Persistence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pig herds over a two year period

Aim of this study was to determine if a known MRSA contamination within a pig herd could persist for a period of two years. Material and Methods: 16 pig herds with a known MRSA contamination were asked to participate in this study. Per herd, five dust swabs (Sodibox®) were collected every two months for a period of two years. Samples were tested for presence of MRSA by culture and two PCR’s for confirmation of MRSA. Isolates were typed by spa- en MLVA-typing

Mars global surveyor navigation and aerobraking at Mars

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft was successfully inserted into an elliptical orbit around Mars on 9/12/97, 01:53:49 UTC. This orbit was near polar (inclination = 93.26 deg) with an orbital period of 44.993 hours and apoapsis and periapsis altitudes of 54,025.9 km and 262.9 km respectively. After a short aerobraking (AB) initiation interval (9/12/97 to 10/2/97), the main phase of AB or orbit period reduction was established. However shortly thereafter, a significant problem with the minus-Y axis solar array developed which necessitated a temporary suspension of AB. Ultimately, this forced the Project to abandon the original plan to complete AB on 1/18/98 and establish the mapping orbit on 3/15/98. The revised plan called for a reduced level of AB, thus subjecting the solar array and yoke assembly to less aerodynamic stress. After 201 orbits and 196 days after MOI, the first phase of AB has ended, the orbital period was 11.64 hours with apoapsis and periapsis altitudes of 17,870.3 and 170.7 km respectively. At present, MGS is in a science phasing orbit (SPO) and shall acquire science data from 3/28/98 to 9/11/98. Thereafter the second phase of AB shall begin and is expected to end during Feb 1999 when the orbital period shall be 1.9 hours and the orbit's descending node shall be at the 2:00 am (local mean solar time) orientation

Whole-Body versus Local DXA-Scan for the Diagnosis of Osteoporosis in COPD Patients

Background. Osteoporosis is an extrapulmonary effect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Diagnosis of osteoporosis is based on BMD measured by DXA-scan. The best location for BMD measurement in COPD has not been determined. Aim of this study was to assess whole-body BMD and BMD of the hip and lumbar spine (local DXA) in COPD patients and compare the prevalence of osteoporosis at these locations. Methods. Whole body as well as local DXA-scan were made in 168 COPD patients entering pulmonary rehabilitation. Patient-relevant characteristics were assessed. Prevalence of osteoporosis was determined. Characteristics of patients without osteoporosis were compared to patients with osteoporosis on local DXA. Results. A higher prevalence of osteoporosis was found using local DXA compared to whole-body DXA (39% versus 21%). One quarter of patients without osteoporosis on whole body-DXA did have osteoporosis on local DXA. Significant differences in patient characteristics between patients without osteoporosis based on both DXA measurements and patients with osteoporosis based on local DXA only were found. Conclusions. DXA of the hip and lumbar spine should be made to assess bone mineral density in COPD patients. The lowest T-score of these locations should be used to diagnose osteoporosis

Chest radiography practice in critically ill patients: a postal survey in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: To ascertain current chest radiography practice in intensive care units (ICUs) in the Netherlands. METHODS: Postal survey: a questionnaire was sent to all ICUs with > 5 beds suitable for mechanical ventilation; pediatric ICUs were excluded. When an ICU performed daily-routine chest radiographs in any group of patients it was considered to be a "daily-routine chest radiography" ICU. RESULTS: From the number of ICUs responding, 63% practice a daily-routine strategy, in which chest radiographs are obtained on a daily basis without any specific reason. A daily-routine chest radiography strategy is practiced less frequently in university-affiliated ICUs (50%) as compared to other ICUs (68%), as well as in larger ICUs (> 20 beds, 50%) as compared to smaller ICUs (< 20 beds, 65%) (P > 0.05). Remarkably, physicians that practice a daily-routine strategy consider daily-routine radiographs helpful in guiding daily practice in less than 30% of all performed radiographs. Chest radiographs are considered essential for verification of the position of invasive devices (81%) and for diagnosing pneumothorax, pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (82%, 74% and 69%, respectively). On demand chest radiographs are obtained after introduction of thoracic drains, central venous lines and endotracheal tubes in 98%, 84% and 75% of responding ICUs, respectively. Chest films are also obtained in case of ventilatory deterioration (49% of responding ICUs), and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (59%), tracheotomy (58%) and mini-tracheotomy (23%). CONCLUSION: There is notable lack of consensus on chest radiography practice in the Netherlands. This survey suggests that a large number of intensivists may doubt the value of daily-routine chest radiography, but still practice a daily-routine strategy

