Spectrally resolved observations of atmospheric emitted radiance in the H2O rotation band

This paper presents the project Earth Cooling by Water Vapor Radiation, an observational programme, which aims at developing a database of spectrally resolved far infrared observations, in atmospheric dry conditions, in order to validate radiative transfer models and test the quality of water vapor continuum and line parameters. The project provides the very first set of far-infrared spectral downwelling radiance measurements, in dry atmospheric conditions, which are complemented with Raman Lidar-derived temperature and water vapor profiles

Full Sequence and Comparative Analysis of the Plasmid pAPEC-1 of Avian Pathogenic E. coli χ7122 (O78∶K80∶H9)

(APEC), are very diverse. They cause a complex of diseases in Human, animals, and birds. Even though large plasmids are often associated with the virulence of ExPEC, their characterization is still in its infancy., are also present in the sequence of pAPEC-1. The comparison of the pAPEC-1 sequence with the two available plasmid sequences reveals more gene loss and reorganization than previously appreciated. The presence of pAPEC-1-associated genes is assessed in human ExPEC by PCR. Many patterns of association between genes are found.The pathotype typical of pAPEC-1 was present in some human strains, which indicates a horizontal transfer between strains and the zoonotic risk of APEC strains. ColV plasmids could have common virulence genes that could be acquired by transposition, without sharing genes of plasmid function

Directed Evaluation of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Autotransporter Proteins as Putative Vaccine Candidates

Diarrheal diseases are responsible for more than 1.5 million deaths annually in developing countries. Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) are among the most common bacterial causes of diarrhea, accounting for an estimated 300,000–500,000 deaths each year, mostly in young children. There unfortunately is not yet a vaccine that can offer sustained, broad-based protection against ETEC. While most vaccine development effort has focused on plasmid-encoded finger-like ETEC adhesin structures known as colonization factors, additional effort is needed to identify conserved target antigens. Epidemiologic studies suggest that immune responses to uncharacterized, chromosomally encoded antigens could contribute to protection resulting from repeated infections. Earlier studies of immune responses to ETEC infection had identified a class of surface-expressed molecules known as autotransporters (AT). Therefore, available ETEC genome sequences were examined to identify conserved ETEC autotransporters not shared by the commensal E. coli HS strain, followed by studies of the immune response to these antigens, and tests of their utility as vaccine components. Two chromosomally encoded ATs, identified in ETEC, but not in HS, were found to be immunogenic and protective in an animal model, suggesting that conserved AT molecules contribute to protective immune responses that follow natural ETEC infection and offering new potential targets for vaccines

Comparison of Activity of 10 Antibiotics Against Clinical Strains of Helicobacter pylori by Three Different Techniques

The authors determined the susceptibility of 55 single clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori isolated in the Montreal area to 10 antibiotics by three different methods - an agar dilution technique considered to be the gold standard, a disk diffusion method and the E-test. Testing was performed on Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with 10% sheep blood; plates were incubated at 37°C for 72 h in a microaerophilic atmosphere. The metronidazole resistance rate is about 11% in the Montreal area. Macrolides are very active against H pylori isolates, with few variations in activity between older and newer molecules. Correlation among different methods was not as good as reported in the literature for metronidazole

Seasonal Variation of aerosols properties in South Italy: a study on aerosol optical depths, Angstrom turbidity parameters and aerosol size distributions

Direct solar radiation measurements, carried out from June 2001 to October 2001 in a site in South Italy, have been analysed. This site is characteristic of a continental area but it can be affected by the intrusion of marine and dust particles. Solar irradiance was measured using a high-resolution spectroradiometer, working in the visible range (400–800 nm), collecting about 500 spectra under cloudless conditions. From the aerosol optical depths we estimated the Angström turbidity parameters, by means of a least-square fitting procedure. Finally, a Twomey modified inversion technique allowed us to estimate the aerosol size distribution, obtaining mostly two-modal functions. Integrating the second mode of the aerosol size distribution, it was surprising to find a high correlation with the β parameter only for data corresponding to low turbidity conditions

Utility of the Germ Tube Test for Direct Identification of Candida albicans from Positive Blood Culture Bottles ▿

We compared the germ tube test for the direct identification of Candida albicans from positive blood culture bottles, with results obtained from subcultured colonies. The direct germ tube test was 87.1% sensitive and 100% specific for the identification of C. albicans when the results obtained from fungal colonies were compared

Aerosol optical properties variation on different mountain sites in Italy

Direct solar irradiance and IR atmospheric radiance have been measured during different measurements campaigns, conducted in three mountain sites in Italy, far from anthropogenic sources. Direct solar irradiance has been measured by a high resolution (1.5 nm) AVANTES radiometer, working in the spectral range 400 nm-900 nm, while down welling IR sky radiance measurements has been measured by an MR100 BOMEM Fourier Transform Spectrometer covering the spectral ranges 500 cm-1-5000 cm-1 and 1 cm-1 of resolution. At least two Radiosonde launches per day furnished temperature and water vapour profiles. The instruments were located on a mobile laboratory, specifically projected to host them. The parameters obtained from direct solar irradiance are Aerosol Optical Depth, Angstrom parameters and Aerosol Size Distributions retrieval, while from IR data water vapour and temperature profiles have been retrieved. Different orographic characteristics and different air-masses circulation on the measurement sites influenced Aerosol Optical Depth values and variation. Infrared radiances inversion allows the water vapour content retrieval and a correlation between aerosol effective radii and water vapour content has been looked for

Sporadic Legionnaires' disease: the role of domestic electric hot-water tanks

SUMMARYSporadic community-acquired legionellosis (SCAL) can be acquired through contaminated aerosols from residential potable water. Electricity-dependent hot-water tanks are widely used in the province of Quebec (Canada) and have been shown to be frequently contaminated withLegionellaspp. We prospectively investigated the homes of culture-proven SCAL patients from Quebec in order to establish the proportion of patients whose domestic potable hot-water system was contaminated with the sameLegionellaisolate that caused their pneumonia. Water samples were collected in each patient's home. Environmental and clinical isolates were compared using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Thirty-six patients were enrolled into the study.Legionellawas recovered in 12/36 (33%) homes. The residential and clinical isolates were found to be microbiologically related in 5/36 (14%) patients. Contaminated electricity-heated domestic hot-water systems contribute to the acquisition of SCAL. The proportion is similar to previous reports, but may be underestimated.</jats:p