150 research outputs found
Genomic insights into the rapid emergence and evolution of MDR in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.
OBJECTIVES: MDR methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) strains have emerged rapidly as major canine pathogens and present serious treatment issues and concerns to public health due to their, albeit low, zoonotic potential. A further understanding of the genetics of resistance arising from a broadly susceptible background of S. pseudintermedius is needed. METHODS: We sequenced the genomes of 12 S. pseudintermedius isolates of varied STs and resistance phenotypes. RESULTS: Nine distinct clonal lineages had acquired either staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec elements and/or Tn5405-like elements carrying up to five resistance genes [aphA3, sat, aadE, erm(B), dfrG] to generate MRSP, MDR methicillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius and MDR MRSP populations. The most successful and clinically problematic MDR MRSP clones, ST68 SCCmecV(T) and ST71 SCCmecII-III, have further accumulated mutations in gyrA and grlA conferring resistance to fluoroquinolones. The carriage of additional mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was highly variable, suggesting that horizontal gene transfer is frequent in S. pseudintermedius populations. CONCLUSIONS: Importantly, the data suggest that MDR MRSP evolved rapidly by the acquisition of a very limited number of MGEs and mutations, and that the use of many classes of antimicrobials may co-select for the spread and emergence of MDR and XDR strains. Antimicrobial stewardship will need to be comprehensive, encompassing human medicine and veterinary disciplines to successfully preserve antimicrobial efficacy
Force-velocity relation and density profiles for biased diffusion in an adsorbed monolayer
In this paper, which completes our earlier short publication [Phys. Rev.
Lett. 84, 511 (2000)], we study dynamics of a hard-core tracer particle (TP)
performing a biased random walk in an adsorbed monolayer, composed of mobile
hard-core particles undergoing continuous exchanges with a vapor phase. In
terms of an approximate approach, based on the decoupling of the third-order
correlation functions, we obtain the density profiles of the monolayer
particles around the TP and derive the force-velocity relation, determining the
TP terminal velocity, V_{tr}, as the function of the magnitude of external bias
and other system's parameters. Asymptotic forms of the monolayer particles
density profiles at large separations from the TP, and behavior of V_{tr} in
the limit of small external bias are found explicitly.Comment: Latex, 31 pages, 3 figure
Effects of density imbalance on the BCS-BEC crossover in semiconductor electron-hole bilayers
We study the occurrence of excitonic superfluidity in electron-hole bilayers
at zero temperature. We not only identify the crossover in the phase diagram
from the BCS limit of overlapping pairs to the BEC limit of non-overlapping
tightly-bound pairs but also, by varying the electron and hole densities
independently, we can analyze a number of phases that occur mainly in the
crossover region. With different electron and hole effective masses, the phase
diagram is asymmetric with respect to excess electron or hole densities. We
propose as the criterion for the onset of superfluidity, the jump of the
electron and hole chemical potentials when their densities cross.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Engineering Superfluidity in Electron-Hole Double Layers
We show that band-structure effects are likely to prevent superfluidity in
semiconductor electron-hole double-layer systems. We suggest the possibility
that superfluidity could be realized by the application of uniaxial pressure
perpendicular to the electron and hole layers.Comment: 4 pages, includes 3 figure
An algebraic SU(1,1) solution for the relativistic hydrogen atom
The bound eigenfunctions and spectrum of a Dirac hydrogen atom are found
taking advantage of the Lie algebra in which the radial part of the
problem can be expressed. For defining the algebra we need to add to the
description an additional angular variable playing essentially the role of a
phase. The operators spanning the algebra are used for defining ladder
operators for the radial eigenfunctions of the relativistic hydrogen atom and
for evaluating its energy spectrum. The status of the Johnson-Lippman operator
in this algebra is also investigated.Comment: to appear in Physics Letters A (2005). We corrected a misprint in
page 7, in the paragraph baggining with "With the value of ..." the ground
state should be |\lambda, \lambda>, not |\lambda, \lambda+1
Prescribing practices of primary-care veterinary practitioners in dogs diagnosed with bacterial pyoderma
Concern has been raised regarding the potential contributions of veterinary antimicrobial use to increasing levels of resistance in bacteria critically important to human health. Canine pyoderma is a frequent, often recurrent diagnosis in pet dogs, usually attributable to secondary bacterial infection of the skin. Lesions can range in severity based on the location, total area and depth of tissue affected and antimicrobial therapy is recommended for resolution. This study aimed to describe patient signalment, disease characteristics and treatment prescribed in a large number of UK, primary-care canine pyoderma cases and to estimate pyoderma prevalence in the UK vet-visiting canine population
Surface electrons at plasma walls
In this chapter we introduce a microscopic modelling of the surplus electrons
on the plasma wall which complements the classical description of the plasma
sheath. First we introduce a model for the electron surface layer to study the
quasistationary electron distribution and the potential at an unbiased plasma
wall. Then we calculate sticking coefficients and desorption times for electron
trapping in the image states. Finally we study how surplus electrons affect
light scattering and how charge signatures offer the possibility of a novel
charge measurement for dust grains.Comment: To appear in Complex Plasmas: Scientific Challenges and Technological
Opportunities, Editors: M. Bonitz, K. Becker, J. Lopez and H. Thomse
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