturation rate (p=0.03.The results are discussed in view of former laboratory studies showing that temperature stress can increase the susceptibility of tsetse to trypanosomes, as well as the possibility to improve AAT risk mapping using satellite images.

Does disinfection of environmental surfaces influence nosocomial infection rates? A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dettenkofer, Markus; Wenzler, Sibylle; Amthor, Susanne; Antes, Gerd; Motschall, Edith; Daschner, Franz D

2004-04-01

To review the evidence on the effects of disinfection of environmental surfaces in hospitals (as compared with cleaning without use of disinfectants) on the occurrence of nosocomial infections. Systematic review of experimental and nonexperimental intervention studies dealing with environmental disinfection or cleaning in different health care settings. A total of 236 scientific articles were identified. None described a meta-analysis, systematic review, or randomized controlled trial. Only 4 articles described completed cohort studies matching the inclusion criteria. None of these studies showed lower infection rates associated with routine disinfection of surfaces (mainly floors) versus cleaning with detergent only. Disinfectants may pose a danger to staff, patients, and the environment and require special safety precautions. However, targeted disinfection of certain environmental surfaces is in certain instances an established component of hospital infection control. Given the complex, multifactorial nature of nosocomial infections, well-designed studies that systematically investigate the role of surface disinfection are required.

Hand-hygiene compliance does not predict rates of resistant infections in critically ill surgical patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaraman, Sudha P; Klompas, Michael; Bascom, Molli; Liu, Xiaoxia; Piszcz, Regina; Rogers, Selwyn O; Askari, Reza

2014-10-01

Our institution had a major outbreak of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) in its general surgical and trauma intensive care units (ICUs) in 2011, requiring implementation of an aggressive infection-control response. We hypothesized that poor hand-hygiene compliance (HHC) may have contributed to the outbreak of MDRA. A response to the outbreak including aggressive environmental cleaning, cohorting, and increased hand hygiene compliance monitoring may have led to an increase in HHC after the outbreak and to a consequent decrease in the rates of infection by the nosocomial pathogens methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and Clostridium difficile. Hand-hygiene compliance, tracked in monthly audits by trained and anonymous observers, was abstracted from an infection control database. The incidences of nosocomial MRSA, VRE, and C. difficile were calculated from a separate prospectively collected data base for 6 mo before and 12 mo after the 2011 outbreak of MDRA in the institution's general surgical and trauma ICUs, and data collected prospectively from two unaffected ICUs (the thoracic surgical ICU and medical intensive care unit [MICU]). We created a composite endpoint of "any resistant pathogen," defined as MRSA, VRE, or C. difficile, and compared incidence rates over time, using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient to measure the correlations among these rates. Rates of HHC before and after the outbreak of MDRA were consistently high in both the general surgical (median rates: 100% before and 97.6% after the outbreak, p=0.93) and trauma ICUs (median rates: 90% before and 96.75% after the outbreak, p=0.14). In none of the ICUs included in the study did the rates of HHC increase in response to the outbreak of MDRA. The incidence of "any resistant pathogen" decreased in the general surgical ICU after the outbreak (from 6.7/1,000 patient-days before the outbreak to 2

Body mass and weight thresholds for increased prosthetic joint infection rates after primary total joint arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Lübbeke, Anne; Zingg, Matthieu; Vu, Diemlan; Miozzari, Hermes H; Christofilopoulos, Panayiotis; Uçkay, Ilker; Harbarth, Stephan; Hoffmeyer, Pierre

2016-01-01

Obesity increases the risk of deep infection after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Our objective was to determine whether there may be body mass index (BMI) and weight thresholds indicating a higher prosthetic joint infection rate. We included all 9,061 primary hip and knee arthroplasties (mean age 70 years, 61% women) performed between March 1996 and December 2013 where the patient had received intravenous cefuroxime (1.5 g) perioperatively. The main exposures of interest were BMI (5 categories: prosthetic joint infection. The mean follow-up time was 6.5 years (0.5-18 years). 111 prosthetic joint infections were observed: 68 postoperative, 16 hematogenous, and 27 of undetermined cause. Incidence rates were similar in the first 3 BMI categories (infection from the early postoperative period onward (adjusted HR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3-3.6). BMI ≥ 35 or weight ≥ 100 kg may serve as a cutoff for higher perioperative dosage of antibiotics.

The Impact of use of Double Set-up on Infection Rates in Revision Total Knee Replacement and Limb Salvage Procedures

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Jennifer Waterman

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A retrospective analysis was performed to determine the impact of utilizing a double set-up procedure on reducing infection rates revision total knee and limb salvage procedures in patients with known joint infection.  Eighteen cases fit selection criteria.  The recurrence rate of infection was 5.5% which is less than reported recent literature review.   This suggests the use of a double set-up in combination with other infection reducing protocols may help further reduce recurrent infection.  Keywords: double set-up, infection, revision total knee arthroplasty, limb-salvage

Infection After Hysterectomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L. Hemsell

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Antibiotic prophylaxis and advances in technology have reduced operative site infections after hysterectomy to a minimum. Pelvic infections are the most common infection type and respond promptly to a variety of parenteral single-agent and combination antibiotic regimens. Oral antibiotic regimens following parenteral therapy are unnecessary. Abdominal incision infections are less common than pelvic infections, less common than seromas or hematomas, and usually do not require antimicrobial therapy. Abscesses or infected hematomas require parenteral antimicrobial therapy, and drainage of those located above the cuff will predictably shorten therapy time. With early discharge from the hospital, many infections will not become evident until after the patient is home. For that reason, it is important that the patient's discharge instructions outline symptoms and signs associated with these infections so she can present for care at the earliest possible time.

Effect of rearing diet on the infection rate in flies released for the control of tsetse populations by sterile males

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maudlin, I.

1990-01-01

In areas where sleeping sickness is endemic, it is the practice of sterile insect technique (SIT) programmes to give sterilized males a bloodmeal before release into the wild in order to reduce the risk of these released flies acting as disease vectors. This strategy has been adopted because of experimental evidence which showed that it was essential to infect flies at their first feed to establish a Tripanosoma brucei gambiense or T. b rhodesiense infection in tsetse flies. The aim of the work was to test artificial tsetse diets produced in the IAEA Laboratory at Seibersdorf in order to determine whether they were as effective as whole blood in inhibiting T. brucei sensu lato (sl) infections in flies. Seven artificial diets were tested with T.b. rhodesiense; Glossina morsitans morsitans males were fed one meal of the diet and then starved for 3 days before the infective feed. None of these diets significantly altered the infection rate of the treated flies and the seven groups produced statistically homogeneous results, with a mean midgut rate of 16% (control flies fed pig blood: 17%). Flies infected as tenerals with the same trypanosome stock produced midgut rates of 61%. Three of the diets were also tested with a T. congolense stock. There were no significant differences between flies fed artificial (mean midgut infection rate: 15%) and whole blood diets (19%). G. m. morsitans infected as tenerals with this trypanosome stock produced midgut rates of 66%. As with T. brucei sl infections, teneral flies were far more likely to develop a T. congolense infection than fed flies; this result suggests that all the tsetse flies used in SIT programmes should be fed before release in order to reduce the risk both to man and his livestock. Artificial diets are as effective as whole blood in inhibiting trypanosome infections. The effect of bloodmeal on the fly infection rates is discussed in relation to lectin production in fed flies. (author). 13 refs, 2 tabs

29 CFR 783.26 - The section 6(b)(2) minimum wage requirement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The section 6(b)(2) minimum wage requirement. 783.26... The section 6(b)(2) minimum wage requirement. Section 6(b), with paragraph (2) thereof, requires the... prescribed by” paragraph (1) of the subsection is the minimum wage rate applicable according to the schedule...

Respiratory infection rates differ between geographically distant paediatric cystic fibrosis cohorts

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Kathryn A. Ramsey

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Respiratory infections are a major cause of pulmonary decline in children with cystic fibrosis (CF. We compared the prevalence of infection in early life at geographically distant CF treatment centres participating in the same surveillance programme in Australia. Lower airway microbiology, inflammation and structural lung disease at annual review were evaluated for 260 children 0–8 years old with CF at 1032 visits to CF treatment centres in Melbourne or Perth. Melbourne patients were more likely to be culture-positive for common respiratory pathogens at all age groups (odds ratio (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.33–2.58. Subjects 5 years old. Patients at both centres had a similar rate of hospitalisations and prescribed antibiotics. No procedural differences were identified that could explain the disparity between pathogen prevalence. Geographical differences in early acquisition of infection may contribute to variability in outcomes between CF centres.

Reducing tobacco use and access through strengthened minimum price laws.

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Ian; Pearson, Anne; Laird-Metke, Elisa; Ribisl, Kurt

2014-10-01

Higher prices reduce consumption and initiation of tobacco products. A minimum price law that establishes a high statutory minimum price and prohibits the industry's discounting tactics for tobacco products is a promising pricing strategy as an alternative to excise tax increases. Although some states have adopted minimum price laws on the basis of statutorily defined price "markups" over the invoice price, existing state laws have been largely ineffective at increasing the retail price. We analyzed 3 new variations of minimum price laws that hold great potential for raising tobacco prices and reducing consumption: (1) a flat rate minimum price law similar to a recent enactment in New York City, (2) an enhanced markup law, and (3) a law that incorporates both elements.

Minimum scale controlled topology optimization and experimental test of a micro thermal actuator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heo, S.; Yoon, Gil Ho; Kim, Y.Y.

2008-01-01

This paper is concerned with the optimal topology design, fabrication and test of a micro thermal actuator. Because the minimum scale was controlled during the design optimization process, the production yield rate of the actuator was improved considerably; alternatively, the optimization design ...... tested. The test showed that control over the minimum length scale in the design process greatly improves the yield rate and reduces the performance deviation....... without scale control resulted in a very low yield rate. Using the minimum scale controlling topology design method developed earlier by the authors, micro thermal actuators were designed and fabricated through a MEMS process. Moreover, both their performance and production yield were experimentally...

Efficacy of formalin, hydrogen-peroxide, and sodium-chloride on fungal-infected rainbow-trout eggs

Science.gov (United States)

Schreier, Theresa M.; Rach, J.J.; Howe, G.E.

1996-01-01

Antifungal agents are essential for the maintenance of healthy stocks of fish and their eggs in intensive aquaculture operations. In the usa, formalin is the only fungicide approved for use in fish culture, however, hydrogen peroxide and sodium chloride have been granted low regulatory priority drug status by the united states food and drug administration (fda) and their use is allowed. We evaluated the efficacy of these fungicides for controlling fungal infections on rainbow trout eggs. A pilot study was conducted to determine the minimum water flow rate required to administer test chemicals accurately in heath incubators. A minimum water flow rate of 7.6 1 min(-1) was necessary to maintain treatment concentrations during flow-through chemical exposures, the antifungal activity of formalin, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chloride was evaluated by treating uninfected and 10% fungal-infected (saprolegnia parasitica) rainbow trout eggs (oncorhynchus mykiss) for 15 min every other day until hatch. There were no significant differences among treatments in percent hatch or final infection for uninfected eggs receiving prophylactic chemical treatments, eggs of the negative control group (uninfected and untreated) had a mean hatch exceeding 86%, all chemical treatments conducted on the infected egg groups controlled the spread of fungus and improved hatching success compared with the positive control groups (infected and untreated), formalin treatments of 1000 and 1500 mu l 1(-1) and hydrogen peroxide treatments of 500 and 1000 mu l 1(-1) were the most effective. Sodium chloride treatments of 30000 mg 1(-1) improved fry hatch, but the compound was less effective at inhibiting fungal growths compared with hydrogen peroxide and formalin treatments.

Vaccination against human papillomavirus in Switzerland: simulation of the impact on infection rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Berchtold, André; Michaud, Pierre-André; Nardelli-Haefliger, Denise; Surís, Joan-Carles

2010-02-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection of particular interest because of its high prevalence rate and strong causal association with cervical cancer. Two prophylactic vaccines have been developed and different countries have made or will soon make recommendations for the vaccination of girls. Even if there is a consensus to recommend a vaccination before the beginning of sexual activity, there are, however, large discrepancies between countries concerning the perceived usefulness of a catch-up procedure and of boosters. The main objective of this article is to simulate the impact on different vaccination policies upon the mid- and long-term HPV 16/18 age-specific infection rates. We developed an epidemiological model based on the susceptible-infective-recovered approach using Swiss data. The mid- and long-term impact of different vaccination scenarios was then compared. The generalization of a catch-up procedure is always beneficial, whatever its extent. Moreover, pending on the length of the protection offered by the vaccine, boosters will also be very useful. To be really effective, a vaccination campaign against HPV infection should at least include a catch-up to early reach a drop in HPV 16/18 prevalence, and maybe boosters. Otherwise, the protection insured for women in their 20s could be lower than expected, resulting in higher risks to later develop cervical cancer.

Impact of definition and procedures used for absent blood culture data on the rate of intravascular catheter infection during parenteral nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, P D; Hand, K S; Elia, M

2016-06-01

Diagnosis of intravascular catheter infection may be affected by the definition and procedures applied in the absence of blood culture data. To examine the extent to which different definitions of catheter infection and procedures for handling absent blood culture data can affect reported catheter infection rates. Catheter infection rates were established in a cohort of hospitalized patients administered parenteral nutrition according to three clinical and four published definitions. Paired and unpaired comparisons were made using available case analyses, sensitivity analyses and intention-to-categorize analyses. Complete data were available for each clinical definition (N = 193), and there were missing data (4.1-26.9%) for the published definitions. In an available case analysis, the catheter infection rate was 13.0-36.8% for the clinical definitions and 2.1-12.4% for the published definitions. For the published definitions, the rate was 1.6-32.1% in a sensitivity analysis and 11.4-16.9% in an intention-to-categorize analysis, with suggestion of bias towards a higher catheter infection rate in those with missing data, in keeping with the analyses of the clinical definitions. For paired comparisons, the strength of agreement between definitions varied from 'poor' (Cohen's kappa definitions of catheter infection and procedures applied in the absence of blood culture data produced widely different catheter infection rates, which could compromise measurements or comparisons of service quality or study outcome. As such, there is a need to establish and use a valid, consistent and practical definition. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal infection rates after cesarean delivery by Pfannenstiel or Joel-Cohen incision: a multicenter surveillance study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Anne Marie; Girard, Raphaële; Ayzac, Louis; Caillat-Vallet, Emmanuelle; Tissot-Guerraz, Françoise; Vincent-Bouletreau, Agnès; Berland, Michel

2009-12-01

Our purpose was to evaluate maternal nosocomial infection rates according to the incision technique used for caesarean delivery, in a routine surveillance study. This was a prospective study of 5123 cesarean deliveries (43.2% Joel-Cohen, 56.8% Pfannenstiel incisions) in 35 maternity units (Mater Sud Est network). Data on routine surveillance variables, operative duration, and three additional variables (manual removal of the placenta, uterine exteriorization, and/or cleaning of the parieto-colic gutter) were collected. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for infection. The overall nosocomial infection and endometritis rates were higher for the Joel-Cohen than Pfannenstiel incision (4.5% vs. 3.3%, 0.8% vs. 0.3%, respectively). The higher rate of nosocomial infections with the Joel-Cohen incision was due to a greater proportion of patients presenting risk factors (i.e., emergency delivery, primary cesarean, blood loss > or =800 mL, no manual removal of the placenta and no uterine exteriorization). However, the Joel-Cohen technique was an independent risk factor for endometritis. The Joel-Cohen technique is faster than the Pfannenstiel technique but is associated with a higher incidence of endometritis.

The impact of minimum wages on youth employment in Portugal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.C. Pereira

2003-01-01

textabstractFrom January 1, 1987, the legal minimum wage for workers aged 18 and 19 in Portugal was uprated to the full adult rate, generating a 49.3% increase between 1986 and 1987 in the legal minimum wage for this age group. This shock is used as a ?natural experiment? to evaluate the impact of

Estimating the Number of Heterosexual Persons in the United States to Calculate National Rates of HIV Infection.

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Amy Lansky

Full Text Available This study estimated the proportions and numbers of heterosexuals in the United States (U.S. to calculate rates of heterosexually acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection. Quantifying the burden of disease can inform effective prevention planning and resource allocation.Heterosexuals were defined as males and females who ever had sex with an opposite-sex partner and excluded those with other HIV risks: persons who ever injected drugs and males who ever had sex with another man. We conducted meta-analysis using data from 3 national probability surveys that measured lifetime (ever sexual activity and injection drug use among persons aged 15 years and older to estimate the proportion of heterosexuals in the United States population. We then applied the proportion of heterosexual persons to census data to produce population size estimates. National HIV infection rates among heterosexuals were calculated using surveillance data (cases attributable to heterosexual contact in the numerators and the heterosexual population size estimates in the denominators.Adult and adolescent heterosexuals comprised an estimated 86.7% (95% confidence interval: 84.1%-89.3% of the U.S. population. The estimate for males was 84.1% (CI: 81.2%-86.9% and for females was 89.4% (95% CI: 86.9%-91.8%. The HIV diagnosis rate for 2013 was 5.2 per 100,000 heterosexuals and the rate of persons living with diagnosed HIV infection in 2012 was 104 per 100,000 heterosexuals aged 13 years or older. Rates of HIV infection were >20 times as high among black heterosexuals compared to white heterosexuals, indicating considerable disparity. Rates among heterosexual men demonstrated higher disparities than overall population rates for men.The best available data must be used to guide decision-making for HIV prevention. HIV rates among heterosexuals in the U.S. are important additions to cost effectiveness and other data used to make critical decisions about resources for

Use of vacuum-assisted closure in pediatric open fractures with a focus on the rate of infection.

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Halvorson, Jason; Jinnah, Riyaz; Kulp, Brenda; Frino, John

2011-07-07

The use of the vacuum-assisted closure device (VAC; KCI, San Antonio, Texas) has given the orthopedist a new tool for the successful management of severe traumatic wounds and open fractures. While the VAC's role in the adult population is proving itself as an improved therapy compared to "traditional wound care," it's role within pediatric orthopedics remains less well defined. Questions remain whether VAC therapy provides benefit regarding decreased infection rates as well as decreased need for extensive soft tissue coverage procedures. A review was therefore performed of a pediatric level I trauma center's experience using the VAC therapy for pediatric open fractures with a focus on the rate of superficial, deep, and chronic infection. A retrospective chart review spanning 4.5 years of all pediatric patients younger than 18 years with an open fracture initially treated with VAC therapy was conducted at a level I pediatric trauma center. This yielded 28 patients with 37 open fractures aged 2 to 17 years who were initially treated with wound VAC therapy. Subsequent chart review of these patients was performed examining in-hospital records, operative notes, and clinical follow-up visits for documented cases of superficial, deep, or chronic infection. Of 37 open pediatric fractures treated with a wound VAC, there were no cases of superficial infection and 2 cases of deep infection for an overall infection rate of 5%. Both infections resolved with surgical intervention and antibiotics without chronic infection development. When compared with historical controls, the use of VAC therapy for pediatric open fractures appears to be an equally safe and effective modality to help reduce infection in pediatric open fractures and should be considered a valuable tool in treating these injuries. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

A rapid method for titration of ascovirus infectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Ningning; Chen, Zishu; Wan, Hu; Huang, Guohua; Li, Jianhong; Jin, Byung Rae

2018-05-01

Ascoviruses are a recently described family and the traditional plaque assay and end-point PCR assay have been used for their titration. However, these two methods are time-consuming and inaccurate to titrate ascoviruses. In the present study, a quick method for the determination of the titer of ascovirus stocks was developed based on ascovirus-induced apoptosis in infected insect cells. Briefly, cells infected with serial dilutions of virus (10 -2 -10 -10 ) for 24 h were stained with trypan blue. The stained cells were counted, and the percentage of nonviable cells was calculated. The stained cell rate was compared between virus-infected and control cells. The minimum-dilution group that had a significant difference compared with control and the maximum-dilution group that had no significant difference were selected and then compared each well of the two groups with the average stained cell rate of control. The well was marked as positive well if the stained cell rate was higher than the average stained cell rate of control wells; otherwise, the well was marked as negative wells. The percentage of positive wells were calculated according to the number of positive. Subsequently, the virus titer was calculated through the method of Reed and Muench. This novel method is rapid, simple, reproducible, accurate, and less material-consuming and eliminates the subjectivity of the other procedures for titrating ascoviruses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Minimum Wage and the Employment of Teenagers. Recent Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallick, Bruce; Currie, Janet

A study used individual-level data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to examine the effects of changes in the federal minimum wage on teenage employment. Individuals in the sample were classified as either likely or unlikely to be affected by these increases in the federal minimum wage on the basis of their wage rates and industry of…

LDPC Codes with Minimum Distance Proportional to Block Size

Science.gov (United States)

Divsalar, Dariush; Jones, Christopher; Dolinar, Samuel; Thorpe, Jeremy

2009-01-01

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes characterized by minimum Hamming distances proportional to block sizes have been demonstrated. Like the codes mentioned in the immediately preceding article, the present codes are error-correcting codes suitable for use in a variety of wireless data-communication systems that include noisy channels. The previously mentioned codes have low decoding thresholds and reasonably low error floors. However, the minimum Hamming distances of those codes do not grow linearly with code-block sizes. Codes that have this minimum-distance property exhibit very low error floors. Examples of such codes include regular LDPC codes with variable degrees of at least 3. Unfortunately, the decoding thresholds of regular LDPC codes are high. Hence, there is a need for LDPC codes characterized by both low decoding thresholds and, in order to obtain acceptably low error floors, minimum Hamming distances that are proportional to code-block sizes. The present codes were developed to satisfy this need. The minimum Hamming distances of the present codes have been shown, through consideration of ensemble-average weight enumerators, to be proportional to code block sizes. As in the cases of irregular ensembles, the properties of these codes are sensitive to the proportion of degree-2 variable nodes. A code having too few such nodes tends to have an iterative decoding threshold that is far from the capacity threshold. A code having too many such nodes tends not to exhibit a minimum distance that is proportional to block size. Results of computational simulations have shown that the decoding thresholds of codes of the present type are lower than those of regular LDPC codes. Included in the simulations were a few examples from a family of codes characterized by rates ranging from low to high and by thresholds that adhere closely to their respective channel capacity thresholds; the simulation results from these examples showed that the codes in question have low

Minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from different clinical samples at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal

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Arjun Ojha Kshetry

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA has evolved as a serious threat to public health. It has capability to cause infections not only in health care settings but also in community. Due to the multidrug resistance shown by MRSA, there are limited treatment options for the infections caused by this superbug. Vancomycin is used as the drug of choice for the treatment of infections caused by MRSA. Different studies from all around the world have documented the emergence of strains of S. aureus those are intermediate sensitive or resistant to vancomycin. And recently, there have been reports of reduced susceptibility of MRSA to vancomycin, from Nepal also. So the main purpose of this study was to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of vancomycin to methicillin resistant S. aureus isolated from different clinical specimens. Methods Total 125 strains of S. aureus isolated from different clinical samples at KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Lalitpur, Nepal from Nov 2012 to June 2013, were subjected to MRSA detection by cefoxitin disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin to confirmed MRSA strains were determined by agar dilution method. Yellow colored colonies in mannitol salt agar, which were gram positive cocci, catalase positive and coagulase positive were confirmed to be S. aureus. Results Among, total 125 S. aureus strains isolated; 47(37.6% were MRSA. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin to the strains of MRSA ranged from 0.125 μg/ml to 1 μg/ml. Conclusion From our findings we concluded that the rate of isolation of MRSA among all the strains of S. aureus isolated from clinical samples was very high. However, none of the MRSA strains were found to be vancomycin intermediate-sensitive or vancomycin-resistant.

Does routine gowning reduce nosocomial infection and mortality rates in a neonatal nursery? A Singapore experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, S G; Lim, S H; Malathi, I

1995-11-01

A 1 year prospective study on routine gowning before entering a neonatal unit was conducted in a maternity hospital in Singapore. This study was done based on previous work by Donowitz, Haque and Chagla and Agbayani et al., as there have been no known studies done in Singapore. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that routine gowning before entering a neonatal nursery does not reduce nosocomial infection and mortality rate. A total of 212 neonates from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 1694 neonates from the neonatal special care unit (NSCU) were studied. Neonates admitted during the 1 year study were assigned to the gowning (control) and no routine gowning (trial) group on every alternate 2 months. The hospital infection control nurse provided data on nosocomial infection. The overall nosocomial infection rate in the NICU was 24% (25 of 104 admissions) during gowning periods compared to 16.6% (18 of 108 admissions) when plastic aprons were not worn before entry. In the NSCU, the overall infection rate was 1.5% (12 of 800 admissions) during gowning periods compared to 2.1% (19 of 894 admissions) when no gown was worn before entry. Results of the study found no significant differences in the incidences of nosocomial infection and mortality in the neonates. The cost of gowns used during the no routine gowning periods was S$2012.8 compared to S$3708 used during the routine gowning procedure. The investigators recommend that routine gowning before entering a neonatal unit is not essential and cost effective for the purpose of reducing infection. Rather the focus should be on adequate handwashing by all hospital personnel and visitors before handling neonates.

Infection rate of Babesia spp. sporokinetes in engorged Boophilus microplus from an area of enzootic stability in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Quintão-Silva Maria G

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The infection rates of Babesia sporokinetes in engorged Boophilus microplus were evaluated during a 2-year period in a dairy farm located in an area of enzootic stability. Every 14 days engorged females were collected from calves and from adult animals. Ticks were incubated at 27 ± 0.5ºC and 80-90% relative humidity and Babesia infection rates were determined by microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained hemolymph smears. After 52 collections, 2105 ticks were obtained, from which 982 were collected from calves and 1123 from cows. The total Babesia infection rate was 10%, however the incidence was higher (p < 0.05 in ticks collected from calves (17.5% than in those collected from cows (3.6%. Females collected from cows showed the highest infection rates in January, March, and August, and absence of infection in April and May. Ticks feeding on calves were infected throughout the experimental period. The infection rates of engorged females collected from naturally infected calves that were artificially infested with Babesia-free-larvae of B. microplus gradually decreased until the calves were four months old. No differences were observed among infection rates of ticks collected from calves maintained under natural conditions.

A Comparative Study of Face Milling of D2 Steel Using Al2O3 Based Nanofluid Minimum Quantity Lubrication and Minimum Quantity Lubrication

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Muhammad Ahsan Ul Haq

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This study aims to investigate the effects of process parameters feed, depth of cut and flow rate, on the temperature during face milling of the D2 tool steel under two different lubricant conditions, Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL and Nanofluid Minimum Quantity Lubrication (NFMQL. Distilled water with the flow rate range 200-400 ml/hr was used in MQL. 2% by weight concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles with distilled water as the base fluid used as NFMQL with same flow rate. Response surface methodology RSM central composite design CCD was used to design experiment run, modeling, and analysis. ANOVA was used for the adequacy and validation of the system. The comparison shows that NFMQL condition reduced more temperature during machining.

Does Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus Increase the Risk of Postoperative Infections After Elective Spine Surgery: Do Most Infections Occur in Carriers?

Science.gov (United States)

Adogwa, Owoicho; Vuong, Victoria D; Elsamadicy, Aladine A; Lilly, Daniel T; Desai, Shyam A; Khalid, Syed; Cheng, Joseph; Bagley, Carlos A

2018-05-14

Wound infections after adult spinal deformity surgery place a high toll on patients, providers, and the healthcare system. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of postoperative wound infections, and nasal colonization by this organism may be an important factor in the development of surgical site infections (SSIs). The aim is to investigate whether post-operative surgical site infections after elective spine surgery occur at a higher rate in patients with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization. Consecutive patients undergoing adult spinal deformity surgery between 2011-2013 were enrolled. Enrolled patients were followed up for a minimum of 3 months after surgery and received similar peri-operative infection prophylaxis. Baseline characteristics, operative details, rates of wound infection, and microbiologic data for each case of post-operative infection were gathered by direct medical record review. Local vancomycin powder was used in all patients and sub-fascial drains were used in the majority (88%) of patients. 1200 operative spine cases were performed for deformity between 2011 and 2013. The mean ± standard deviation age and body mass index were 62.08 ± 14.76 years and 30.86 ± 7.15 kg/m 2 , respectively. 29.41% had a history of diabetes. All SSIs occurred within 30 days of surgery, with deep wound infections accounting for 50% of all SSIs. Of the 34 (2.83%) cases of SSIs that were identified, only 1 case occurred in a patient colonized with MRSA. Our study suggests that the preponderance of SSIs occurred in patients without nasal colonization by methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Future prospective multi-institutional studies are needed to corroborate our findings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

13 CFR 301.4 - Investment rates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Investment rates. 301.4 Section... ELIGIBILITY, INVESTMENT RATE AND PROPOSAL AND APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Investment Rates and Matching Share Requirements § 301.4 Investment rates. (a) Minimum Investment Rate. There is no minimum Investment Rate for a...

Impact of Education and Process Surveillance on Device-Associated Health Care-Associated Infection Rates in a Turkish ICU: Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC

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Ahmet Dilek

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of process and outcome surveillance on rates of device-associated health care-associated infections (DA-HAI in an intensive care unit (ICU in Turkey over a four-year period.Material and Methods: An open label, prospective cohort, active DA-HAI surveillance study was conducted on 685 patients admitted to the ICU of a university hospital in Turkey from January 2004 to December 2007, implementing the methodology developed by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. DA-HAI rates were recorded according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN definitions. We analyzed the rates of DA-HAI, mechanical ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP, central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLA-BSI, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI, as well as microorganism profile, extra length of stay, and hand hygiene compliance. Pooled DA-HAI rates were calculated and compared by year.Results: The DA-HAI rate per 100 patients declined as follows: for 2004, the DA-HAI rate was 58.4%; for 2005, it was 38.9%; for 2006, it was 34.8%; and for 2007, it was 10.9%. The DA-HAI rate per 1,000 bed-days also declined: for 2004, it was 42.8, and for 2007 it was 10.7. The rates decreased from 25.8 to 13.4 for VAP; from 29.9 to 25.0 for CLA-BSI; and from 9.2 to 6.2 for CAUTI cases per 1,000 device-days during the study period. Conclusion: Process and outcome surveillance of DA-HAI significantly reduced DA-HAI.

Modeling the intracellular pathogen-immune interaction with cure rate

Science.gov (United States)

Dubey, Balram; Dubey, Preeti; Dubey, Uma S.

2016-09-01

Many common and emergent infectious diseases like Influenza, SARS, Hepatitis, Ebola etc. are caused by viral pathogens. These infections can be controlled or prevented by understanding the dynamics of pathogen-immune interaction in vivo. In this paper, interaction of pathogens with uninfected and infected cells in presence or absence of immune response are considered in four different cases. In the first case, the model considers the saturated nonlinear infection rate and linear cure rate without absorption of pathogens into uninfected cells and without immune response. The next model considers the effect of absorption of pathogens into uninfected cells while all other terms are same as in the first case. The third model incorporates innate immune response, humoral immune response and Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) mediated immune response with cure rate and without absorption of pathogens into uninfected cells. The last model is an extension of the third model in which the effect of absorption of pathogens into uninfected cells has been considered. Positivity and boundedness of solutions are established to ensure the well-posedness of the problem. It has been found that all the four models have two equilibria, namely, pathogen-free equilibrium point and pathogen-present equilibrium point. In each case, stability analysis of each equilibrium point is investigated. Pathogen-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when basic reproduction number is less or equal to unity. This implies that control or prevention of infection is independent of initial concentration of uninfected cells, infected cells, pathogens and immune responses in the body. The proposed models show that introduction of immune response and cure rate strongly affects the stability behavior of the system. Further, on computing basic reproduction number, it has been found to be minimum for the fourth model vis-a-vis other models. The analytical findings of each model have been exemplified by

Double vs single internal thoracic artery harvesting in diabetic patients: role in perioperative infection rate

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Parolari Alessandro

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the role in the onset of surgical site infections of bilateral internal thoracic arteries harvesting in patients with decompensated preoperative glycemia. Methods 81 consecutive patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus underwent elective CABG harvesting single or double internal thoracic arteries. Single left ITA was harvested in 41 patients (Group 1, 50.6%, BITAs were harvested in 40 (Group 2, 49.4%. The major clinical end points analyzed in this study were infection rate, type of infection, duration of infection, infection relapse rate and total hospital length of stay. Results Five patients developed sternal SSI in the perioperative period, 2 in group 1 and 3 in group 2 without significant difference. All sternal SSIs were superficial with no sternal dehiscence. The development of infection from the time of surgery took 18.5 ± 2.1 and 7.3 ± 3.0 days for Groups 1 and 2 respectively. The infections were treated with wound irrigation and debridement, and with VAC therapy as well as with antibiotics. The VAC system was removed after a mean of 12.8 ± 5.1 days, when sterilization was achieved. The overall survival estimate at 1 year was 98.7%. Only BMI was a significant predictor of SSI using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis (Odds Ratio: 1.34; 95%Conficdence Interval: 1.02–1.83; p value: 0.04. In the model, the use of BITA was not an independent predictor of SSI. Conclusion CABG with bilateral pedicled ITAs grafting could be performed safely even in diabetics with poor preoperative glycaemic control.

Aseptic minimum volume vitrification technique for porcine parthenogenetically activated blastocyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Lin; Yu, Yutao; Zhang, Xiuqing; Yang, Huanming; Bolund, Lars; Callesen, Henrik; Vajta, Gábor

2011-01-01

Minimum volume vitrification may provide extremely high cooling and warming rates if the sample and the surrounding medium contacts directly with the respective liquid nitrogen and warming medium. However, this direct contact may result in microbial contamination. In this work, an earlier aseptic technique was applied for minimum volume vitrification. After equilibration, samples were loaded on a plastic film, immersed rapidly into factory derived, filter-sterilized liquid nitrogen, and sealed into sterile, pre-cooled straws. At warming, the straw was cut, the filmstrip was immersed into a 39 degree C warming medium, and the sample was stepwise rehydrated. Cryosurvival rates of porcine blastocysts produced by parthenogenetical activation did not differ from control, vitrified blastocysts with Cryotop. This approach can be used for minimum volume vitrification methods and may be suitable to overcome the biological dangers and legal restrictions that hamper the application of open vitrification techniques.

High third-generation cephalosporin resistant Enterobacteriaceae prevalence rate among neonatal infections in Dakar, Senegal

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Sebastien Breurec

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neonatal infection constitutes one of Senegal’s most important public health problems, with a mortality rate of 41 deaths per 1,000 live births. Methods Between January 2007 and March 2008, 242 neonates with suspected infection were recruited at three neonatal intensive care units in three major tertiary care centers in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Neonatal infections were confirmed by positive bacterial blood or cerebrospinal fluid culture. The microbiological pattern of neonatal infections and the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates were characterized. In addition, the genetic basis for antibiotic resistance and the genetic background of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC-R Enterobacteriaceae were studied. Results A bacteriological infection was confirmed in 36.4 % (88/242 of neonates: 22.7 % (30/132 during the early-onset and 52.7 % (58/110 during the late-onset periods (p > 0.20. Group B streptococci accounted for 6.8 % of the 88 collected bacterial isolates, while most of them were Enterobacteriaceae (n = 69, 78.4 %. Of these, 55/69 (79.7 % were 3GC-R. The blaCTX-M-15 allele, the blaSHV and the blaTEM were highly prevalent (63.5, 65.4 and 53.8 %, respectively, usually associated with qnr genes (65.4 %. Clonally related strains of 3GC-R Klebsiella pneumoniae and 3GC-R Enterobacter cloacae, the two most commonly recovered 3GC-R Enterobacteriaceae (48/55, were detected at the three hospitals, underlining the role of cross-transmission in their spread. The overall case fatality rate was 18.6 %. Conclusions Measures should be taken to prevent nosocomial infections and the selection of resistant bacteria.

Surgical site infection rates following laparoscopic urological procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Arvin K; Srinivasan, Arun K; Cho, Jane; Sadek, Mostafa A; Kavoussi, Louis R

2011-04-01

Surgical site infections have been categorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as "never events". The incidence of surgical site infection following laparoscopic urological surgery and its risk factors are poorly defined. We evaluated surgical site infection following urological laparoscopic surgery and identified possible factors that may influence occurrence. Patients who underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic procedures during a 4-year period by a single laparoscopic surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical site infections were identified postoperatively and defined using the Centers for Disease Control criteria. Clinical parameters, comorbidities, smoking history, preoperative urinalysis and culture results as well as operative data were analyzed. Nonparametric testing using the Mann-Whitney U test, multivariable logistic regression and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. In 556 patients undergoing urological laparoscopic procedures 14 surgical site infections (2.5%) were identified at mean postoperative day 21.5. Of the 14 surgical site infections 10 (71.4%) were located at a specimen extraction site. Operative time, procedure type and increasing body mass index were significantly associated with the occurrence of surgical site infections (p = 0.007, p = 0.019, p = 0.038, respectively), whereas history of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.071) and intraoperative transfusion (p = 0.053) were found to trend toward significance. Age, gender, positive urine culture, steroid use, procedure type and smoking history were not significantly associated with surgical site infection. Body mass index and operative time remained significant predictors of surgical site infection on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Surgical site infection is an infrequent complication following laparoscopic surgery with the majority occurring at the specimen extraction site. Infection is associated with prolonged operative time and

On the road again: traffic fatalities and auto insurance minimums

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Pavel A. Yakovlev

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Prior research on policy-induced moral hazard effects in the auto insurance market has focused on the impact of compulsory insurance, no-fault liability, and tort liability laws on traffic fatalities. In contrast, this paper examines the moral hazard effect of a previously overlooked policy variable: minimum auto insurance coverage. We hypothesize that state-mandated auto insurance minimums may “over-insure” some drivers, lowering their incentives to drive carefully. Using a longitudinal panel of American states from 1982 to 2006, we find that policy-induced increases in auto insurance minimums are associated with higher traffic fatality rates, ceteris paribus.

