Increased human pathogenic potential of Escherichia coli from polymicrobial urinary tract infections in comparison to isolates from monomicrobial culture samples

The current diagnostic standard procedure outlined by the Health Protection Agency for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in clinical laboratories does not report bacteria isolated from samples containing three or more different bacterial species. As a result many UTIs go unreported and untreated, particularly in elderly patients, where polymicrobial UTI samples are especially prevalent. This study reports the presence of the major uropathogenic species in mixed culture urine samples from elderly patients, and of resistance to front-line antibiotics, with potentially increased levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim. Most importantly, the study highlights that Escherichia coli present in polymicrobial UTI samples are statistically more invasive (P<0.001) in in vitro epithelial cell infection assays than those isolated from monomicrobial culture samples. In summary, the results of this study suggest that the current diagnostic standard procedure for polymicrobial UTI samples needs to be reassessed, and that E. coli present in polymicrobial UTI samples may pose an increased risk to human health

Thinning of superfluid films below the critical point

Experiments on $^4$He films reveal an attractive Casimir-like force at the bulk $\lambda$-point, and in the superfluid regime. Previous work has explained the magnitude of this force at the $\lambda$ transition and deep in the superfluid region but not the substantial attractive force immediately below the $\lambda$-point. Utilizing a simple mean-field calculation renormalized by critical fluctuations we obtain an effective Casimir force that is qualitatively consistent with the scaling function $\vartheta$ obtained by collapse of experimental data.Comment: 4 page

Bibliography of the Gulf of Mannar

The Gulf of Mannar has a chain of 21 islands (area of each island : 0.95 to 130 ha) along the 140 km stretch between Tuticorin and Rameswaram (Lat 8°55'-9°15'N and Long 78°0'-79°16'E) (Figs.l&2). They have fringing coral reefs and patch reefs rising from shallower areas of sea-shore. Fringing reefs are located n^ostly at a distance of 50-100 m from the islands and are narrow. Patch reefs arise from depti/is of 3 to 5 fathoms and are 1-2 km in length with widths of as much as 50 meters. These coral reefs have a rich variety of food fishes and ornamental fishes of various dimensions, colours and designs. The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GOMMBR) is the India's firstj Maiiline National Park. The Biosphere includes the microecosystems of coral reefs, rocks, seaweeds, seagrasses, each supporting its own characteristic commvmity structures and zonations. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, is the last preserve of the dugong, the most endangered mammal on earth. The area of the Gulf of Mannar under the Indian EEZ is about 15,000 sq. km-, where commercial fishing takesplace in about 5500 sq.km (upto 50 m depth). The deptli of the Gulf of Mannar beyond the island chain ranged from 3.5 to 15 m with a preciptous fall giving oceanic condition to the coastal areas. This ecosystem supports a wide spectra of flora and fauna of taxonomic and economic importance. They comprise of 128 species of corals, 641 species of crustaceans, 731 species of moUuscs, 441 species of finfishes, 147 species seaweeds and 52 species of seagrasses besides seasonally migratory marine mammals like whales, dolphines, porpoises, cirrious dugongs and aU the species of turtles. This habitat holds vast patches of mangroves belonging to 9 species of vegetation along witli flie supporting faima

E-prints@CMFRI: Open Access Institutional Repository of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), is a pioneering Institute in the field of marine fisheries conducts multi disciplinary researches on marine capture and culture fisheries. The Institute was established in 1947 by the Government of India under Ministry of Agriculture with headquarters at Madras. It shifted to Mandapam Camp, Tamil Nadu in 1949. In 1967, the Institute was placed under the administrative control of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, New Delhi and, in 1971, shifted to Kochi, Kerala. The significance of Eprints@CMFRI to the Institute is that it acts as a showcase for Institute research and enhances the professional visibility of the scientists of the Institute. It demonstrates the breath and depth of research output of CMFRI. Now the scientific output of the Institute is reaching global audiences