Surveillance of zoonotic bacteria in finishing pigs in The Netherlands

In The Netherlands, from 1998 till 2002, a surveillance programme for zoonotic bacteria in finishing pigs was conducted at herd level. In 2000-2002, the prevalence of Salmonella spp. approximated 30%, while a significantly decreasing trend was observed when standardizing data for herdsize, age and quarter of sampling. Serotype discrimination showed the predominance of S. Typhimurium with an increasing role for phage type DT104. Prevalence estimates for Campylobacter spp. were 97% in 1998 (4th quarter only) and 45% in 1999. For STEC O157, prevalence estimates were 2% and 0% in 1998 and 1999, respectively. By using the samples from this study, a comparison study was conducted in which three different selective enrichment media, i.e. RV, MSRV and DIASALM, were compared for the isolation of Salmonella spp. from pig feces. Both MSRV and DIASALM scored significantly better compared to RV. By using logistic regression analysis of farm and herd specific data, potential risk factors for Salmonella spp. in finishing pig herds were identified and quantified

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Aerobraking Daily Operations and Collision Avoidance

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reached Mars on March 10, 2006 and performed a Mars orbit insertion maneuver of 1 km/s to enter into a large elliptical orbit. Three weeks later, aerobraking operations began and lasted about five months. Aerobraking utilized the atmospheric drag to reduce the large elliptical orbit into a smaller, near circular orbit. At the time of MRO aerobraking, there were three other operational spacecraft orbiting Mars and the navigation team had to minimize the possibility of a collision. This paper describes the daily operations of the MRO navigation team during this time as well as the collision avoidance strategy development and implementation

Different susceptibility of osteosarcoma cell lines and primary cells to treatment with oncolytic adenovirus and doxorubicin or cisplatin

Despite improvements in treatment regimens for osteosarcoma (OS) patients, survival rate has not increased over the last two decades. New treatment modalities are therefore warranted. Preclinical results with conditionally replicative adenoviruses (CRAds) to treat OS are promising. One type of CRAd that was effective against OS cells is Ad5-Δ24RGD. In other types of cancer, CRAds have been shown to interact synergistically with chemotherapeutic agents. Chemotherapy for OS often includes doxorubicin and cisplatin. Therefore, we explored combination treatment of OS cell lines and primary OS cell cultures with Ad5-Δ24RGD and doxorubicin or cisplatin. On OS cell lines, combination treatment was additive to synergistic. Surprisingly, however, on seven of eight primary OS samples no such combination effects were observed. In contrast, in many cases chemotherapy even inhibited CRAd-mediated cell killing. The inhibitory effect of doxorubicin on Ad5-Δ24RGD in primary OS cells appeared to correlate with slow cell growth rate; reduced viral replication and absence of chemotherapy-induced G2 cell cycle arrest. Our results point to the possibility that, at least for OS, virotherapy and chemotherapy should best not be performed simultaneously. In general, our work underscores the importance of testing new genetic anticancer agents and treatment regimens on primary cancer specimens

Transmission of MRSA ST398 between pigs during transport from farm to a slaughterhouse and during time spent in the holding area at the slaughterhouse

A distinct clone of MRSA, Multi Locus Sequence Type 398, was found in pigs and people in contact with pigs recently. In The Netherlands, a discrepancy is found between prevalences for MRSA ST398 in individual pigs on slaughterhouses and individual pigs on farms. Four batches of 30 slaughter pigs from 4 MRSA negative farms were selected and sampled before and after transport to the slaughterhouse and after resting time in the slaughterhouse to evaluate the possibility of pigs getting MRSA positive during this short-time period. Additional samples were taken from the environment, i.e. transport lorry and lairage. Pigs that stayed in a contaminated environment, either contaminated lorry or lairage or both, had a higher chance of becoming MRSA positive than pigs that stayed in areas that tested negative for MRSA. It was concluded that transmission of MRSA ST398 takes place in the short-time period of transport to the slaughterhouse and during time spent inlairages