Cefazolin-containing poly(ε-caprolactone sponge pad to reduce pin tract infection rate in rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirotaka Mutsuzaki

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In our previous study, a fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2–apatite composite layer coated on titanium screws effectively prevented pin tract infection in rabbits because of enhanced wound healing; however, the FGF-2–apatite composite layers did not completely prevent pin tract infection. Thus, we recently developed a poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL sponge pad embedded with cefazolin sodium (+CEZ, which has a fast-acting bactericidal effect. The pad is placed on the skin around the screws. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-infective efficacy of the +CEZ pad on the pin–skin interface of the FGF-2–apatite-coated titanium screws. The +CEZ pads were prepared by mixing PCL and CEZ in 1,4-dioxane, followed by freeze-drying and compaction. They were analyzed regarding their surface structure, in vitro CEZ release profile, and bactericidal activity. The FGF-2–apatite-coated screws were implanted percutaneously in bilateral rabbit proximal tibial metaphyses—with and without the +CEZ pad—for 4 weeks (n = 20. The + CEZ pads consisted of a porous matrix of PCL in which CEZ was embedded. The CEZ-release profile showed an initial burst on Day 1 and a sustained release lasting for 30 days. The +CEZ pad retained its bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus after preincubation on an agar plate for 7 days. Based on visual inspection, the pin tract infection rate was successfully reduced from 72.2% to 15.0% with the +CEZ pad (p < 0.05, which reduced the bacterial count, especially S. aureus (p < 0.05. The histological inflammation rate of the soft tissues was also significantly lower with the +CEZ pad than without it (p < 0.05. The pin tract infection rate was reduced to one-fifth with the +CEZ pad. Using it as described improves infection resistance during percutaneous implantation.

In situ growth rates and biofilm development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations in chronic lung infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, L.; Haagensen, J.A.; Jelsbak, L.

2008-01-01

matrix, whereas nonmucoid variants were present mainly as dispersed cells. To obtain estimates of the growth rates of P. aeruginosa in CF lungs, we used quantitative FISH to indirectly measure growth rates of bacteria in sputum samples (reflecting the in vivo lung conditions). The concentration of r......The growth dynamics of bacterial pathogens within infected hosts are a fundamental but poorly understood feature of most infections. We have focused on the in situ distribution and growth characteristics of two prevailing and transmissible Pseudomonas aeruginosa clones that have caused chronic lung......RNA in bacteria isolated from sputa was measured and correlated with the rRNA contents of the same bacteria growing in vitro at defined rates. The results showed that most cells were actively growing with doubling times of between 100 and 200 min, with some growing even faster. Only a small stationary...

Infection Rate after Cranial Neurosurgical Procedures: A Prospective Single-Center Study.

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Strahm, Carol; Albrich, Werner C; Zdravkovic, Vilijam; Schöbi, Barbara; Hildebrandt, Gerhard; Schlegel, Matthias

2018-03-01

To determine infection rate (IR) and to identify modifiable risk factors (RF) in cranial neurosurgery in a neurosurgical department for tertiary referral as part of an infection control surveillance to reduce surgical site infections (SSI). A prospective SSI incidence cohort study from February 2013 to January 2014 was performed in a tertiary-care neurosurgical teaching hospital and referral center. All consecutive adults undergoing any cranial neurosurgical procedure were included. Data were collected by a trained member of the infection control staff during the twice-weekly visits of the hospitalized patients. Follow-up was 30 days (procedures without implant) and 1 year (procedures involving permanent implants). SSI was diagnosed according to criteria of CDC. A total of 317 patients undergoing 333 index procedures were included. The median age was 61 years (range, 17-91 years) and 46% were female. Survival in patients with completed follow-up was 76% (196/258). Overall, IR was 7.2% (24/333 index procedures); in 96% (23/24), a neurosurgical implant was involved. The IR of extraventricular drainage (EVD) was 12.5% (13.1/1000 EVD days). The main causative pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci and Propionibacterium acnes. Independent RF for neurosurgical SSI were EVD as part of the index operation and body mass index >25 kg/m 2 . IR was in accordance with recent prospective single-center studies (reported IR between 1.6% and 9%). EVD placement was identified as the strongest modifiable RF for SSI in cranial neurosurgical procedures. The need for standard infection control procedures for the insertion and maintenance of EVDs to avoid their contamination is reinforced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Success rates for initial eradication of peri-prosthetic knee infection treated with a two-stage procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminski, Andrzej; Citak, Mustafa; Schildhauer, Thomas Armin; Fehmer, Tobias

2014-01-01

In Germany, rates of primary total knee arthroplasty procedures and exchange arthroplasty procedures continue to rise. Late-onset peri-prosthetic infection constitutes a serious complication whose management may be dependent upon the spectrum of micro-organisms involved. The aim of this study was to provide a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of initial eradication measures performed as part of a two-stage procedure. Between 2002 and 2008, a total of 328 patients who had received a first-time diagnosis of chronic peri-prosthetic knee infection following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) subsequently underwent surgery at our clinic. The surgical approach consisted of a two-stage procedure, with the initial procedure consisting of the removal of the prosthesis and radical debridement, followed by insertion of an antibiotic-loaded static spacer. The effectiveness of the procedure was assessed after six weeks, with each patient undergoing a number of clinical and laboratory-based tests, including knee joint aspiration. Staphylococcus aureus strains were responsible for 68% (n=223) of the total number of cases of peri-prosthetic knee infection. 19% of cases (n=62) showed evidence of gram-negative bacteria, while MRSA accounted for 15% (n=49) of cases. Six weeks after completion of the above-named treatment regimen, eradication of infection was considered successful in 289 patients (88.1%). Eradication was unsuccessful in 22% of MRSA infections (n=11) and 7% of MSSA infections (n=23). The treatment regimen outlined in this report is capable of achieving satisfactory results in the management of late-onset peri-prosthetic knee infection, with one exception: patients with infections caused by MRSA showed high failure rates.

Increased Total Anesthetic Time Leads to Higher Rates of Surgical Site Infections in Spinal Fusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Puffer, Ross C; Murphy, Meghan; Maloney, Patrick; Kor, Daryl; Nassr, Ahmad; Freedman, Brett; Fogelson, Jeremy; Bydon, Mohamad

2017-06-01

A retrospective review of a consecutive series of spinal fusions comparing patient and procedural characteristics of patients who developed surgical site infections (SSIs) after spinal fusion. It is known that increased surgical time (incision to closure) is associated with a higher rate of postoperative SSIs. We sought to determine whether increased total anesthetic time (intubation to extubation) is a factor in the development of SSIs as well. In spine surgery for deformity and degenerative disease, SSI has been associated with operative time, revealing a nearly 10-fold increase in SSI rates in prolonged surgery. Surgical time is associated with infections in other surgical disciplines as well. No studies have reported whether total anesthetic time (intubation to extubation) has an association with SSIs. Surgical records were searched in a retrospective fashion to identify all spine fusion procedures performed between January 2010 and July 2012. All SSIs during that timeframe were recorded and compared with the list of cases performed between 2010 and 2012 in a case-control design. There were 20 (1.7%) SSIs in this fusion cohort. On univariate analyses of operative factors, there was a significant association between total anesthetic time (Infection 7.6 ± 0.5 hrs vs. no infection -6.0 ± 0.1 hrs, P operative time (infection 5.5 ± 0.4 hrs vs. no infection - 4.4 ± 0.06 hrs, P infections, whereas level of pathology and emergent surgery were not significant. On multivariate logistic analysis, BMI and total anesthetic time remained independent predictors of SSI whereas ASA status and operative time did not. Increasing BMI and total anesthetic time were independent predictors of SSIs in this cohort of over 1000 consecutive spinal fusions. 3.

Quantifying factors determining the rate of CTL escape and reversion during acute and chronic phases of HIV infection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ganusov, Vitaly V [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Korber, Bette M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Perelson, Alan S [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often evades cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses by generating variants that are not recognized by CTLs. However, the importance and quantitative details of CTL escape in humans are poorly understood. In part, this is because most studies looking at escape of HIV from CTL responses are cross-sectional and are limited to early or chronic phases of the infection. We use a novel technique of single genome amplification (SGA) to identify longitudinal changes in the transmitted/founder virus from the establishment of infection to the viral set point at 1 year after the infection. We find that HIV escapes from virus-specific CTL responses as early as 30-50 days since the infection, and the rates of viral escapes during acute phase of the infection are much higher than was estimated in previous studies. However, even though with time virus acquires additional escape mutations, these late mutations accumulate at a slower rate. A poor correlation between the rate of CTL escape in a particular epitope and the magnitude of the epitope-specific CTL response suggests that the lower rate of late escapes is unlikely due to a low efficacy of the HIV-specific CTL responses in the chronic phase of the infection. Instead, our results suggest that late and slow escapes are likely to arise because of high fitness cost to the viral replication associated with such CTL escapes. Targeting epitopes in which virus escapes slowly or does not escape at all by CTL responses may, therefore, be a promising direction for the development of T cell based HIV vaccines.

A note on minimum-variance theory and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng Jianfeng [Department of Informatics, Sussex University, Brighton, BN1 9QH (United Kingdom); Tartaglia, Giangaetano [Physics Department, Rome University ' La Sapienza' , Rome 00185 (Italy); Tirozzi, Brunello [Physics Department, Rome University ' La Sapienza' , Rome 00185 (Italy)

2004-04-30

We revisit the minimum-variance theory proposed by Harris and Wolpert (1998 Nature 394 780-4), discuss the implications of the theory on modelling the firing patterns of single neurons and analytically find the optimal control signals, trajectories and velocities. Under the rate coding assumption, input control signals employed in the minimum-variance theory should be Fitts processes rather than Poisson processes. Only if information is coded by interspike intervals, Poisson processes are in agreement with the inputs employed in the minimum-variance theory. For the integrate-and-fire model with Fitts process inputs, interspike intervals of efferent spike trains are very irregular. We introduce diffusion approximations to approximate neural models with renewal process inputs and present theoretical results on calculating moments of interspike intervals of the integrate-and-fire model. Results in Feng, et al (2002 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 35 7287-304) are generalized. In conclusion, we present a complete picture on the minimum-variance theory ranging from input control signals, to model outputs, and to its implications on modelling firing patterns of single neurons.

A note on minimum-variance theory and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Jianfeng; Tartaglia, Giangaetano; Tirozzi, Brunello

2004-01-01

We revisit the minimum-variance theory proposed by Harris and Wolpert (1998 Nature 394 780-4), discuss the implications of the theory on modelling the firing patterns of single neurons and analytically find the optimal control signals, trajectories and velocities. Under the rate coding assumption, input control signals employed in the minimum-variance theory should be Fitts processes rather than Poisson processes. Only if information is coded by interspike intervals, Poisson processes are in agreement with the inputs employed in the minimum-variance theory. For the integrate-and-fire model with Fitts process inputs, interspike intervals of efferent spike trains are very irregular. We introduce diffusion approximations to approximate neural models with renewal process inputs and present theoretical results on calculating moments of interspike intervals of the integrate-and-fire model. Results in Feng, et al (2002 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 35 7287-304) are generalized. In conclusion, we present a complete picture on the minimum-variance theory ranging from input control signals, to model outputs, and to its implications on modelling firing patterns of single neurons

A Quality Improvement Approach to Reducing the Caesarean section Surgical Site Infection Rate in a Regional Hospital

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O’ Hanlon, M

2016-09-01

Surgical site infection (SSI) rates are used extensively by hospitals as a basis for quality improvement. A 30-day post-discharge SSI programme for Caesarean section operations has been implemented in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital since 2011. It has been shown that skin antisepsis and antibiotic prophylaxis are key factors in the prevention of SSI. Using quality improvement methodology, an infection prevention bundle was introduced to address these two factors. Skin antisepsis was changed from povidone-iodine to chlorhexidine-alcohol. Compliance with choice of antibiotic prophylaxis increased from 89.6% in 2014 to 98.5% in 2015. Compliance with timing also improved. The SSI rate of 7.5% was the lowest recorded to date, with the majority of SSIs (64%) diagnosed after hospital discharge. The level of variation was also reduced. However, the continued presence of variation and possibility of lower infection rates from the literature imply that further improvements are required.

Can Good Infection Control Be Obtained in One-stage Exchange of the Infected TKA to a Rotating Hinge Design? 10-year Results.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahar, Akos; Kendoff, Daniel O; Klatte, Till O; Gehrke, Thorsten A

2016-01-01

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) occurs in 1% to 2% of total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). Although two-stage exchange is the preferred management method of patients with chronic PJI in TKA in North America, one-stage exchange is an alternative treatment method, but long-term studies of this approach have not been conducted. We reviewed our minimum 9-year results of 70 patients who underwent one-stage exchange arthroplasty with a rotating hinge design to determine: (1) What was the proportion of patients free of infection? (2) What was the patient rate of survival free of any reoperation? (3) What were the clinical outcomes as measured by Hospital for Special Surgery scores? (4) What proportion of patients developed radiographic evidence of loosening? All one-stage revision TKAs for infection between January 1 and December 31, 2002, with a minimum 9-year followup (mean, 10 years; range, 9-11 years), in which patients had been seen within the last 1 year, were included in this retrospective review. During that period, 11 patients with infected TKAs were treated with other approaches (including two-stage approaches in eight); the general indication for one-stage revision was the diagnosis of PJI with a known causative organism. Exclusion criteria were culture-negative preoperative aspiration, known allergy to local antibiotics or bone cement, or cases in which radical débridement was impossible as a result of the involvement of important anatomical structures. Eighty-one patients with PJI were seen during this period; 70 underwent one-stage exchange using our strict protocol and were reimplanted with a rotating hinge TKA. Eleven patients (15.7%) were lost to followup. Hospital for Special Surgery scores were recorded and all radiographs were evaluated for prosthetic loosening. Failure was defined as revision surgery for infection or any other cause. Our 10-year infection-free survival was 93% (mean, 4.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 89%-96%; p exchange techniques for

Surgical wound infection rates in Spain: data summary, January 1997 through June 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Agero Pérez, Cristina; Robustillo Rodela, Ana; Pita López, María José; López Fresneña, Nieves; Monge Jodrá, Vicente

2014-05-01

The Indicadores Clínicos de Mejora Continua de la Calidad (INCLIMECC) program was established in Spain in 1997. INCLIMECC is a prospective system of health care-associated infection (HAI) surveillance that collects incidence data in surgical and intensive care unit patients. The protocol is based on the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance system, formerly known as the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) system, and uses standard infection definitions from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each hospital takes part voluntarily and selects the units and surgical procedures to be surveyed. This report is a summary of the data collected between January 1997 and June 2012. A total of 370,015 patients were included, and the overall incidence of surgical wound infection (SWI) was 4.51%. SWI rates are provided by NHSN operating procedure category and NNIS risk index category. More than 27% of the patients received inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis, the main reason being unsuitable duration (57.05% of cases). Today, the INCLIMECC network includes 64 Spanish hospitals. We believe that an HAI surveillance system with trained personnel external to the surveyed unit is a key component not only in infection control and prevention, but also in a quality improvement system. Copyright © 2014. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Vector species composition and malaria infectivity rates in Mkuzi, Muheza District, north-eastern Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kweka, E J; Mahande, A M; Nkya, W M M

2008-01-01

Entomological surveys were conducted in Mkuzi village in Muheza District, north-east Tanzania from April to September 2003. The objectives were to determine the species composition and infectivity rates of mosquitoes in Mkuzi village. Mosquito collection was done using CDC light trap and pyrethrum...... spray catch (PSC) techniques. The light trap: spray catch ratio was 2.2:1. A total of 2157 mosquitoes were collected (light trap = 1483; PSC = 674). Anopheles gambiae s.s. accounted for 56.7% (N = 1224) of all mosquitoes collected. Other species were An. funestus complex (19.2%) and Culex...... quinquefasciatus (24.1%).The mosquito density per room was 74.15 and 33.7 for light trap and PSC techniques, respectively. A total of 1637 Anopheles mosquitoes were tested for circumsporozoite protein by Enzyme linked Immunosobent Assay (ELISA). The overall infectivity rate for circumsporozoite protein for P...

Lung infection rates in two sympatric Tropiduridae lizard species by pentastomids and nematodes in northeastern Brazil

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WO. Almeida

Full Text Available We present data on pulmonary infection rates by parasites in the lizards Tropidurus hispidus Spix, 1825 and T. semitaeniatus (Spix, 1825 living sympatrically in the Chapada do Araripe mountain Range, northeastern Brazil. We found no parasite pulmonary infection in T. semitaeniatus. However, two pulmonary parasite species were found in the T. hispidus hosts, the pentastomid Raillietiella mottae Almeida, Freire and Lopes, 2008 and the nematode Rhabdias sp. Overall prevalence was 5%. Prevalence of R. mottae was 2.5% and corresponded to only one parasite on each infected host. Prevalence of Rhabdias sp. was 2.5% and the range of infection was 1-2 parasites per host. This represents the first record of Rhabdias infecting lizards of the family Tropiduridae in the Neotropical region. Furthermore, we present a comparison of parameters of infection by pulmonary parasites including some recent studies in Brazil.

High rates of incident and prevalent anal human papillomavirus infection among young men who have sex with men.

Science.gov (United States)

Glick, Sara Nelson; Feng, Qinghua; Popov, Viorica; Koutsky, Laura A; Golden, Matthew R

2014-02-01

There are few published estimates of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection rates among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). We estimated incidence and prevalence of type-specific anal HPV infection using clinician-collected anal swabs for HPV DNA testing obtained during a 1-year prospective study of 94 YMSM (mean age, 21 years) in Seattle. Seventy percent of YMSM had any HPV infection detected during the study, and HPV-16 and/or -18 were detected in 37%. The incidence rate for any new HPV infection was 38.5 per 1000 person-months and 15.3 per 1000 person-months for HPV-16/18; 19% had persistent HPV-16/18 infection. No participant tested positive for all 4 HPV types in the quadrivalent vaccine. The number of lifetime male receptive anal sex partners was significantly associated with HPV infection. The prevalence of HPV-16/18 was 6% among YMSM with a history of 1 receptive anal sex partner and 31% among YMSM with ≥ 2 partners. Although the high prevalence of HPV among YMSM highlights the desirability of vaccinating all boys as a strategy to avert the morbidity of HPV infection, most YMSM appear to remain naive to either HPV-16 or -18 well into their sexual lives and would benefit from HPV immunization.

HIV infection connected to rising anal cancer rates in men in the U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection contributes substantially to the epidemic of anal cancer in men, but not women in the United States, according to new research from NCI. Chart shows overall incidence rates of anal cancers in general population

Relationship between hospital ward design and healthcare-associated infection rates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Stiller

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The influence of the hospital’s infrastructure on healthcare-associated colonization and infection rates has thus far infrequently been examined. In this review we examine whether healthcare facility design is a contributing factor to multifaceted infection control strategies. Methods We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL from 1990 to December 31st, 2015, with language restriction to English, Spanish, German and French. Results We identified three studies investigating accessibility of the location of the antiseptic hand rub dispenser. Each of them showed a significant improvement of hand hygiene compliance or agent consumption with the implementation of accessible dispensers near the patient bed. Nine eligible studies evaluated the impact of single-patient rooms on the acquisition of healthcare-associated colonization and infections in comparison to multi-bedrooms or an open ward design. Six of these studies showed a significant benefit of single-patient bedrooms in reducing the healthcare-associated colonization and infection rate, whereas three studies found that single-patient rooms are neither a protective nor risk factor. In meta-analyses, the overall risk ratio for acquisition of healthcare-associated colonization and infection was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.74, for healthcare-associated colonization 0.52 (95% CI: 0.32 to 0.85 and for bacteremia 0.64 (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.76, all in favor of patient care in single-patient bedrooms. Conclusion Implementation of single-patient rooms and easily accessible hand rub dispensers located near the patient’s bed are beneficial for infection control and are useful parts of a multifaceted strategy for reducing healthcare-associated colonization and infections.

The use of genetically marked infection cohorts to study changes in establishment rates during the time course of a repeated Ascaridia galli infection in chickens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferdushy, Tania; Luna Olivares, Luz Adilia; Nejsum, Peter

2015-01-01

This study investigated the changes in establishment rates during the time course of a 6week trickle infection of chickens with Ascaridia galli at two different dose levels, using a molecular marker. To differentiate early and late infection, two different egg cohorts (haplotype a and haplotype b...

Estimated Minimum Discharge Rates of the Deepwater Horizon Spill-Interim Report to the Flow Rate Technical Group from the Mass Balance Team

Science.gov (United States)

Labson, Victor F.; Clark, Roger N.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, K. Eric; Powers, Michael H.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Meeker, Gregory P.

2010-01-01

All of the calculations and results in this report are preliminary and intended for the purpose, and only for the purpose, of aiding the incident team in assessing the extent of the spilled oil for ongoing response efforts. Other applications of this report are not authorized and are not considered valid. Because of time constraints and limitations of data available to the experts, many of their estimates are approximate, are subject to revision, and certainly should not be used as the Federal Government's final values for assessing volume of the spill or its impact to the environment or to coastal communities. Each expert that contributed to this report reserves the right to alter his conclusions based upon further analysis or additional information. An estimated minimum total oil discharge was determined by calculations of oil volumes measured as of May 17, 2010. This included oil on the ocean surface measured with satellite and airborne images and with spectroscopic data (129,000 barrels to 246,000 barrels using less and more aggressive assumptions, respectively), oil skimmed off the surface (23,500 barrels from U.S. Coast Guard [USCG] estimates), oil burned off the surface (11,500 barrels from USCG estimates), dispersed subsea oil (67,000 to 114,000 barrels), and oil evaporated or dissolved (109,000 to 185,000 barrels). Sedimentation (oil captured from Mississippi River silt and deposited on the ocean bottom), biodegradation, and other processes may indicate significant oil volumes beyond our analyses, as will any subsurface volumes such as suspended tar balls or other emulsions that are not included in our estimates. The lower bounds of total measured volumes are estimated to be within the range of 340,000 to 580,000 barrels as of May 17, 2010, for an estimated average minimum discharge rate of 12,500 to 21,500 barrels per day for 27 days from April 20 to May 17, 2010.

A TWO-WAY ROAD: RATES OF HIV INFECTION AND BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS AMONG DEPORTED MEXICAN LABOR MIGRANTS

Science.gov (United States)

Rangel, M. Gudelia; Martinez-Donate, Ana P.; Hovell, Melbourne; Sipan, Carol L.; Zellner, Jennifer A.; Gonzalez-Fagoaga, Eduardo; Kelley, Norma J.; Asadi-Gonzalez, Ahmed; Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina; Magis-Rodriguez, Carlos

2012-01-01

A large number of Mexican migrants are deported to Mexico and released in the North Mexican border region every year. Despite their volume and high vulnerability, little is known about the level of HIV infection and related risk behaviors among this hard-to-reach population. We conducted a cross-sectional, probability survey with deported Mexican migrants in Tijuana, Mexico (N=693) and estimated levels of HIV infection and behavioral risk factors among this migrant flow. The sample and population estimated rates of HIV for deported males were 1.23% and 0.80%, respectively. No positive cases were found among the female sample. We found high lifetime rates of reported sexually transmitted infections (22.3%) and last 12-months rates of unprotected sex (63.0%), sex with multiple sexual partners (18.1%), casual partners (25.7%), and sex workers (8.6%), compared to U.S. and Mexico adults. HIV prevention, testing, and treatment programs for this large, vulnerable, and transnational population need to be implemented in both the U.S. and Mexico. PMID:22562390

Two-stage exchange knee arthroplasty: does resistance of the infecting organism influence the outcome?

Science.gov (United States)

Kurd, Mark F; Ghanem, Elie; Steinbrecher, Jill; Parvizi, Javad

2010-08-01

Periprosthetic joint infection after TKA is a challenging complication. Two-stage exchange arthroplasty is the accepted standard of care, but reported failure rates are increasing. It has been suggested this is due to the increased prevalence of methicillin-resistant infections. We asked the following questions: (1) What is the reinfection rate after two-stage exchange arthroplasty? (2) Which risk factors predict failure? (3) Which variables are associated with acquiring a resistant organism periprosthetic joint infection? This was a case-control study of 102 patients with infected TKA who underwent a two-stage exchange arthroplasty. Ninety-six patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years (mean, 34.5 months; range, 24-90.1 months). Cases were defined as failures of two-stage exchange arthroplasty. Two-stage exchange arthroplasty was successful in controlling the infection in 70 patients (73%). Patients who failed two-stage exchange arthroplasty were 3.37 times more likely to have been originally infected with a methicillin-resistant organism. Older age, higher body mass index, and history of thyroid disease were predisposing factors to infection with a methicillin-resistant organism. Innovative interventions are needed to improve the effectiveness of two-stage exchange arthroplasty for TKA infection with a methicillin-resistant organism as current treatment protocols may not be adequate for control of these virulent pathogens. Level IV, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

High rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence in HIV-infected individuals with spontaneous HCV RNA clearance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peters, L; Mocroft, A; Soriano, V

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Following resolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, recurrence has been shown to occur in some persons with repeated exposure to HCV. We aimed to investigate the rate and factors associated with HCV RNA recurrence among HIV-1-infected patients with prior spontaneous HCV RNA cle......-up. Our findings underline the importance of maintaining focus on preventive measures to reduce IDU and sharing of contaminated needles. Clinicians should maintain a high degree of vigilance to identify patients with new HCV infection early....

HIV infection among tuberculosis patients in Vietnam: prevalence and impact on tuberculosis notification rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Thanh, D H; Sy, D N; Linh, N D; Hoan, T M; Dien, H T; Thuy, T B; Hoa, N P; Tung, L B; Cobelens, F

2010-08-01

Vietnam has an emerging human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic (estimated population prevalence 0.5%), but valid data on HIV prevalence among tuberculosis (TB) patients are limited. Recent increases in TB notification rates among young adults may be related to HIV. To assess the prevalence of HIV infection among smear-positive TB patients in six provinces with relatively high HIV population prevalence in Vietnam. All patients who registered for treatment of smear-positive TB during the fourth quarter of 2005 were offered HIV testing. Of the 1217 TB patients included in the study, 100 (8.2%) tested HIV-positive. HIV prevalence varied between 2% and 17% in the provinces, and was strongly associated with age Vietnam, HIV infection is concentrated in drug users, as well as in specific geographic areas where it has considerable impact on TB notification rates among men aged 15-34 years.

Disparities in Rates of Spine Surgery for Degenerative Spine Disease Between HIV Infected and Uninfected Veterans

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King, Joseph T.; Gordon, Adam J.; Perkal, Melissa F.; Crystal, Stephen; Rosenthal, Ronnie A.; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C.; Butt, Adeel A.; Gibert, Cynthia L.; Rimland, David; Simberkoff, Michael S.; Justice, Amy C.

2011-01-01

Study Design Retrospective analysis of nationwide Veterans Health Administration (VA) clinical and administrative data. Objective Examine the association between HIV infection and the rate of spine surgery for degenerative spine disease. Summary of Background Data Combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) has prolonged survival in patients with HIV/AIDS, increasing the prevalence of chronic conditions such as degenerative spine disease that may require spine surgery. Methods We studied all HIV infected patients under care in the VA from 1996–2008 (n=40,038) and uninfected comparator patients (n=79,039) matched on age, gender, race, year, and geographic region. The primary outcome was spine surgery for degenerative spine disease defined by ICD-9 procedure and diagnosis codes. We used a multivariate Poisson regression to model spine surgery rates by HIV infection status, adjusting for factors that might affect suitability for surgery (demographics, year, comorbidities, body mass index, cART, and laboratory values). Results Two-hundred twenty eight HIV infected and 784 uninfected patients underwent spine surgery for degenerative spine disease during 700,731 patient-years of follow-up (1.44 surgeries per 1,000 patient-years). The most common procedures were spinal decompression (50%), and decompression and fusion (33%); the most common surgical sites were the lumbosacral (50%), and cervical (40%) spine. Adjusted rates of surgery were lower for HIV infected patients (0.86 per 1,000 patient-years of follow-up) than for uninfected patients (1.41 per 1,000 patient-years; IRR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.74, Pdegenerative spine disease. Possible explanations include disease prevalence, emphasis on treatment of non-spine HIV-related symptoms, surgical referral patterns, impact of HIV on surgery risk-benefit ratio, patient preferences, and surgeon bias. PMID:21697770

The Effect of an Increased Minimum Wage on Infant Mortality and Birth Weight.

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Komro, Kelli A; Livingston, Melvin D; Markowitz, Sara; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2016-08-01

To investigate the effects of state minimum wage laws on low birth weight and infant mortality in the United States. We estimated the effects of state-level minimum wage laws using a difference-in-differences approach on rates of low birth weight (minimum wage above the federal level was associated with a 1% to 2% decrease in low birth weight births and a 4% decrease in postneonatal mortality. If all states in 2014 had increased their minimum wages by 1 dollar, there would likely have been 2790 fewer low birth weight births and 518 fewer postneonatal deaths for the year.

Global minimum profile error (GMPE) - a least-squares-based approach for extracting macroscopic rate coefficients for complex gas-phase chemical reactions.

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Duong, Minh V; Nguyen, Hieu T; Mai, Tam V-T; Huynh, Lam K

2018-01-03

Master equation/Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (ME/RRKM) has shown to be a powerful framework for modeling kinetic and dynamic behaviors of a complex gas-phase chemical system on a complicated multiple-species and multiple-channel potential energy surface (PES) for a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Derived from the ME time-resolved species profiles, the macroscopic or phenomenological rate coefficients are essential for many reaction engineering applications including those in combustion and atmospheric chemistry. Therefore, in this study, a least-squares-based approach named Global Minimum Profile Error (GMPE) was proposed and implemented in the MultiSpecies-MultiChannel (MSMC) code (Int. J. Chem. Kinet., 2015, 47, 564) to extract macroscopic rate coefficients for such a complicated system. The capability and limitations of the new approach were discussed in several well-defined test cases.

Effect of infection with Metacercariae of Himasthla elongata (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) on cardiac activity and growth rate in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in situ

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Bakhmet, Igor; Nikolaev, Kirill; Levakin, Ivan

2017-05-01

Trematode parasites can affect their molluscan hosts, which serve as the first intermediate hosts in their life cycles, in manifold ways, but little is known about trematode-induced effects on their second intermediate hosts. Experimental infection of blue mussels Mytilus edulis serving as second intermediate hosts for larval stages (metacercariae) of the trematodes Himasthla elongata was studied in field experiments during one year. The heart rates and growth rates of noninfected mussels were significantly higher than those of infected mussels. During the summer, the heart rates of noninfected mussels showed rhythmic oscillations, whereas the parasitized animals displayed no any rhythmicity. There was a significant difference between the infected and uninfected mussels in relation to heart rates and temperature. The results indicate that mussels infected with H. elongata metacercariae may be at an energetic disadvantage relative to noninfected mussels. Furthermore, trematode infection may disrupt neuronal control of cardiac function.

Experimental minimum threshold for Phytophthora cinnamomi root disease expression on Quercus suber

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María Socorro SERRANO

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Quercus suber seedlings were potted in soils infested with increasing concentrations of Phytophthora cinnamomi chlamydospores and submitted to weekly flooding for 3 months to favour root infections. Increasing quantities of chlamydospores led to an exponential increase in their ability to germinate. Root symptoms (necrosis and/or absence of feeder roots were significantly more severe than those recorded in uninfested soil only for plants potted in soils infested with 61 cfu g-1 or more. Although generated using potting mix, this minimum threshold represents a tool for checking the potential infectivity of infested soils or to assess the effectiveness of some control methods to reduce soil inoculum. However, a low level of root infection was recorded even at 3 cfu g-1. Therefore, long-term disease risk may be present whenever the pathogen is detectable in oak forest soils.

Revising rates of asymptomatic Zika virus infection based on sentinel surveillance data from French Overseas Territories

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Lorenzo Subissi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available French Polynesia and the French Territories of the Americas (FTAs have experienced outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV infection. These territories used similar sentinel syndromic surveillance to follow the epidemics. However, the surveillance system only takes into account consulting patients diagnosed with ZIKV disease, while non-consulting cases, as well as asymptomatic cases, are not taken into account. In the French territories under study, the ratio of consulting to non-consulting patients was found to likely be as low as 1/3 to 1/4, and rough estimates of the ZIKV asymptomatic infections indicated a lower rate than previously reported (i.e., not more than half. Keywords: Zika virus, Sentinel surveillance, Asymptomatic infections, Pacific islands, Caribbean region, Vector-borne infections

Do Minimum Wages Fight Poverty?

OpenAIRE

David Neumark; William Wascher

1997-01-01

The primary goal of a national minimum wage floor is to raise the incomes of poor or near-poor families with members in the work force. However, estimates of employment effects of minimum wages tell us little about whether minimum wages are can achieve this goal; even if the disemployment effects of minimum wages are modest, minimum wage increases could result in net income losses for poor families. We present evidence on the effects of minimum wages on family incomes from matched March CPS s...

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic based dosing of ciprofloxacin in complicated urinary tract infections

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Ana Sabo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Ciprofloxacin is often used in treatment of complicated urinary tract infections in areas with high rates of resistance to first line agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of ciprofloxacin in standard dosing regimens in treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. Plasma concentration curves were simulated and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and post-antibiotic effect were determined. Ciprofloxacin MIC ranged from 0.0156 for Gram-negative and to 0.125-0.5 µg/mL for Gram-positive bacteria. Both dosing regimens were suitable for eradication of Gram-negative bacteria, with slight supremacy of 750 mg/12 hours over 500 mg/12 hours dosing regimen. Even though all strains were fully susceptible to ciprofloxacin, pharmaco-kinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters did not meet target thresholds for pathogens with MIC over 0.1-0.2 µg/mL regardless of the administered dose. Ciprofloxacin remains an excellent choice for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, but in infection caused by Gram-positive strains, deeper analysis is necessary in order to achieve optimal results.

Would a Higher Minimum Wage Help Poor Families Headed by Women?

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Martin, Linda R.; Giannaros, Demetrios

1990-01-01

Studies suggest negative employment consequences if the minimum wage is increased. This may not affect poverty among households headed by women because the unemployment rate does not seem to play a statistically significant role in determining the poverty rate for this cohort. (Author)

The impact of minimum wages on population health: evidence from 24 OECD countries.

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Lenhart, Otto

2017-11-01

This study examines the relationship between minimum wages and several measures of population health by analyzing data from 24 OECD countries for a time period of 31 years. Specifically, I test for health effects as a result of within-country variations in the generosity of minimum wages, which are measured by the Kaitz index. The paper finds that higher levels of minimum wages are associated with significant reductions of overall mortality rates as well as in the number of deaths due to outcomes that have been shown to be more prevalent among individuals with low socioeconomic status (e.g., diabetes, disease of the circulatory system, stroke). A 10% point increase of the Kaitz index is associated with significant declines in death rates and an increase in life expectancy of 0.44 years. Furthermore, I provide evidence for potential channels through which minimum wages impact population health by showing that more generous minimum wages impact outcomes such as poverty, the share of the population with unmet medical needs, the number of doctor consultations, tobacco consumption, calorie intake, and the likelihood of people being overweight.

An Evidence-Based Protocol for Antibiotic Use Prior to Cystoscopy Decreases Antibiotic Use without Impacting Post-Procedural Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infection Rates.

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Gregg, Justin R; Bhalla, Rohan G; Cook, J Paul; Kang, Caroline; Dmochowski, Roger; Talbot, Thomas R; Barocas, Daniel A

2018-04-01

Symptomatic urinary tract infection is a complication of office based cystourethroscopy. Studies are mixed regarding the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent urinary tract infections. Our aim was to develop and evaluate an evidence-based protocol that reduces unnecessary antibiotic use while avoiding an increase in urinary tract infections. We created a clinic antibiogram based on all urology office visits performed during a 2-year period. Bacterial resistance rates, institutional risk related data and clinical guidelines were applied to create a protocol for antibiotic administration before cystourethroscopy. We then analyzed 1,245 consecutive patients without a renal transplant who underwent outpatient cystourethroscopy, including 610 after protocol initiation. Urinary tract infection rates and antibiotic use were analyzed for an association with the protocol change using the Fisher exact test. Cultures had an overall 20% rate of resistance to fluoroquinolones, representing 40% of the cultures that grew Escherichia coli. Before the protocol change 602 of 635 patients (94.8%) received a preprocedural antibiotic compared to 426 of 610 (69.9%) after protocol initiation (p urinary tract infection prior to the protocol change while 16 (2.6%) had a urinary tract infection after the change (p = 0.69). Regarding resistance, fluoroquinolone resistant organisms grew in the cultures of 12 of 19 patients (63.2%) with a urinary tract infection before the protocol change compared to 5 of 16 (31.3%) with a urinary tract infection after the change. Recent antibiotic administration, hospitalization and chronic catheterization were associated with urinary tract infection in the entire cohort (all p ≤0.01). A local antibiogram with infection related risk data effectively risk stratifies patients before cystourethroscopy, decreasing the use of antibiotics without increasing the rate of symptomatic urinary tract infection. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association

Brucella Infection in HIV Infected Patients

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SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to assess the possible correlation between Brucella and HIV infections. Iran is a country where HIV infection is expanding and Brucellosis is prevalent. In the present study, 184 HIV infected patients were assigned and for all of them HIV infection was confirmed by western blot test. In order to identify the prevalence rate of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis in these subjects, sera samples were obtained and Brucella specific serological tests were performed to reveal antibody titers. Detailed history was taken and physical examination was carried out for all of patients. 11 (6% subjects had high titers but only 3 of them were symptomatic. Most of these subjects were injection drug user (IDU men and one was a rural woman. Considering both prevalence rates of Brucella infection (3% and symptomatic brucellosis (0.1% in Iran, our HIV positive patients show higher rates of Brucella infection and systemic brucellosis. Preserved cellular immunity of participants and retention of granulocytes activity may explain this poor association; whereas other explanations such as immunological state difference and non-overlapping geographical distribution of the 2 pathogens have been mentioned by various authors.

Low mother-to-child-transmission rate of Hepatitis C virus in cART treated HIV-1 infected mothers.

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Snijdewind, I J M; Smit, C; Schutten, M; Nellen, F J B; Kroon, F P; Reiss, P; van der Ende, M E

2015-07-01

Maternal transmission is the most common cause of HCV infection in children. HIV co-infection and high levels of plasma HCV-RNA have been associated with increased HCV transmission rates. We assessed the vertical HCV transmission rate in the HIV-HCV co-infected group of pregnant women on cART. We conducted a retrospective study in a Dutch cohort of HIV-positive pregnant women and their children. We identified co-infected mothers. Results of the HCV tests of the children were obtained. All 21 women were on cART at the time of delivery. We analyzed data of the 24 live-born children at risk for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HCV between 1996 and 2009. HIV-RNA was cell count was 419 cells/μl (290-768). There was no transmission of HIV. The median plasma HCV-RNA in our cohort of 23 non-transmitting deliveries in 21 women was 3.5×10E5 viral eq/ml (IQR 9.6×104-1.5×106veq/mL). One of 24 live-born children was found to be infected with HCV genotype 1. At the time of delivery the maternal plasma HIV-RNA was cell count was 160 cells/μl and maternal plasma HCV-RNA was 4.6×10E6 veq/ml. This amounted to a prevalence of HCV-MTCT of 4%. In this well-defined cohort of HIV-HCV co-infected pregnant women, all treated with cART during pregnancy, a modest rate of vertical HCV transmission was observed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of a prevention bundle on Clostridium difficile infection rates in a hospital in the Southeastern United States.

