Rethinking Sterilization Practices: Evidence for Event‐Related Outdating

A prospective study was conducted during a 2‐year period to evaluate the effectiveness of event‐related outdating. Hospitalprepared sterilized items (n = 152) were shelved in wards and every 3 months, several articles were retrieved and microbiologically tested. During the 2‐year period, all of the items tested were sterile

Interspecies transfer of blaimp-4 in a patient with prolonged colonization by IMP-4-producing enterobacteriaceae

A patient was colonized by IMP-4-producing Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli strains for 7 months. IMP-4-producing E. cloacae strains were first and last isolated at day 33 and at 8 months after admission, respectively. IMP-4-producing E. coli strains were first and last isolated at days 88 and 181 after admission, respectively. The E. cloacae and E. coli isolates shared identical genetic features in terms of bla(IMP-4), bla(TEM-1), qnrB2, aacA4, HI2 plasmids, and ISCR1. This study shows the first prolonged colonization with in vivo interspecies transfer of bla(IMP-4)

PLÁCERES MARINHOS ENTRE CAUCAIA E TRAIRI, ESTADO DO CEARÁ, NORDESTE DO BRASIL

Neste trabalho foram realizados estudos da morfologia, classificação textural e dos minerais pesados nos sedimentos de fundo da plataforma continental interna do Ceará, entre as cidades de Caucaia (Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza) e Trairi. O modelo digital de fundo da plataforma revelou um relevo suave com presença de irregularidades entre as cidades de Paracuru e São Gonçalo do Amarante, com a possível ocorrência do paleocanal do Rio Curu, constatação reforçada pelo padrão de distribuição do diâmetro médio dos grãos. Ocorrem significativas concentrações de minerais pesados de até 4,54% com a predominância de ilmenita e turmalina, que juntamente com epidoto e monazita apresentaram teores acima de 1 Kg/ton ao longo da costa de São Gonçalo do Amarante. Pela composição química de alguns grãos de ilmenita foi possível verificar o enriquecimento em titânio nesses grãos por alteração intempérica, com conteúdo de TiO2 acima de 89%. A área de estudo apresenta condições ambientais favoráveis à acumulação de minerais pesados e os pláceres identificados são considerados recursos minerais estratégicos. Além da importância econômica desses depósitos é preciso considerar a fragilidade do ambiente onde eles ocorrem para minimizar os impactos inerentes das atividades de mineração no meio marinho

South Australian Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway Evaluation: Phase 1 Report

© 2020 Flinders UniversityIn 2019 Rural Health Workforce Strategy funding, provided by the Government of South Australia, supported the introduction of the Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP) as a strategy for improving allied health workforce and quality outcomes for rural and remote South Australians. This pathway was originally developed through a collaboration between the Allied Health Professions Office of Queensland, Services for Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH), Australian state and territory healthcare sectors, and other stakeholders including universities and the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association. The education component of the AHRGP is provided by James Cook University in two levels for newly qualified and more experienced Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). Rural generalist trainees enrolled in the program undertake course work and work-based projects throughout the program. They have protected time within their workload to study as well as dedicated profession specific supervision

Control of an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Australia after introduction of environmental cleaning with a commercial oxidizing disinfectant

In the midst of an outbreak, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was grown from samples of multiple environmental sites in an intensive care unit. A commercial oxidizing disinfectant (potassium peroxomonosulphate 50%, sodium alkyl benzene sulphonate 15%, and sulphamic acid 5%) was introduced throughout the intensive care unit, and its use coincided with cessation of the outbreak

Rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus Panton-Valentine leukocidin in clinical specimens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunochromatographic tests

10.1128/JCM.02274-09Journal of Clinical Microbiology4841384-139

ANÁLISE DA VARIAÇÃO DA LINHA DE COSTA NO TRECHO ENTRE AS PRAIAS DE PEROBA E REDONDA NO MUNICÍPIO DE ICAPUÍ-CEARÁ, BRASIL, A PARTIR DE IMAGENS DE SATÉLITE APLICANDO O DSAS: Analysis of the shoreline variation in the area between Peroba and Redonda's beaches in Icapuí-Ceará, Brazil, based on satellite images using DSAS