On breaks of the Indian monsoon

For over a century, the term break has been used for spells in which the rainfall over the Indian monsoon zone is interrupted. The phenomenon of 'break monsoon' is of great interest because long intense breaks are often associated with poor monsoon seasons. Such breaks have distinct circulation characteristics (heat trough type circulation) and have a large impact on rainfed agriculture. Although interruption of the monsoon rainfall is considered to be the most important feature of the break monsoon, traditionally breaks have been identified on the basis of the surface pressure and wind patterns over the Indian region. We have defined breaks (and active spells) on the basis of rainfall over the monsoon zone. The rainfall criteria are chosen so as to ensure a large overlap with the traditional breaks documented by Ramamurthy (1969) and Deet al (1998). We have identified these rainbreaks for 1901-89. We have also identified active spells on the basis of rainfall over the Indian monsoon zone. We have shown that the all-India summer monsoon rainfall is significantly negatively correlated with the number of rainbreak days (correlation coefficient −0.56) and significantly positively correlated with the number of active days (correlation coefficient 0.47). Thus the interannual variation of the all-India summer monsoon rainfall is shown to be related to the number of days of rainbreaks and active spells identified here. There have been several studies of breaks (and also active spells in several cases) identified on the basis of different criteria over regions differing in spatial scales (e.g., Websteret al 1998; Krishnanet al it 2000; Goswami and Mohan 2000; and Annamalai and Slingo 2001). We find that there is considerable overlap between the rainbreaks we have identified and breaks based on the traditional definition. There is some overlap with the breaks identified by Krishnanet al (2000) but little overlap with breaks identified by Websteret al (1998). Further, there are three or four active-break cycles in a season according to Websteret al (1998) which implies a time scale of about 40 days for which Goswami and Mohan (2000), and Annamalai and Slingo (2001) have studied breaks and active minus break fluctuations. On the other hand, neither the traditional breaks (Ramamurthy 1969; and Deet al 1998) nor the rainbreaks occur every year. This suggests that the `breaks' in these studies are weak spells of the intraseasonal variation of the monsoon, which occur every year. We have derived the OLR and circulation patterns associated with rainbreaks and active spells and compared them with the patterns associated with breaks/active minus break spells from these studies. Inspite of differences in the patterns over the Indian region, there is one feature which is seen in the OLR anomaly patterns of breaks identified on the basis of different criteria as well as the rainbreaks identified in this paper viz., a quadrapole over the Asia-west Pacific region arising from anomalies opposite (same) in sign to those over the Indian region occurring over the equatorial Indian Ocean and northern tropical (equatorial) parts of the west Pacific. Thus it appears that this quadrapole is a basic feature of weak spells of the intraseasonal variation over the Asia-west Pacific region. Since the rainbreaks are intense weak spells, this basic feature is also seen in the composite patterns of these breaks. We find that rainbreaks (active spells) are also associated with negative (positive) anomalies over a part of the east Pacic suggesting that the convection over the Indian region is linked to that over the east Pacic not only on the interannual scale (as evinced by the link between the Indian summer monsoon rainfall and ENSO) but on the intraseasonal scale as well

Effect of mixing and spatial dimension on the glass transition

We study the influence of composition changes on the glass transition of binary hard disc and hard sphere mixtures in the framework of mode coupling theory. We derive a general expression for the slope of a glass transition line. Applied to the binary mixture in the low concentration limits, this new method allows a fast prediction of some properties of the glass transition lines. The glass transition diagram we find for binary hard discs strongly resembles the random close packing diagram. Compared to 3D from previous studies, the extension of the glass regime due to mixing is much more pronounced in 2D where plasticization only sets in at larger size disparities. For small size disparities we find a stabilization of the glass phase quadratic in the deviation of the size disparity from unity.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, Phys. Rev. E (in print

Acceptance and commitment therapy delivered in a dyad after a severe traumatic brain injury: a feasibility study

Objective: There is a high prevalence of complex psychological distress after a traumatic brain injury but limited evidence of effective interventions. We examined the feasibility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy after a severe traumatic brain injury using the criteria, investigating a therapeutic effect, and reviewing the acceptability of measures, treatment protocol, and delivery method (in a dyad of two clients and a therapist). Method: Two male outpatients with severe traumatic brain injury and associated psychological distress jointly engaged in a seven session treatment program based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles. Pre- and post-treatment measures of mood, psychological flexibility, and participation were taken in addition to weekly measures. Results: The intervention showed a therapeutic effect with one participant, and appeared to be acceptable for both participants with regard to program content, measures, and delivery mode by in a dyad. One participant showed both significant clinical and reliable change across several outcome measures including measures of mood and psychological flexibility. The second participant did not show a reduction in psychological inflexibility, but did show a significant drop in negative affect. Significant changes pre- to post-treatment for measures of participation were not indicated. Qualitatively, both participants engaged in committed action set in accordance with their values. Conclusions: This study suggests that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy may be feasible to be delivered in a dyad with individuals who have a severe traumatic brain injury. A further test of its potential efficacy in a phase II clinical trial is recommended