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Davis, Bionca M; Yin, Jingjing; Blomberg, Doug; Fung, Isaac Chun-Hai

2016-12-01

We sought to assess the impact of a multicomponent prevention program on hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infections in a hospital in the Southeastern United States. We collected retrospective data of 140 patients from years 2009-2014 and applied the Poisson regression model for analysis. We did not find any significant associations of increased risk of Clostridium difficile infections for the preintervention group. Further studies are needed to test multifaceted bundles in hospitals with high infection rates. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study

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Schellevis François G

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections. Method During one calendar year, 195 general practitioners in 104 practices in the Netherlands registered all their patient contacts. This study was performed by the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL in 2001. Of 82,053 children aged 0 to 18 years, the following variables were collected: number of episodes per patient, number of contacts per episode, month of the year in which the diagnosis of urinary tract infection was made, age, gender, urbanisation level, drug prescription and referral. Results The overall incidence rate was 19 episodes per 1000 person years. The incidence rate in girls was 8 times as high as in boys. The incidence rate in smaller cities and rural areas was 2 times as high as in the three largest cities. Throughout the year, incidence rates varied with a decrease in summertime for children at the age of 0 to 12 years. Of the prescriptions, 66% were in accordance with current guidelines, but only 18% of the children who had an indication were actually referred. Conclusion This study shows that incidence rates of urinary tract infections are not only related to gender and season, but also to urbanisation. General practitioners in the Netherlands frequently do not follow the clinical guidelines for urinary tract infections, especially with respect to referral.

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, Wing-Yee; de Kwaadsteniet, Marjolein CE; Harmsen, Mirjam; van Suijlekom-Smit, Lisette WA; Schellevis, François G; van der Wouden, Johannes C

2006-01-01

Background We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections. Method During one calendar year, 195 general practitioners in 104 practices in the Netherlands registered all their patient contacts. This study was performed by the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) in 2001. Of 82,053 children aged 0 to 18 years, the following variables were collected: number of episodes per patient, number of contacts per episode, month of the year in which the diagnosis of urinary tract infection was made, age, gender, urbanisation level, drug prescription and referral. Results The overall incidence rate was 19 episodes per 1000 person years. The incidence rate in girls was 8 times as high as in boys. The incidence rate in smaller cities and rural areas was 2 times as high as in the three largest cities. Throughout the year, incidence rates varied with a decrease in summertime for children at the age of 0 to 12 years. Of the prescriptions, 66% were in accordance with current guidelines, but only 18% of the children who had an indication were actually referred. Conclusion This study shows that incidence rates of urinary tract infections are not only related to gender and season, but also to urbanisation. General practitioners in the Netherlands frequently do not follow the clinical guidelines for urinary tract infections, especially with respect to referral. PMID:16584577

Minimum ventilation rates as a function of the use and the frequency of use of rooms. Final report. Mindestluftwechsel in Abhaengigkeit von der Nutzungsart und -intensitaet. Schlussbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wegner, J; Schlueter, G; Angerer, C; Meyer, H D

1986-12-01

From a hygienic view-point optimum indoor air quality can be characterized as the complete absence of pollutants. The most important sources of such pollutants are reviewed, amongst them those entering a room from outside, those generated by man and his activities and those emanating from different materials such as building materials, furnishing, cleansing and polishing agents. In view of achieving acceptable indoor conditions all emissions have to be kept as low as possible. Carbon dioxide and body odors as well as pollutants, the concentrations of which cannot be reduced to non-relevant levels by product control, should be eliminated by ventilation measures. However, such measures should not exceed a given limit, since in order to minimize energy consumption, air exchange rates have to be kept at a minimum. As a result of the investigations, it is concluded that the minimum ventilation rate should be derived from the acceptable CO/sub 2/ concentration. The concentrations of all other pollutants (e.g., formaldehyde) should be limited by product control or source removal. With 75 refs., 10 tabs., 19 figs.

An intervention to improve the catheter associated urinary tract infection rate in a medical intensive care unit: Direct observation of catheter insertion procedure.

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Galiczewski, Janet M; Shurpin, Kathleen M

2017-06-01

Healthcare associated infections from indwelling urinary catheters lead to increased patient morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine if direct observation of the urinary catheter insertion procedure, as compared to the standard process, decreased catheter utilization and urinary tract infection rates. This case control study was conducted in a medical intensive care unit. During phase I, a retrospective data review was conducted on utilsiation and urinary catheter infection rates when practitioners followed the institution's standard insertion algorithm. During phase II, an intervention of direct observation was added to the standard insertion procedure. The results demonstrated no change in utilization rates, however, CAUTI rates decreased from 2.24 to 0 per 1000 catheter days. The findings from this study may promote changes in clinical practice guidelines leading to a reduction in urinary catheter utilization and infection rates and improved patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eradication rate of Helicobacter Pylori infection is directly influenced by adherence to therapy in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotilea, Kallirroi; Mekhael, Joyce; Salame, Assaad; Mahler, Tania; Miendje-Deyi, Veronique Yvette; Cadranel, Samy; Bontems, Patrick

2017-08-01

Current commonly accepted strategies to eradicate Helicobacter pylori in children are a 10-day sequential treatment or a triple therapy for 7-14 days. To avoid further expensive and possibly risky investigations as well as induction of secondary antimicrobial resistance, a success rate of elimination strategies over 90% in a per-protocol analysis is the target goal but rates observed in clinical trials are lower. Antimicrobial resistance is a well-recognized risk factor for treatment failure; therefore, only a treatment tailored to susceptibility testing should be recommended. Adherence to therapy is also a risk factor for treatment failure but that has been poorly studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of adherence to therapy on the elimination rates obtained with different treatment regimens. Cohort study analysis of children, aged 2-17 years, treated for Helicobacter pylori infection between October 2011 and December 2013. As a routine clinical practice, children infected with a strain susceptible to clarithromycin and to metronidazole received either a sequential regimen or a 10-day triple therapy while children infected with a strain resistant to clarithromycin or metronidazole received a 10-day triple regimen tailored to antimicrobial susceptibility. The eradication rate was assessed by a negative 13 C-urea breath test performed at least 8 weeks after the end of the treatment and adherence evaluated using a diary. One hundred forty-five children (67 girls/78 boys, median age 9.7 years) fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 118 being infected with a strain susceptible to both clarithromycin and metronidazole, 10 with a clarithromycin resistant, and 17 with a metronidazole resistant strain. A sequential regimen was prescribed in 44, a triple therapy containing clarithromycin in 84 and containing metronidazole in 17. Follow-up data were available for 130/145 and clearance of the infection observed in 105 of them. A concordance of more than

Impact of an educational intervention on hand hygiene compliance and infection rate in a developing country neonatal intensive care unit.

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Chhapola, Viswas; Brar, Rekha

2015-10-01

Nosocomial infections are a significant problem in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and hand hygiene (HH) has been stated as an effective mean to prevent spread of infections. The aim of study was to assess the baseline compliance HH practices and to evaluate the impact of hand washing educational programme on infection rate in a NICU. Continuous surveillance of nosocomial infections was done. A total of 15,797 and 12 ,29 opportunities for HH were observed in pre-intervention and postintervention phases, respectively. Compliance of health-care workers for all HH opportunities combined was 46% before intervention and improved significantly to 69% in postintervention (RR 1.49, CI 1.46-1.52, P Nosocomial sepsis rate showed a significant decline from 96 per 1000 patient-days in pre-intervention to 47 per 1000 patient-days in postintervention phase (RR 0.44, CI 0.33-0.58, P nosocomial infection control approach especially important in developing nations. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Minimum target prices for production of direct-acting antivirals and associated diagnostics to combat hepatitis C virus.

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van de Ven, Nikolien; Fortunak, Joe; Simmons, Bryony; Ford, Nathan; Cooke, Graham S; Khoo, Saye; Hill, Andrew

2015-04-01

Combinations of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) can cure hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the majority of treatment-naïve patients. Mass treatment programs to cure HCV in developing countries are only feasible if the costs of treatment and laboratory diagnostics are very low. This analysis aimed to estimate minimum costs of DAA treatment and associated diagnostic monitoring. Clinical trials of HCV DAAs were reviewed to identify combinations with consistently high rates of sustained virological response across hepatitis C genotypes. For each DAA, molecular structures, doses, treatment duration, and components of retrosynthesis were used to estimate costs of large-scale, generic production. Manufacturing costs per gram of DAA were based upon treating at least 5 million patients per year and a 40% margin for formulation. Costs of diagnostic support were estimated based on published minimum prices of genotyping, HCV antigen tests plus full blood count/clinical chemistry tests. Predicted minimum costs for 12-week courses of combination DAAs with the most consistent efficacy results were: US$122 per person for sofosbuvir+daclatasvir; US$152 for sofosbuvir+ribavirin; US$192 for sofosbuvir+ledipasvir; and US$115 for MK-8742+MK-5172. Diagnostic testing costs were estimated at US$90 for genotyping US$34 for two HCV antigen tests and US$22 for two full blood count/clinical chemistry tests. Minimum costs of treatment and diagnostics to cure hepatitis C virus infection were estimated at US$171-360 per person without genotyping or US$261-450 per person with genotyping. These cost estimates assume that existing large-scale treatment programs can be established. © 2014 The Authors. Hepatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Resident and Facility Factors Associated With the Incidence of Urinary Tract Infections Identified in the Nursing Home Minimum Data Set.

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Castle, Nicholas; Engberg, John B; Wagner, Laura M; Handler, Steven

2017-02-01

This research examined resident and facility-specific factors associated with a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the nursing home setting. Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting system data were used to identify all nursing home residents in the United States on April 1, 2006, who did not have a UTI ( n = 1,138,418). Residents were followed until they contracted a UTI (9.5%), died (8.3%), left the nursing home (33.2%), or the year ended (49.0%). A Cox proportional hazards model was estimated, controlling for resident and facility characteristics and for the state of residence. The presence of an indwelling catheter was the primary predictor of whether a resident contracted a UTI (adjusted incidence ratio = 3.35, p factors such as percentage of Medicaid residents, for-profit, and chain status was less significant. Estimates regarding staffing levels indicate that increased contact hours with more highly educated nursing staff are associated with less catheter use. Several facility-specific risk factors are of significance. Of significance, UTIs may be reduced by modifying factors such as staffing levels.

76 FR 80781 - Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2012

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

...-11213, Notice No. 15] RIN 2130-AA81 Alcohol and Drug Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing...: Lamar Allen, Alcohol and Drug Program Manager, Office of Safety Enforcement, Mail Stop 25, Federal... Kathy Schnakenberg, FRA Alcohol/Drug Program Specialist, (telephone (719) 633-8955). Issued in...

Rising above the Minimum Wage.

Science.gov (United States)

Even, William; Macpherson, David

An in-depth analysis was made of how quickly most people move up the wage scale from minimum wage, what factors influence their progress, and how minimum wage increases affect wage growth above the minimum. Very few workers remain at the minimum wage over the long run, according to this study of data drawn from the 1977-78 May Current Population…

The Preventive Control of a Dengue Disease Using Pontryagin Minimum Principal

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Ratna Sari, Eminugroho; Insani, Nur; Lestari, Dwi

2017-06-01

Behaviour analysis for host-vector model without control of dengue disease is based on the value of basic reproduction number obtained using next generation matrices. Furthermore, the model is further developed involving a preventive control to minimize the contact between host and vector. The purpose is to obtain an optimal preventive strategy with minimal cost. The Pontryagin Minimum Principal is used to find the optimal control analytically. The derived optimality model is then solved numerically to investigate control effort to reduce infected class.

Low infection rate after tumor hip arthroplasty for metastatic bone disease in a cohort treated with extended antibiotic prophylaxis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hettwer, Werner H; Horstmann, Peter Frederik; Hovgaard, Thea Bechmann

2015-01-01

tumor resection for metastatic bone disease during a 4-year period from 2010 to 2013 (n = 105 patients). Results. Intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis was administrated for an extended duration of a mean of 7.4 days. The overall infection rate was 3.6% (4/111 implants), infection free survival was 96...... suggest that extended postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis may reduce the risk of PJI in patients undergoing tumor resection and endoprosthetic replacement for metastatic bone disease associated impending or de facto pathologic fractures of the proximal femur.......Background. Compared to conventional hip arthroplasty, endoprosthetic reconstruction after tumor resection is associated with a substantially increased risk of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), with reported rates of around 10% in a recent systematic review. The optimal duration of antibiotic...

The rate of Aflatoxin contamination of bread losses in Lorestan provinces

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nader Azadbakht

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Azadbakht N1, Khosravinegad K2, Tarrahi MJ3 1. MSc in plant pathology, Khorramabad, Iran 2. BSc in livestock sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 3. Instrustor, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences , Khorramabad, Iran Abstract Background: Aflatoxins belong to a group of toxins called mycotoxins that infection with them can cause complications in humans such as immunity weakness, lung syndrome, liver cancer, esophagus cancer and hemagglutination, and are inhibitor of RNA and protein, as well as cause numorous complications in genital, respiratory and the digestive systems and because of their poisoning and carcinogenic and tumorigenic properties, cause numorous complications in livestock. This research was carried out to determine the rate of Aflatoxine contamination of bread losses in Lorestan province and its comparison with standard levels reported by WHO and FAO. Materials and methods: This study was done by field and laboratory method on 180 samples of losses dried bread in 2009 with randomized distribution in Lorestan provine and detection of samples contamination to aflatoxin was done by HPLC floresence apparatus. Data was analyzed by SPSS software (α=5%. Results: The median rate of types of aflatoxin: B1,B2,G1 and G2 total types of aflatoxin in bread losses (infected, semi-infected and safe in Lorestan were 22.5304,2.4369,0.1923,0.1022 and 25.2636 (µg/kg. Average of minimum and maximum infection to aflatoxin with all types of aflatoxin belonged to Khorramabad (42.9403 and 47.7153 µg/kg and Borujerd (1.8611 and 1.9833 respectively. Average rate of aflatoxin type B1 in infected, semi-infected and safe bread are 64.0536, 1.9167, 0.5629 (µg/kg and average rate of all types of aflatoxin in infected, and safe breads were: 72.0257,1.9990 and 05753 (µg/kg. Also rate of aflatoxin B1 in 29 out of 180 samples are more than standard level and total rate of different types of aflatoxin in 18 samples were

Flow Convergence Caused by a Salinity Minimum in a Tidal Channel

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John C. Warner

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Residence times of dissolved substances and sedimentation rates in tidal channels are affected by residual (tidally averaged circulation patterns. One influence on these circulation patterns is the longitudinal density gradient. In most estuaries the longitudinal density gradient typically maintains a constant direction. However, a junction of tidal channels can create a local reversal (change in sign of the density gradient. This can occur due to a difference in the phase of tidal currents in each channel. In San Francisco Bay, the phasing of the currents at the junction of Mare Island Strait and Carquinez Strait produces a local salinity minimum in Mare Island Strait. At the location of a local salinity minimum the longitudinal density gradient reverses direction. This paper presents four numerical models that were used to investigate the circulation caused by the salinity minimum: (1 A simple one-dimensional (1D finite difference model demonstrates that a local salinity minimum is advected into Mare Island Strait from the junction with Carquinez Strait during flood tide. (2 A three-dimensional (3D hydrodynamic finite element model is used to compute the tidally averaged circulation in a channel that contains a salinity minimum (a change in the sign of the longitudinal density gradient and compares that to a channel that contains a longitudinal density gradient in a constant direction. The tidally averaged circulation produced by the salinity minimum is characterized by converging flow at the bed and diverging flow at the surface, whereas the circulation produced by the constant direction gradient is characterized by converging flow at the bed and downstream surface currents. These velocity fields are used to drive both a particle tracking and a sediment transport model. (3 A particle tracking model demonstrates a 30 percent increase in the residence time of neutrally buoyant particles transported through the salinity minimum, as compared to

The Risk Management of Minimum Return Guarantees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antje Mahayni

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Contracts paying a guaranteed minimum rate of return and a fraction of a positive excess rate, which is specified relative to a benchmark portfolio, are closely related to unit-linked life-insurance products and can be considered as alternatives to direct investment in the underlying benchmark. They contain an embedded power option, and the key issue is the tractable and realistic hedging of this option, in order to rigorously justify valuation by arbitrage arguments and prevent the guarantees from becoming uncontrollable liabilities to the issuer. We show how to determine the contract parameters conservatively and implement robust risk-management strategies.

Stented ureterovesical anastomosis in renal transplantation: does it influence the rate of urinary tract infections?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathe Z

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Our objective was to evaluate the impact of routine use of double-J stents on the incidence of urinary tract infection after renal transplantation. Methods We conducted a retrospective-comparative single-centre study in 310 consecutive adult deceased donor kidney recipients transplanted from 2002 to 2006. Patients were divided in two groups, with or without urinary stent implantation. To evaluate the predictive factors for UTI, donor and recipients pre- and post-transplantation data were analysed. Early urological complications and renal function within 12 months of transplantation were included as well. Results A total of 157 patients were enrolled to a stent (ST and 153 patients to a no-stent (NST group. The rate of urinary tract infection at three months was similar between the two groups (43.3% ST vs. 40.1% NST, p = 0.65. Of the identified pathogens Enterococcus and Escherichia coli were the most common species. In multivariate analysis neither age nor immunosuppressive agents, BMI or diabetes seemed to have influence on the rate of UTI. When compared to males, females had a significantly higher risk for UTI (54.0% vs. 33.5%. Conclusion Prophylactic stenting of the ureterovesical anastomosis does not increase the risk of urinary tract infection in the early postoperative period.

Evaluation of an ultraviolet room disinfection protocol to decrease nursing home microbial burden, infection and hospitalization rates

OpenAIRE

Kovach, Christine R.; Taneli, Yavuz; Neiman, Tammy; Dyer, Elaine M.; Arzaga, Alvin Jason A.; Kelber, Sheryl T

2017-01-01

Background The focus of nursing home infection control procedures has been on decreasing transmission between healthcare workers and residents. Less evidence is available regarding whether decontamination of high-touch environmental surfaces impacts infection rates or resident outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine if ultraviolet disinfection is associated with changes in: 1) microbial counts and adenosine triphosphate counts on high-touch surfaces; and 2) facility wide nursing ho...

Impact of Anti-Helicobacter Therapy of H.pylori-Infected Parents on H.pylori Reinfection Rate in Children after Successful Eradication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.P. Volosovets

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The article presents the data about the rate of H.pylori reinfection during 12 months after anti-helicobacter therapy among the children after successful eradication. It was shown that H.pylori reinfection rate was lower in children after successful eradication who were living after the treatment with parents non-infectead with H.pylori than among children who were living with H.pylori-infected parents. It was demonstrated that simultaneous anti-helicobacter therapy in H.pylori-infected parents of children with with chronic gastroduodenal diseases associated with H.pylori decreased H.pylori reinfection rate in children with successful eradication.

Compliance with American Urological Association Guidelines for Post-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Antibiotics Does Not Appear to Increase Rates of Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, Sameer; Sternberg, Kevan; Hernandez, Natalia; Eisner, Brian H

2015-10-01

We compared infection rates after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in a group of patients without a history of infection or struvite calculi who received 24 hours or less of antibiotics postoperatively (ie compliance with AUA guidelines) vs a group that received 5 to 7 days of antibiotics postoperatively. We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedures in patients without a history of urinary tract infection. Group 1 received 24 hours or less of antibiotics postoperatively and group 2 received a mean of 6 days of antibiotics postoperatively. A total of 52 patients in group 1 (24 hours or less of antibiotics) and 30 in group 2 (mean 6 days of antibiotics) met study inclusion criteria. In 5 group 1 patients (9.6%) fever developed within 72 hours of percutaneous nephrolithotomy but none demonstrated bacteriuria or bacteremia on cultures. No patient in group 1 was treated for urinary tract infection on postoperative days 3 to 14. In 4 group 2 patients (13.3%) fever developed within 72 hours of percutaneous nephrolithotomy. A single patient showed bacteriuria (less than 10,000 cfu mixed gram-positive bacteria) on culture while no patient demonstrated bacteremia. No patient in group 2 was treated for urinary tract infection on postoperative days 3 to 14. There was no difference in stone-free rates or the need for additional procedures between the 2 groups. In this pilot series compliance with AUA guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis did not result in higher rates of infection than in a comparable group of 30 patients who received approximately 6 days of antibiotics postoperatively. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Employment effects of minimum wages

OpenAIRE

Neumark, David

2014-01-01

The potential benefits of higher minimum wages come from the higher wages for affected workers, some of whom are in low-income families. The potential downside is that a higher minimum wage may discourage employers from using the low-wage, low-skill workers that minimum wages are intended to help. Research findings are not unanimous, but evidence from many countries suggests that minimum wages reduce the jobs available to low-skill workers.

Does screening for vaginal infection have an impact on pregnancy rates in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles?

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Özlem Eldivan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Assisted reproduction techniques have become widespread worldwide. Considering their costs, physicians endeavor to improve pregnancy rates. Infections are one of the disrupting problems in this arena. We aimed to investigate the effects of screening for vaginal infection on pregnancy rates in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty patients randomized into two groups for this study. Patients were screened for vaginal infections in group 1, and no screening was performed in group 2. The assisted reproduction outcomes were investigated and compared between the two groups. Results: There was no significant difference between ages, or durations and causes of infertility of patients who conceived and of those who did conceive. Forty-five patients in group 1, and 40 patients in group 2 reached the embryo transfer stage. The rates of conception were 23.5% (n=4 in culture-positive patients (n=17, and 42.9% (n=12 in culture-negative patients (n=28 in group 1. There was no significant difference among patients who were not screened, screen-positive, and screen-negative, in terms of pregnancy rates. None of the patients had Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Trichomonas vaginalis. Bacterial vaginosis was detected in 13 patients, and both bacterial vaginosis and Chlamydia trachomatis were detected in 4 patients. Three of 4 patients who conceived screen-positive and 8 of 12 patients who conceived screen-negative delivered healthily at term. Conclusion: No significant difference was found between patients who were sampled for culture and patients who were not sampled in terms of pregnancy rates. Also, no difference was found between the patients who were culture-negative and patients who were treated with antimicrobials after a culture positive result. Further larger studies are warranted to clarify this issue. PRECIS: No significant difference was found between patients who were sampled for culture and those who

5 CFR 534.403 - SES rate range.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2004, the minimum rate of basic pay of the SES rate range is set at an amount equal to the minimum rate of basic pay under 5 U.S.C... Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Pay and...

Digitizing Tablet and Fahn–Tolosa–Marín Ratings of Archimedes Spirals have Comparable Minimum Detectable Change in Essential Tremor

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Rodger J. Elble

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Drawing Archimedes spirals is a popular and valid method of assessing action tremor in the upper limbs. We performed the first blinded comparison of Fahn–Tolosa–Marín (FTM ratings and tablet measures of essential tremor to determine if a digitizing tablet is better than 0–4 ratings in detecting changes in essential tremor that exceed random variability in tremor amplitude.Methods: The large and small spirals of FTM were drawn with each hand on two consecutive days by 14 men and four women (age 60±8.7 years [mean±SD] with mild to severe essential tremor. The drawings were simultaneously digitized with a digitizing tablet. Tremor in each digitized drawing was computed with spectral analysis in an independent laboratory, blinded to the clinical ratings. The mean peak-to-peak tremor displacement (cm in the four spirals and mean FTM ratings were compared statistically.Results: Test–retest intraclass correlations (ICCs (two-way random single measures, absolute agreement were excellent for the FTM ratings (ICC 0.90, 95% CI 0.76–0.96 and tablet (ICC 0.97, 95% CI 0.91–0.99. Log10 tremor amplitude (T and FTM were strongly correlated (logT = αFTM + β, α≈0.6, β≈–1.27, r = 0.94. The minimum detectable change for the tablet and FTM were 51% and 67% of the initial assessment.Discussion: Digitizing tablets are much more precise than clinical ratings, but this advantage is mitigated by the natural variability in tremor. Nevertheless, the digitizing tablet is a robust method of quantifying tremor that can be used in lieu of or in combination with clinical ratings.

Pasteurization of breastmilk decreases the rate of postnatally acquired cytomegalovirus infections, but shows a nonsignificant trend to an increased rate of necrotizing enterocolitis in very preterm infants--a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Katharina; Griesmaier, Elke; Brunner, Barbara; Neubauer, Vera; Kiechl-Kohlendorfer, Ursula; Trawöger, Rudolf

2015-03-01

This study assessed whether feeding preterm infants unpasteurized breastmilk (1) decreases the rate of late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis and (2) increases the rate of postnatally acquired cytomegalovirus infections. Between January 2008 and July 2013, preterm infants below 32 completed weeks of gestational age admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Innsbruck Medical University (Innsbruck, Austria) (n=344) were eligible for the study. Of those, 323 fed breastmilk were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Two groups were formed, with 164 infants being fed unpasteurized and 159 infants being fed pasteurized breastmilk. There was no significant difference in the rate of late-onset sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis between the unpasteurized and pasteurized breastmilk groups (late-onset sepsis, 15.9% versus 15.1% [p=0.486]; necrotizing enterocolitis, 2.4% versus 4.4% [p=0.254]). The number of infants diagnosed with postnatally acquired cytomegalovirus infection was significantly higher in the unpasteurized group (39.3%) compared with the pasteurized group (4.2%) (p=0.008). Feeding preterm infants unpasteurized breastmilk increases the rate of postnatally acquired cytomegalovirus infections. However, we also demonstrate a nonsignificant trend to a decreased rate of necrotizing enterocolitis in the unpasteurized group, which needs to be confirmed in larger studies.

Assessing the impacts of Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol pricing regulations on alcohol-related crime.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockwell, Tim; Zhao, Jinhui; Sherk, Adam; Callaghan, Russell C; Macdonald, Scott; Gatley, Jodi

2017-07-01

Saskatchewan's introduction in April 2010 of minimum prices graded by alcohol strength led to an average minimum price increase of 9.1% per Canadian standard drink (=13.45 g ethanol). This increase was shown to be associated with reduced consumption and switching to lower alcohol content beverages. Police also informally reported marked reductions in night-time alcohol-related crime. This study aims to assess the impacts of changes to Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol-pricing regulations between 2008 and 2012 on selected crime events often related to alcohol use. Data were obtained from Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. Auto-regressive integrated moving average time series models were used to test immediate and lagged associations between minimum price increases and rates of night-time and police identified alcohol-related crimes. Controls were included for simultaneous crime rates in the neighbouring province of Alberta, economic variables, linear trend, seasonality and autoregressive and/or moving-average effects. The introduction of increased minimum-alcohol prices was associated with an abrupt decrease in night-time alcohol-related traffic offences for men (-8.0%, P prices may contribute to reductions in alcohol-related traffic-related and violent crimes perpetrated by men. Observed lagged effects for violent incidents may be due to a delay in bars passing on increased prices to their customers, perhaps because of inventory stockpiling. [Stockwell T, Zhao J, Sherk A, Callaghan RC, Macdonald S, Gatley J. Assessing the impacts of Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol pricing regulations on alcohol-related crime. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:492-501]. © 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Congenital toxoplasma infection: monthly prenatal screening decreases transmission rate and improves clinical outcome at age 3 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallon, M; Peyron, F; Cornu, C; Vinault, S; Abrahamowicz, M; Kopp, C Bonithon; Binquet, C

2013-05-01

Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy exposes the fetus to risks of congenital infection and sequelae that depend heavily on gestational age (GA) at time of infection. Accurate risk estimates by GA are necessary to counsel parents and improve clinical decisions. We analyzed data from pregnant women diagnosed with acute Toxoplasma infection in Lyon (France) from 1987 to 2008 and assessed how the risks of congenital toxoplasmosis and of clinical signs at age 3 years vary depending on GA at the time of maternal infection. Among 2048 mother-infant pairs, 93.2% of mothers received prenatal treatment and 513 (24.7%) fetuses were infected. Because of a significant reduction in risk since 1992 when monthly screening was introduced (59.4% vs 46.6% at 26 GA weeks; P = .038), probabilities of infection were estimated on the basis of maternal infections diagnosed after mid-1992 (n = 1624). Probabilities of congenital infection were <10% for maternal infections before 12 weeks of gestation, rose to 20.0% at 19 weeks, and then continued increasing to 52.3% and almost 70% at 28 and 39 GA weeks, respectively. Because of a significant reduction in risk of clinical signs of congenital toxoplasmosis in infected children born from mothers diagnosed after 1995 when polymerase chain reaction testing on amniotic fluid was initiated (87/794 vs 46/1150; P = .012), probabilities of clinical signs at 3 years were estimated based on 1015 maternal infections diagnosed after 1995 including 207 infected children, with symptoms in 46 (22.2%). These analyses demonstrated that introduction of monthly prenatal screening and improvement in antenatal diagnosis were associated with a significant reduction in the rate of congenital infection and a better outcome at 3 years of age in infected children. Our updated estimates will improve individual management and counseling in areas where genotype II Toxoplasma is predominant.

Isoniazid Completion Rates for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among College Students Managed by a Community Pharmacist

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Karl; Goad, Jeffery; Wu, Joanne; Johnson, Kathleen

2009-01-01

Objective: The authors' objective was to document 9-month and previously recommended 6-month treatment completion rates for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in a pharmacist-managed LTBI clinic in a community pharmacy on a college campus, and to describe patient characteristics. Participants: Participants were university students diagnosed with…

Minimum Wages and Poverty

OpenAIRE

Fields, Gary S.; Kanbur, Ravi

2005-01-01

Textbook analysis tells us that in a competitive labor market, the introduction of a minimum wage above the competitive equilibrium wage will cause unemployment. This paper makes two contributions to the basic theory of the minimum wage. First, we analyze the effects of a higher minimum wage in terms of poverty rather than in terms of unemployment. Second, we extend the standard textbook model to allow for incomesharing between the employed and the unemployed. We find that there are situation...

Infection rates and comparative population dynamics of Peregrinus maidis (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) on corn plants with and without symptoms of maize mosaic virus (Rhabdoviridae: Nucleorhabdovirus) infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Higashi, C H V; Bressan, A

2013-10-01

We examined the population dynamics of the corn planthopper Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) throughout a cycle of corn (Zea mays L.) production on plants with or without symptoms of maize mosaic virus (MMV) (Rhabdoviridae: Nucleorhabdovirus) infection. Our results indicate that the timing of MMV plant infection greatly influenced the planthopper's host plant colonization patterns. Corn plants that expressed symptoms of MMV infection early in the crop cycle (28 d after planting) harbored, on average, 40 and 48% fewer planthoppers than plants that expressed symptoms of MMV infection later in the crop cycle (49 d after planting) and asymptomatic plants, respectively. We also observed a change in the number of brachypterous (short-wing type) and macropterous (long-wing type) winged forms produced; plants expressing early symptoms of MMV infection harbored, on average, 41 and 47% more of the brachypterous form than plants with late infections of MMV and plants with no symptoms of MMV, respectively. Furthermore, we determined the rates of MMV-infected planthoppers relative to their wing morphology (macropterous or brachypterous) and gender. MMV infection was 5 and 12% higher in females than in males in field and greenhouse experiments, respectively; however, these differences were not significantly different. This research provides evidence that MMV similarly infects P. maidis planthoppers regardless of the gender and wing morphotype. These results also suggest that the timing of symptom development greatly affects the population dynamics of the planthopper vector, and likely has important consequences for the dynamics of the disease in the field.

Titanium and steel fracture fixation plates with different surface topographies: Influence on infection rate in a rabbit fracture model.

Science.gov (United States)

Metsemakers, W J; Schmid, Tanja; Zeiter, Stephan; Ernst, Manuela; Keller, Iris; Cosmelli, Nicolo; Arens, Daniel; Moriarty, T Fintan; Richards, R Geoff

2016-03-01

Implant-related infection is a challenging complication in musculoskeletal trauma surgery. In the present study, we examined the role of implant material and surface topography as influencing factors on the development of infection in an experimental model of plating osteosynthesis in the rabbit. The implants included in this experimental study were composed of: standard Electropolished Stainless Steel (EPSS), standard titanium (Ti-S), roughened stainless steel (RSS) and surface polished titanium (Ti-P). Construct stability and load-to-failure of Ti-P implants was compared to that of Ti-S implants in a rabbit cadaveric model. In an in vivo study, a rabbit humeral fracture model was used. Each rabbit received one of three Staphylococcus aureus inocula, aimed at determining the infection rate at a low, medium and high dose of bacteria. Outcome measures were quantification of bacteria on the implant and in the surrounding tissues, and determination of the infectious dose 50 (ID50). No significant differences were observed between Ti-S and Ti-P regarding stiffness or failure load in the cadaver study. Of the 72 rabbits eventually included in the in vivo study, 50 developed an infection. The ID50 was found to be: EPSS 3.89×10(3) colony forming units (CFU); RSS 8.23×10(3) CFU; Ti-S 5.66×10(3) CFU; Ti-P 3.41×10(3) CFU. Significantly lower bacterial counts were found on the Ti-S implants samples compared with RSS implants (ptitanium and steel implants with conventional or modified topographies. Ti-P implants, which have previously been shown in preclinical studies to reduce complications associated with tissue adherence, do not affect infection rate in this preclinical fracture model. Therefore, Ti-P implants are not expected to affect the infection rate, or influence implant stability in the clinical situation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nowcasting daily minimum air and grass temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, M. J.

2016-02-01

Site-specific and accurate prediction of daily minimum air and grass temperatures, made available online several hours before their occurrence, would be of significant benefit to several economic sectors and for planning human activities. Site-specific and reasonably accurate nowcasts of daily minimum temperature several hours before its occurrence, using measured sub-hourly temperatures hours earlier in the morning as model inputs, was investigated. Various temperature models were tested for their ability to accurately nowcast daily minimum temperatures 2 or 4 h before sunrise. Temperature datasets used for the model nowcasts included sub-hourly grass and grass-surface (infrared) temperatures from one location in South Africa and air temperature from four subtropical sites varying in altitude (USA and South Africa) and from one site in central sub-Saharan Africa. Nowcast models used employed either exponential or square root functions to describe the rate of nighttime temperature decrease but inverted so as to determine the minimum temperature. The models were also applied in near real-time using an open web-based system to display the nowcasts. Extrapolation algorithms for the site-specific nowcasts were also implemented in a datalogger in an innovative and mathematically consistent manner. Comparison of model 1 (exponential) nowcasts vs measured daily minima air temperatures yielded root mean square errors (RMSEs) <1 °C for the 2-h ahead nowcasts. Model 2 (also exponential), for which a constant model coefficient ( b = 2.2) was used, was usually slightly less accurate but still with RMSEs <1 °C. Use of model 3 (square root) yielded increased RMSEs for the 2-h ahead comparisons between nowcasted and measured daily minima air temperature, increasing to 1.4 °C for some sites. For all sites for all models, the comparisons for the 4-h ahead air temperature nowcasts generally yielded increased RMSEs, <2.1 °C. Comparisons for all model nowcasts of the daily grass

75 FR 6151 - Minimum Capital

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-08

... capital and reserve requirements to be issued by order or regulation with respect to a product or activity... minimum capital requirements. Section 1362(a) establishes a minimum capital level for the Enterprises... entities required under this section.\\6\\ \\3\\ The Bank Act's current minimum capital requirements apply to...

A Pareto-Improving Minimum Wage

OpenAIRE

Eliav Danziger; Leif Danziger

2014-01-01

This paper shows that a graduated minimum wage, in contrast to a constant minimum wage, can provide a strict Pareto improvement over what can be achieved with an optimal income tax. The reason is that a graduated minimum wage requires high-productivity workers to work more to earn the same income as low-productivity workers, which makes it more difficult for the former to mimic the latter. In effect, a graduated minimum wage allows the low-productivity workers to benefit from second-degree pr...

Stratification of surgical site infection by operative factors and comparison of infection rates after hernia repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Margaret A; Nickel, Katelin B; Wallace, Anna E; Mines, Daniel; Fraser, Victoria J; Warren, David K

2015-03-01

To investigate whether operative factors are associated with risk of surgical site infection (SSI) after hernia repair. Retrospective cohort study. Patients Commercially insured enrollees aged 6 months-64 years with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure or Current Procedural Terminology, fourth edition, codes for inguinal/femoral, umbilical, and incisional/ventral hernia repair procedures from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2010. SSIs within 90 days after hernia repair were identified by diagnosis codes. The χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to compare SSI incidence by operative factors. A total of 119,973 hernia repair procedures were analyzed. The incidence of SSI differed significantly by anatomic site, with rates of 0.45% (352/77,666) for inguinal/femoral, 1.16% (288/24,917) for umbilical, and 4.11% (715/17,390) for incisional/ventral hernia repair. Within anatomic sites, the incidence of SSI was significantly higher for open versus laparoscopic inguinal/femoral (0.48% [295/61,142] vs 0.34% [57/16,524], P=.020) and incisional/ventral (4.20% [701/16,699] vs 2.03% [14/691], P=.005) hernia repairs. The rate of SSI was higher following procedures with bowel obstruction/necrosis than procedures without obstruction/necrosis for open inguinal/femoral (0.89% [48/5,422] vs 0.44% [247/55,720], Poperative factors may facilitate accurate comparison of SSI rates between facilities.

N2 production rates limited by nitrite availability in the Bay of Bengal oxygen minimum zone

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bristow, L.A; Callbeck, C.M.; Larsen, M.; Altabet, M.A; Dekaezemacker, J.; Forth, M.; Gauns, M.; Glud, R.N.; Kuypers, M.M.M.; Lavik, G.; Milucka, J.; Naqvi, S.W.A; Pratihary, A; Revsbech, N.P.; Thamdrup, B.; Treusch, A; Canfield, D.E.

A third or more of the fixed nitrogen lost from the oceans as N₂ is removed by anaerobic microbial processes in open ocean oxygen minimum zones. These zones have expanded over the past decades, and further anthropogenically induced...

Studies on the infection rates and transmission characteristics of pathogenic trypanosomes in laboratory reared tsetse flies as part of the SIT programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moloo, S.K.