Icapuí, the municipality's coastal zone, is made up of sandy beaches, cliff formations, dunes, and a vast stretch of marshes. Due to their interactions with water, land, and air, these regions are highly active; erosion or deposition may occur as a result of this interaction. Constant losses of sediments, especially in cities, are a concern that has been the focus of study using various methods and tools to understand coastal dynamics, both short, medium, and long term. The understanding of the change in the shoreline between Peroba and Redonda beaches in Icapuí, based on satellite images, was obtained using Digital Shoreline Analysis System at a time scale ranging from 2005 to 2020. According to the results, from 2005 to 2010, the shoreline trended stably at 62.52 percent and regressed by 37.48 percent. Between 2010 and 2015, it stayed constant at 51.68 percent before progressing by 46.94% between 2015 and 2020. The stability of the line decreased to 13.22 percent with a regression of 86.78% between 2015 and 2020. The data provided by the Taxa do Ponto Final and Linear Regressions between 2005 and 2020, -0.61 and -0.70 mm/year respectively, indicate that the coastline line remained relatively stable at about 90% (4.570 m) and 84% (4.470 m). Keywords: Coastal erosion; accretion; retrogradation; progradation.A zona costeira do município de Icapuí, Estado do Ceará, é composta por praias arenosas, falésias, dunas e uma extensa planície de maré. Estas áreas são altamente dinâmicas por conta de sua interação com mar, terra e atmosfera, podendo ocorrer processos de erosão ou deposição. Perdas constantes de sedimentos, sobretudo em praias urbanizadas, constituem-se problemas que tem sido alvo de estudos empregando diferentes métodos e ferramentas, para entender a dinâmica costeira, seja a curto, médio e longo prazo. O entendimento da variação da linha de costa entre as praias de Peroba e Redonda em Icapuí, baseou-se em imagens de satélites, numa escala temporal entre 2005 e 2020, aplicando o método Digital Shoreline Analysis System. Os resultados indicaram que entre 2005 e 2010 a linha de costa apresentava-se estável em 62,52% e retrogradou 37,48%. Entre 2010 e 2015 manteve-se estável em 51,68%, tendo progradado 46,94%. Entre 2015 e 2020 a estabilidade reduziu para 13,22% com retrogradação cerca de 86,78%. Os valores fornecidos pela Taxa do Ponto Final e Regressão Linear entre 2005 e 2020, -0.61 ± 0.30 e -0.70 ± 0.29 m/ano respectivamente, indicam que a linha de costa permaneceu estável em cerca de 90% (4.570 m) e 84% (4.470 m). Palavras chaves: Erosão costeira; acreção; retrogradação; progradação

Meta-analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Extraversion : Findings from the Genetics of Personality Consortium

Extraversion is a relatively stable and heritable personality trait associated with numerous psychosocial, lifestyle and health outcomes. Despite its substantial heritability, no genetic variants have been detected in previous genome-wide association (GWA) studies, which may be due to relatively small sample sizes of those studies. Here, we report on a large meta-analysis of GWA studies for extraversion in 63,030 subjects in 29 cohorts. Extraversion item data from multiple personality inventories were harmonized across inventories and cohorts. No genome-wide significant associations were found at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) level but there was one significant hit at the gene level for a long non-coding RNA site (LOC101928162). Genome-wide complex trait analysis in two large cohorts showed that the additive variance explained by common SNPs was not significantly different from zero, but polygenic risk scores, weighted using linkage information, significantly predicted extraversion scores in an independent cohort. These results show that extraversion is a highly polygenic personality trait, with an architecture possibly different from other complex human traits, including other personality traits. Future studies are required to further determine which genetic variants, by what modes of gene action, constitute the heritable nature of extraversion.Peer reviewe

Expression of the Multiple Sclerosis-Associated MHC Class II Allele HLA-DRB1*1501 Is Regulated by Vitamin D

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex trait in which allelic variation in the MHC class II region exerts the single strongest effect on genetic risk. Epidemiological data in MS provide strong evidence that environmental factors act at a population level to influence the unusual geographical distribution of this disease. Growing evidence implicates sunlight or vitamin D as a key environmental factor in aetiology. We hypothesised that this environmental candidate might interact with inherited factors and sought responsive regulatory elements in the MHC class II region. Sequence analysis localised a single MHC vitamin D response element (VDRE) to the promoter region of HLA-DRB1. Sequencing of this promoter in greater than 1,000 chromosomes from HLA-DRB1 homozygotes showed absolute conservation of this putative VDRE on HLA-DRB1*15 haplotypes. In contrast, there was striking variation among non–MS-associated haplotypes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed specific recruitment of vitamin D receptor to the VDRE in the HLA-DRB1*15 promoter, confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments using lymphoblastoid cells homozygous for HLA-DRB1*15. Transient transfection using a luciferase reporter assay showed a functional role for this VDRE. B cells transiently transfected with the HLA-DRB1*15 gene promoter showed increased expression on stimulation with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (P = 0.002) that was lost both on deletion of the VDRE or with the homologous “VDRE” sequence found in non–MS-associated HLA-DRB1 haplotypes. Flow cytometric analysis showed a specific increase in the cell surface expression of HLA-DRB1 upon addition of vitamin D only in HLA-DRB1*15 bearing lymphoblastoid cells. This study further implicates vitamin D as a strong environmental candidate in MS by demonstrating direct functional interaction with the major locus determining genetic susceptibility. These findings support a connection between the main epidemiological and genetic features of this disease with major practical implications for studies of disease mechanism and prevention