1981-04-01

Investigations were conducted on the infection rates and transmission characteristics of sterile male Glossina morsitans morsitans for T. vivax, T. congolense and T. brucei. Pupae were irradiated after the first flush of female emergences to 7, 10 or 13 krad in a Caesium 137 radiation source under normal room conditions. The male emergences were fed on the T. vivax infected goat at peak parasitaemia. They were mated when 8 days old with 3 days old normal virgin females. A batch of sexually fertile males which had been infected as tenerals on the goat at the same time were similarly mated to serve as control. All the tsetse were maintained on rabbits' ears; the survival and reproductive performance were monitored for 7 age group periods of 9 days each. The sterility rates of the males were 73%, 91% and 98% for the 7, 10 and 13 krad radiation; the percentage infection rates were 78.3, 82.3 and 74.4, respectively. For the control males, the fecundity of the mated females was 90%; the infection rate 75.7%. In all other experiments, 10 krad dose was selected since both the survival and the sterility of the irradiated males were good. The T. vivax challenged cows and goats died with anaemic condition at death. There was no difference in the transmission characteristics between sterile and fertile vectors. Also, there was no significant difference in the infection rates and the transmission frequency of T. congolense and T. brucei to cattle, goats and mice between the sterile and normal males. The results are discussed from viewpoint of the use of Sterile Insect Release method alone or integrated with insecticidal spraying for tsetse eradication operations in terms of the impact on the environment including the trypanosomiasis epidemiology

Antibacterial Envelope Is Associated With Low Infection Rates After Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device Replacement: Results of the Citadel and Centurion Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Henrikson, Charles A; Sohail, M Rizwan; Acosta, Helbert; Johnson, Eric E; Rosenthal, Lawrence; Pachulski, Roman; Dan, Dan; Paladino, Walter; Khairallah, Farhat S; Gleed, Kent; Hanna, Ibrahim; Cheng, Alan; Lexcen, Daniel R; Simons, Grant R

2017-10-01

This study sought to determine whether the nonabsorbable TYRX Antibacterial Envelope (TYRX) reduces major cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections 12 months after implant. TYRX is a monofilament polypropylene mesh impregnated with minocycline and rifampin specifically designed to hold a CIED in place and elute antimicrobials over time. There are limited data on its ability to reduce CIED infections. We prospectively enrolled patients who underwent generator replacement with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy device (CRT), treated with TYRX. The primary endpoints were major CIED infection and CIED mechanical complications. Given the differences in infection rates among ICD and CRT patients, 3 different control populations were used: a published benchmark rate for ICD patients, and both site-matched and comorbidity-matched controls groups for CRT patients. Overall, a major CIED infection occurred in 5 of 1,129 patients treated with TYRX (0.4%; 95% confidence interval: 0.0% to 0.9%), significantly lower than the 12-month benchmark rate of 2.2% (p = 0.0023). Among the TYRX-treated CRT cohort, the major CIED infection rate was 0.7% compared with an infection rate of 1.0% and 1.3% (p = 0.38 and p = 0.02) in site-matched and comorbidity-matched control groups, respectively. Among the ICD group, the 12-month infection rate was 0.2% compared with the published benchmark of 2.2% (p = 0.0052). The most common CIED mechanical complication in study patients was pocket hematoma, which occurred in 18 of the 1,129 patients (1.6%; 95% confidence interval: 0.8 to 2.5), which is comparable with a published rate of 1.6%. Use of TYRX was associated with a lower major CIED infection rate. (TYRX™ Envelope for Prevention of Infection Following Replacement With a CRT or ICD; [Centurion]; NCT01043861/NCT01043705). Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Environmental Persistence Influences Infection Dynamics for a Butterfly Pathogen.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dara A Satterfield

Full Text Available Many pathogens, including those infecting insects, are transmitted via dormant stages shed into the environment, where they must persist until encountering a susceptible host. Understanding how abiotic conditions influence environmental persistence and how these factors influence pathogen spread are crucial for predicting patterns of infection risk. Here, we explored the consequences of environmental transmission for infection dynamics of a debilitating protozoan parasite (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha that infects monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus. We first conducted an experiment to observe the persistence of protozoan spores exposed to natural conditions. Experimental results showed that, contrary to our expectations, pathogen doses maintained high infectivity even after 16 days in the environment, although pathogens did yield infections with lower parasite loads after environmental exposure. Because pathogen longevity exceeded the time span of our experiment, we developed a mechanistic model to better explore environmental persistence for this host-pathogen system. Model analysis showed that, in general, longer spore persistence led to higher infection prevalence and slightly smaller monarch population sizes. The model indicated that typical parasite doses shed onto milkweed plants must remain viable for a minimum of 3 weeks for prevalence to increase during the summer-breeding season, and for 11 weeks or longer to match levels of infection commonly reported from the wild, assuming moderate values for parasite shedding rate. Our findings showed that transmission stages of this butterfly pathogen are long-lived and indicated that this is a necessary condition for the protozoan to persist in local monarch populations. This study provides a modeling framework for future work examining the dynamics of an ecologically important pathogen in an iconic insect.

Minimum critical mass systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dam, H. van; Leege, P.F.A. de

1987-01-01

An analysis is presented of thermal systems with minimum critical mass, based on the use of materials with optimum neutron moderating and reflecting properties. The optimum fissile material distributions in the systems are obtained by calculations with standard computer codes, extended with a routine for flat fuel importance search. It is shown that in the minimum critical mass configuration a considerable part of the fuel is positioned in the reflector region. For 239 Pu a minimum critical mass of 87 g is found, which is the lowest value reported hitherto. (author)

The impact of lifestyle risk factors on the rate of infection after surgery for a fracture of the ankle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, L L; Møller, A M; Brorson, S

2017-01-01

.PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent internal fixation of a fracture of the ankle between 2008 and 2013. The primary outcome was the rate of deep infection and the secondary outcome was any surgical site infection (SSI). Associations with the risk factors and possible.......032) in all analyses. Alcohol overuse was similarly associated, though significant only in unadjusted analyses. Surprisingly, smoking did not yield statistically significant associations with infections.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that obesity and possibly alcohol overuse are independent risk factors...

Prevalence of Nosocomial Infection in Different Wards of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad

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Jamal Falahi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background The CDC defines a nosocomial infection as a localized or systemic condition caused by an adverse reaction to the presence of an infectious agent(s or its toxin(s. It is an infection that occurs between 48 to 72 hours after admission of patients in the hospital or as soon after the hospital discharge and on the admission time, patients don't have this infection. Objectives This study aimed to characterize the prevalence of nosocomial infection in Ghaem hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in all wards of the Ghaem hospital, Mashhad during the 1 year period (2013; the data were collected from the wards records and HIS system and analyzed by the SPSS software (version16. Results In the present study, of total 35979 hospitalized patients in different wards of the Ghaem hospital was reported 1.1% of nosocomial infection. In the meantime, overall, the most prevalent organism was Acinetobacter baumannii with a prevalence of 37.2% and the minimum was linked to the Bacillus species with a prevalence 0.3%. The highest and lowest prevalence of the nosocomial infection was in the ICU and CCU with 49.9% and 0.3%, respectively. In general, among all wards of the mentioned hospital, the most frequent nosocomial infection was pneumonia (47.4% and the lowest belonged to CSF (2.3%. Conclusions In our study, the ICU ward was accounted for the highest rate of nosocomial infection, due to the critical importance of this ward. Preventive measures and survivelance system for reduction of nosocomial infections is needed.

A new non-invasive approach based on polyhexamethylene biguanide increases the regression rate of HPV infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gentile Antonio

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background HPV infection is a worldwide problem strictly linked to the development of cervical cancer. Persistence of the infection is one of the main factors responsible for the invasive progression and women diagnosed with intraepithelial squamous lesions are referred for further assessment and surgical treatments which are prone to complications. Despite this, there are several reports on the spontaneous regression of the infection. This study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a long term polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB-based local treatment in improving the viral clearance, reducing the time exposure to the infection and avoiding the complications associated with the invasive treatments currently available. Method 100 women diagnosed with HPV infection were randomly assigned to receive six months of treatment with a PHMB-based gynecological solution (Monogin®, Lo.Li. Pharma, Rome - Italy or to remain untreated for the same period of time. Results A greater number of patients, who received the treatment were cleared of the infection at the two time points of the study (three and six months compared to that of the control group. A significant difference in the regression rate (90% Monogin group vs 70% control group was observed at the end of the study highlighting the time-dependent ability of PHMB to interact with the infection progression. Conclusions The topic treatment with PHMB is a preliminary safe and promising approach for patients with detected HPV infection increasing the chance of clearance and avoiding the use of invasive treatments when not strictly necessary. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01571141

Analysis of 162 colon injuries in patients with penetrating abdominal trauma: concomitant stomach injury results in a higher rate of infection.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Patricia A; Kirton, Orlando C; Dresner, Lisa S; Tortella, Bartholomew; Kestner, Mark M

2004-02-01

Fecal contamination from colon injury has been thought to be the most significant factor for the development of surgical site infection (SSI) after trauma. However, there are increasing data to suggest that other factors may play a role in the development of postinjury infection in patients after colon injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of gastric wounding on the development of SSI and nonsurgical site infection (NSSI) in patients with colon injury. Post hoc analysis was performed on data prospectively collected for 317 patients presenting with penetrating hollow viscus injury. One hundred sixty-two patients with colon injury were subdivided into one of three groups: patients with isolated colon wounds (C), patients with colon and stomach wounds with or without other organ injury (C+S), and patients with colon and other organ injury but no stomach injury (C-S) and assessed for the development of SSI and NSSI. Infection rates were also determined for patients who sustained isolated gastric injury (S) and gastric injury in combination with other injuries other than colon (S-C). Penetrating Abdominal Trauma Index, operative times, and transfusion were assessed. Discrete variables were analyzed by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi2 test and Fisher's exact test. Risk factor analysis was performed by multivariate logistic regression. C+S patients had a higher rate of SSI infection (31%) than C patients (3.6%) (p=0.008) and C-S patients (13%) (p=0.021). Similarly, the incidence of NSSI was also significantly greater in the C+S group (37%) compared with the C patients (7.5%) (p=0.07) and the C-S patients (17%) (p=0.019). There was no difference in the rate of SSI or NSSI between the C and C-S groups (p=0.3 and p=0.24, respectively). The rate of SSI was significantly greater in the C+S patients when compared with the S-C patients (31% vs. 10%, p=0.008), but there was no statistical difference in the rate of NSSI in the C+S group and the S-C group (37

Future changes over the Himalayas: Maximum and minimum temperature

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Dimri, A. P.; Kumar, D.; Choudhary, A.; Maharana, P.

2018-03-01

An assessment of the projection of minimum and maximum air temperature over the Indian Himalayan region (IHR) from the COordinated Regional Climate Downscaling EXperiment- South Asia (hereafter, CORDEX-SA) regional climate model (RCM) experiments have been carried out under two different Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The major aim of this study is to assess the probable future changes in the minimum and maximum climatology and its long-term trend under different RCPs along with the elevation dependent warming over the IHR. A number of statistical analysis such as changes in mean climatology, long-term spatial trend and probability distribution function are carried out to detect the signals of changes in climate. The study also tries to quantify the uncertainties associated with different model experiments and their ensemble in space, time and for different seasons. The model experiments and their ensemble show prominent cold bias over Himalayas for present climate. However, statistically significant higher warming rate (0.23-0.52 °C/decade) for both minimum and maximum air temperature (Tmin and Tmax) is observed for all the seasons under both RCPs. The rate of warming intensifies with the increase in the radiative forcing under a range of greenhouse gas scenarios starting from RCP4.5 to RCP8.5. In addition to this, a wide range of spatial variability and disagreements in the magnitude of trend between different models describes the uncertainty associated with the model projections and scenarios. The projected rate of increase of Tmin may destabilize the snow formation at the higher altitudes in the northern and western parts of Himalayan region, while rising trend of Tmax over southern flank may effectively melt more snow cover. Such combined effect of rising trend of Tmin and Tmax may pose a potential threat to the glacial deposits. The overall trend of Diurnal temperature range (DTR) portrays increasing trend across entire area with

Minimum critical power ratio control device for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosawa, Tsuneo.

1991-01-01

Reactor core flowrate is determined by comparing a minimum critical power ratio calculated based on the status amount of a nuclear power plant and a control value for the minimum critical power ratio that depends on the reactor core flowrate. Further, the minimum critical power ratio and a control value for the minimum critical power ratio that depends on the reactor thermal power are compared to set a reactor thermal power converted to a reactor core flowrate. Deviation between the thus determined reactor core flowrate and the present reactor core flowrate is calculated. When the obtained deviation is lower than a rated value, a reactor core flowrate set signal is generated to a reactor flowrate control means, to control the reactor power by a recycling flowrate control system of the reactor. On the other hand, when the deviation exceeds the determined value, the reactor core flowrate set signal is converted into a reactor thermal power, to control the position of control rods and control the reactor power. Then, monitor and control can be conducted safely and automatically without depending on operator's individual ability over the entire operation range corresponding to load following operation. (N.H.)

The Impact of Comorbid Mental Health Disorders on Complications Following Cervical Spine Surgery with Minimum 2-Year Surveillance.

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Diebo, Bassel G; Lavian, Joshua D; Liu, Shian; Shah, Neil V; Murray, Daniel P; Beyer, George A; Segreto, Frank A; Maffucci, Fenizia; Poorman, Gregory W; Cherkalin, Denis; Torre, Barrett; Vasquez-Montes, Dennis; Yoshihara, Hiroyuki; Cukor, Daniel; Naziri, Qais; Passias, Peter G; Paulino, Carl B

2018-03-23

Retrospective Analysis OBJECTIVE.: To improve understanding of the impact of comorbid mental health disorders on long-term outcomes following cervical spinal fusion in cervical radiculopathy (CR) or cervical myelopathy (CM) patients. Subsets of patients with CR and CM have mental health disorders, and their impact on surgical complications is poorly understood. Patients admitted from 2009-2013 with CR or CM diagnoses who underwent cervical surgery with minimum 2-year surveillance were retrospectively reviewed using New York State's Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS). Patients with a comorbid mental health disorder (MHD) were compared against those without (no-MHD). Univariate analysis compared demographics, complications, readmissions, and revisions between MHD and no-MHD cohorts. Multivariate binary logistic regression models identified independent predictors of outcomes (covariates: age, gender, Charlson/Deyo score, and surgical approach). 20,342 patients (MHD: n = 4,819; no-MHD: n = 15,523) were included. Mental health disorders identified: depressive (57.8%), anxiety (28.1%), sleep (25.2%), and stress (2.9%). CR patients had greater prevalence of comorbid MHD than CM patients (p = 0.015). Two years post-operatively, all MHD patients had significantly higher rates of complications (specifically: device-related, infection), readmission for any indication, and revision surgery (all p mental health disorder and experienced greater rates of any complication, readmission, or revision, at minimum, two years following cervical spine surgery. Results must be confirmed with retrospective studies utilizing larger national databases and with prospective cohort studies. Patient counseling and psychological screening/support is recommended to complement surgical treatment. 3.

N2 production rates limited by nitrite availability in the Bay of Bengal oxygen minimum zone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bristow, Laura A.; Callbeck, C. M.; Larsen, M

2017-01-01

with isotopically labelled nitrogen compounds and analyse geochemical signatures of these processes in the water column. We find that the Bay of Bengal supports denitrifier and anammox microbial populations, mediating low, but significant N loss. Yet, unlike other oxygen minimum zones, our measurements using...

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.Y. Kwok (Wing-Yee); M.C. Kwaadsteniet (Marjolein); M. Harmsen (Mirjam); L.W.A. van Suijlekom-Smit (Lisette); F.G. Schellevis (François); J.C. van der Wouden (Hans)

2006-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections. METHOD: During one calendar year, 195

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwok, W.Y.; Kwaadsteniet, M.C. de; Harmsen, M.; Suijlekom-Smit, L.W. van; Schellevis, F.G.; Wouden, J.C. van der

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections. METHOD: During one calendar year, 195 general

Postoperative Neurosurgical Infection Rates After Shared-Resource Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Single-Center Experience with 195 Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinevski, Nikolaj; Sarnthein, Johannes; Vasella, Flavio; Fierstra, Jorn; Pangalu, Athina; Holzmann, David; Regli, Luca; Bozinov, Oliver

2017-07-01

To determine the rate of surgical-site infections (SSI) in neurosurgical procedures involving a shared-resource intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (ioMRI) scanner at a single institution derived from a prospective clinical quality management database. All consecutive neurosurgical procedures that were performed with a high-field, 2-room ioMRI between April 2013 and June 2016 were included (N = 195; 109 craniotomies and 86 endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures). The incidence of SSIs within 3 months after surgery was assessed for both operative groups (craniotomies vs. transsphenoidal approach). Of the 109 craniotomies, 6 patients developed an SSI (5.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-9.8%), including 1 superficial SSI, 2 cases of bone flap osteitis, 1 intracranial abscess, and 2 cases of meningitis/ventriculitis. Wound revision surgery due to infection was necessary in 4 patients (4%). Of the 86 transsphenoidal skull base surgeries, 6 patients (7.0%, 95% CI 1.5-12.4%) developed an infection, including 2 non-central nervous system intranasal SSIs (3%) and 4 cases of meningitis (5%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of infection significantly decreased with the number of operations in the new operational setting (odds ratio 0.982, 95% CI 0.969-0.995, P = 0.008). The use of a shared-resource ioMRI in neurosurgery did not demonstrate increased rates of infection compared with the current available literature. The likelihood of infection decreased with the accumulating number of operations, underlining the importance of surgical staff training after the introduction of a shared-resource ioMRI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing the minimum age of marriage program to improve maternal and child health in Indonesia

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Anjarwati

2017-08-01

The objective of the article is to review the importance of understanding the adolescent reproductive health, especially the impact of early marriage to have commitment for health maintenance by increasing the minimum age of marriage. There are countless studies describing the impact of pregnancy at a very young age, the risk that young people must understand to support the program of increasing minimum age of marriage in Indonesia. Increasing the minimum age of marriage is as one of the government programs in improving maternal and child health. It also supports the Indonesian government's program about a thousand days of life. It is required that teens understand the impact of early marriage to prepare for optimal health for future generations. The maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate in Indonesia is still high because health is not optimal since the early period of pregnancy. These studies reveal that the increased number of early marriages leads to rising divorce rate, maternal mortality rate, and infant mortality and intensifies the risk of cervical cancer. The increase in early marriage is mostly attributed to unwanted pregnancy. It is revealed that early marriage increases the rate of pregnancy at too young an age with the risk of maternal and child health in Indonesia.

[The method and result analyses of pathogenic bacteria culture on chronic periprosthetic joint infection after total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty].

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Baochao; Xu, Enjie; Cao, Li; Yang, Desheng; Xu, Boyong; Guo, Wentao; Aili, Rehei

2015-02-01

To analyze the results of pathogenic bacteria culture on chronic periprosthetic joint infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). The medical data of 23 patients with chronic periprosthetic joint infection after TKA or THA from September 2010 to March 2014 were reviewed. Fifteen cases of TKA and 8 cases of THA were included in this study. There were 12 male and 11 female patients with the mean age of 62 years (range from 32 to 79 years), and among them 9 patients with sinus. All patients discontinued antibiotic therapy for a minimum of 2 weeks before arthrocentesis, taking pathogenic bacteria culture and antimicrobial susceptibility test by using synovial fluid taken preoperatively and intraoperatively of revision. Common pathogenic bacteria culture and pathological biopsy were taken on tissues intraoperatively of revision. Culture-negative specimens were prolonged the period of incubation for 2 weeks. The overall culture-positive rate of all 23 patients for 1 week before revision was 30.4% (7/23), and the positive rate of culture-negative samples which prolonged for 2 weeks was 39.1% (9/23). The overall culture-positive rate of patients for 1 week intraoperatively of revision was 60.9% (14/23), and the positive rate of culture-negative samples which prolonged for 2 weeks was 82.6% (19/23). The incubation results of 7 cases (30.4%) preoperatively conformed to that of intraoperation. The culture-positive rate of pathogenic bacteria culture can be increased evidently by discontinuing antimicrobial therapy for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the definite diagnosis.

BCG Vaccination at Birth and Rate of Hospitalization for Infection Until 15 Months of Age in Danish Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stensballe, Lone Graff; Ravn, Henrik; Birk, Nina Marie

2018-01-01

Background: The bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis might reduce the non-tuberculosis-related child mortality rate in low-income settings. We tested the hypothesis that BCG vaccination at birth would reduce early childhood hospitalization for infection in Denmark, a high...... analysis, we observed 588 hospitalizations for infection (mean, 0.28 hospitalization per child) among the 2129 children allocated to receive the BCG vaccine and 595 hospitalizations for infection (mean, 0.28 hospitalization per child) among the 2133 children allocated to the control group (hazard ratio [HR...... months in Danish children. In future studies, the role of maternal BCG-vaccination, premature birth, and cesarean delivery needs further exploration....

How Will Higher Minimum Wages Affect Family Life and Children's Well-Being?

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Hill, Heather D; Romich, Jennifer

2018-06-01

In recent years, new national and regional minimum wage laws have been passed in the United States and other countries. The laws assume that benefits flow not only to workers but also to their children. Adolescent workers will most likely be affected directly given their concentration in low-paying jobs, but younger children may be affected indirectly by changes in parents' work conditions, family income, and the quality of nonparental child care. Research on minimum wages suggests modest and mixed economic effects: Decreases in employment can offset, partly or fully, wage increases, and modest reductions in poverty rates may fade over time. Few studies have examined the effects of minimum wage increases on the well-being of families, adults, and children. In this article, we use theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence concerning the effects on children of parental work and family income to suggest hypotheses about the effects of minimum wage increases on family life and children's well-being.

Minimum number of transfer units and reboiler duty for multicomponent distillation columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pleşu, Valentin; Bonet Ruiz, Alexandra Elena; Bonet, Jordi; Llorens, Joan; Iancu, Petrica

2013-01-01

Some guidelines to evaluate distillation columns, considering only basic thermodynamic data and principles, are provided in this paper. The method allows a first insight to the problem by simple calculations, without requiring column variables to ensure rational use of energy and low environmental impact. The separation system is approached by two complementary ways: minimum and infinite reflux flow rate. The minimum reflux provides the minimum energy requirements, and the infinite reflux provides the feasibility conditions. The difficulty of separation can be expressed in terms of number of transfer units (NTU). The applicability of the method is not mathematically limited by the number of components in the mixture. It is also applicable to reactive distillation. Several mixtures, including reactive distillation, are rigorously simulated as illustrative examples, to verify the applicability of the approach. The separation of the mixtures, performed by distillation columns, is feasible if a minimum NTU can be calculated between the distillate and bottom products. Once verified the feasibility of the separation, the maximum thermal efficiency depends only on boiling point of bottom and distillate streams. The minimum energy requirements corresponding to the reboiler can be calculated from the maximum thermal efficiency, and the variation of entropy and enthalpy of mixing between distillate and bottom streams. -- Highlights: • Feasibility analysis complemented with difficulty of separation parameters • Minimum and infinite reflux simplified models for distillation columns • Minimum number of transfer units (NTU) for packed columns at early design stages • Calculation of minimum energy distillation requirements at early design stages • Thermodynamic cycle approach and efficiency for distillation columns

Relationship of long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy on salivary flow rate and CD4 Count among HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, J Vijay; Baghirath, P Venkat; Naishadham, P Parameswar; Suneetha, Sujai; Suneetha, Lavanya; Sreedevi, P

2015-01-01

To determine if long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) therapy alters salivary flow rate and also to compare its relation of CD4 count with unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva. A cross-sectional study was performed on 150 individuals divided into three groups. Group I (50 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive patients, but not on HAART therapy), Group II (50 HIV-infected subjects and on HAART for less than 3 years called short-term HAART), Group III (50 HIV-infected subjects and on HAART for more than or equal to 3 years called long-term HAART). Spitting method proposed by Navazesh and Kumar was used for the measurement of unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate. Chi-square test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analysis. The mean CD4 count was 424.78 ± 187.03, 497.82 ± 206.11 and 537.6 ± 264.00 in the respective groups. Majority of the patients in all the groups had a CD4 count between 401 and 600. Both unstimulated and stimulated whole salivary (UWS and SWS) flow rates in Group I was found to be significantly higher than in Group II (P flow rate between Group II and III subjects were also found to be statistically significant (P relationship in Group II (P flow rates of HIV-infected individuals who are on long-term HAART.

Effects of population based screening for Chlamydia infections in the Netherlands limited by declining participation rates.

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Boris V Schmid

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A large trial to investigate the effectiveness of population based screening for chlamydia infections was conducted in the Netherlands in 2008-2012. The trial was register based and consisted of four rounds of screening of women and men in the age groups 16-29 years in three regions in the Netherlands. Data were collected on participation rates and positivity rates per round. A modeling study was conducted to project screening effects for various screening strategies into the future. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used a stochastic network simulation model incorporating partnership formation and dissolution, aging and a sexual life course perspective. Trends in baseline rates of chlamydia testing and treatment were used to describe the epidemiological situation before the start of the screening program. Data on participation rates was used to describe screening uptake in rural and urban areas. Simulations were used to project the effectiveness of screening on chlamydia prevalence for a time period of 10 years. In addition, we tested alternative screening strategies, such as including only women, targeting different age groups, and biennial screening. Screening reduced prevalence by about 1% in the first two screening rounds and leveled off after that. Extrapolating observed participation rates into the future indicated very low participation in the long run. Alternative strategies only marginally changed the effectiveness of screening. Higher participation rates as originally foreseen in the program would have succeeded in reducing chlamydia prevalence to very low levels in the long run. CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing participation rates over time profoundly impact the effectiveness of population based screening for chlamydia infections. Using data from several consecutive rounds of screening in a simulation model enabled us to assess the future effectiveness of screening on prevalence. If participation rates cannot be kept at a sufficient level

Penicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: susceptibility testing, resistance rates and outcome of infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagstrand Aldman, Malin; Skovby, Annette; I Påhlman, Lisa

2017-06-01

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is an important human pathogen that causes both superficial and invasive infections. Penicillin is now rarely used in the treatment of SA infections due to widespread resistance and a concern about the accuracy of existing methods for penicillin susceptibility testing. The aims of the present study were to determine the frequency of penicillin-susceptible SA isolates from blood and wound cultures in Lund, Sweden, and to evaluate methods for penicillin testing in SA. We also wanted to investigate if penicillin-susceptible isolates are associated with higher mortality. Hundred blood culture isolates collected 2008/2009, 140 blood culture isolates from 2014/2015, and 141 superficial wound culture strains from 2015 were examined. Penicillin susceptibility was tested with disk diffusion according to EUCAST guidelines, and results were confirmed with a cloverleaf assay and PCR amplification of the BlaZ gene. Patient data for all bacteraemia cases were extracted from medical records. The disk diffusion method with assessment of both zone size and zone edge appearance had high accuracy in our study. About 57% of bacteraemia isolates from 2008/2009 were sensitive to penicillin compared to 29% in 2014/2015 (p penicillin susceptible. There was no difference in co-morbidity or mortality rates between patients with penicillin resistant and penicillin sensitive SA bacteraemia. Disk-diffusion is a simple and reliable method to detect penicillin resistance in SA, and susceptibility rates are significant. Penicillin has many theoretical advantages and should be considered in the treatment of SA bacteraemia when susceptible.

Silencing of a putative immunophilin gene in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus microplus increases the infection rate of Babesia bovis in larval progeny

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Knowles Donald P

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus microplus is involved in the transmission of the protozoan Babesia bovis, the etiological agent of bovine babesiosis. Interactions between ticks and protozoa are poorly understood and the investigation of tick genes that affect tick fitness and protozoan infection can set the stage for dissecting the molecular interactions between the two species. Results In this study, RNA interference was used to silence R. microplus genes that had been previously shown to be up-regulated in response to B. bovis infection. The silencing of a putative immunophilin gene (Imnp in female ticks fed on a calf acutely infected with B. bovis decreased the hatching rate and survival of larval progeny. Interestingly, Imnp was up-regulated significantly in ovaries of R. microplus in response to B. bovis infection and its silencing in female ticks significantly increased the infection rate of the protozoan in larval progeny. The results also showed that the silencing of a putative Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor (Spi gene and a putative lipocalin (Lpc gene decreased the fitness of R. microplus females, but had no significant effect on the infection rate of B. bovis in larval progeny. Conclusion The silencing of the Imnp, Spi or Lpc genes decreased the fitness of R. microplus females fed on a calf during acute B. bovis infection. The Imnp gene data suggest that this putative immunophilin gene is involved in the defense system of R. microplus against B. bovis and may play a role in controlling the protozoan infection in tick ovaries and larval progeny.

The impact of a minimum pension on old age poverty and its budgetary cost. Evidence from Latin America

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Jean-Jacques Dethier

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the impact on old age poverty and the fiscal cost of universal minimum oldage pensions in Latin America using recent household survey data for 18 countries. Alleviatingold age poverty requires different approach from other age groups and a minimum pension islikely to be the only alternative available. First we measure old age poverty rates for all countries.Second we discuss the design of minimum pensions schemes, means-tested or not, as wellas the disincentive effects that they are expected to have on the economic and social behavior ofhouseholds including labor supply, saving and family solidarity. Third we use the household surveysto simulate the fiscal cost and the impact on poverty rates of alternative minimum pensionschemes in the 18 countries. We show that a universal minimum pension would substantiallyreduce poverty among the elderly except in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay where minimumpension systems already exist and poverty rates are low. Such schemes have much tobe commended in terms of incentives, spillover effects and administrative simplicity but have ahigh fiscal cost. The latter is a function of the age at which benefits are awarded, the prevailinglongevity, the generosity of benefits, the efficacy of means testing, and naturally the fiscal capacityof the country.

A CLINICAL STUDY ON POSTOPERATIVE WOUND INFECTIONS IN RIMS, KADAPA- 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE

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J. Ramanaiah

2017-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Surgical wound infections continue to consume a considerable portion of healthcare finance. Even though, the complete elimination of wound infections is not possible, a reduction of the observed wound infection rate to a minimum level could have marked benefits in terms of both patient comfort and resources used. 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS The clinical study of postoperative wound infection conducted at RIMS General Hospital, Kadapa, during the period of 2013 to 2016. RESULTS In this clinical study, 150 patients were clinically diagnosed of having SSIs out of 925 patients who underwent major surgeries in Department of General Surgery, an incidence of 16.2%. Dirty type of surgeries have high incidence of SSI at 63.6%. SSI occurred more in patients who didn’t receive preoperative antibiotic within 2 hrs. prior to surgery, i.e. 32.1%. Most of the patients presented with discharge through the wound (81.3%. The most common type of discharge was purulent (52.5%. CONCLUSION Preoperative preparation <24 hrs., preoperative bathing and preoperative antibiotic within 2 hrs. before surgery help in reducing surgical site infections. Early diagnosis of SSI and prompt management by isolation of organism causing SSI using sensitive antibiotics and regular dressing help in reducing morbidity for the patients.

Do minimum wages improve early life health? Evidence from developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Majid, Muhammad Farhan; Mendoza Rodríguez, José M; Harper, Sam; Frank, John; Nandi, Arijit

2016-06-01

The impact of legislated minimum wages on the early-life health of children living in low and middle-income countries has not been examined. For our analyses, we used data from the Demographic and Household Surveys (DHS) from 57 countries conducted between 1999 and 2013. Our analyses focus on height-for-age z scores (HAZ) for children under 5 years of age who were surveyed as part of the DHS. To identify the causal effect of minimum wages, we utilized plausibly exogenous variation in the legislated minimum wages during each child's year of birth, the identifying assumption being that mothers do not time their births around changes in the minimum wage. As a sensitivity exercise, we also made within family comparisons (mother fixed effect models). Our final analysis on 49 countries reveal that a 1% increase in minimum wages was associated with 0.1% (95% CI = -0.2, 0) decrease in HAZ scores. Adverse effects of an increase in the minimum wage were observed among girls and for children of fathers who were less than 35 years old, mothers aged 20-29, parents who were married, parents who were less educated, and parents involved in manual work. We also explored heterogeneity by region and GDP per capita at baseline (1999). Adverse effects were concentrated in lower-income countries and were most pronounced in South Asia. By contrast, increases in the minimum wage improved children's HAZ in Latin America, and among children of parents working in a skilled sector. Our findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that increases in the minimum wage unconditionally improve child health in lower-income countries, and highlight heterogeneity in the impact of minimum wages around the globe. Future work should involve country and occupation specific studies which can explore not only different outcomes such as infant mortality rates, but also explore the role of parental investments in shaping these effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Turnover rates of B cells, T cells, and NK cells in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected and uninfected rhesus macaques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, R.J. de; Mohri, H.; Ho, D.D.; Perelson, A.S.

2003-01-01

We determined average cellular turnover rates by fitting mathematical models to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine measurements in SIV-infected and uninfected rhesus macaques. The daily turnover rates of CD4(+) T cells, CD4(-) T cells, CD20(+) B cells, and CD16(+) NK cells in normal uninfected rhesus macaques

Dynamics of a Computer Virus Propagation Model with Delays and Graded Infection Rate

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Zizhen Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A four-compartment computer virus propagation model with two delays and graded infection rate is investigated in this paper. The critical values where a Hopf bifurcation occurs are obtained by analyzing the distribution of eigenvalues of the corresponding characteristic equation. In succession, direction and stability of the Hopf bifurcation when the two delays are not equal are determined by using normal form theory and center manifold theorem. Finally, some numerical simulations are also carried out to justify the obtained theoretical results.

29 CFR 510.10 - Table of wage rates and effective dates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MINIMUM WAGE PROVISIONS OF THE 1989 AMENDMENTS TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT IN PUERTO RICO Schedule of Minimum Wage Rates Applicable in Puerto Rico § 510.10 Table of wage rates and effective dates. (a) The following table provides effective dates of minimum wage increases...

Minimum income protection in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Peijpe, T.

2009-01-01

This article offers an overview of the Dutch legal system of minimum income protection through collective bargaining, social security, and statutory minimum wages. In addition to collective agreements, the Dutch statutory minimum wage offers income protection to a small number of workers. Its

[Infected knee prostheses. Part 2: chronic late infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Herrmann, P; Thoele, P; Heppert, V

2013-06-01

Treatment of late and chronic infections, which require the replacement of all the infected implant material. All infections lasting more than 4 weeks that have been proven to be bacterial and/or obvious signs of infection. Unsuitable for anesthesia, high acute infection with sepsis and risk for bacteremia with danger to life, large soft tissue damage where plastic surgery coverage is not possible. Arthrotomy, synovectomy, removal of all foreign bodies including all residue of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), jet lavage, spacer, drainage, wound closure or temporary closure using vacuum sealing. Bed rest with a leg brace and drainage until daily drainage volume is exchange of the spacer. In the literature, the success rate for both the one-stage or the two-stage procedure is about 80-95%. In our very nonhomogeneous collective the overall rate of success is about 81%.

Local irrigation of the surgical field with antibiotics in the end of procedure reduces the infection rate in herniated lumbar disc surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Kërveshi, Armend; Halili, Nehat; Kastrati, Bujar; Qosja, Faik; Kabashi, Serbeze; Muçaj, Sefedin

2014-12-01

Reported rate of infections after lumbar discectomy is 1%-15 %. This complication may result in disability or even the death. The aim of the study is to assess the rate of infection associated with lumbar discectomies when combined systemic and local antibiotic prophylaxis was employed. In this retrospective study we analyzed all patients operated for herniated lumbar disc from 2009 -2012 in our institute. Beside of receiving systemic prophylaxis with 2g of Cefazoline, all patients had their operative field irrigated at the end of operation with Amikacin sulfate injection. Wound was considered infected when local and systemic signs of infection were revealed and were associated with elevated ESR, leukocytosis and elevated CRP. Assessment of infection is done by neurosurgeon during the hospitalization and later at outpatient's clinic along postoperative course of three months. A total of 604 patients were operated, of those 285 patients (47.2 %) females and 319 males (52.8 %), 12 patients were operated on two levels (1.98 %). Average patient age was 32.5 years (range 20-65 years) Localization of herniated disc was: in L/2-L/3 20 patients or 3.3 %, the L/3-L/4 level 42 patients or 7 % , the L/4 -L /5 262 patients or 43.3 % at the level L/V- S/1 280 patients or 46.3 %. Three patients (0.49%) developed wound infection, two of them superficial infection only with local signs: local pain, redness and leakage. They were treated with oral antibiotics. One with deep wound infection. He presented with local and systemic signs and treated with i.v antibiotics. All the cultures from wound swab revealed staphylococcus aureus. Prophylaxis with systemic antibiotic (Cefazoline 2.0) intravenous administration 30 minutes before the incision and irrigation of operative field with local antibiotic Amikacine sulfate at the end of procedure reduces the infection rate in patients operated for herniated lumbar disc when compared with systemic antibiotic prophylaxis only.

Two-stage revision of septic knee prosthesis with articulating knee spacers yields better infection eradication rate than one-stage or two-stage revision with static spacers.

Science.gov (United States)

Romanò, C L; Gala, L; Logoluso, N; Romanò, D; Drago, L

2012-12-01

The best method for treating chronic periprosthetic knee infection remains controversial. Randomized, comparative studies on treatment modalities are lacking. This systematic review of the literature compares the infection eradication rate after two-stage versus one-stage revision and static versus articulating spacers in two-stage procedures. We reviewed full-text papers and those with an abstract in English published from 1966 through 2011 that reported the success rate of infection eradication after one-stage or two-stage revision with two different types of spacers. In all, 6 original articles reporting the results after one-stage knee exchange arthoplasty (n = 204) and 38 papers reporting on two-stage revision (n = 1,421) were reviewed. The average success rate in the eradication of infection was 89.8% after a two-stage revision and 81.9% after a one-stage procedure at a mean follow-up of 44.7 and 40.7 months, respectively. The average infection eradication rate after a two-stage procedure was slightly, although significantly, higher when an articulating spacer rather than a static spacer was used (91.2 versus 87%). The methodological limitations of this study and the heterogeneous material in the studies reviewed notwithstanding, this systematic review shows that, on average, a two-stage procedure is associated with a higher rate of eradication of infection than one-stage revision for septic knee prosthesis and that articulating spacers are associated with a lower recurrence of infection than static spacers at a comparable mean duration of follow-up. IV.

Relationship between the entomologic inoculation rate and the force of infection for Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Thomas; Maire, Nicolas; Dietz, Klaus; Killeen, Gerry F; Vounatsou, Penelope; Molineaux, Louis; Tanner, Marcel

2006-08-01

We propose a stochastic model for the relationship between the entomologic inoculation rate (EIR) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria and the force of infection in endemic areas. The model incorporates effects of increased exposure to mosquito bites as a result of the growth in body surface area with the age of the host, naturally acquired pre-erythrocytic immunity, and the reduction in the proportion of entomologically assessed inoculations leading to infection, as the EIR increases. It is fitted to multiple datasets from field studies of the relationship between malaria infection and the EIR. We propose that this model can account for non-monotonic relationships between the age of the host and the parasite prevalence and incidence of disease. It provides a parsimonious explanation for the faster acquisition of natural immunity in adults than in children exposed to high EIRs. This forms one component of a new stochastic model for the entire transmission cycle of P. falciparum that we have derived to estimate the potential epidemiologic impact of malaria vaccines and other malaria control interventions.

Hypnosis control based on the minimum concentration of anesthetic drug for maintaining appropriate hypnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Furutani, Eiko; Nishigaki, Yuki; Kanda, Chiaki; Takeda, Toshihiro; Shirakami, Gotaro

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a novel hypnosis control method using Auditory Evoked Potential Index (aepEX) as a hypnosis index. In order to avoid side effects of an anesthetic drug, it is desirable to reduce the amount of an anesthetic drug during surgery. For this purpose many studies of hypnosis control systems have been done. Most of them use Bispectral Index (BIS), another hypnosis index, but it has problems of dependence on anesthetic drugs and nonsmooth change near some particular values. On the other hand, aepEX has an ability of clear distinction between patient consciousness and unconsciousness and independence of anesthetic drugs. The control method proposed in this paper consists of two elements: estimating the minimum effect-site concentration for maintaining appropriate hypnosis and adjusting infusion rate of an anesthetic drug, propofol, using model predictive control. The minimum effect-site concentration is estimated utilizing the property of aepEX pharmacodynamics. The infusion rate of propofol is adjusted so that effect-site concentration of propofol may be kept near and always above the minimum effect-site concentration. Simulation results of hypnosis control using the proposed method show that the minimum concentration can be estimated appropriately and that the proposed control method can maintain hypnosis adequately and reduce the total infusion amount of propofol.

Minimum wage effects on employment and school enrollment: reply to Evans and Turner

OpenAIRE

David Neumark; William L. Wascher

1996-01-01

In earlier work, we presented results suggesting that minimum wage increases have important consequences for both the employment opportunities of youths and their decision to enroll in school. In this paper, we show that the recent claim made by William Evans and Mark Turner that our results are sensitive to changes in the definition of the enrollment rate is based upon an analysis that uses a mismeasured minimum wage index. When the data are constructed properly, our original conclusions are...

Self-rated health by HIV-infected individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Roberto Borges de Souza Junior

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In 2008, a survey was applied to a probabilistically selected sample of 1,245 HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy in Brazil. In this work, the analysis was focused on self-rated health. The analysis was conducted according to sex, age, socioeconomic variables, and clinical and treatment-related patient characteristics. Through stepwise logistic regression procedures, the main predictors of good perception of health status were established. Results showed that 65% self-rated health state as good or excellent, 81% do have no or slight difficulty in following treatment, but 34% men and 47% women reported intense or extreme degree of anxiety/worry feelings. Educational level, work situation, presence of side effects and AIDS-related symptoms were the main predictors of good self-perception of health. Problems related to animus status, involving worry and anxiety about the future are still barriers that must be overcome to improve quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Rate based failure detection

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Brett Emery Trabun; Gamage, Thoshitha Thanushka; Bakken, David Edward

2018-01-02

This disclosure describes, in part, a system management component and failure detection component for use in a power grid data network to identify anomalies within the network and systematically adjust the quality of service of data published by publishers and subscribed to by subscribers within the network. In one implementation, subscribers may identify a desired data rate, a minimum acceptable data rate, desired latency, minimum acceptable latency and a priority for each subscription. The failure detection component may identify an anomaly within the network and a source of the anomaly. Based on the identified anomaly, data rates and or data paths may be adjusted in real-time to ensure that the power grid data network does not become overloaded and/or fail.

High recurrence rate of lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria and its association with concurrent Salmonella infection in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, Cheng-Hsiang; Lai, Chih-Cheng; Hsueh, Po-Ren

2014-06-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Taiwan. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients who presented to the National Taiwan University Hospital with culture-positive NTM lymphadenitis during the period 2000-2010. Patients with concurrent extranodal involvement were excluded. From 2000 to 2010, 15 patients with lymphadenitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria were identified. Most patients (80%, n = 12) were infected with rapidly growing mycobacteria. Mycobacterium abscessus was the most common infective species (n = 8). Recurrence of infection involving multiple organs occurred 2-7 years after the completion of treatment in 11 (73%) patients. Five (33.3%) patients had concurrent Salmonella infections (4 patients with bacteremia and 1 patient with empyema thoracis) during the course of the disease. In Taiwanese patients, we found a high recurrence rate of NTM lymphadenitis that was closely associated with Salmonella infections. We also noted that the clinical and epidemiological manifestations of NTM lymphadenitis in Taiwan differed from their manifestations in western countries. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

How do minimum cigarette price laws affect cigarette prices at the retail level?

Science.gov (United States)

Feighery, E C; Ribisl, K M; Schleicher, N C; Zellers, L; Wellington, N

2005-04-01

Half of US states have minimum cigarette price laws that were originally passed to protect small independent retailers from unfair price competition with larger retailers. These laws prohibit cigarettes from being sold below a minimum price that is set by a formula. Many of these laws allow cigarette company promotional incentives offered to retailers, such as buydowns and master-type programmes, to be calculated into the formula. Allowing this provision has the potential to lower the allowable minimum price. This study assesses whether stores in states with minimum price laws have higher cigarette prices and lower rates of retailer participation in cigarette company promotional incentive programmes. Retail cigarette prices and retailer participation in cigarette company incentive programmes in 2001 were compared in eight states with minimum price laws and seven states without them. New York State had the most stringent minimum price law at the time of the study because it excluded promotional incentive programmes in its price setting formula; cigarette prices in New York were compared to all other states included in the study. Cigarette prices were not significantly different in our sample of US states with and without cigarette minimum price laws. Cigarette prices were significantly higher in New York stores than in the 14 other states combined. Most existing minimum cigarette price laws appear to have little impact on the retail price of cigarettes. This may be because they allow the use of promotional programmes, which are used by manufacturers to reduce cigarette prices. New York's strategy to disallow these types of incentive programmes may result in higher minimum cigarette prices, and should also be explored as a potential policy strategy to control cigarette company marketing practices in stores. Strict cigarette minimum price laws may have the potential to reduce cigarette consumption by decreasing demand through increased cigarette prices and reduced

HIV status disclosure rate and reasons for non-disclosure among infected children and adolescents in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ubesie, A C; Iloh, K K; Emodi, I J; Ibeziako, N S; Obumneme-Anyim, I N; Iloh, O N; Ayuk, A C; Anikene, C J; Enemuo, J E

2016-12-01

To determine the rate of HIV status disclosure, caregivers' reasons for non-disclosure, and factors influencing disclosure among a sample of HIV-infected children in Enugu, southeast Nigeria. Data were collected prospectively via a questionnaire on HIV-infected children and their caregivers who visited the pediatric HIV clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. The data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 19 software. Caregivers of 107 children (age 5-16 years; mean 10.1 ± 3.2 years) were enrolled in the study. There were 53 (49.5%) boys and 54 (50.5%) girls. HIV status had been disclosed to 31 (29%) of them. The major reason for non-disclosure was the child being considered too young. Age (p < .001), age at HIV diagnosis (p < .001) and baseline CD4 count (p = .008) were seen as significant predictors of HIV disclosure. There is a low rate of HIV disclosure to infected children, and it was found to be lower for younger children. We recommend improving efforts for disclosure counseling to caregivers in pediatric HIV clinics.

A population-based study examining hepatitis B virus infection and immunization rates in Northwest China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaohua Ji

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current baseline data regarding the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV infections and the immune status in hyperendemic areas is necessary in evaluating the effectiveness of ongoing HBV prevention and control programs in northwest China. This study aims to determine the prevalence of chronic HBV infections, past exposure rates, and immune response profiles in Wuwei City, northwest China in 2010. METHODS: Cross-sectional household survey representative of the Wuwei City population. 28,579 participants were interviewed in the seroepidemiological survey ≥1 year of age. House to house screening was conducted using a standard questionnaire. All serum samples were screened by enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies against HBV surface antigen, and antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen. RESULTS: Among individuals ≥1 year of age, 7.2% (95%CI: 6.3-8.1% had chronic HBV infections, 43.9% (CI: 40.4-47.4% had been exposed to HBV, and 23.49% (CI: 21.6-25.3% had vaccine-induced immunity. Multi-factor weighted logistic regression analysis showed that having household contact with HBV carriers (OR = 2.6, 95%CI: 2.3-3.0 and beauty treatments in public places (OR = 1.2, 95%CI: 1.1-1.3 were the risk factors of HBV infection in whole population. Having household contact with HBV carriers (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.2-6.5 and lack of hepatitis vaccination (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-3.3 were the risk factors for HBV infection in children aged 1-14 years. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis B infection remains a serious public health problem in northwest China. Having household contact with HBV carriers and beauty treatments in public places represented HBV infection risk factors. Hepatitis B vaccine immunization strategies need further improvement, particularly by targeting the immunization of rural migrant workers.

Minimum-domain impulse theory for unsteady aerodynamic force

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, L. L.; Liu, L. Q.; Su, W. D.; Wu, J. Z.

2018-01-01

We extend the impulse theory for unsteady aerodynamics from its classic global form to finite-domain formulation then to minimum-domain form and from incompressible to compressible flows. For incompressible flow, the minimum-domain impulse theory raises the finding of Li and Lu ["Force and power of flapping plates in a fluid," J. Fluid Mech. 712, 598-613 (2012)] to a theorem: The entire force with discrete wake is completely determined by only the time rate of impulse of those vortical structures still connecting to the body, along with the Lamb-vector integral thereof that captures the contribution of all the rest disconnected vortical structures. For compressible flows, we find that the global form in terms of the curl of momentum ∇ × (ρu), obtained by Huang [Unsteady Vortical Aerodynamics (Shanghai Jiaotong University Press, 1994)], can be generalized to having an arbitrary finite domain, but the formula is cumbersome and in general ∇ × (ρu) no longer has discrete structures and hence no minimum-domain theory exists. Nevertheless, as the measure of transverse process only, the unsteady field of vorticity ω or ρω may still have a discrete wake. This leads to a minimum-domain compressible vorticity-moment theory in terms of ρω (but it is beyond the classic concept of impulse). These new findings and applications have been confirmed by our numerical experiments. The results not only open an avenue to combine the theory with computation-experiment in wide applications but also reveal a physical truth that it is no longer necessary to account for all wake vortical structures in computing the force and moment.

[Influence on AM fungi infection rate and medicine quality of Pinellia ternata in condition of three soil impact factors].

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xue-Lian; Liu, Zuo-Yi; Guo, Qiao-Sheng; Zhu, Guo-Sheng; Cheng, Li-Tao

2013-04-01

To explore the influence on AM fungi infection rate and medicine quality of Pinellia ternate in the condition of three soil impact factors. Set the orthogonal test of three factors and levels. Determinate the AM fungi infection rate in early stage of mature & stage of mature of P. ternata, and the water content, water soluble extract, butanedioic acid content and alkaloid content of P. ternata tuber that be harvested also had be determinated. With the P levels to 30 mg x kg(-1) and 90 mg x kg(-1), AM fungi infection was the best when mixed inoculated of EM. Microbial agent inoculated played a decisive role in P. ternata growth and physiological activity, secondary influenced factor was P concentration, and the water stress was the minimal impact. Mixed inoculated of AM fungi and EM treatment with the low P levels (30, 90 mg x kg(-1)) proved better effect on enhancing the water extract content, anedioic acid and alkaloid content, while decreasing the water contents of P. ternata tuber.

Comparison of Urinary Tract Infection Rates Associated with Transurethral Catheterization, Suprapubic Tube and Clean Intermittent Catheterization in the Postoperative Setting: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Christopher S; Kim, Sinae; Radadia, Kushan D; Zhao, Philip T; Elsamra, Sammy E; Olweny, Ephrem O; Weiss, Robert E

2017-12-01

We performed a network meta-analysis of available randomized, controlled trials to elucidate the risks of urinary tract infection associated with transurethral catheterization, suprapubic tubes and intermittent catheterization in the postoperative setting. PubMed®, EMBASE® and Google Scholar™ searches were performed for eligible randomized, controlled trials from January 1980 to July 2015 that included patients who underwent transurethral catheterization, suprapubic tube placement or intermittent catheterization at the time of surgery and catheterization lasting up to postoperative day 30. The primary outcome of comparison was the urinary tract infection rate via a network meta-analysis with random effects model using the netmeta package in R 3.2 (www.r-project.org/). Included in analysis were 14 randomized, controlled trials in a total of 1,391 patients. Intermittent catheterization and suprapubic tubes showed no evidence of decreased urinary tract infection rates compared to transurethral catheterization. Suprapubic tubes and intermittent catheterization had comparable urinary tract infection rates (OR 0.903, 95% CI 0.479-2.555). On subgroup analysis of 10 randomized, controlled trials with available mean catheterization duration data in a total of 928 patients intermittent catheterization and suprapubic tube were associated with significantly decreased risk of urinary tract infection compared to transurethral catheterization when catheterization duration was greater than 5 days (OR 0.173, 95% CI 0.073-0.412 and OR 0.142, 95% CI 0.073-0.276, respectively). Transurethral catheterization is not associated with an increased urinary tract infection risk compared to suprapubic tubes and intermittent catheterization if catheterization duration is 5 days or less. However, a suprapubic tube or intermittent catheterization is associated with a lower rate of urinary tract infection if longer term catheterization is expected in the postoperative period. Copyright �

Understanding the Minimum Wage: Issues and Answers.

Science.gov (United States)

Employment Policies Inst. Foundation, Washington, DC.

This booklet, which is designed to clarify facts regarding the minimum wage's impact on marketplace economics, contains a total of 31 questions and answers pertaining to the following topics: relationship between minimum wages and poverty; impacts of changes in the minimum wage on welfare reform; and possible effects of changes in the minimum wage…

Youth minimum wages and youth employment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marimpi, Maria; Koning, Pierre

2018-01-01

This paper performs a cross-country level analysis on the impact of the level of specific youth minimum wages on the labor market performance of young individuals. We use information on the use and level of youth minimum wages, as compared to the level of adult minimum wages as well as to the median

R3 Cup Does Not Have a High Failure Rate in Conventional Bearings: A Minimum of 5-Year Follow-Up.

Science.gov (United States)

Teoh, Kar H; Whitham, Robert D J; Golding, David M; Wong, Jenny F; Lee, Paul Y F; Evans, Aled R

2018-02-01

The R3 cementless acetabular system was first marketed in Australia and Europe in 2007. Previous papers have shown high failure rates of the R3 cup with up to 24% with metal-on-metal bearing. There are currently no medium term clinical results on this cup. The aim of the study is to review our results of the R3 acetabular cup with conventional bearings with a minimum of 5-year follow-up. Patients who were implanted with the R3 acetabular cup were identified from our center's arthroplasty database. A total of 293 consecutive total hip arthroplasties were performed in 286 patients. The primary outcome was revision. The secondary outcomes were the Oxford Hip Scores (OHS) and radiographic evaluation. The mean age of the patients was 69.4 years. The mean preoperative OHS was 23 (range 10-34) and the mean OHS was 40 (range 33-48) at the final follow-up. Radiological evaluation showed an excellent ARA score in all patients at 5 years. None of the R3 cups showed osteolysis at the final follow-up. There were 3 revisions in our series, of which 2 R3 cups were revised. The risk of revision was 1.11% at 5 years. Our experience of using the R3 acetabular system with conventional bearings showed high survivorship and is consistent with the allocated Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel rating of 5A* as rated in 2015 in the United Kingdom. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aerobic Microbial Respiration In Oceanic Oxygen Minimum Zones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalvelage, Tim; Lavik, Gaute; Jensen, Marlene Mark

2015-01-01

Oxygen minimum zones are major sites of fixed nitrogen loss in the ocean. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox, in pelagic nitrogen removal. Sources of ammonium for the anammox reaction, however, remain controversial, as heterotrophic denitrifica......Oxygen minimum zones are major sites of fixed nitrogen loss in the ocean. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox, in pelagic nitrogen removal. Sources of ammonium for the anammox reaction, however, remain controversial, as heterotrophic...... denitrification and alternative anaerobic pathways of organic matter remineralization cannot account for the ammonium requirements of reported anammox rates. Here, we explore the significance of microaerobic respiration as a source of ammonium during organic matter degradation in the oxygen-deficient waters off...... Namibia and Peru. Experiments with additions of double-labelled oxygen revealed high aerobic activity in the upper OMZs, likely controlled by surface organic matter export. Consistently observed oxygen consumption in samples retrieved throughout the lower OMZs hints at efficient exploitation of vertically...

Discretization of space and time: determining the values of minimum length and minimum time

OpenAIRE

Roatta , Luca

2017-01-01

Assuming that space and time can only have discrete values, we obtain the expression of the minimum length and the minimum time interval. These values are found to be exactly coincident with the Planck's length and the Planck's time but for the presence of h instead of ħ .

Minimum wage development in the Russian Federation

OpenAIRE

Bolsheva, Anna

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the minimum wage policy at the national level in Russia and its impact on living standards in the country. The analysis showed that the national minimum wage in Russia does not serve its original purpose of protecting the lowest wage earners and has no substantial effect on poverty reduction. The national subsistence minimum is too low and cannot be considered an adequate criterion for the setting of the minimum wage. The minimum wage d...

Differences in the rate of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae colonisation or Clostridium difficile infection following frontline treatment with tigecycline vs. meropenem for intra-abdominal infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartoletti, Michele; Tedeschi, Sara; Pascale, Renato; Raumer, Luigi; Maraolo, Alberto Enrico; Palmiero, Giulia; Tumietto, Fabio; Cristini, Francesco; Ambretti, Simone; Giannella, Maddalena; Lewis, Russell Edward; Viale, Pierluigi

2018-03-01

We hypothesised that treatment with a tigecycline-based antimicrobial regimen for intra-abdominal infection (IAI) could be associated with lower rates of subsequent carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) colonisation or Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) compared with a meropenem-based regimen. We performed a retrospective, single-centre, matched (1:1) cohort analysis of all patients who received at least 5 days of empirical or targeted tigecycline (TIG)- or meropenem (MER)-based treatment regimens for IAI over a 50-month period. Patients with previous CRE colonisation and CDI were excluded. Risk factors for CRE and CDI were assessed with a Cox regression model that included treatment duration as a time-dependent variable. Thirty-day mortality was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves. We identified 168 TIG-treated and 168 MER-treated patients. The cumulative incidence rate ratio of CDI was 10-fold lower in TIG-treated vs. MER-treated patients (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.10/1000 patient-days, 95%CI 0.002-0.72, P = 0.007), but similar incidence rates were found for CRE colonisation (IRR 1.39/1000 patient-days, 95%CI 0.68-2.78, P = 0.36). In a multivariate Cox regression model, the receipt of a TIG- vs. MER-based regimen was associated with significantly lower rates of CDI (HR 0.07, 95%CI 0.03-0.71, P = 0.02), but not CRE (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.45-2.83, P = 0.80). All-cause 30-day mortality was similar in the two groups (P = 0.46). TIG-based regimens for IAI were associated with a 10-fold lower incidence of CDI compared with MER-based regimens, but there was no difference in the incidence of CRE colonisation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Effect of antiseptic irrigation on infection rates of traumatic soft tissue wounds: a longitudinal cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, B; Neuenschwander, R; Brill, F; Wurmitzer, F; Wegner, C; Assadian, O; Kramer, A

2017-03-02

Acute traumatic wounds are contaminated with bacteria and therefore an infection risk. Antiseptic wound irrigation before surgical intervention is routinely performed for contaminated wounds. However, a broad variety of different irrigation solutions are in use. The aim of this retrospective, non-randomised, controlled longitudinal cohort study was to assess the preventive effect of four different irrigation solutions before surgical treatment, on wound infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds. Over a period of three decades, the prophylactic application of wound irrigation was studied in patients with contaminated traumatic wounds requiring surgical treatment, with or without primary wound closure. The main outcome measure was development of wound infection. From 1974-1983, either 0.04 % polihexanide (PHMB), 1 % povidone-iodine (PVP-I), 4 % hydrogen peroxide, or undiluted Ringer's solution were concurrently in use. From 1984-1996, only 0.04 % PHMB or 1 % PVP-I were applied. From 1997, 0.04 % PHMB was used until the end of the study period in 2005. The combined rate for superficial and deep wound infection was 1.7 % in the 0.04 % PHMB group (n=3264), 4.8 % in the 1 % PVP-I group (n=2552), 5.9 % in the Ringer's group (n=645), and 11.7 % in the 4 % hydrogen peroxide group (n=643). Compared with all other treatment arms, PHMB showed the highest efficacy in preventing infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds (p<0.001). However, compared with PVP-I, the difference was only significant for superficial infections. The large patient numbers in this study demonstrated a robust superiority of 0.04 % PHMB to prevent infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds. These retrospective results may further provide important information as the basis for power calculations for the urgently needed prospective clinical trials in the evolving field of wound antisepsis.

Minimum emittance of three-bend achromats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaoyu; Xu Gang

2012-01-01

The calculation of the minimum emittance of three-bend achromats (TBAs) made by Mathematical software can ignore the actual magnets lattice in the matching condition of dispersion function in phase space. The minimum scaling factors of two kinds of widely used TBA lattices are obtained. Then the relationship between the lengths and the radii of the three dipoles in TBA is obtained and so is the minimum scaling factor, when the TBA lattice achieves its minimum emittance. The procedure of analysis and the results can be widely used in achromats lattices, because the calculation is not restricted by the actual lattice. (authors)

Patterns and rates of viral evolution in HIV-1 subtype B infected females and males.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael J Dapp

Full Text Available Biological sex differences affect the course of HIV infection, with untreated women having lower viral loads compared to their male counterparts but, for a given viral load, women have a higher rate of progression to AIDS. However, the vast majority of data on viral evolution, a process that is clearly impacted by host immunity and could be impacted by sex differences, has been derived from men. We conducted an intensive analysis of HIV-1 gag and env-gp120 evolution taken over the first 6-11 years of infection from 8 Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS participants who had not received combination antiretroviral therapy (ART. This was compared to similar data previously collected from men, with both groups infected with HIV-1 subtype B. Early virus populations in men and women were generally homogenous with no differences in diversity between sexes. No differences in ensuing nucleotide substitution rates were found between the female and male cohorts studied herein. As previously reported for men, time to peak diversity in env-gp120 in women was positively associated with time to CD4+ cell count below 200 (P = 0.017, and the number of predicted N-linked glycosylation sites generally increased over time, followed by a plateau or decline, with the majority of changes localized to the V1-V2 region. These findings strongly suggest that the sex differences in HIV-1 disease progression attributed to immune system composition and sensitivities are not revealed by, nor do they impact, global patterns of viral evolution, the latter of which proceeds similarly in women and men.

Surgical Site Infection Rate and Risk Factors among Obstetric Cases ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-04-01

Among surgical patients in obstetrics, Surgical Site Infections were the most ... for delivery from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 in obstetric ward of the Hospital. ... applying improved surgical techniques and improving infection prevention ...

Behavioral Interventions for Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections and Unintended Pregnancies: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Macaya Pascual, A; Ferreres Riera, J R; Campoy Sánchez, A

2016-05-01

Countless sex education programs have been implemented worldwide in recent decades, but epidemiological data show no improvement in rates of sexually transmitted infections or unintended pregnancies. To summarize the evidence from higher-quality systematic reviews on the efficacy of behavioral interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. We conducted an overview of reviews by selecting systematic reviews that met minimum quality criteria in terms of the design of the studies reviewed. We compared the results obtained when the effects of interventions were assessed on the basis of objective criteria (biological data) to those obtained when outcomes were assessed on the basis of subjective criteria (self-reports). The results of Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews were also compared. We identified 55 systematic reviews. No overall effect on the sexual behavior of program participants was observed in 72.5% of the reviews that used objective criteria and in 48.1% of the reviews based on subjective criteria. In the Cochrane reviews, no evidence of an overall effect was observed in 86% of reviews based on objective variables and in 70.5% of those based on subjective variables. There is no evidence that behavioral interventions modify rates of sexually transmitted infections (including human immunodeficiency virus infections) or unintended pregnancies, particularly when effects are assessed using objective, biological data. Primary prevention strategies for sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies need to be re-evaluated. Copyright © 2015 AEDV. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Simulation of neoclassical tearing mode stabilization via minimum seeking method on ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, M. H.; Kim, K.; Na, D. H.; Byun, C. S.; Na, Y. S. [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, M. [FNC Technology Co. Ltd, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) are well known resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. These instabilities are sustained by a helically perturbed bootstrap current. NTMs produce magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas that can degrade confinement and lead to plasma disruption. Because of this, the stabilization of NTMs is one of the key issues for tokamaks that achieve high fusion performance such as ITER. Compensating for the lack of bootstrap current by an Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD) has been proved experimentally as an effective method to stabilize NTMs. In order to stabilize NTMs, it is important to reduce misalignment. So that even ECCD can destabilize the NTMs when misalignment is large. Feedback control method that does not fully require delicate and accurate real-time measurements and calculations, such as equilibrium reconstruction and EC ray-tracing, has also been proposed. One of the feedback control methods is minimum seeking method. This control method minimizes the island width by tuning the misalignment, assuming that the magnetic island width is a function of the misalignment. As a robust and simple method of controlling NTM, minimum 'island width growth rate' seeking control is purposed and compared with performance of minimum ' island width' seeking control. At the integrated numerical system, simulations of the NTM suppression are performed with two types of minimum seeking controllers; one is a FDM based minimum seeking controller and the other is a sinusoidal perturbation based minimum seeking method. The full suppression is achieved both types of controller. The controllers adjust poloidal angle of EC beam and reduce misalignment to zero. The sinusoidal perturbation based minimum seeking control need to modify the adaptive gain.

Infection rate of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cashmere, dairy and meat goats in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Xian-Qi; Tian, Ge-Ru; Ren, Guan-Jing; Yu, Zheng-Qing; Lok, James Barron; Zhang, Long-Xian; Wang, Xue-Ting; Song, Jun-Ke; Zhao, Guang-Hui

2016-07-01

Cryptosporidiosis, microsporidiosis, and giardiasis contribute significantly to the high burden of zoonotic diarrhea worldwide. Goats constitute an important species in animal agriculture by providing cashmere wool, meat, and dairy products for human consumption. However, zoonotic pathogens with the potential to cause morbidity and to degrade production have been reported frequently in goats recently. The present study examined 629 fecal specimens from goats, including 315 cashmere goats, 170 dairy goats and 144 meat goats, in multiple cities of Shaanxi and Henan provinces, northwestern and central China, to investigate the infection rate and species/assemblages/genotypes of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Of these samples, 274 (43.6%) were positive for three zoonotic pathogens, including 80 (12.7%), 104 (16.5%) and 179 (28.5%) for G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi, respectively. Infections with G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi existed in meat, dairy and cashmere goats, with the highest infection rate of each pathogen being observed in meat goats. DNA sequencing of the SSU rRNA gene from 104 Cryptosporidium-positive specimens revealed existence of Cryptosporidium xiaoi, and the zoonotic parasites Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum. Genotyping of G. duodenalis based on the triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) gene identified parasites from zoonotic assemblage A in four cashmere goats and the animal-adapted assemblage E in a group of 76 goats that included cashmere, dairy and meat animals. Polymorphisms in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer characterized E. bieneusi genotype CHG1 and a novel genotype named as SX1 in both dairy and cashmere goats, genotypes CHS7 and COSI in meat goats, the genotype CHG2 in dairy goats, and the human-pathogenic genotype BEB6 in dairy and meat goats. This is the first detailed study to compare infection rate of the zoonotic protozoan pathogens

Violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of sexually transmissible infection rates: the consistent state-level correlation between violent crime and reported sexually transmissible infections in the United States, 1981-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Chesson, Harrell W; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Leichliter, Jami S; Aral, Sevgi O

2013-11-01

Numerous social determinants of health are associated with violent crime rates and sexually transmissible infection (STI) rates. This report aims to illustrate the potential usefulness of violent crime rates as a proxy for the social determinants of STI rates. For each year from 1981 to 2010, we assessed the strength of the association between the violent crime rate and the gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) rate (number of total reported cases per 100?000) at the state level. Specifically, for each year, we calculated Pearson correlation coefficients (and P-values) between two variables (the violent crime rate and the natural log of the gonorrhoea rate) for all 50 states and Washington, DC. For comparison, we also examined the correlation between gonorrhoea rates, and rates of poverty and unemployment. We repeated the analysis using overall syphilis rates instead of overall gonorrhoea rates. The correlation between gonorrhoea and violent crime was significant at the P<0.001 level for every year from 1981 to 2010. Syphilis rates were also consistently correlated with violent crime rates. In contrast, the P-value for the correlation coefficient exceeded 0.05 in 9 of the 30 years for the association between gonorrhoea and poverty, and in 17 of the 30 years for that between gonorrhoea and unemployment. Because violent crime is associated with many social determinants of STIs and because it is consistently associated with STI rates, violent crime rates can be a useful proxy for the social determinants of health in statistical analyses of STI rates.

Clinical features and prognostic factors of anaerobic infections: a 7-year retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yoonseon; Choi, Jun Young; Yong, Dongeun; Lee, Kyungwon; Kim, June Myung

2009-03-01

Risk factors for mortality resulting from anaerobic infection are incompletely defined. The clinical significance of a broad range of pathogenic obligate anaerobic organisms was examined, and factors independently associated with mortality were identified in patients with clinically significant anaerobic infections. The medical records of 1,050 patients with anaerobic infections were retrospectively reviewed at Severance Hospital in Seoul, Korea. The mean age of the patients was 54.1+/-16.8 years, and 57.7% were men. Overall, 320 (30.5%) patients with case-defined illness experienced pain at the affected site, and 230 (21.9%) experienced pus flow from lesions. Ten (1.4%) patients presented with shock, and 80.3% of the clinically significant cases were polymicrobial anaerobic infections. The mean number of pathogens, including aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, was 3.7+/-1.0 (minimum 1, maximum 5), and the number of anaerobic organisms was 1.0+/-0.3 in each specimen. The major pathogens by rank were the Bacteroides fragilis group, which accounted for 41.8% of anaerobic infections, followed by Clostridium spp. (11.8%), Prevotella spp. (9.4%), and Peptostreptococcus spp. (8.4%). Escherichia coli (17.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (7.5%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (7.5%) were common concomitant aerobic organisms. The overall crude mortality rate resulting from anaerobic infection was 29.7%. Among the determining factors associated with mortality, liver disease (p=0.003) and old age (p=0.005) were significant in multivariate analysis. Anaerobic infection is polymicrobial and has a significant role in morbidity and mortality. Underlying liver disease was associated with poor prognosis in anaerobic infection.

Bifidobacterium lactis B94 plus inulin for Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in children: does it increase eradication rate and patient compliance?

Science.gov (United States)

Islek, A; Sayar, E; Yilmaz, A; Artan, R

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Bifidobacterium lactis B94 and inulin (synbiotic) treatment on eradication rate and patient compliance in subjects treated for symptomatic H. pylori infection. Patients with symptomatic H. pylori infection were divided into two groups. One group was treated with standard triple therapy (lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin) and B. lactis B94 (5 × 109 CFU/dose) plus inulin (900 mg) twice daily for seven days. The control group was treated with standard triple therapy and placebo. The side effects and eradication rates were evaluated at the end of the study. Ninety-three patients with H. pylori infection were treated with either synbiotic plus triple therapy (n = 47) or placebo plus triple therapy (n = 46). The infection eradication rates were not significantly different between the synbiotic and placebo groups [intent-to-treat (ITT), 80.8% and 67.3%, p = 0.13, respectively; per-protocol (PP), 86.3% and 81.5%, p = 0.55, respectively]. The drug side effects were significantly higher in the placebo group than in the synbiotic group (63% and 17%, respectively, p < 0.01). Although no intolerable adverse side effects were observed in the synbiotic group, intolerable adverse side effects were observed in 13% of the placebo group (p = 0.01). Our results suggest that twice daily 5 × 109 CFU/dose B. lactis B94 plus 900 mg inulin treatment did not have a direct positive effect on the H. pylori eradication rate. However, this treatment had significantly reduced side effects and indirectly increased eradication rates by increasing patient compliance. © Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.

30 CFR 57.19021 - Minimum rope strength.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.001L) For rope lengths 3,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×4.0. (b) Friction drum ropes. For rope lengths less than 4,000 feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.0005L) For rope lengths 4,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×5.0. (c) Tail...

30 CFR 56.19021 - Minimum rope strength.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0-0.001L) For rope lengths 3,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×4.0 (b) Friction drum ropes. For rope lengths less than 4,000 feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0-0.0005L) For rope lengths 4,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×5.0 (c) Tail ropes...

Isoniazid completion rates for latent tuberculosis infection among college students managed by a community pharmacist.

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Karl; Goad, Jeffery; Wu, Joanne; Johnson, Kathleen

2009-01-01

The authors' objective was to document 9-month and previously recommended 6-month treatment completion rates for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in a pharmacist-managed LTBI clinic in a community pharmacy on a college campus, and to describe patient characteristics. Participants were university students diagnosed with LTBI. The authors conducted a retrospective review of pharmacy records from 2000 to 2006. Main outcome measures included 6-month and 9-month LTBI treatment completion rates, total isoniazid (INH) tablets taken, characteristics of completers versus noncompleters, average time to treatment completion, and reported adverse drug events. The 9-month completion rate was 59%, and the 6-month completion rate was 67%. Among those not completing treatment, 15.2% experienced fatigue and 2.2% experienced a rash (p=.04 and p=.03, respectively). LTBI clinics are a unique niche for community pharmacies and can provide individualized patient care to ensure LTBI treatment adherence, monitoring for disease progression, and safety of INH.

Interest Rate Swaps

OpenAIRE

Marina Pepic

2014-01-01

Interest rates changes have a huge impact on the business performance. Therefore, it is of great importance for the market participants to identify and adequately manage this risk. Financial derivatives are a relatively simple way of protection from adverse changes in interest rates. Interest rate swaps are particularly popular because they reduce interest rate risk to a minimum with a relatively low initial cost and without great risk, but also because of the fact that there are many modific...

Reference respiratory waveforms by minimum jerk model analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anetai, Yusuke, E-mail: anetai@radonc.med.osaka-u.ac.jp; Sumida, Iori; Takahashi, Yutaka; Yagi, Masashi; Mizuno, Hirokazu; Ogawa, Kazuhiko [Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Ota, Seiichi [Department of Medical Technology, Osaka University Hospital, Yamadaoka 2-15, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)

2015-09-15

Purpose: CyberKnife{sup ®} robotic surgery system has the ability to deliver radiation to a tumor subject to respiratory movements using Synchrony{sup ®} mode with less than 2 mm tracking accuracy. However, rapid and rough motion tracking causes mechanical tracking errors and puts mechanical stress on the robotic joint, leading to unexpected radiation delivery errors. During clinical treatment, patient respiratory motions are much more complicated, suggesting the need for patient-specific modeling of respiratory motion. The purpose of this study was to propose a novel method that provides a reference respiratory wave to enable smooth tracking for each patient. Methods: The minimum jerk model, which mathematically derives smoothness by means of jerk, or the third derivative of position and the derivative of acceleration with respect to time that is proportional to the time rate of force changed was introduced to model a patient-specific respiratory motion wave to provide smooth motion tracking using CyberKnife{sup ®}. To verify that patient-specific minimum jerk respiratory waves were being tracked smoothly by Synchrony{sup ®} mode, a tracking laser projection from CyberKnife{sup ®} was optically analyzed every 0.1 s using a webcam and a calibrated grid on a motion phantom whose motion was in accordance with three pattern waves (cosine, typical free-breathing, and minimum jerk theoretical wave models) for the clinically relevant superior–inferior directions from six volunteers assessed on the same node of the same isocentric plan. Results: Tracking discrepancy from the center of the grid to the beam projection was evaluated. The minimum jerk theoretical wave reduced the maximum-peak amplitude of radial tracking discrepancy compared with that of the waveforms modeled by cosine and typical free-breathing model by 22% and 35%, respectively, and provided smooth tracking for radial direction. Motion tracking constancy as indicated by radial tracking discrepancy

Reference respiratory waveforms by minimum jerk model analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anetai, Yusuke; Sumida, Iori; Takahashi, Yutaka; Yagi, Masashi; Mizuno, Hirokazu; Ogawa, Kazuhiko; Ota, Seiichi

2015-01-01

Purpose: CyberKnife"® robotic surgery system has the ability to deliver radiation to a tumor subject to respiratory movements using Synchrony"® mode with less than 2 mm tracking accuracy. However, rapid and rough motion tracking causes mechanical tracking errors and puts mechanical stress on the robotic joint, leading to unexpected radiation delivery errors. During clinical treatment, patient respiratory motions are much more complicated, suggesting the need for patient-specific modeling of respiratory motion. The purpose of this study was to propose a novel method that provides a reference respiratory wave to enable smooth tracking for each patient. Methods: The minimum jerk model, which mathematically derives smoothness by means of jerk, or the third derivative of position and the derivative of acceleration with respect to time that is proportional to the time rate of force changed was introduced to model a patient-specific respiratory motion wave to provide smooth motion tracking using CyberKnife"®. To verify that patient-specific minimum jerk respiratory waves were being tracked smoothly by Synchrony"® mode, a tracking laser projection from CyberKnife"® was optically analyzed every 0.1 s using a webcam and a calibrated grid on a motion phantom whose motion was in accordance with three pattern waves (cosine, typical free-breathing, and minimum jerk theoretical wave models) for the clinically relevant superior–inferior directions from six volunteers assessed on the same node of the same isocentric plan. Results: Tracking discrepancy from the center of the grid to the beam projection was evaluated. The minimum jerk theoretical wave reduced the maximum-peak amplitude of radial tracking discrepancy compared with that of the waveforms modeled by cosine and typical free-breathing model by 22% and 35%, respectively, and provided smooth tracking for radial direction. Motion tracking constancy as indicated by radial tracking discrepancy affected by respiratory

29 CFR 520.200 - What is the legal authority for payment of wages lower than the minimum wage required by section...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... the minimum wage required by section 6(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act? 520.200 Section 520.200... lower than the minimum wage required by section 6(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act? Section 14(a) of..., for the payment of special minimum wage rates to workers employed as messengers, learners (including...

Ecology of Helicobacter pylori in Peru: infection rates in coastal, high altitude, and jungle communities. The Gastrointestinal Physiology Working Group of the Cayetano Heredia and the Johns Hopkins University.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-05-01

We have examined endoscopic clinic patients in three widely different geographic regions of Peru (the coast, the Sierra of the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon jungle) for the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection associated with active gastritis. The overall rates of infection were high (80% or greater) in all three zones and rates for men were approximately 10% higher than for women in the same zone. Men and women in the Sierra and jungle areas had significantly higher rates of infection than did those on the coast. There was no significant difference between the three populations with respect to the relationship between infection and grade of gastritis.

Ecology of Helicobacter pylori in Peru: infection rates in coastal, high altitude, and jungle communities. The Gastrointestinal Physiology Working Group of the Cayetano Heredia and the Johns Hopkins University.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

We have examined endoscopic clinic patients in three widely different geographic regions of Peru (the coast, the Sierra of the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon jungle) for the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection associated with active gastritis. The overall rates of infection were high (80% or greater) in all three zones and rates for men were approximately 10% higher than for women in the same zone. Men and women in the Sierra and jungle areas had significantly higher rates of infection than did those on the coast. There was no significant difference between the three populations with respect to the relationship between infection and grade of gastritis. PMID:1612475

30 CFR 77.1431 - Minimum rope strength.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.001L) For rope lengths 3,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×4.0 (b) Friction drum ropes. For rope lengths less than 4,000 feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.0005L) For rope lengths 4,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×5.0 (c) Tail ropes...

Ecology of Helicobacter pylori in Peru: infection rates in coastal, high altitude, and jungle communities. The Gastrointestinal Physiology Working Group of the Cayetano Heredia and the Johns Hopkins University.

OpenAIRE

1992-01-01

We have examined endoscopic clinic patients in three widely different geographic regions of Peru (the coast, the Sierra of the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon jungle) for the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection associated with active gastritis. The overall rates of infection were high (80% or greater) in all three zones and rates for men were approximately 10% higher than for women in the same zone. Men and women in the Sierra and jungle areas had significantly higher rates of infection...

A Phosphate Minimum in the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) off Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Paulmier, A.; Giraud, M.; Sudre, J.; Jonca, J.; Leon, V.; Moron, O.; Dewitte, B.; Lavik, G.; Grasse, P.; Frank, M.; Stramma, L.; Garcon, V.

2016-02-01

The Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) off Peru is known to be associated with the advection of Equatorial SubSurface Waters (ESSW), rich in nutrients and poor in oxygen, through the Peru-Chile UnderCurrent (PCUC), but this circulation remains to be refined within the OMZ. During the Pelágico cruise in November-December 2010, measurements of phosphate revealed the presence of a phosphate minimum (Pmin) in various hydrographic stations, which could not be explained so far and could be associated with a specific water mass. This Pmin, localized at a relatively constant layer ( 20minimum with a mean vertical phosphate decrease of 0.6 µM but highly variable between 0.1 and 2.2 µM. In average, these Pmin are associated with a predominant mixing of SubTropical Under- and Surface Waters (STUW and STSW: 20 and 40%, respectively) within ESSW ( 25%), complemented evenly by overlying (ESW, TSW: 8%) and underlying waters (AAIW, SPDW: 7%). The hypotheses and mechanisms leading to the Pmin formation in the OMZ are further explored and discussed, considering the physical regional contribution associated with various circulation pathways ventilating the OMZ and the local biogeochemical contribution including the potential diazotrophic activity.

Rate-Compatible Protograph LDPC Codes

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thuy V. (Inventor); Nosratinia, Aria (Inventor); Divsalar, Dariush (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Digital communication coding methods resulting in rate-compatible low density parity-check (LDPC) codes built from protographs. Described digital coding methods start with a desired code rate and a selection of the numbers of variable nodes and check nodes to be used in the protograph. Constraints are set to satisfy a linear minimum distance growth property for the protograph. All possible edges in the graph are searched for the minimum iterative decoding threshold and the protograph with the lowest iterative decoding threshold is selected. Protographs designed in this manner are used in decode and forward relay channels.

Infection with Hepatitis C Virus among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise J. Jamieson

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV and HIV among a cohort of pregnant Thai women. Methods. Samples from 1771 pregnant women enrolled in three vertical transmission of HIV studies in Bangkok, Thailand, were tested for HCV. Results. Among HIV-infected pregnant women, HCV seroprevelance was 3.8% and the active HCV infection rate was 3.0%. Among HIV-uninfected pregnant women, 0.3% were HCV-infected. Intravenous drug use by the woman was the factor most strongly associated with HCV seropositivity. Among 48 infants tested for HCV who were born to HIV/HCV coinfected women, two infants were HCV infected for an HCV transmission rate of 4.2% (95% 0.51–14.25%. Conclusions. HCV seroprevalence and perinatal transmission rates were low among this Thai cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women.

The Effect of Parasite Infection on Stable Isotope Turnover Rates of δ15N, δ13C and δ34S in Multiple Tissues of Eurasian Perch Perca fluviatilis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Yohannes

Full Text Available Stable isotope analysis of commercially and ecologically important fish can improve understanding of life-history and trophic ecology. However, accurate interpretation of stable isotope values requires knowledge of tissue-specific isotopic turnover that will help to describe differences in the isotopic composition of tissues and diet. We performed a diet-switch experiment using captive-reared parasite-free Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis and wild caught specimens of the same species, infected with the pike tapeworm Triaenophorus nodulosus living in host liver tissue. We hypothesize that metabolic processes related to infection status play a major role in isotopic turnover and examined the influence of parasite infection on isotopic turn-over rate of carbon (δ13C, nitrogen (δ15N and sulphur (δ34S in liver, blood and muscle. The δ15N and δ13C turnovers were fastest in liver tissues, followed by blood and muscle. In infected fish, liver and blood δ15N and δ13C turnover rates were similar. However, in infected fish, liver and blood δ13C turnover was faster than that of δ15N. Moreover, in infected subjects, liver δ15N and δ13C turnover rates were three to five times faster than in livers of uninfected subjects (isotopic half-life of ca.3-4 days compared to 16 and 10 days, respectively. Blood δ34S turnover rate were about twice faster in non-infected individuals implying that parasite infection could retard the turnover rate of δ34S and sulphur containing amino acids. Slower turnover rate of essential amino acid could probably decrease individual immune function. These indicate potential hidden costs of chronic and persistent infections that may have accumulated adverse effects and might eventually impair life-history fitness. For the first time, we were able to shift the isotope values of parasites encapsulated in the liver by changing the dietary source of the host. We also report variability in isotopic turnover rates between tissues

Ranking of Nodal Infection Probability in Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible Epidemic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qu, B.; Li, C.; Van Mieghem, P.F.A.; Wang, H.

2017-01-01

The prevalence, which is the average fraction of infected nodes, has been studied to evaluate the robustness of a network subject to the spread of epidemics. We explore the vulnerability (infection probability) of each node in the metastable state with a given effective infection rate τ.

A new reliability measure based on specified minimum distances before the locations of random variables in a finite interval

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todinov, M.T.

2004-01-01

A new reliability measure is proposed and equations are derived which determine the probability of existence of a specified set of minimum gaps between random variables following a homogeneous Poisson process in a finite interval. Using the derived equations, a method is proposed for specifying the upper bound of the random variables' number density which guarantees that the probability of clustering of two or more random variables in a finite interval remains below a maximum acceptable level. It is demonstrated that even for moderate number densities the probability of clustering is substantial and should not be neglected in reliability calculations. In the important special case where the random variables are failure times, models have been proposed for determining the upper bound of the hazard rate which guarantees a set of minimum failure-free operating intervals before the random failures, with a specified probability. A model has also been proposed for determining the upper bound of the hazard rate which guarantees a minimum availability target. Using the models proposed, a new strategy, models and reliability tools have been developed for setting quantitative reliability requirements which consist of determining the intersection of the hazard rate envelopes (hazard rate upper bounds) which deliver a minimum failure-free operating period before random failures, a risk of premature failure below a maximum acceptable level and a minimum required availability. It is demonstrated that setting reliability requirements solely based on an availability target does not necessarily mean a low risk of premature failure. Even at a high availability level, the probability of premature failure can be substantial. For industries characterised by a high cost of failure, the reliability requirements should involve a hazard rate envelope limiting the risk of failure below a maximum acceptable level

Role of duration of catheterization and length of hospital stay on the rate of catheter-related hospital-acquired urinary tract infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-Hazmi H

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Hamdan Al-HazmiDivision of Urology, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaObjective: Our aim is to prove that duration of catheterization and length of hospital stay (LOS are associated with the rate of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (UTI, while taking into account type of urinary catheter used, the most common organisms found, patient diagnosis on admission, associated comorbidities, age, sex, precautions that should be taken to avoid UTI, and comparison with other studies.Methods: The study was done in a university teaching hospital with a 920-bed capacity; this hospital is a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study was done on 250 selected patients during the year 2010 as a retrospective descriptive study. Patients were selected as purposive sample, all of them having been exposed to urinary catheterization; hospital-acquired UTI were found in 100 patients. Data were abstracted from the archived patients' files in the medical record department using the annual infection control logbook prepared by the infection control department. The data collected were demographic information about the patients, clinical condition (diagnosis and the LOS, and possible risk factors for infection such as duration of catheterization, exposure to invasive devices or surgical procedures, and medical condition.Results: There was a statistically significant association between the rate of UTI and duration of catheterization: seven patients had UTI out of 46 catheterized patients (15% at 3 days of catheterization, while 30 patients had UTI out of 44 catheterized patients (68% at 8 days of catheterization (median 8 days in infected patients versus 3 days in noninfected patients; P-value <0.05, which means that the longer the duration of catheterization, the higher the UTI rate. There was a statistically significant association between the rate of UTI and LOS

Assessing the nosocomial infections' rate and the antibiotic resistance pattern among the patient hospitalized in beheshti hospital during 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manijeh Kadkhodaei

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: Nosocomial infection is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and length of stay. Detection of infection, identify the etiology of bacterial antibiotic resistance pattern, is necessary given the widespread use of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant organisms. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 288 patients admitted to the Beheshti Hospitals in Kashan based on NNIS definitions according to the state of Health and Medical education. In this study infections and antibiotic resistance symptoms were found. Data analyses were performed with Chi-square test. Results: Among the 288 patients studied, with mean out of hospital infection was 0.80%. Most cases of infection associated were pneumonia. The highest rates of infection were in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU with 51.7%. Nosocomial infection in ICU wards was associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The most common types were ventilator-associated pneumonia. Among the microorganisms, negative Gram was seen more. The common pathogens were including Acinetobacter, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella. Antimicrobial resistance was generally increasing and had emerged from selective pressure from antibiotic use and transmission through health staff. Conclusion: This study showed a correlation between antibiotic use and resistance of microorganisms is significant. Hence, it seems that reducing aggressive acts and conduct hygiene education and monitoring act of antibiotics is necessary to prevent antibiotic resistance.

High readmission rates and mental distress after infective endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Trine Bernholdt; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Thygesen, Lau Caspar

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe disease requiring lengthy hospitalisation. Little is known about patients' recovery after IE. The aims of this study in IE patients were; (i) to describe mortality, readmission, self-reported health and rehabilitation up to 1year post-discharge,......BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe disease requiring lengthy hospitalisation. Little is known about patients' recovery after IE. The aims of this study in IE patients were; (i) to describe mortality, readmission, self-reported health and rehabilitation up to 1year post...

Low-activity waste feed delivery -- Minimum duration between successive batches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, B.B.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a defensible basis for establishing what ''minimum duration'' will provide acceptable risk mitigation for low-activity waste feed delivery to the privatization vendors. The study establishes a probabilistic-based duration for staging of low-activity waste feed batches. A comparison is made of the durations with current feed delivery plans and potential privatization vendor facility throughput rates

Low-activity waste feed delivery -- Minimum duration between successive batches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peters, B.B.

1998-08-25

The purpose of this study is to develop a defensible basis for establishing what ``minimum duration`` will provide acceptable risk mitigation for low-activity waste feed delivery to the privatization vendors. The study establishes a probabilistic-based duration for staging of low-activity waste feed batches. A comparison is made of the durations with current feed delivery plans and potential privatization vendor facility throughput rates.

Bloodstream infection rates in outpatient hemodialysis facilities participating in a collaborative prevention effort: a quality improvement report.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Priti R; Yi, Sarah H; Booth, Stephanie; Bren, Virginia; Downham, Gemma; Hess, Sally; Kelley, Karen; Lincoln, Mary; Morrissette, Kathy; Lindberg, Curt; Jernigan, John A; Kallen, Alexander J

2013-08-01

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) cause substantial morbidity in hemodialysis patients. In 2009, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sponsored a collaborative project to prevent BSIs in outpatient hemodialysis facilities. We sought to assess the impact of a set of interventions on BSI and access-related BSI rates in participating facilities using data reported to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Quality improvement project. Patients in 17 outpatient hemodialysis facilities that volunteered to participate. Facilities reported monthly event and denominator data to NHSN, received guidance from the CDC, and implemented an evidence-based intervention package that included chlorhexidine use for catheter exit-site care, staff training and competency assessments focused on catheter care and aseptic technique, hand hygiene and vascular access care audits, and feedback of infection and adherence rates to staff. Crude and modeled BSI and access-related BSI rates. Up to 12 months of preintervention (January 2009 through December 2009) and 15 months of intervention period (January 2010 through March 2011) data from participating centers were analyzed. Segmented regression analysis was used to assess changes in BSI and access-related BSI rates during the preintervention and intervention periods. Most (65%) participating facilities were hospital based. Pooled mean BSI and access-related BSI rates were 1.09 and 0.73 events per 100 patient-months during the preintervention period and 0.89 and 0.42 events per 100 patient-months during the intervention period, respectively. Modeled rates decreased 32% (P = 0.01) for BSIs and 54% (P facilities were not representative of all outpatient hemodialysis centers nationally. There was no control arm to this quality improvement project. Facilities participating in a collaborative successfully decreased their BSI and access-related BSI rates. The decreased rates appeared to be maintained in the intervention

12 CFR 564.4 - Minimum appraisal standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Minimum appraisal standards. 564.4 Section 564.4 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY APPRAISALS § 564.4 Minimum appraisal standards. For federally related transactions, all appraisals shall, at a minimum: (a...

The minimum wage in the Czech enterprises

OpenAIRE

Eva Lajtkepová

2010-01-01

Although the statutory minimum wage is not a new category, in the Czech Republic we encounter the definition and regulation of a minimum wage for the first time in the 1990 amendment to Act No. 65/1965 Coll., the Labour Code. The specific amount of the minimum wage and the conditions of its operation were then subsequently determined by government regulation in February 1991. Since that time, the value of minimum wage has been adjusted fifteenth times (the last increase was in January 2007). ...

Minimum Wages and Regional Disparity: An analysis on the evolution of price-adjusted minimum wages and their effects on firm profitability (Japanese)

OpenAIRE

MORIKAWA Masayuki

2013-01-01

This paper, using prefecture level panel data, empirically analyzes 1) the recent evolution of price-adjusted regional minimum wages and 2) the effects of minimum wages on firm profitability. As a result of rapid increases in minimum wages in the metropolitan areas since 2007, the regional disparity of nominal minimum wages has been widening. However, the disparity of price-adjusted minimum wages has been shrinking. According to the analysis of the effects of minimum wages on profitability us...

Prevention and treatment of surgical site infection in HIV-infected patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Lei

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI are the third most frequently reported nosocomial infection, and the most common on surgical wards. HIV-infected patients may increase the possibility of developing SSI after surgery. There are few reported date on incidence and the preventive measures of SSI in HIV-infected patients. This study was to determine the incidence and the associated risk factors for SSI in HIV-infected patients. And we also explored the preventive measures. Methods A retrospective study of SSI was conducted in 242 HIV-infected patients including 17 patients who combined with hemophilia from October 2008 to September 2011 in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. SSI were classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC criteria and identified by bedside surveillance and post-discharge follow-up. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL. Results The SSI incidence rate was 47.5% (115 of 242; 38.4% incisional SSIs, 5.4% deep incisional SSIs and 3.7% organ/space SSIs. The SSI incidence rate was 37.9% in HIV-infected patients undergoing abdominal operation. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery with lower preoperative CD4 counts were more likely to develop SSIs. The incidence increased from 2.6% in clean wounds to 100% in dirty wounds. In the HIV-infected patients combined with hemophilia, the mean preoperative albumin and postoperative hemoglobin were found significantly lower than those in no-SSIs group (P Conclusions SSI is frequent in HIV-infected patients. And suitable perioperative management may decrease the SSIs incidence rate of HIV-infected patients.

Nasopharyngeal polymicrobial colonization during health, viral upper respiratory infection and upper respiratory bacterial infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qingfu; Wischmeyer, Jareth; Gonzalez, Eduardo; Pichichero, Michael E

2017-07-01

We sought to understand how polymicrobial colonization varies during health, viral upper respiratory infection (URI) and acute upper respiratory bacterial infection to understand differences in infection-prone vs. non-prone patients. Nasopharyngeal (NP) samples were collected from 74 acute otitis media (AOM) infection-prone and 754 non-prone children during 2094 healthy visits, 673 viral URI visits and 631 AOM visits. Three otopathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) were identified by culture. NP colonization rates of multiple otopathogens during health were significantly lower than during viral URI, and during URI they were lower than at onset of upper respiratory bacterial infection in both AOM infection-prone and non-prone children. AOM infection-prone children had higher polymicrobial colonization rates than non-prone children during health, viral URI and AOM. Polymicrobial colonization rates of AOM infection-prone children during health were equivalent to that of non-prone children during viral URI, and during viral URI were equivalent to that of non-prone during AOM infection. Spn colonization was positively associated with NTHi and Mcat colonization during health, but negatively during AOM infection. The infection-prone patients more frequently have multiple potential bacterial pathogens in the NP than the non-prone patients. Polymicrobial interaction in the NP differs during health and at onset of infection. Copyright © 2017 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

41 CFR 50-201.1101 - Minimum wages.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Minimum wages. 50-201... Contracts PUBLIC CONTRACTS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 201-GENERAL REGULATIONS § 50-201.1101 Minimum wages. Determinations of prevailing minimum wages or changes therein will be published in the Federal Register by the...

Differences in the pattern of antibiotic prescription profile and recurrence rate for possible urinary tract infections in women with and without diabetes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C. Schneeberger (Caroline); R.P. Stolk (Ronald); J.H. Devries (Hans); R.M.C. Herings (Ron); S.E. Geerlings (Suzanne)

2008-01-01

textabstractOBJECTIVE - Women with diabetes have a high incidence and complication rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Our aims were to compare current treatment strategies with respect to recurrence rates in women with diabetes with those without diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - We used

determination of design inflow rate in furrow irrigation using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Obe

taken as the minimum inflow rate which gave rise to a minimum water application efficiency of. 60% and a minimum distribution uniformity of 75%. It is recommended that the procedure described in this work is useful for the modification of existing furrow irrigation systems and the establishment of new ones. Also, the design ...

Physiological Status Drives Metabolic Rate in Mediterranean Geckos Infected with Pentastomes.

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Isabel C Caballero

Full Text Available Negative effects of parasites on their hosts are well documented, but the proximate mechanisms by which parasites reduce their host's fitness are poorly understood. For example, it has been suggested that parasites might be energetically demanding. However, a recent meta-analysis suggests that they have statistically insignificant effects on host resting metabolic rate (RMR. It is possible, though, that energetic costs associated with parasites are only manifested during and/or following periods of activity. Here, we measured CO2 production (a surrogate for metabolism in Mediterranean geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus infected with a lung parasite, the pentastome Raillietiella indica, under two physiological conditions: rested and recently active. In rested geckos, there was a negative, but non-significant association between the number of pentastomes (i.e., infection intensity and CO2 production. In recently active geckos (chased for 3 minutes, we recorded CO2 production from its maximum value until it declined to a stationary phase. We analyzed this decline as a 3 phase function (initial decline, secondary decline, stationary. Geckos that were recently active showed, in the secondary phase, a significant decrease in CO2 production as pentastome intensity increased. Moreover, duration of the secondary phase showed a significant positive association with the number of pentastomes. These results suggest that the intensity of pentastome load exerts a weak effect on the metabolism of resting geckos, but a strong physiological effect on geckos that have recently been active; we speculate this occurs via mechanical constraints on breathing. Our results provide a potential mechanism by which pentastomes can reduce gecko fitness.

Physiological Status Drives Metabolic Rate in Mediterranean Geckos Infected with Pentastomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Caballero, Isabel C; Sakla, Andrew J; Detwiler, Jillian T; Le Gall, Marion; Behmer, Spencer T; Criscione, Charles D

2015-01-01

Negative effects of parasites on their hosts are well documented, but the proximate mechanisms by which parasites reduce their host's fitness are poorly understood. For example, it has been suggested that parasites might be energetically demanding. However, a recent meta-analysis suggests that they have statistically insignificant effects on host resting metabolic rate (RMR). It is possible, though, that energetic costs associated with parasites are only manifested during and/or following periods of activity. Here, we measured CO2 production (a surrogate for metabolism) in Mediterranean geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) infected with a lung parasite, the pentastome Raillietiella indica, under two physiological conditions: rested and recently active. In rested geckos, there was a negative, but non-significant association between the number of pentastomes (i.e., infection intensity) and CO2 production. In recently active geckos (chased for 3 minutes), we recorded CO2 production from its maximum value until it declined to a stationary phase. We analyzed this decline as a 3 phase function (initial decline, secondary decline, stationary). Geckos that were recently active showed, in the secondary phase, a significant decrease in CO2 production as pentastome intensity increased. Moreover, duration of the secondary phase showed a significant positive association with the number of pentastomes. These results suggest that the intensity of pentastome load exerts a weak effect on the metabolism of resting geckos, but a strong physiological effect on geckos that have recently been active; we speculate this occurs via mechanical constraints on breathing. Our results provide a potential mechanism by which pentastomes can reduce gecko fitness.

Minimum Wage Laws and the Distribution of Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Kevin

The desirability of raising the minimum wage long revolved around just one question: the effect of higher minimum wages on the overall level of employment. An even more critical effect of the minimum wage rests on the composition of employment--who gets the minimum wage job. An examination of employment in eating and drinking establishments…

29 CFR 505.3 - Prevailing minimum compensation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Prevailing minimum compensation. 505.3 Section 505.3 Labor... HUMANITIES § 505.3 Prevailing minimum compensation. (a)(1) In the absence of an alternative determination...)(2) of this section, the prevailing minimum compensation required to be paid under the Act to the...

Developing algorithms for healthcare insurers to systematically monitor surgical site infection rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Livingston James M

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Claims data provide rapid indicators of SSIs for coronary artery bypass surgery and have been shown to successfully rank hospitals by SSI rates. We now operationalize this method for use by payers without transfer of protected health information, or any insurer data, to external analytic centers. Results We performed a descriptive study testing the operationalization of software for payers to routinely assess surgical infection rates among hospitals where enrollees receive cardiac procedures. We developed five SAS programs and a user manual for direct use by health plans and payers. The manual and programs were refined following provision to two national insurers who applied the programs to claims databases, following instructions on data preparation, data validation, analysis, and verification and interpretation of program output. A final set of programs and user manual successfully guided health plan programmer analysts to apply SSI algorithms to claims databases. Validation steps identified common problems such as incomplete preparation of data, missing data, insufficient sample size, and other issues that might result in program failure. Several user prompts enabled health plans to select time windows, strata such as insurance type, and the threshold number of procedures performed by a hospital before inclusion in regression models assessing relative SSI rates among hospitals. No health plan data was transferred to outside entities. Programs, on default settings, provided descriptive tables of SSI indicators stratified by hospital, insurer type, SSI indicator (inpatient, outpatient, antibiotic, and six-month period. Regression models provided rankings of hospital SSI indicator rates by quartiles, adjusted for comorbidities. Programs are publicly available without charge. Conclusion We describe a free, user-friendly software package that enables payers to routinely assess and identify hospitals with potentially high SSI

Effect of fentanyl on the induction dose and minimum infusion rate of propofol preventing movement in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Carrie A; Seddighi, Reza; Cox, Sherry K; Sun, Xiaocun; Egger, Christine M; Doherty, Thomas J

2017-07-01

To determine the effect of fentanyl on the induction dose of propofol and minimum infusion rate required to prevent movement in response to noxious stimulation (MIR NM ) in dogs. Crossover experimental design. Six healthy, adult intact male Beagle dogs, mean±standard deviation 12.6±0.4 kg. Dogs were administered 0.9% saline (treatment P), fentanyl (5 μg kg -1 ) (treatment PLDF) or fentanyl (10 μg kg -1 ) (treatment PHDF) intravenously over 5 minutes. Five minutes later, anesthesia was induced with propofol (2 mg kg -1 , followed by 1 mg kg -1 every 15 seconds to achieve intubation) and maintained for 90 minutes by constant rate infusions (CRIs) of propofol alone or with fentanyl: P, propofol (0.5 mg kg -1  minute -1 ); PLDF, propofol (0.35 mg kg -1  minute -1 ) and fentanyl (0.1 μg kg -1  minute -1 ); PHDF, propofol (0.3 mg kg -1  minute -1 ) and fentanyl (0.2 μg kg -1  minute -1 ). Propofol CRI was increased or decreased based on the response to stimulation (50 V, 50 Hz, 10 mA), with 20 minutes between adjustments. Data were analyzed using a mixed-model anova and presented as mean±standard error. ropofol induction doses were 6.16±0.31, 3.67±0.21 and 3.33±0.42 mg kg -1 for P, PLDF and PHDF, respectively. Doses for PLDF and PHDF were significantly decreased from P (pFentanyl, at the doses studied, caused statistically significant and clinically important decreases in the propofol induction dose and MIR NM . Copyright © 2017 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance system, calculation of SSI rates and specification of important factors affecting SSI in a digestive organ surgical department.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Koji; Sawa, Akihiro; Akagi, Shinji; Kihira, Kenji

2007-06-01

We have developed an original system to conduct surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance. This system accumulates SSI surveillance information based on the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System and the Japanese Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JNIS) System. The features of this system are as follows: easy input of data, high generality, data accuracy, SSI rate by operative procedure and risk index category (RIC) can be promptly calculated and compared with the current NNIS SSI rate, and the SSI rates and accumulated data can be exported electronically. Using this system, we monitored 798 patients in 24 operative procedure categories in the Digestive Organs Surgery Department of Mazda Hospital, Mazda Motor Corporation, from January 2004 through December 2005. The total number and rate of SSI were 47 and 5.89%, respectively. The SSI rates of 777 patients were calculated based on 15 operative procedure categories and Risk Index Categories (RIC). The highest SSI rate was observed in the rectum surgery of RIC 1 (30%), followed by the colon surgery of RIC3 (28.57%). About 30% of the isolated infecting bacteria were Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Using quantification theory type 2, the American Society of Anesthesiology score (4.531), volume of hemorrhage under operation (3.075), wound classification (1.76), operation time (1.352), and history of diabetes (0.989) increased to higher ranks as factors for SSI. Therefore, we evaluated this system as a useful tool in safety control for operative procedures.

Interest Rate Swaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Pepić

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Interest rates changes have a huge impact on the business performance. Therefore, it is of great importance for the market participants to identify and adequately manage this risk. Financial derivatives are a relatively simple way of protection from adverse changes in interest rates. Interest rate swaps are particularly popular because they reduce interest rate risk to a minimum with a relatively low initial cost and without great risk, but also because of the fact that there are manymodifications of the standard swap created to better satisfy the different needs of market players.

Acinetobacter Prosthetic Joint Infection Treated with Debridement and High-Dose Tigecycline.

Science.gov (United States)

Vila, Andrea; Pagella, Hugo; Amadio, Claudio; Leiva, Alejandro

2016-12-01

Prosthesis retention is not recommended for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter prosthetic joint infection due to its high failure rate. Nevertheless, replacing the prosthesis implies high morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Although tigecycline is not approved for the treatment of prosthetic joint infection due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, its appropriate use may preclude prosthesis exchange. Since the area under the curve divided by the minimum inhibitory concentration is the best pharmacodynamic predictor of its efficacy, we used tigecycline at high dose, in order to optimize its efficacy and achieve implant retention in 3 patients who refused prosthesis exchange. All patients with prosthetic joint infections treated at our Institution are prospectively registered in a database. Three patients with early prosthetic joint infection of total hip arthroplasty due to multidrug resistant A. baumannii were treated with debridement, antibiotics and implant retention, using a high maintenance dose of tigecycline (100 mg every 12 hours). The cases were retrospectively reviewed. All patients signed informed consent for receiving off-label use of tigecycline. Tigecycline was well tolerated, allowing its administration at high maintenance dose for a median of 40 days (range 30-60). Two patients were then switched to minocycline at standard doses for a median of 3.3 months in order to complete treatment. Currently, none of the patients showed relapse. Increasing the dose of tigecycline could be considered as a means to better attain pharmacodynamic targets in patients with severe or difficult-to-treat infections. Tigecycline at high maintenance dose might be useful when retention of the implant is attempted for treatment for prosthetic joint infections due to multidrug resistant Acinetobacter. Although this approach might be promising, off-label use of tigecycline should be interpreted cautiously until prospective data are available. Tigecycline is

Do Some Workers Have Minimum Wage Careers?

Science.gov (United States)

Carrington, William J.; Fallick, Bruce C.

2001-01-01

Most workers who begin their careers in minimum-wage jobs eventually gain more experience and move on to higher paying jobs. However, more than 8% of workers spend at least half of their first 10 working years in minimum wage jobs. Those more likely to have minimum wage careers are less educated, minorities, women with young children, and those…

Does the Minimum Wage Affect Welfare Caseloads?

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Marianne E.; Spetz, Joanne; Millar, Jane

2005-01-01

Although minimum wages are advocated as a policy that will help the poor, few studies have examined their effect on poor families. This paper uses variation in minimum wages across states and over time to estimate the impact of minimum wage legislation on welfare caseloads. We find that the elasticity of the welfare caseload with respect to the…

29 CFR 4.159 - General minimum wage.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true General minimum wage. 4.159 Section 4.159 Labor Office of... General minimum wage. The Act, in section 2(b)(1), provides generally that no contractor or subcontractor... a contract less than the minimum wage specified under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards...

Shale gas activity and increased rates of sexually transmitted infections in Ohio, 2000-2016.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole C Deziel

Full Text Available The growing shale gas ("fracking" industry depends on a mobile workforce, whose influx could have social impacts on host communities. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs can increase through sexual mixing patterns associated with labor migration. No prior studies have quantified the relationship between shale gas activity and rates of three reportable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.We conducted a longitudinal, ecologic study from 2000-2016 in Ohio, situated in a prolific shale gas region in the United States (US. Data on reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis by county and year were obtained from the Ohio Department of Health. All 88 counties were classified as none, low, and high shale gas activity in each year, using data from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Annual rate ratios (RR and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs were calculated from mixed-effects Poisson regression models evaluating the relationship between shale gas activity and reported annual STI rates while adjusting for secular trends and potential confounders obtained from the US Census.Compared to counties with no shale gas activity, counties with high activity had 21% (RR = 1.21; 95%CI = 1.08-1.36 increased rates of chlamydia and 19% (RR = 1.27; 95%CI 0.98-1.44 increased rates of gonorrhea, respectively. No association was observed for syphilis.This first report of a link between shale gas activity and increased rates of both chlamydia and gonorrhea may inform local policies and community health efforts.

Decreased rates of nosocomial endometritis and urinary tract infection after vaginal delivery in a French surveillance network, 1997-2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayzac, Louis; Caillat-Vallet, Emmanuelle; Girard, Raphaële; Chapuis, Catherine; Depaix, Florence; Dumas, Anne-Marie; Gignoux, Chantal; Haond, Catherine; Lafarge-Leboucher, Joëlle; Launay, Carine; Tissot-Guerraz, Françoise; Vincent, Agnès; Fabry, Jacques

2008-06-01

To identify independent risk factors for endometritis and urinary tract infection (UTI) after vaginal delivery, and to monitor changes in nosocomial infection rates and derive benchmarks for prevention. Prospective study. We analyzed routine surveillance data for all vaginal deliveries between January 1997 and December 2003 at 66 maternity units participating in the Mater Sud-Est surveillance network. Adjusted odds ratios for risk of endometritis or UTI were obtained using a logistic regression model. The overall incidence rates were 0.5% for endometritis and 0.3% for UTI. There was a significant decrease in the incidence and risk of endometritis but not of UTI during the 7-year period. Significant risk factors for endometritis were fever during labor, parity of 1, and instrumental delivery and/or manual removal of the placenta. Significant risk factors for UTI were urinary infection on admission, premature rupture of membranes (more than 12 hours before admission), blood loss of more than 800 mL, parity of 1, instrumental delivery, and receipt of more than 5 vaginal digital examinations. Each maternity unit received a poster showing graphs of the number of expected and observed cases of UTI and endometritis associated with vaginal deliveries, which enabled each maternity unit to determine their rank within the network and to initiate prevention programs. Although routine surveillance means additional work for maternity units, our results demonstrate the usefulness of regular targeted monitoring of risk factors and of the most common nosocomial infections in obstetrics. Most of the information needed for monitoring is already present in the patients' records.

Efficacy of an alcohol/chlorhexidine hand hygiene program in a hospital with high rates of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Paul D R; Martin, Rhea; Burrell, Laurelle J; Grabsch, Elizabeth A; Kirsa, Susan W; O'Keeffe, Jason; Mayall, Barrie C; Edmonds, Deidre; Barr, Wendy; Bolger, Christopher; Naidoo, Humsha; Grayson, M Lindsay

2005-11-21

To assess the effect of a multifaceted hand hygiene culture-change program on health care worker behaviour, and to reduce the burden of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Timetabled introduction of interventions (alcohol/chlorhexidine hand hygiene solution [ACHRS], improved cleaning of shared ward equipment, targeted patient decolonisation, comprehensive "culture change" package) to five clinical areas of a large university teaching hospital that had high levels of MRSA. Health care worker hand hygiene compliance; volume of ACHRS used; prevalence of patient and health care worker MRSA colonisation; environmental MRSA contamination; rates of clinical MRSA infection; and rates of laboratory detection of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. In study wards, health care worker hand hygiene compliance improved from a pre-intervention mean of 21% (95% CI, 20.3%-22.9%) to 42% (95% CI, 40.2%-43.8%) 12 months post-intervention (P hand hygiene compliance and reducing nosocomial MRSA infections, despite high-level MRSA endemicity.

Characterization of Cytomegalovirus Lung Infection in Non-HIV Infected Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia M. Restrepo-Gualteros

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Cytomegalovirus (CMV is a prevalent pathogen in the immunocompromised host and invasive pneumonia is a feared complication of the virus in this population. In this pediatric case series we characterized CMV lung infection in 15 non-HIV infected children (median age 3 years; IQR 0.2–4.9 years, using current molecular and imaging diagnostic modalities, in combination with respiratory signs and symptoms. The most prominent clinical and laboratory findings included cough (100%, hypoxemia (100%, diffuse adventitious breath sounds (100% and increased respiratory effort (93%. All patients had abnormal lung images characterized by ground glass opacity/consolidation in 80% of cases. CMV was detected in the lung either by CMV PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage (82% detection rate or histology/immunohistochemistry in lung biopsy (100% detection rate. CMV caused respiratory failure in 47% of children infected and the overall mortality rate was 13.3%. Conclusion: CMV pneumonia is a potential lethal disease in non-HIV infected children that requires a high-index of suspicion. Common clinical and radiological patterns such as hypoxemia, diffuse adventitious lung sounds and ground-glass pulmonary opacities may allow early identification of CMV lung infection in the pediatric population, which may lead to prompt initiation of antiviral therapy and better clinical outcomes.

Jobs Taken by Mothers Moving from Welfare to Work and the Effects of Minimum Wages on This Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandon, Peter D.

The potential effects of raising the minimum wage on the earnings of mothers moving from welfare to work were examined by analyzing the differences that existed in the late 1980s in the various states' minimum wage rates and data from three waves of the Survey of Income and Program Participation for the years 1985-1990 (during which time 13 states…

Experimental investigations of the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of inert and combustible dust cloud mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Addai, Emmanuel Kwasi, E-mail: emmanueladdai41@yahoo.com; Gabel, Dieter; Krause, Ulrich

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Ignition sensitivity of a highly flammable dust decreases upon addition of inert dust. • Minimum ignition temperature of a highly flammable dust increases when inert concentration increase. • Minimum ignition energy of a highly flammable dust increases when inert concentration increase. • The permissible range for the inert mixture to minimize the ignition risk lies between 60 to 80%. - Abstract: The risks associated with dust explosions still exist in industries that either process or handle combustible dust. This explosion risk could be prevented or mitigated by applying the principle of inherent safety (moderation). This is achieved by adding an inert material to a highly combustible material in order to decrease the ignition sensitivity of the combustible dust. The presented paper deals with the experimental investigation of the influence of adding an inert dust on the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of the combustible/inert dust mixtures. The experimental investigation was done in two laboratory scale equipment: the Hartmann apparatus and the Godbert-Greenwald furnace for the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature test respectively. This was achieved by mixing various amounts of three inert materials (magnesium oxide, ammonium sulphate and sand) and six combustible dusts (brown coal, lycopodium, toner, niacin, corn starch and high density polyethylene). Generally, increasing the inert materials concentration increases the minimum ignition energy as well as the minimum ignition temperatures until a threshold is reached where no ignition was obtained. The permissible range for the inert mixture to minimize the ignition risk lies between 60 to 80%.

Experimental investigations of the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of inert and combustible dust cloud mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addai, Emmanuel Kwasi; Gabel, Dieter; Krause, Ulrich

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Ignition sensitivity of a highly flammable dust decreases upon addition of inert dust. • Minimum ignition temperature of a highly flammable dust increases when inert concentration increase. • Minimum ignition energy of a highly flammable dust increases when inert concentration increase. • The permissible range for the inert mixture to minimize the ignition risk lies between 60 to 80%. - Abstract: The risks associated with dust explosions still exist in industries that either process or handle combustible dust. This explosion risk could be prevented or mitigated by applying the principle of inherent safety (moderation). This is achieved by adding an inert material to a highly combustible material in order to decrease the ignition sensitivity of the combustible dust. The presented paper deals with the experimental investigation of the influence of adding an inert dust on the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of the combustible/inert dust mixtures. The experimental investigation was done in two laboratory scale equipment: the Hartmann apparatus and the Godbert-Greenwald furnace for the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature test respectively. This was achieved by mixing various amounts of three inert materials (magnesium oxide, ammonium sulphate and sand) and six combustible dusts (brown coal, lycopodium, toner, niacin, corn starch and high density polyethylene). Generally, increasing the inert materials concentration increases the minimum ignition energy as well as the minimum ignition temperatures until a threshold is reached where no ignition was obtained. The permissible range for the inert mixture to minimize the ignition risk lies between 60 to 80%.

Associations between minimum wage policy and access to health care: evidence from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1996-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarrier, Kelly P; Zimmerman, Frederick J; Ralston, James D; Martin, Diane P

2011-02-01

We examined whether minimum wage policy is associated with access to medical care among low-skilled workers in the United States. We used multilevel logistic regression to analyze a data set consisting of individual-level indicators of uninsurance and unmet medical need from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and state-level ecological controls from the US Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and several other sources in all 50 states and the District of Columbia between 1996 and 2007. Higher state-level minimum wage rates were associated with significantly reduced odds of reporting unmet medical need after control for the ecological covariates, substate region fixed effects, and individual demographic and health characteristics (odds ratio = 0.853; 95% confidence interval = 0.750, 0.971). Minimum wage rates were not significantly associated with being uninsured. Higher minimum wages may be associated with a reduced likelihood of experiencing unmet medical need among low-skilled workers, and do not appear to be associated with uninsurance. These findings appear to refute the suggestion that minimum wage laws have detrimental effects on access to health care, as opponents of the policies have suggested.

Epidemiology of equine Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, L; Herd, R P

1994-01-01

Prevalence and infection patterns of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections in horses were studied by a direct immunofluorescence staining method. Faecal examinations of 222 horses of different age groups revealed Cryptosporidium infection rates of 15-31% in 66 foals surveyed in central Ohio, southern Ohio and central Kentucky, USA. Only 1 of 39 weanlings, 0 of 46 yearlings, and 0 of 71 mares were positive. Giardia infection was found in all age groups, although the infection rates for foals were higher (17-35%). Chronological study of infection in 35 foals showed that foals started to excrete Cryptosporidium oocysts between 4 and 19 weeks and Giardia cysts between 2 and 22 weeks of age. The cumulative infection rates of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in foals were each 71%. Some foals were concurrently infected with both parasites and excretion of oocysts or cysts was intermittent and long-lasting. The longest duration of excretion was 14 weeks for Cryptosporidium and 16 weeks for Giardia. Excretion of Cryptosporidium oocysts stopped before weaning, while excretion of Giardia cysts continued thereafter. Infected foals were considered the major source of Cryptosporidium infection in foals, whereas infected mares were deemed the major source of Giardia infection in foals. The high infection rate of Giardia in nursing mares suggested a periparturient relaxation of immunity. The results indicated that Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections are common in horses.

On the minimum core mass for giant planet formation at wide separations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piso, Ana-Maria A.; Youdin, Andrew N.

2014-01-01

In the core accretion hypothesis, giant planets form by gas accretion onto solid protoplanetary cores. The minimum (or critical) core mass to form a gas giant is typically quoted as 10 M ⊕ . The actual value depends on several factors: the location in the protoplanetary disk, atmospheric opacity, and the accretion rate of solids. Motivated by ongoing direct imaging searches for giant planets, this study investigates core mass requirements in the outer disk. To determine the fastest allowed rates of gas accretion, we consider solid cores that no longer accrete planetesimals, as this would heat the gaseous envelope. Our spherical, two-layer atmospheric cooling model includes an inner convective region and an outer radiative zone that matches onto the disk. We determine the minimum core mass for a giant planet to form within a typical disk lifetime of 3 Myr. The minimum core mass declines with disk radius, from ∼8.5 M ⊕ at 5 AU to ∼3.5 M ⊕ at 100 AU, with standard interstellar grain opacities. Lower temperatures in the outer disk explain this trend, while variations in disk density are less influential. At all distances, a lower dust opacity or higher mean molecular weight reduces the critical core mass. Our non-self-gravitating, analytic cooling model reveals that self-gravity significantly affects early atmospheric evolution, starting when the atmosphere is only ∼10% as massive as the core.

New Minimum Wage Research: A Symposium.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrenberg, Ronald G.; And Others

1992-01-01

Includes "Introduction" (Ehrenberg); "Effect of the Minimum Wage [MW] on the Fast-Food Industry" (Katz, Krueger); "Using Regional Variation in Wages to Measure Effects of the Federal MW" (Card); "Do MWs Reduce Employment?" (Card); "Employment Effects of Minimum and Subminimum Wages" (Neumark,…

Quantifying sources of bias in National Healthcare Safety Network laboratory-identified Clostridium difficile infection rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Haley, Valerie B; DiRienzo, A Gregory; Lutterloh, Emily C; Stricof, Rachel L

2014-01-01

To assess the effect of multiple sources of bias on state- and hospital-specific National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) laboratory-identified Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates. Sensitivity analysis. A total of 124 New York hospitals in 2010. New York NHSN CDI events from audited hospitals were matched to New York hospital discharge billing records to obtain additional information on patient age, length of stay, and previous hospital discharges. "Corrected" hospital-onset (HO) CDI rates were calculated after (1) correcting inaccurate case reporting found during audits, (2) incorporating knowledge of laboratory results from outside hospitals, (3) excluding days when patients were not at risk from the denominator of the rates, and (4) adjusting for patient age. Data sets were simulated with each of these sources of bias reintroduced individually and combined. The simulated rates were compared with the corrected rates. Performance (ie, better, worse, or average compared with the state average) was categorized, and misclassification compared with the corrected data set was measured. Counting days patients were not at risk in the denominator reduced the state HO rate by 45% and resulted in 8% misclassification. Age adjustment and reporting errors also shifted rates (7% and 6% misclassification, respectively). Changing the NHSN protocol to require reporting of age-stratified patient-days and adjusting for patient-days at risk would improve comparability of rates across hospitals. Further research is needed to validate the risk-adjustment model before these data should be used as hospital performance measures.

Teaching the Minimum Wage in Econ 101 in Light of the New Economics of the Minimum Wage.

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, Alan B.

2001-01-01

Argues that the recent controversy over the effect of the minimum wage on employment offers an opportunity for teaching introductory economics. Examines eight textbooks to determine topic coverage but finds little consensus. Describes how minimum wage effects should be taught. (RLH)

Allowable minimum upper shelf toughness for nuclear reactor pressure vessels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zahoor, A.

1988-05-01

The paper develops methodology and procedure for determining the allowable minimum upper shelf toughness for continued safe operation of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis method based on the J-integral tearing modulus (J/T) approach is used. Closed from expressions for the applied J and tearing modulus are presented for finite length, part-throughwall axial flaw with aspect ratio of 1/6. Solutions are then presented for Section III, Appendix G flaw. A simple flaw evaluation procedure that can be applied quickly by utility engineers is presented. An attractive feature of the simple procedure is that tearing modulus calculations are not required by the user, and a solution for the slope of the applied J/T line is provided. Results for the allowable minimum upper shelf toughness are presented for a range of reactor pressure vessel thickness and heatup/cooldown rates.

Allowable minimum upper shelf toughness for nuclear reactor pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahoor, A.

1988-01-01

The paper develops methodology and procedure for determining the allowable minimum upper shelf toughness for continued safe operation of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis method based on the J-integral tearing modulus (J/T) approach is used. Closed from expressions for the applied J and tearing modulus are presented for finite length, part-throughwall axial flaw with aspect ratio of 1/6. Solutions are then presented for Section III, Appendix G flaw. A simple flaw evaluation procedure that can be applied quickly by utility engineers is presented. An attractive feature of the simple procedure is that tearing modulus calculations are not required by the user, and a solution for the slope of the applied J/T line is provided. Results for the allowable minimum upper shelf toughness are presented for a range of reactor pressure vessel thickness and heatup/cooldown rates. (orig.)

The rate of following infection control principles in educational hospitals of Khorramabad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

tahereh Toulabi

2006-11-01

Results: The degree of following infection control principles in most of the personnel’s was medium (53.7% and in hand washing was low (90%. Wards status about physical environment (47.83%, resources and equipment (78.3% were medium level. Conclusion: Continuous education of personnel in different job categories, using instruments and methods to reduce infection, improvement of resources and equipment and physical environment, establishment of National Nosocomial Infection surveillance system (NNISS, yearly epidemiological investigations and performing regular microbiological cultures are the most important strategies for infection control, that must be performed in educational hospitals.

Minimum inhibitory concentration distribution in environmental Legionella spp. isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandalakis, Vassilios; Chochlakis, Dimosthenis; Goniotakis, Ioannis; Tselentis, Yannis; Psaroulaki, Anna

2014-12-01

In Greece standard tests are performed in the watering and cooling systems of hotels' units either as part of the surveillance scheme or following human infection. The purpose of this study was to establish the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions of environmental Legionella isolates for six antimicrobials commonly used for the treatment of Legionella infections, by MIC-test methodology. Water samples were collected from 2004 to 2011 from 124 hotels from the four prefectures of Crete (Greece). Sixty-eight (68) Legionella isolates, comprising L. pneumophila serogroups 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, L. anisa, L. rubrilucens, L. maceachernii, L. quinlivanii, L. oakridgensis, and L. taurinensis, were included in the study. MIC-tests were performed on buffered charcoal yeast extract with α-ketoglutarate, L-cysteine, and ferric pyrophosphate. The MICs were read after 2 days of incubation at 36 ± 1 °C at 2.5% CO2. A large distribution in MICs was recorded for each species and each antibiotic tested. Rifampicin proved to be the most potent antibiotic regardless of the Legionella spp.; tetracycline appeared to have the least activity on our environmental isolates. The MIC-test approach is an easy, although not so cost-effective, way to determine MICs in Legionella spp. These data should be kept in mind especially since these Legionella species may cause human disease.

30 CFR 75.1431 - Minimum rope strength.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., including rotation resistant). For rope lengths less than 3,000 feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.001L) For rope lengths 3,000 feet or greater: Minimum Value=Static Load×4.0 (b) Friction drum ropes. For rope lengths less than 4,000 feet: Minimum Value=Static Load×(7.0−0.0005L) For rope lengths 4,000 feet...

Methanolic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera improves the survivability rate, weight gain and histopathological changes of Wister rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Aremu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Trypanosomosis is a major disease of Man and animals. This study investigated the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on the survivability rate, weight gain and histopathological changes of Wister rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei. A total of thirty (30 rats randomly divided into six groups (A-F. Rats in group A remain untreated and uninfected while rates in group F were infected and untreated. Rats in groups B and C were treated with Moringa oleifera leave extract orally at 200 mg/kg for 14 days pre-infection and the treatment continued in B but not in C. Rats in groups D and E were treated with the extract orally for ninety days at 200 mg/kg (pre-infection and the treatment continued in D but not in E. The weight changes in all rats were monitored weekly. Rats in B-F groups were infected with 3 × 106 of Trypanosoma brucei per mL of blood. The results showed that all the infected rats died but the treated group survived extra two days when compared with the untreated group. The percentage weight gain of rats in groups B and C was high (23.9% and 21.1% respectively as against negative control (17.2%. The groups with chronic administration of the extract (D and E had a lower percentage weight gains (64.3% and 60.3% respectively when compared with negative control (71.8%. The histopathology results showed that the extract was a potent ameliorative agent that reduced neuronal degeneration and congestion in the brain and the spleen of the infected rats respectively. In conclusion, Moringa Oleifera leave extract has mitigative effects on the pathogenesis of trypanosomosis. Keywords: Histopathology, Moringa, Survivability, Trypanosoma, Weight, Wister rats

Oxygen at nanomolar levels reversibly suppresses process rates and gene expression in anammox and denitrification in the oxygen minimum zone off northern Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalsgaard, Tage; Stewart, Frank J; Thamdrup, Bo; De Brabandere, Loreto; Revsbech, Niels Peter; Ulloa, Osvaldo; Canfield, Don E; DeLong, Edward F

2014-10-28

A major percentage (20 to 40%) of global marine fixed-nitrogen loss occurs in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Concentrations of O2 and the sensitivity of the anaerobic N2-producing processes of anammox and denitrification determine where this loss occurs. We studied experimentally how O2 at nanomolar levels affects anammox and denitrification rates and the transcription of nitrogen cycle genes in the anoxic OMZ off Chile. Rates of anammox and denitrification were reversibly suppressed, most likely at the enzyme level. Fifty percent inhibition of N2 and N2O production by denitrification was achieved at 205 and 297 nM O2, respectively, whereas anammox was 50% inhibited at 886 nM O2. Coupled metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that transcripts encoding nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ), nitrite reductase (nirS), and nitric oxide reductase (norB) decreased in relative abundance above 200 nM O2. This O2 concentration did not suppress the transcription of other dissimilatory nitrogen cycle genes, including nitrate reductase (narG), hydrazine oxidoreductase (hzo), and nitrite reductase (nirK). However, taxonomic characterization of transcripts suggested inhibition of narG transcription in gammaproteobacteria, whereas the transcription of anammox narG, whose gene product is likely used to oxidatively replenish electrons for carbon fixation, was not inhibited. The taxonomic composition of transcripts differed among denitrification enzymes, suggesting that distinct groups of microorganisms mediate different steps of denitrification. Sulfide addition (1 µM) did not affect anammox or O2 inhibition kinetics but strongly stimulated N2O production by denitrification. These results identify new O2 thresholds for delimiting marine nitrogen loss and highlight the utility of integrating biogeochemical and metatranscriptomic analyses. The removal of fixed nitrogen via anammox and denitrification associated with low O2 concentrations in oceanic oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) is a major sink in

Economic policy and the double burden of malnutrition: cross-national longitudinal analysis of minimum wage and women's underweight and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Conklin, Annalijn I; Ponce, Ninez A; Crespi, Catherine M; Frank, John; Nandi, Arijit; Heymann, Jody

2018-04-01

To examine changes in minimum wage associated with changes in women's weight status. Longitudinal study of legislated minimum wage levels (per month, purchasing power parity-adjusted, 2011 constant US dollar values) linked to anthropometric and sociodemographic data from multiple Demographic and Health Surveys (2000-2014). Separate multilevel models estimated associations of a $10 increase in monthly minimum wage with the rate of change in underweight and obesity, conditioning on individual and country confounders. Post-estimation analysis computed predicted mean probabilities of being underweight or obese associated with higher levels of minimum wage at study start and end. Twenty-four low-income countries. Adult non-pregnant women (n 150 796). Higher minimum wages were associated (OR; 95 % CI) with reduced underweight in women (0·986; 0·977, 0·995); a decrease that accelerated over time (P-interaction=0·025). Increasing minimum wage was associated with higher obesity (1·019; 1·008, 1·030), but did not alter the rate of increase in obesity prevalence (P-interaction=0·8). A $10 rise in monthly minimum wage was associated (prevalence difference; 95 % CI) with an average decrease of about 0·14 percentage points (-0·14; -0·23, -0·05) for underweight and an increase of about 0·1 percentage points (0·12; 0·04, 0·20) for obesity. The present longitudinal multi-country study showed that a $10 rise in monthly minimum wage significantly accelerated the decline in women's underweight prevalence, but had no association with the pace of growth in obesity prevalence. Thus, modest rises in minimum wage may be beneficial for addressing the protracted underweight problem in poor countries, especially South Asia and parts of Africa.

Self-rated quality of life and school performance in relation to helminth infections: case study from Yunnan, People's Republic of China

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Expert opinion-derived disability weights are widely employed for estimating the global burden of diseases and injuries. For chronic diseases such as soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, it has been suggested that a patient-based quality of life (QoL) approach should be considered for a more accurate appraisal of disability weights. Methods and Results We carried out a cross-sectional survey and assessed the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections as well as self-rated QoL indicators among 252 students attending grades 5-8 in two schools (Bulangshan and Pu'er) in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Each student provided a single stool sample, which was subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear readings and a single FLOTAC examination for parasitological diagnosis. Prevalence rates for hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides were high in Bulangshan (75.9%, 70.0% and 68.2%), while the respective prevalence rates in Pu'er were 66.9%, 56.5% and 9.2%. Students were interviewed with two standardised questionnaires, the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and ShortForm-12 (SF-12) Health Survey. Impairment in any of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D was reported by 87% of the students. However, no clear differences could be observed between individuals with and those without helminth infections, and there were discrepancies between the two schools. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed no differences between students with varying infection status in the domains of the SF-12 (odds ratio close to 1.0). Somewhat more pronounced, yet not statistically significant differences were observed when end-of-school-term marks were compared with students' helminth infection status: infected individuals had lower marks in Chinese, English and mathematics, but not in sports, compared to their helminth-free counterparts. Conclusions Our results point to unresolved issues and challenges regarding the cultural

Epidemiology of Strongylus vulgaris infection of the horse in Morocco.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, V S

1981-05-01

Between August 1978 and July 1979 the anterior mesenteric artery and its branches were collected regularly from adult horses and examined for Strongylus vulgaris larvae. The incidence of infection varied from 55 to 100% (annual mean 80%). The mean monthly number of larvae ranged form 3 to 22 with an annual overall mean of 13. The arterial infection was at its minimum in December to January, rose gradually to attain the peak in June and declined thereafter. These observations indicated that S. vulgaris is an annual species in Morocco, infection occurring during the rainy season (November-April), the heavy arterial population in spring and adult population during autumn and winter.

Good results in postoperative and hematogenous deep infections of 89 stable total hip and knee replacements with retention of prosthesis and local antibiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Geurts, Jan A P; Janssen, Daniël M C; Kessels, Alfons G H; Walenkamp, Geert H I M

2013-12-01

Deep postoperative and hematogenous prosthesis infections may be treated with retention of the prosthesis, if the prosthesis is stable. How long the infection may be present to preclude a good result is unclear. We retrospectively studied 89 deep-infected stable prostheses from 69 total hip replacements and 20 total knee replacements. There were 83 early or delayed postoperative infections and 6 hematogenous. In the postoperative infections, treatment had started 12 days to 2 years after implantation. In the hematogenous infections, symptoms had been present for 6 to 9 days. The patients had been treated with debridement, prosthesis retention, systemic antibiotics, and local antibiotics: gentamicin-PMMA beads or gentamicin collagen fleeces. The minimum follow-up time was 1.5 years. We investigated how the result of the treatment had been influenced by the length of the period the infection was present, and by other variables such as host characteristics, infection stage, and type of bacteria. In postoperative infections, the risk of failure increased with a longer postoperative interval: from 0.2 (95% CI: 0.1-0.3) if the treatment had started ≥ 4 weeks postoperatively to 0.5 (CI: 0.2-0.8) if it had started at ≥ 8 weeks. The relative risk for success was 0.6 (CI: 0.3-0.95) if the treatment had started ≥ 8 weeks. In the hematogenous group, 5 of 6 infections had been treated successfully. A longer delay before the start of the treatment caused an increased failure rate, but this must be weighed against the advantage of keeping the prosthesis. We consider a failure rate of < 50% to be acceptable, and we therefore advocate keeping the prosthesis for up to 8 weeks postoperatively, and in hematogenous infections with a short duration of symptoms.

Rates of pulmonary infection by pentastomids in lizards species from a restinga habitat in northeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, W O; Santana, G G; Vieira, W L S; Wanderley, I C; Ribeiro, S C

2009-02-01

Pulmonary parasitism by pentastomids was examined in two lizard species inhabiting an area of restinga vegetation (coastal sand dunes) situated in the municipality of Mataraca (6 degrees 29' S and 34 degrees 56' W), on the extreme northern coast of Paraíba State, Brazil. A total of 123 lizards were collected, being 75 specimens of Micrablepharus maximiliani (Gymnophtalmidae) and 48 specimens of Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Teiidae). Only a single species of Pentastomida (Raillietiella mottae) was found parasitizing three females M. maximiliani, with a prevalence of 4% and an average infection intensity of 2.3 +/- 1.3 (range 1-5). The infection rate by pentastomids encountered in the present study was similar to that seen with other species of restinga lizards. Raillietiella mottae is a generalist parasite species that is probably transmitted by common and widely distributed insects making up part of the diet of many insectivorous lizard species from northeastern Brazil.

Green corona, geomagnetic activity and radar meteor rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prikryl, P.

1979-01-01

The short-term dependence of radar meteor rates on geomagnetic activity and/or central meridian passage (CMP) of bright or faint green corona regions is studied. A superimposed-epoch analysis was applied to radar meteor observations from the Ottawa patrol radar (Springhill, Ont.) and Ksub(p)-indices of geomagnetic activity for the period 1963 to 1967. During the minimum of solar activity (1963 to 1965) the CMP of bright coronal regions was followed by the maximum in the daily rates of persistent meteor echoes (>=4s), and the minimum in the daily sums of Ksub(p)-indices whereas the minimum or the maximum, respectively, occurs after the CMP of faint coronal regions. The time delay between the CMP of coronal structures and the corresponding maxima or minima is found to be 3 to 4 days. However, for the period immediately after the minimum of solar activity (1966 to 1967) the above correlation with the green corona is void both for the geomagnetic activity and radar meteor rates. An inverse correlation was found between the radar meteor rates and the geomagnetic activity irrespective of the solar activity. The observed effect can be ascribed to the solar-wind-induced ''geomagnetic'' heating of the upper atmosphere and to the subsequent change in the density gradient in the meteor zone. (author)

Socioeconomic impact on device-associated infections in pediatric intensive care units of 16 limited-resource countries: international Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Victor D; Jarvis, William R; Jamulitrat, Silom; Silva, Cristiane Pavanello Rodrigues; Ramachandran, Bala; Dueñas, Lourdes; Gurskis, Vaidotas; Ersoz, Gulden; Novales, María Guadalupe Miranda; Khader, Ilham Abu; Ammar, Khaldi; Guzmán, Nayide Barahona; Navoa-Ng, Josephine Anne; Seliem, Zeinab Salah; Espinoza, Teodora Atencio; Meng, Cheong Yuet; Jayatilleke, Kushlani

2012-07-01

We report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium prospective surveillance study from January 2004 to December 2009 in 33 pediatric intensive care units of 16 countries and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated health care-associated infection rates. Additionally, we aim to compare these findings with the results of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network annual report to show the differences between developed and developing countries regarding device-associated health care-associated infection rates. A prospective cohort, active device-associated health care-associated infection surveillance study was conducted on 23,700 patients in International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium pediatric intensive care units. The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. Data collection was performed in the participating intensive care units. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium headquarters on proprietary software. Device-associated health care-associated infection rates were recorded by applying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network device-associated infection definitions, and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated infection risk was evaluated. None. Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates were similar in private, public, or academic hospitals (7.3 vs. 8.4 central line-associated bloodstream infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p infection rates in lower middle-income countries were higher than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (12.2 vs. 5.5 central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter-days [p infection rates were similar in academic, public and private

30 CFR 281.30 - Minimum royalty.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Minimum royalty. 281.30 Section 281.30 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE LEASING OF MINERALS OTHER THAN OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Financial Considerations § 281.30 Minimum royalty...

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa infections in a tertiary-care facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Capoor, M R; Aggarwal, S; Raghvan, C; Gupta, D K; Jain, A K; Chaudhary, R

2014-01-01

Rhodotorula spp. are an emergent opportunistic pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The aim of the study was to review reported cases of Rhodotorula infection over a period of 9 years to determine epidemiology, risk factors, treatment and outcome. The Rhodotorula spp. were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (9) and blood (5). The most common pre-disposing factors were prolonged hospital stay (>1 month) and prolonged usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics (>1 month). All the isolates were identified as R. mucilaginosa by conventional methods. Amphotericin B demonstrated lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as compared with other anti-fungal agents (fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole). The recognition of unusual yeasts as an agent of life-threatening infection and their intrinsic resistance increases the burden on the mycology laboratory for complete species identification and to determine minimum inhibitory concentration.

Hepatitis C virus treatment rates and outcomes in HIV/hepatitis C virus co-infected individuals at an urban HIV clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Melanie C M; Barrios, Rolando; Zhang, Wendy; Hull, Mark; Montessori, Valentina; Hogg, Robert S; Montaner, Julio S G

2011-01-01

The factors associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment uptake and responses were assessed among HCV/HIV co-infected individuals referred for HCV therapy at an urban HIV clinic. Retrospective review of HIV/HCV patients enrolled in the HCV treatment program at the John Ruedy Immunodeficiency Clinic in Vancouver. The factors associated with treatment uptake were assessed using multivariate analysis. A total of 134 HCV/HIV co-infected individuals were recalled for assessment for HCV therapy. Overall 64 (48%) initiated treatment, and of those treated 49 (76.6%) attained end treatment response, whereas 35 (57.8%) achieved sustained virological response (SVR). When evaluated by genotype, 53% (17/32) of those with genotype 1, and 65% (20/31) of those with genotype 2 or 3 infections attained SVR. In treated individuals, alanine aminotransferase dropped significantly after treatment (P<0.001). During treatment, CD4 counts dropped significantly (P<0.001) in all patients. The counts recovered to baseline in patients who achieved SVR, but remained lower in patients who failed the therapy (P=0.015). On multivariate analysis, history of injection drug use (odds ratio: 3.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.37-8.79; P=0.009) and low hemoglobin levels (odds ratio: 4.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.36-13.10; P=0.013) were associated with those who did not enter the treatment. Only half of treatment-eligible co-infected patients referred for the therapy initiated treatment. Of those referred for the therapy, history of injection drug use was associated with lower rates of treatment uptake. Treated HIV/HCV co-infected individuals benefitted from both decreased alanine aminotransferase (independent of SVR), and rates of SVR similar to those described in HCV monoinfected patients.

Recreational Drug Use and T Lymphocyte Subpopulations in HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected Men

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Chun; Jacobson, Lisa P; Tashkin, Donald; Martínez-Maza, Otoniel; Roth, Michael D; Margolick, Joseph B; Chmiel, Joan S; Rinaldo, Charles; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Detels, Roger

2009-01-01

The effects of recreational drugs on CD4 and CD8 T cells in humans are not well understood. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of men who have sex with men (MSM) enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study to define associations between self-reported use of marijuana, cocaine, poppers and amphetamines, and CD4 and CD8 T cell parameters in both HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected MSM. For the HIV-infected MSM, we used clinical and laboratory data collected semiannually before 1996 to avoid potential effects of antiretroviral treatment. A regression model that allowed random intercepts and slopes as well as autoregressive covariance structure for within subject errors was used. Potential confounders adjusted for included length of follow-up, demographics, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, risky sexual behaviors, history of sexually transmitted infections, and antiviral therapy. We found no clinically meaningful associations between use of marijuana, cocaine, poppers, or amphetamines and CD4 and CD8 T cell counts, percentages, or rates of change in either HIV-uninfected or -infected men. The regression coefficients were of minimum magnitude despite some reaching statistical significance. No threshold effect was detected for frequent (at least weekly) or continuous substance use in the previous year. These results indicate that use of these substances does not adversely affect the numbers and percentages of circulating CD4 or CD8 T cells in either HIV-uninfected or -infected MSM. PMID:18180115

State cigarette minimum price laws - United States, 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-09

Cigarette price increases reduce the demand for cigarettes and thereby reduce smoking prevalence, cigarette consumption, and youth initiation of smoking. Excise tax increases are the most effective government intervention to increase the price of cigarettes, but cigarette manufacturers use trade discounts, coupons, and other promotions to counteract the effects of these tax increases and appeal to price-sensitive smokers. State cigarette minimum price laws, initiated by states in the 1940s and 1950s to protect tobacco retailers from predatory business practices, typically require a minimum percentage markup to be added to the wholesale and/or retail price. If a statute prohibits trade discounts from the minimum price calculation, these laws have the potential to counteract discounting by cigarette manufacturers. To assess the status of cigarette minimum price laws in the United States, CDC surveyed state statutes and identified those states with minimum price laws in effect as of December 31, 2009. This report summarizes the results of that survey, which determined that 25 states had minimum price laws for cigarettes (median wholesale markup: 4.00%; median retail markup: 8.00%), and seven of those states also expressly prohibited the use of trade discounts in the minimum retail price calculation. Minimum price laws can help prevent trade discounting from eroding the positive effects of state excise tax increases and higher cigarette prices on public health.

The modified Pirogoff's amputation in treating diabetic foot infections: surgical technique and case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aziz Nather

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: This paper describes the surgical technique of a modified Pirogoff's amputation performed by the senior author and reports the results of this operation in a single surgeon case series for patients with diabetic foot infections. Methods: Six patients with diabetic foot infections were operated on by the National University Hospital (NUH diabetic foot team in Singapore between November 2011 and January 2012. All patients underwent a modified Pirogoff's amputation for diabetic foot infections. Inclusion criteria included the presence of a palpable posterior tibial pulse, ankle brachial index (ABI of more than 0.7, and distal infections not extending proximally beyond the midfoot level. Clinical parameters such as presence of pulses and ABI were recorded. Preoperative blood tests performed included a glycated hemoglobin level, hemoglobin, total white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, albumin, and creatinine levels. All patients were subjected to 14 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy postoperatively and were followed up for a minimum of 10 months. Results: All six patients had good wound healing. Tibio-calcaneal arthrodesis of the stump was achieved in all cases by 6 months postoperatively. All patients were able to walk with the prosthesis. Conclusions: The modified Pirogoff's amputation has been found to show good results in carefully selected patients with diabetic foot infections. The selection criteria included a palpable posterior tibial pulse, distal infections not extending proximally beyond the midfoot level, ABI of more than 0.7, hemoglobin level of more than 10 g/dL, and serum albumin level of more than 30 g/L.

20 CFR 703.204 - Decision on insurance carrier's application; minimum amount of deposit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Decision on insurance carrier's application; minimum amount of deposit. 703.204 Section 703.204 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION... on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov/esa/owcp/dlhwc/lstable.htm for both the current rating year and...

Clostridium Difficile Infection in Acute Care Hospitals: Systematic Review and Best Practices for Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Louh, Irene K; Greendyke, William G; Hermann, Emilia A; Davidson, Karina W; Falzon, Louise; Vawdrey, David K; Shaffer, Jonathan A; Calfee, David P; Furuya, E Yoko; Ting, Henry H

2017-04-01

OBJECTIVE Prevention of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in acute-care hospitals is a priority for hospitals and clinicians. We performed a qualitative systematic review to update the evidence on interventions to prevent CDI published since 2009. DESIGN We searched Ovid, MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, the ISI Web of Knowledge, and grey literature databases from January 1, 2009 to August 1, 2015. SETTING We included studies performed in acute-care hospitals. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS We included studies conducted on hospitalized patients that investigated the impact of specific interventions on CDI rates. INTERVENTIONS We used the QI-Minimum Quality Criteria Set (QI-MQCS) to assess the quality of included studies. Interventions were grouped thematically: environmental disinfection, antimicrobial stewardship, hand hygiene, chlorhexidine bathing, probiotics, bundled approaches, and others. A meta-analysis was performed when possible. RESULTS Of 3,236 articles screened, 261 met the criteria for full-text review and 46 studies were ultimately included. The average quality rating was 82% according to the QI-MQCS. The most effective interventions, resulting in a 45% to 85% reduction in CDI, included daily to twice daily disinfection of high-touch surfaces (including bed rails) and terminal cleaning of patient rooms with chlorine-based products. Bundled interventions and antimicrobial stewardship showed promise for reducing CDI rates. Chlorhexidine bathing and intensified hand-hygiene practices were not effective for reducing CDI rates. CONCLUSIONS Daily and terminal cleaning of patient rooms using chlorine-based products were most effective in reducing CDI rates in hospitals. Further studies are needed to identify the components of bundled interventions that reduce CDI rates. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:476-482.

Associations Between Minimum Wage Policy and Access to Health Care: Evidence From the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1996–2007

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Frederick J.; Ralston, James D.; Martin, Diane P.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We examined whether minimum wage policy is associated with access to medical care among low-skilled workers in the United States. Methods. We used multilevel logistic regression to analyze a data set consisting of individual-level indicators of uninsurance and unmet medical need from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and state-level ecological controls from the US Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and several other sources in all 50 states and the District of Columbia between 1996 and 2007. Results. Higher state-level minimum wage rates were associated with significantly reduced odds of reporting unmet medical need after control for the ecological covariates, substate region fixed effects, and individual demographic and health characteristics (odds ratio = 0.853; 95% confidence interval = 0.750, 0.971). Minimum wage rates were not significantly associated with being uninsured. Conclusions. Higher minimum wages may be associated with a reduced likelihood of experiencing unmet medical need among low-skilled workers, and do not appear to be associated with uninsurance. These findings appear to refute the suggestion that minimum wage laws have detrimental effects on access to health care, as opponents of the policies have suggested. PMID:21164102

9 CFR 147.51 - Authorized laboratory minimum requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Authorized laboratory minimum requirements. 147.51 Section 147.51 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE... Authorized Laboratories and Approved Tests § 147.51 Authorized laboratory minimum requirements. These minimum...

Experimental investigations of the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of inert and combustible dust cloud mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Addai, Emmanuel Kwasi; Gabel, Dieter; Krause, Ulrich

2016-04-15

The risks associated with dust explosions still exist in industries that either process or handle combustible dust. This explosion risk could be prevented or mitigated by applying the principle of inherent safety (moderation). This is achieved by adding an inert material to a highly combustible material in order to decrease the ignition sensitivity of the combustible dust. The presented paper deals with the experimental investigation of the influence of adding an inert dust on the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature of the combustible/inert dust mixtures. The experimental investigation was done in two laboratory scale equipment: the Hartmann apparatus and the Godbert-Greenwald furnace for the minimum ignition energy and the minimum ignition temperature test respectively. This was achieved by mixing various amounts of three inert materials (magnesium oxide, ammonium sulphate and sand) and six combustible dusts (brown coal, lycopodium, toner, niacin, corn starch and high density polyethylene). Generally, increasing the inert materials concentration increases the minimum ignition energy as well as the minimum ignition temperatures until a threshold is reached where no ignition was obtained. The permissible range for the inert mixture to minimize the ignition risk lies between 60 to 80%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasmodium falciparum infection rates for some Anopheles spp. from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa [v2; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/4n3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle R. Sanford

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Presence of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA in a sample of Anopheles gambiae s.s., A. melas and A. pharoensis collected in Guinea-Bissau during October and November 2009. The percentage of P. falciparum infected samples (10.2% overall; confidence interval (CI: 7.45-13.6% was comparable to earlier studies from other sites in Guinea-Bissau (9.6-12.4%. The majority of the specimens collected were identified as A. gambiae which had an individual infection rate of 12.6 % (CI: 8.88-17.6 across collection sites. A small number of specimens of A. coluzzii, A. coluzzii x A. gambiae hybrids, A. melas and A. pharoensis were collected and had infection rates of 4.3% (CI:0.98-12.4, 4.1% (CI:0.35-14.5, 11.1% (CI:1.86-34.1 and 33.3% (CI:9.25-70.4 respectively. Despite being present in low numbers in indoor collections, the exophilic feeding behaviors of A. melas (N=18 and A. pharoensis (N=6 and high infection rates observed in this survey suggest falciparum-malaria transmission potential outside of the protection of bed nets.

HIV infection among foreign transsexual sex workers in Rome: prevalence, behavior patterns, and seroconversion rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Spizzichino, L; Zaccarelli, M; Rezza, G; Ippolito, G; Antinori, A; Gattari, P

2001-07-01

The Azienda Sanitaria Locale Roma E (ASL-RME) outpatient clinic is the main reference center in Rome for HIV testing of foreign people. To define the prevalence and incidence of HIV infection among foreign transsexual sex workers attending the center. A cross-sectional, follow-up study was conducted. Between 1993 and 1999, 353 transsexuals attended the ASL-RME. They were from Colombia (n = 208), Brazil (n = 122), and other countries (n = 23). Most of these transsexuals reported having 5 to 10 partners per day. The overall HIV prevalence was 38.2%, which multivariate analysis found to be associated with origin from Brazil and a higher number of sex partners. The observed HIV seroconversion rate was 4.1 per 100 person-years, and non-regular condom use was the only factor related to seroconversion. The data from this study suggest that promotion of safer sex practices and regular condom use still is the main priority among marginalized population subgroups, such as foreign prostitutes, involved in sex activities that put them at risk for HIV infection.

Energy expenditure, economic growth, and the minimum EROI of society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fizaine, Florian; Court, Victor

2016-01-01

We estimate energy expenditure for the US and world economies from 1850 to 2012. Periods of high energy expenditure relative to GDP (from 1850 to 1945), or spikes (1973–74 and 1978–79) are associated with low economic growth rates, and periods of low or falling energy expenditure are associated with high and rising economic growth rates (e.g. 1945–1973). Over the period 1960–2010 for which we have continuous year-to-year data for control variables (capital formation, population, and unemployment rate) we estimate that, statistically, in order to enjoy positive growth, the US economy cannot afford to spend more than 11% of its GDP on energy. Given the current energy intensity of the US economy, this translates in a minimum societal EROI of approximately 11:1 (or a maximum tolerable average price of energy of twice the current level). Granger tests consistently reveal a one way causality running from the level of energy expenditure (as a fraction of GDP) to economic growth in the US between 1960 and 2010. A coherent economic policy should be founded on improving net energy efficiency. This would yield a “double dividend”: increased societal EROI (through decreased energy intensity of capital investment), and decreased sensitivity to energy price volatility. - Highlights: •We estimate energy expenditures as a fraction of GDP for the US, the world (1850–2012), and the UK (1300–2008). •Statistically speaking, the US economy cannot afford to allocate more than 11% of its GDP to energy expenditures in order to have a positive growth rate. •This corresponds to a maximum tolerable average price of energy of twice the current level. •In the same way, US growth is only possible if its primary energy system has at least a minimum EROI of approximately 11:1.

PCR reveals significantly higher rates of Trypanosoma cruzi infection than microscopy in the Chagas vector, Triatoma infestans: High rates found in Chuquisaca, Bolivia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucero David E

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Andean valleys of Bolivia are the only reported location of sylvatic Triatoma infestans, the main vector of Chagas disease in this country, and the high human prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in this region is hypothesized to result from the ability of vectors to persist in domestic, peri-domestic, and sylvatic environments. Determination of the rate of Trypanosoma infection in its triatomine vectors is an important element in programs directed at reducing human infections. Traditionally, T. cruzi has been detected in insect vectors by direct microscopic examination of extruded feces, or dissection and analysis of the entire bug. Although this technique has proven to be useful, several drawbacks related to its sensitivity especially in the case of small instars and applicability to large numbers of insects and dead specimens have motivated researchers to look for a molecular assay based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR as an alternative for parasitic detection of T. cruzi infection in vectors. In the work presented here, we have compared a PCR assay and direct microscopic observation for diagnosis of T. cruzi infection in T. infestans collected in the field from five localities and four habitats in Chuquisaca, Bolivia. The efficacy of the methods was compared across nymphal stages, localities and habitats. Methods We examined 152 nymph and adult T. infestans collected from rural areas in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. For microscopic observation, a few drops of rectal content obtained by abdominal extrusion were diluted with saline solution and compressed between a slide and a cover slip. The presence of motile parasites in 50 microscopic fields was registered using 400× magnification. For the molecular analysis, dissection of the posterior part of the abdomen of each insect followed by DNA extraction and PCR amplification was performed using the TCZ1 (5' – CGA GCT CTT GCC CAC ACG GGT GCT – 3

Impact of participation in the California Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Initiative on adoption and implementation of evidence-based practices for patient safety and health care-associated infection rates in a cohort of acute care general hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Halpin, Helen Ann; McMenamin, Sara B; Simon, Lisa Payne; Jacobsen, Diane; Vanneman, Megan; Shortell, Stephen; Milstein, Arnold

2013-04-01

In 2008, hospitals were selected to participate in the California Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Initiative (CHAIPI). This research evaluates the impact of CHAIPI on hospital adoption and implementation of evidence-based patient safety practices and reduction of health care-associated infection (HAI) rates. Statewide computer-assisted telephone surveys of California's general acute care hospitals were conducted in 2008 and 2010 (response rates, 80% and 76%, respectively). Difference-in-difference analyses were used to compare changes in process and HAI rate outcomes in CHAIPI hospitals (n = 34) and non-CHAIPI hospitals (n = 149) that responded to both waves of the survey. Compared with non-CHAIPI hospitals, CHAIPI hospitals demonstrated greater improvements between 2008 and 2010 in adoption (P = .021) and implementation (P = .012) of written evidence-based practices for overall patient safety and prevention of HAIs and in assessing their compliance (P = .033) with these practices. However, there were no significant differences in the changes in HAI rates between CHAIPI and non-CHAIPI hospitals over this time period. Participation in the CHAIPI collaborative was associated with significant improvements in evidence-based patient safety practices in hospitals. However, determining how evidence-based practices translate into changes in HAI rates may take more time. Our results suggest that all hospitals be offered the opportunity to participate in an active learning collaborative to improve patient safety. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Rates and Covariates of Recent Sexual and Physical Violence Against HIV-Infected Outpatient Drinkers in Western Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Papas, Rebecca K; Gakinya, Benson N; Mwaniki, Michael M; Lee, Hana; Kiarie, Stella W; Martino, Steve; Loxley, Michelle P; Keter, Alfred K; Klein, Debra A; Sidle, John E; Baliddawa, Joyce B; Maisto, Stephen A

2017-08-01

Victimization from physical and sexual violence presents global health challenges. Partner violence is higher in Kenya than Africa. Violence against drinkers and HIV-infected individuals is typically elevated, so dual vulnerabilities may further augment risk. Understanding violence risks can improve interventions. Participants were 614 HIV-infected outpatient drinkers in western Kenya enrolled in a randomized trial to reduce alcohol use. At baseline, past 90-day partner physical and sexual violence were examined descriptively and in gender-stratified regression models. We hypothesized higher reported violence against women than men, and positive violence association with HIV stigma and alcohol use across gender. Women reported significantly more current sexual (26.3 vs. 5.7%) and physical (38.9 vs. 24.8%) victimization than men. Rates were generally higher than Kenyan lifetime national averages. In both regression models, HIV stigma and alcohol-related sexual expectations were significantly associated with violence while alcohol use was not. For women, higher violence risk was also conferred by childhood violence, past-year transactional sex, and younger age. HIV-infected Kenyan drinkers, particularly women, endorse high current violence due to multiple risk factors. Findings have implications for HIV interventions. Longitudinal research is needed to understand development of risk.

An estimation of the minimum effective anesthetic volume of 2% lidocaine in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donnell, Brian D

2009-07-01

Ultrasound guidance facilitates precise needle and injectate placement, increasing axillary block success rates, reducing onset times, and permitting local anesthetic dose reduction. The minimum effective volume of local anesthetic in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block is unknown. The authors performed a study to estimate the minimum effective anesthetic volume of 2% lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (2% LidoEpi) in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block.

Pediatric Program Director Minimum Milestone Expectations before Allowing Supervision of Others and Unsupervised Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Su-Ting T; Tancredi, Daniel J; Schwartz, Alan; Guillot, Ann; Burke, Ann E; Trimm, R Franklin; Guralnick, Susan; Mahan, John D; Gifford, Kimberly

2018-04-25

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires semiannual Milestone reporting on all residents. Milestone expectations of performance are unknown. Determine pediatric program director (PD) minimum Milestone expectations for residents prior to being ready to supervise and prior to being ready to graduate. Mixed methods survey of pediatric PDs on their programs' Milestone expectations before residents are ready to supervise and before they are ready to graduate, and in what ways PDs use Milestones to make supervision and graduation decisions. If programs had no established Milestone expectations, PDs indicated expectations they considered for use in their program. Mean minimum Milestone level expectations adjusted for program size, region, and clustering of Milestone expectations by program were calculated for prior to supervise and prior to graduate. Free-text questions were analyzed using thematic analysis. The response rate was 56.8% (113/199). Most programs had no required minimum Milestone level before residents are ready to supervise (80%; 76/95) or ready to graduate (84%; 80/95). For readiness to supervise, minimum Milestone expectations PDs considered establishing for their program were highest for humanism (2.46, 95% CI: 2.21-2.71) and professionalization (2.37, 2.15-2.60). Minimum Milestone expectations for graduates were highest for help-seeking (3.14, 2.83-3.46). Main themes included the use of Milestones in combination with other information to assess learner performance and Milestones are not equally weighted when making advancement decisions. Most PDs have not established program minimum Milestones, but would vary such expectations by competency. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Minimum Price Guarantees In a Consumer Search Model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.C.W. Janssen (Maarten); A. Parakhonyak (Alexei)

2009-01-01

textabstractThis paper is the first to examine the effect of minimum price guarantees in a sequential search model. Minimum price guarantees are not advertised and only known to consumers when they come to the shop. We show that in such an environment, minimum price guarantees increase the value of

Wage inequality, minimum wage effects and spillovers

OpenAIRE

Stewart, Mark B.

2011-01-01

This paper investigates possible spillover effects of the UK minimum wage. The halt in the growth in inequality in the lower half of the wage distribution (as measured by the 50:10 percentile ratio) since the mid-1990s, in contrast to the continued inequality growth in the upper half of the distribution, suggests the possibility of a minimum wage effect and spillover effects on wages above the minimum. This paper analyses individual wage changes, using both a difference-in-differences estimat...

Unstimulated whole salivary flow rate and anxiolytics intake are independently associated with oral Candida infection in patients with oral lichen planus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bokor-Bratic, Marija; Cankovic, Milos; Dragnic, Natasa

2013-10-01

Many factors have been proposed to influence oral infection with yeast. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral yeasts in oral lichen planus (OLP) patients and control subjects, and to perform a multiple logistic regression analysis to identify factors that influence oral Candida infection in OLP patients. In this cross-sectional study, 90 new patients with OLP and 90 sex- and age-matched control subjects with no mucosal lesions were interviewed about their health status, use of medication, and smoking and alcohol habits. Swab and unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected and salivary pH was measured. A positive Candida culture was more prevalent among OLP patients (48.9%) than among control subjects (26.7%). Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species in both groups. By logistic regression analysis, unstimulated whole salivary flow rates of 0.11-0.24 ml min(-1) (OR = 5.90) and 0.25-0.32 ml min(-1) (OR = 3.51) and benzodiazepine anxiolytics intake (OR = 8.30) were independently associated with the presence of Candida among OLP patients. Age, denture wearing, levels of dentition, decreased salivary pH, antihypertensive drugs, and alcohol consumption were not associated with oral Candida infection in OLP patients. The results indicate that data on benzodiazepine anxiolytics intake and evaluation of unstimulated whole salivary flow rate should be considered as part of the clinical evaluation to identify OLP patients at risk for Candida infection. © 2013 Eur J Oral Sci.

Intraoperative Corticosteroid Injection at the Time of Knee Arthroscopy Is Associated With Increased Postoperative Infection Rates in a Large Medicare Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Cancienne, Jourdan M; Gwathmey, F Winston; Werner, Brian C

2016-01-01

To employ a national database of Medicare patients to evaluate the association of ipsilateral intra-articular knee corticosteroid injections at the time of knee arthroscopy with the incidence of postoperative infection. A national Medicare insurance database was queried for patients who underwent ipsilateral intra-articular corticosteroid injection of the knee at the time of knee arthroscopy from 2005 to 2012. Patients who underwent arthroscopically assisted open procedures, those who underwent more complex arthroscopic procedures, and those for whom laterality were not coded were excluded. This study group was compared to a control cohort of patients without intraoperative steroid injections that was matched to the study group for age, gender, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and smoking status. Infection rates within 3 and 6 months postoperatively were assessed using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. The incidence of postoperative infection rates after knee arthroscopy was significantly higher at 3 months (0.66%; odds ratio [OR], 2.6; P arthroscopy (n = 2,866) compared with matched controls without intraoperative injections (n = 170,350) at 3 months (0.25%) and 6 months (0.54%). The present study demonstrates a significant increase in postoperative infection in Medicare patients who underwent ipsilateral intra-articular knee corticosteroid injections at the time of knee arthroscopy compared with a matched control group without intraoperative injection. Therapeutic Level III, retrospective comparative study. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Minimum Variance Portfolios in the Brazilian Equity Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Rubesam

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We investigate minimum variance portfolios in the Brazilian equity market using different methods to estimate the covariance matrix, from the simple model of using the sample covariance to multivariate GARCH models. We compare the performance of the minimum variance portfolios to those of the following benchmarks: (i the IBOVESPA equity index, (ii an equally-weighted portfolio, (iii the maximum Sharpe ratio portfolio and (iv the maximum growth portfolio. Our results show that the minimum variance portfolio has higher returns with lower risk compared to the benchmarks. We also consider long-short 130/30 minimum variance portfolios and obtain similar results. The minimum variance portfolio invests in relatively few stocks with low βs measured with respect to the IBOVESPA index, being easily replicable by individual and institutional investors alike.

One-stage versus two-stage exchange arthroplasty for infected total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagra, Navraj S; Hamilton, Thomas W; Ganatra, Sameer; Murray, David W; Pandit, Hemant

2016-10-01

Infection complicating total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has serious implications. Traditionally the debate on whether one- or two-stage exchange arthroplasty is the optimum management of infected TKA has favoured two-stage procedures; however, a paradigm shift in opinion is emerging. This study aimed to establish whether current evidence supports one-stage revision for managing infected TKA based on reinfection rates and functional outcomes post-surgery. MEDLINE/PubMed and CENTRAL databases were reviewed for studies that compared one- and two-stage exchange arthroplasty TKA in more than ten patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up. From an initial sample of 796, five cohort studies with a total of 231 patients (46 single-stage/185 two-stage; median patient age 66 years, range 61-71 years) met inclusion criteria. Overall, there were no significant differences in risk of reinfection following one- or two-stage exchange arthroplasty (OR -0.06, 95 % confidence interval -0.13, 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed that in studies published since 2000, one-stage procedures have a significantly lower reinfection rate. One study investigated functional outcomes and reported that one-stage surgery was associated with superior functional outcomes. Scarcity of data, inconsistent study designs, surgical technique and antibiotic regime disparities limit recommendations that can be made. Recent studies suggest one-stage exchange arthroplasty may provide superior outcomes, including lower reinfection rates and superior function, in select patients. Clinically, for some patients, one-stage exchange arthroplasty may represent optimum treatment; however, patient selection criteria and key components of surgical and post-operative anti-microbial management remain to be defined. III.

Does Guidewire Exchange Influence Infection Rate Related to Catheters Used for Vascular Access in Children on Chronic Hemodialysis?

Science.gov (United States)

Rus, Rina R; Battelino, Nina; Ponikvar, Rafael; Premru, Vladimir; Novljan, Gregor

2017-02-01

A central venous catheter (CVC) can either be inserted "de novo" or placed by guidewire exchange (GWE). From September 1998 to September 2015, 32 children (19 boys, 13 girls) were hemodialyzed in our unit by using a CVC. The mean age at CVC insertion was 12.6 ± 0.5 years. A total of 121 uncuffed catheters were placed, either "de novo" or by GWE in 64 (52.9%) and 57 (47.1%) cases, respectively. The most frequent cause for line revision was catheter dysfunction in 40/121 (33.1%) patients. The overall incidence of bacteremia was 1.5/1000 catheter-days. The incidence in newly inserted and GWE catheters was 1.4 and 1.7/1000 catheter-days, respectively. The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.939). The infection rate correlated with patient age, and was higher in younger children (P = 0.006). GWE is an effective option of line revision, and did not influence the infection rate in our study. © 2016 International Society for Apheresis, Japanese Society for Apheresis, and Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy.

Minimum Covers of Fixed Cardinality in Weighted Graphs.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Lee J.

Reported is the result of research on combinatorial and algorithmic techniques for information processing. A method is discussed for obtaining minimum covers of specified cardinality from a given weighted graph. By the indicated method, it is shown that the family of minimum covers of varying cardinality is related to the minimum spanning tree of…

HPV Infections in Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna-Barbara Moscicki

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Adolescents who are sexually active have the highest rates of prevalent and incident HPV infection rates with over 50–80% having infections within 2–3 years of initiating intercourse. These high rates reflect sexual behavior and biologic vulnerability. Most infections are transient in nature and cause no cytologic abnormality. However, a small number of adolescents will not clear the infection. Persistence of HPV is strongly linked to the development of high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions (HSIL and invasive cancer. The HSIL detected, however, does not appear to progress rapidly to invasive cancer. Understanding the natural history of HPV in adolescents has shed light into optional treatment strategies which include watchful observation of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS and low grade (LSIL. The association between age of first intercourse and invasive cancer cannot be ignored. Consequently, initiating screening at appropriate times in this vulnerable group is essential. In addition, with the advent of the HPV vaccine, vaccination prior to the onset of sexual activity is critical since most infections occur within a short time frame post initiation.

Decomposition of sinking proteinaceous material during fall in the oxygen minimum zone off northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Pantoja, Silvio; Sepúlveda, Julio; González, Humberto E.

2004-01-01

We investigated the fate of sinking proteinaceous material in the oxygen minimum zone off northern Chile by deploying sediment traps at 30 m (base of the oxygenated layer) and 300 m (bottom of the O 2-depleted layer) during a 3-day experiment. Most of photosynthetically produced protein (82%) degraded in the top 30 m; an additional 15% decayed between 30 and 300 m, within the suboxic zone; and ca. 1% reached surface sediments at 1200 m depth. Sinking protein remained diagenetically labile in the top 300-m of the water column, as indicated by degradation indices and degradation rate constants of trap material, both characteristic of fresh material. We conclude that particulate protein degradation is not affected by the occurrence of the suboxic layer between 30 and 300 m in the water column. This conclusion is consistent with a model of degradation of particulate protein controlled by extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis and not dependent on O 2 availability. Assuming that our fall results are representative for an annual cycle and the whole oxygen minimum zone, suboxic decay of sinking protein in the oxygen minimum zone could support a production of 2 Tg N 2 yr -1, consistent with independent estimates of denitrification rates in the area.

Delay Induced Hopf Bifurcation of an Epidemic Model with Graded Infection Rates for Internet Worms

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Tao Zhao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A delayed SEIQRS worm propagation model with different infection rates for the exposed computers and the infectious computers is investigated in this paper. The results are given in terms of the local stability and Hopf bifurcation. Sufficient conditions for the local stability and the existence of Hopf bifurcation are obtained by using eigenvalue method and choosing the delay as the bifurcation parameter. In particular, the direction and the stability of the Hopf bifurcation are investigated by means of the normal form theory and center manifold theorem. Finally, a numerical example is also presented to support the obtained theoretical results.

Who Benefits from a Minimum Wage Increase?

OpenAIRE

John W. Lopresti; Kevin J. Mumford

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the question of how a minimum wage increase affects the wages of low-wage workers. Most studies assume that there is a simple mechanical increase in the wage for workers earning a wage between the old and the new minimum wage, with some studies allowing for spillovers to workers with wages just above this range. Rather than assume that the wages of these workers would have remained constant, this paper estimates how a minimum wage increase impacts a low-wage worker's wage...

Preliminary estimates of the impacts of alternative spent fuel acceptance rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, L.L.; McKee, R.W.; Short, S.M.

1986-02-01

The rate at which spent fuel is accepted by the federal waste management system is an important interface between the private nuclear power sector and the federal government, which will assume responsibility for spent fuel disposal. An analysis of alternative rates based on minimum age criteria indicates substantial incentives to limit acceptance rates so as to result in minimum 10 to 15 year fuel ages for repository acceptance [1500 to 2500 metric tons of uranium (MTU) per year]. These incentives include lower heat generation rates and systems costs

Stochastic evolutionary dynamics in minimum-effort coordination games

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Cong, Rui; Wang, Long

2016-08-01

The minimum-effort coordination game draws recently more attention for the fact that human behavior in this social dilemma is often inconsistent with the predictions of classical game theory. Here, we combine evolutionary game theory and coalescence theory to investigate this game in finite populations. Both analytic results and individual-based simulations show that effort costs play a key role in the evolution of contribution levels, which is in good agreement with those observed experimentally. Besides well-mixed populations, set structured populations have also been taken into consideration. Therein we find that large number of sets and moderate migration rate greatly promote effort levels, especially for high effort costs.

Antibiotic resistance rates and physician antibiotic prescription patterns of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in southern Chinese primary care

OpenAIRE

Wong, Carmen Ka Man; Kung, Kenny; Au-Doung, Philip Lung Wai; Ip, Margaret; Lee, Nelson; Fung, Alice; Wong, Samuel Yeung Shan

2017-01-01

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) are common in primary care. Whilst primary care physicians are called to be antimicrobial stewards, there is limited primary care antibiotic resistance surveillance and physician antibiotic prescription data available in southern Chinese primary care. The study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance rate and antibiotic prescription patterns in female patients with uncomplicated UTI. Factors associated with antibiotic resistance and prescrip...

Coupling a Federal Minimum Wage Hike with Public Investments to Make Work Pay and Reduce Poverty

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Jennifer Romich

2018-02-01

Full Text Available For more than a century, advocates have promoted minimum wage laws to protect workers and their families from poverty. Opponents counter that the policy has, at best, small poverty-reducing effects. We summarize the evidence and describe three factors that might dampen the policy’s effects on poverty: imperfect targeting, heterogeneous labor market effects, and interactions with income support programs. To boost the poverty-reducing effects of the minimum wage, we propose increasing the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour and temporarily expanding an existing employer tax credit. This is a cost-saving proposal because it relies on regulation and creates no new administrative functions. We recommend using those savings to “make work pay” and improve upward mobility for low-income workers through lower marginal tax rates.

Self-rated quality of life and school performance in relation to helminth infections: case study from Yunnan, People's Republic of China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fürst Thomas

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Expert opinion-derived disability weights are widely employed for estimating the global burden of diseases and injuries. For chronic diseases such as soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, it has been suggested that a patient-based quality of life (QoL approach should be considered for a more accurate appraisal of disability weights. Methods and Results We carried out a cross-sectional survey and assessed the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections as well as self-rated QoL indicators among 252 students attending grades 5-8 in two schools (Bulangshan and Pu'er in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Each student provided a single stool sample, which was subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear readings and a single FLOTAC examination for parasitological diagnosis. Prevalence rates for hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides were high in Bulangshan (75.9%, 70.0% and 68.2%, while the respective prevalence rates in Pu'er were 66.9%, 56.5% and 9.2%. Students were interviewed with two standardised questionnaires, the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D and ShortForm-12 (SF-12 Health Survey. Impairment in any of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D was reported by 87% of the students. However, no clear differences could be observed between individuals with and those without helminth infections, and there were discrepancies between the two schools. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed no differences between students with varying infection status in the domains of the SF-12 (odds ratio close to 1.0. Somewhat more pronounced, yet not statistically significant differences were observed when end-of-school-term marks were compared with students' helminth infection status: infected individuals had lower marks in Chinese, English and mathematics, but not in sports, compared to their helminth-free counterparts. Conclusions Our results point to unresolved issues and challenges

The minimum wage in the Czech enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Lajtkepová

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Although the statutory minimum wage is not a new category, in the Czech Republic we encounter the definition and regulation of a minimum wage for the first time in the 1990 amendment to Act No. 65/1965 Coll., the Labour Code. The specific amount of the minimum wage and the conditions of its operation were then subsequently determined by government regulation in February 1991. Since that time, the value of minimum wage has been adjusted fifteenth times (the last increase was in January 2007. The aim of this article is to present selected results of two researches of acceptance of the statutory minimum wage by Czech enterprises. The first research makes use of the data collected by questionnaire research in 83 small and medium-sized enterprises in the South Moravia Region in 2005, the second one the data of 116 enterprises in the entire Czech Republic (in 2007. The data have been processed by means of the standard methods of descriptive statistics and of the appropriate methods of the statistical analyses (Spearman correlation coefficient of sequential correlation, Kendall coefficient, χ2 - independence test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and others.

How unprecedented a solar minimum was it?

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, C T; Jian, L K; Luhmann, J G

2013-05-01

The end of the last solar cycle was at least 3 years late, and to date, the new solar cycle has seen mainly weaker activity since the onset of the rising phase toward the new solar maximum. The newspapers now even report when auroras are seen in Norway. This paper is an update of our review paper written during the deepest part of the last solar minimum [1]. We update the records of solar activity and its consequent effects on the interplanetary fields and solar wind density. The arrival of solar minimum allows us to use two techniques that predict sunspot maximum from readings obtained at solar minimum. It is clear that the Sun is still behaving strangely compared to the last few solar minima even though we are well beyond the minimum phase of the cycle 23-24 transition.

Time-Series Evidence of the Effect of the Minimum Wage on Youth Employment and Unemployment.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Charles; And Others

1983-01-01

The study finds that a 10 percent increase in the federal minimum wage (or the coverage rate) would reduce teenage (16-19) employment by about one percent, which is at the lower end of the range of estimates from previous studies. (Author/SSH)

Minimum-Cost Reachability for Priced Timed Automata

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrmann, Gerd; Fehnker, Ansgar; Hune, Thomas Seidelin

2001-01-01

This paper introduces the model of linearly priced timed automata as an extension of timed automata, with prices on both transitions and locations. For this model we consider the minimum-cost reachability problem: i.e. given a linearly priced timed automaton and a target state, determine...... the minimum cost of executions from the initial state to the target state. This problem generalizes the minimum-time reachability problem for ordinary timed automata. We prove decidability of this problem by offering an algorithmic solution, which is based on a combination of branch-and-bound techniques...

Minimum Q Electrically Small Antennas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, O. S.

2012-01-01

Theoretically, the minimum radiation quality factor Q of an isolated resonance can be achieved in a spherical electrically small antenna by combining TM1m and TE1m spherical modes, provided that the stored energy in the antenna spherical volume is totally suppressed. Using closed-form expressions...... for a multiarm spherical helix antenna confirm the theoretical predictions. For example, a 4-arm spherical helix antenna with a magnetic-coated perfectly electrically conducting core (ka=0.254) exhibits the Q of 0.66 times the Chu lower bound, or 1.25 times the minimum Q....

The association between social networks and self-rated risk of HIV infection among secondary school students in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyimo, Elizabeth; Todd, Jim; Richey, Lisa Ann

2013-01-01

This study describes the social networks of secondary school students in Moshi Municipality, and their association with self-rated risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 300 students aged 15–24 years in 5 secondary schools...... participation in bonding and bridging social networks and self-rated HIV risk behavior. More participants participated in bonding networks (72%) than in bridging networks (29%). Participation in bridging networks was greater among females (25%) than males (12%, p 

The Effect of Removing Potentially Infectious Dogs on the Numbers of Canine Leishmania infantum Infections in an Endemic Area with High Transmission Rates

OpenAIRE

Grimaldi, Gabriel; Teva, Antonio; Santos, Claudiney B.; Ferreira, Adelson L.; Falqueto, Aloísio

2012-01-01

To assess the effect of the rapid removal of potentially infectious dogs on the prevalence and incidence of canine infections, a prospective study was undertaken in an area endemic for Leishmania infantum. We used serological testing based on the rapid DPP rK28 fusion protein chromatographic immunoassay for this dog screening-and-culling intervention trial. The outcome was evaluated by measuring seropositivity and sero-conversion/-reversion rates for canine infection. Our estimates indicated ...

Stochastic variational approach to minimum uncertainty states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Illuminati, F.; Viola, L. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Padova Univ. (Italy)

1995-05-21

We introduce a new variational characterization of Gaussian diffusion processes as minimum uncertainty states. We then define a variational method constrained by kinematics of diffusions and Schroedinger dynamics to seek states of local minimum uncertainty for general non-harmonic potentials. (author)

Increasing P-stress and viral infection impact lipid remodeling of the picophytoplankter Micromonas pusilla

Science.gov (United States)

Maat, D. S.; Bale, N. J.; Hopmans, E. C.; Sinninghe Damsté, J. S.; Schouten, S.; Brussaard, C. P. D.

2015-09-01

The intact polar lipid (IPL) composition of phytoplankton is plastic and dependent on environmental factors. Previous studies have shown that phytoplankton under phosphorus (P)-stress substitute phosphatidylglycerols (PGs) with sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDGs) and digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDGs). However, these studies focused merely on P-depletion, while phytoplankton in the natural environment often experience P-limitation whereby the degree of limitation depends on the supply rate of the limiting nutrient. Here we demonstrate a linear increase in SQDG : PG and DGDG : PG ratios with increasing cellular P-stress in the picophotoeukaryote Micromonas pusilla, obtained by P-replete, P-limited (chemostat) and P-starved (no supply of P) culturing conditions. These ratios were not affected by the degree of the P-limiting conditions itself (i.e. 0.97 and 0.32 μmax chemostats), suggesting there is a minimum requirement of PGs for the maintenance of cell growth. Viral infection reduced the increase in SQDG : PG and DGDG : PG ratios in P-starved cells, but the extent did depend on the growth rate of the cultures before infection. The membrane of M. pusilla virus MpV itself was lacking some IPLs compared to the host as, e.g. no monogalactosyldiacylglycerols could be detected. Growth of the phytoplankton cultures under enhanced CO2 concentration did not affect the lipid remodeling results. The present study provides new insights into how the P-related trophic state of an ecosystem as well as viral infection can affect phytoplankton IPL composition, and therefore influence food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycling.

Differences in susceptibility among mouse strains to infection with Plasmodium berghei (ANKA clone) sporozoites and its relationship to protection by gamma-irradiated sporozoites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaffe, R.I.; Lowell, G.H.; Gordon, D.M.

1990-01-01

Three inbred mouse strains, C57BL/6 (H-2b), A/J (H-2a), and BALB/c (H-2d), and 1 outbred strain, CD-1, demonstrated differences in susceptibility to iv challenge with the ANKA clone of Plasmodium berghei. Mice were challenged with 100, 1,000, or 10,000 sporozoites, then evaluated daily beginning on day 4 for patency. CD-1 mice were further evaluated at challenge doses of 12,500, 25,000, and 50,000 sporozoites. C57BL/6 mice were the easiest to infect, with 90% becoming infected with 100 sporozoites. The outbred strain CD-1 was the most difficult to infect, requiring a challenge dose of 25,000 sporozoites/mouse in order to achieve a 100% infection rate. Mouse strains also demonstrated differences in their ability to be protected by intravenous immunization with gamma-irradiated sporozoites. A/J mice needed a minimum of 3 doses of irradiated sporozoites for protection against a challenge with 10,000 sporozoites. In contrast, BALB/c mice immunized with a single dose of 1,000 irradiated sporozoites are protected against a 10,000 sporozoite challenge. These data suggest that both infectivity and protection are genetically restricted and that susceptibility to infection may be inversely related to protection

Minimum entropy production principle

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Maes, C.; Netočný, Karel

2013-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 7 (2013), s. 9664-9677 ISSN 1941-6016 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : MINEP Subject RIV: BE - Theoretical Physics http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Minimum_entropy_production_principle

Intracavitary irradiation of prostatic carcinoma by a high dose-rate afterloading technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odelberg-Johnson, O.; Underskog, I.; Johansson, J.E.; Bernshaw, D.; Sorbe, B.; Persson, J.E. (Oerebro Medical Center Hospital (Sweden). Dept. of Oncology Oerebro Medical Center Hospital (Sweden). Dept. of Urology Oerebro Medical Center Hospital (Sweden). Dept. of Gynecologic Oncology Oerebro Medical Center Hospital (Sweden). Dept. of Radiation Physics)

1991-01-01

A high dose-rate ({sup 60}Co) afterloading technique was evaluated in a series of 73 patients with prostatic carcinoma stages I-IV. The intraurethral irradiation was combined with external pelvic radiotherapy. A minimum total dose of 78 Gy was delivered to the target volume. In a subgroup of patients extramustine (Estracyt) was given as adjuvant chemohormonal therapy during irradiation. The median follow-up for the whole group was 63 months. The crude 5-year survival rate was 60% and the corrected survival rate 90%. Survival was related to the tumor grade. Local pelvic recurrences were recorded in 17.8%. 'Viable cells' in posttherapy aspiration biopsy were not associated with tumor recurrences or survival. Four patients (5%) had grade 3 late radiation reactions with urethral structure or bladder fibrosis. Urinary tract infections and prior transurethral resections were not associated with a higher frequency of reactions. Concurrent estramustine therapy seemed to increase the frequency of both acute and chronic radiation reactions. Local control, recurrence, and survival were not affected by chemohormonal therapy. The use of tomography, magnetic resonance, and ultrasound as aids to computerized dosimetry may improve local dose distribution and reduce the irradiated volume. (orig.).

The President's Veto of the Minimum Wage Bill: Impact on Poor and Minority Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Isaac

Restoration of an adequate minimum wage remains a critical ingredient in efforts to provide income security for poor and minority workers. The experience of recent years indicates that work does not provide economic security for many poor, Black, and Hispanic workers. National and minority unemployment rates have dropped during the economic…

Robustification and Optimization in Repetitive Control For Minimum Phase and Non-Minimum Phase Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Prasitmeeboon, Pitcha

repetitive control FIR compensator. The aim is to reduce the final error level by using real time frequency response model updates to successively increase the cutoff frequency, each time creating the improved model needed to produce convergence zero error up to the higher cutoff. Non-minimum phase systems present a difficult design challenge to the sister field of Iterative Learning Control. The third topic investigates to what extent the same challenges appear in RC. One challenge is that the intrinsic non-minimum phase zero mapped from continuous time is close to the pole of repetitive controller at +1 creating behavior similar to pole-zero cancellation. The near pole-zero cancellation causes slow learning at DC and low frequencies. The Min-Max cost function over the learning rate is presented. The Min-Max can be reformulated as a Quadratically Constrained Linear Programming problem. This approach is shown to be an RC design approach that addresses the main challenge of non-minimum phase systems to have a reasonable learning rate at DC. Although it was illustrated that using the Min-Max objective improves learning at DC and low frequencies compared to other designs, the method requires model accuracy at high frequencies. In the real world, models usually have error at high frequencies. The fourth topic addresses how one can merge the quadratic penalty to the Min-Max cost function to increase robustness at high frequencies. The topic also considers limiting the Min-Max optimization to some frequencies interval and applying an FIR zero-phase low-pass filter to cutoff the learning for frequencies above that interval.

Minimum Requirements of Flagellation and Motility for Infection of Agrobacterium sp. Strain H13-3 by Flagellotropic Bacteriophage 7-7-1

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Jiun Y.; Broadway, Katherine M.

2012-01-01

The flagellotropic phage 7-7-1 specifically adsorbs to Agrobacterium sp. strain H13-3 (formerly Rhizobium lupini H13-3) flagella for efficient host infection. The Agrobacterium sp. H13-3 flagellum is complex and consists of three flagellin proteins: the primary flagellin FlaA, which is essential for motility, and the secondary flagellins FlaB and FlaD, which have minor functions in motility. Using quantitative infectivity assays, we showed that absence of FlaD had no effect on phage infection, while absence of FlaB resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in infectivity. A flaA deletion strain, which produces straight and severely truncated flagella, experienced a significantly reduced infectivity, similar to that of a flaB flaD strain, which produces a low number of straight flagella. A strain lacking all three flagellin genes is phage resistant. In addition to flagellation, flagellar rotation is required for infection. A strain that is nonmotile due to an in-frame deletion in the gene encoding the motor component MotA is resistant to phage infection. We also generated two strains with point mutations in the motA gene resulting in replacement of the conserved charged residue Glu98, which is important for modulation of rotary speed. A change to the neutral Gln caused the flagellar motor to rotate at a constant high speed, allowing a 2.2-fold-enhanced infectivity. A change to the positively charged Lys caused a jiggly motility phenotype with very slow flagellar rotation, which significantly reduced the efficiency of infection. In conclusion, flagellar number and length, as well as speed of flagellar rotation, are important determinants for infection by phage 7-7-1. PMID:22865074

Rate and Risk Factors for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Among 36,494 Primary Total Hip Arthroplasties.

Science.gov (United States)

Triantafyllopoulos, Georgios K; Soranoglou, Vasileios G; Memtsoudis, Stavros G; Sculco, Thomas P; Poultsides, Lazaros A

2018-04-01

As periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) can have tremendous health and socioeconomic implications, recognizing patients at risk before surgery is of great importance. Therefore, we sought to determine the rate of and risk factors for deep PJI in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Clinical characteristics of patients treated with primary THA between January 1999 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. These included patient demographics, comorbidities (including the Charlson/Deyo comorbidity index), length of stay, primary diagnosis, total/allogeneic transfusion rate, and in-hospital complications, which were grouped into local and systemic (minor and major). We determined the overall deep PJI rate, as well as the rates for early-onset (occurring within 2 years after index surgery) and late-onset PJI (occurring more than 2 years after surgery). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to identify risk factors for developing deep PJI. Significance level was set at 0.05. A deep PJI developed in 154 of 36,494 primary THAs (0.4%) during the study period. Early onset PJI was found in 122 patients (0.3%), whereas late PJI occurred in 32 patients (0.1%). Obesity, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary hypertension were identified as independent risk factors for deep PJI after primary THA. The rate of deep PJIs of the hip is relatively low, with the majority occurring within 2 years after THA. If the optimization of modifiable risk factors before THA can reduce the rate of this complication remains unknown, but should be attempted as part of good practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shale gas activity and increased rates of sexually transmitted infections in Ohio, 2000–2016

Science.gov (United States)

Humeau, Zoe; Elliott, Elise G.; Warren, Joshua L.; Niccolai, Linda M.

2018-01-01

Background The growing shale gas (“fracking”) industry depends on a mobile workforce, whose influx could have social impacts on host communities. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can increase through sexual mixing patterns associated with labor migration. No prior studies have quantified the relationship between shale gas activity and rates of three reportable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Methods We conducted a longitudinal, ecologic study from 2000–2016 in Ohio, situated in a prolific shale gas region in the United States (US). Data on reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis by county and year were obtained from the Ohio Department of Health. All 88 counties were classified as none, low, and high shale gas activity in each year, using data from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Annual rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated from mixed-effects Poisson regression models evaluating the relationship between shale gas activity and reported annual STI rates while adjusting for secular trends and potential confounders obtained from the US Census. Results Compared to counties with no shale gas activity, counties with high activity had 21% (RR = 1.21; 95%CI = 1.08–1.36) increased rates of chlamydia and 19% (RR = 1.27; 95%CI 0.98–1.44) increased rates of gonorrhea, respectively. No association was observed for syphilis. Conclusion This first report of a link between shale gas activity and increased rates of both chlamydia and gonorrhea may inform local policies and community health efforts. PMID:29570712

Minimum emittance in TBA and MBA lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gang; Peng, Yue-Mei

2015-03-01

For reaching a small emittance in a modern light source, triple bend achromats (TBA), theoretical minimum emittance (TME) and even multiple bend achromats (MBA) have been considered. This paper derived the necessary condition for achieving minimum emittance in TBA and MBA theoretically, where the bending angle of inner dipoles has a factor of 31/3 bigger than that of the outer dipoles. Here, we also calculated the conditions attaining the minimum emittance of TBA related to phase advance in some special cases with a pure mathematics method. These results may give some directions on lattice design.

Minimum emittance in TBA and MBA lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Gang; Peng Yuemei

2015-01-01

For reaching a small emittance in a modern light source, triple bend achromats (TBA), theoretical minimum emittance (TME) and even multiple bend achromats (MBA) have been considered. This paper derived the necessary condition for achieving minimum emittance in TBA and MBA theoretically, where the bending angle of inner dipoles has a factor of 3 1/3 bigger than that of the outer dipoles. Here, we also calculated the conditions attaining the minimum emittance of TBA related to phase advance in some special cases with a pure mathematics method. These results may give some directions on lattice design. (authors)

RR Tel: Determination of Dust Properties During Minimum Obscuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurkić T.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available the ISO infrared spectra and the SAAO long-term JHKL photometry of RR Tel in the epochs during minimum obscuration are studied in order to construct a circumstellar dust model. the spectral energy distribution in the near- and the mid-IR spectral range (1–15 μm was obtained for an epoch without the pronounced dust obscuration. the DUSTY code was used to solve the radiative transfer through the dust and to determine the circumstellar dust properties of the inner dust regions around the Mira component. Dust temperature, maximum grain size, dust density distribution, mass-loss rate, terminal wind velocity and optical depth are determined. the spectral energy distribution and the long-term JHKL photometry during an epoch of minimum obscuration show almost unattenuated stellar source and strong dust emission which cannot be explained by a single dust shell model. We propose a two-component model consisting of an optically thin circmustellar dust shell and optically thick dust outside the line of sight in some kind of a flattened geometry, which is responsible for most of the observed dust thermal emission.

Locating the rate-limiting step for the interaction of hydrogen with Mg(0001) using density-functional theory calculations and rate theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vegge, Tejs

2004-01-01

The dissociation of molecular hydrogen on a Mgs0001d surface and the subsequent diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the magnesium substrate is investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and rate theory. The minimum energy path and corresponding transition states are located usi...... to be rate-limiting for the ab- and desorption of hydrogen, respectively. Zero-point energy contributions are found to be substantial for the diffusion of atomic hydrogen, but classical rates are still found to be within an order of magnitude at room temperature.......The dissociation of molecular hydrogen on a Mgs0001d surface and the subsequent diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the magnesium substrate is investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and rate theory. The minimum energy path and corresponding transition states are located using...