Efficient Sound Card Based Experimention At Different Levels Of Natural Science Education

Sound cards, which count as standard equipment in today's computers, can be turned into measurement tools, making experimentation very efficient and cheap. The chief difficulties to overcome are the lack of proper hardware interfacing and processing software. Sound-card experimentation becomes really viable only if we demonstrate how to connect different sensors to the sound card and provide suitable open-source software to support the experiments. In our talk, we shall present a few applications of sound cards in measurements: photogates, stopwatches and an example of temperature measurement and registration. We also provide the software for these applications.Comment: MPTL-HSCI 2011 Joint conference, 15-17 September 2011, Ljubljana, Sloveni

Critical point analysis and biocide treatment in a microbiologically contaminated water purification system of a power plant

Many industries use ultrapure water (UPW) for their operation. In spite of purification efforts, microbial contaminations are the major cause of manufacturing problems in these systems. In our experiments, the water purification system of a power plant was investigated: the microbiologically critical points of the ultrapure water purification system were located by checking the number and diversity of bacteria to determine the optimum operational unit for chemical intervention: the most contaminated site was the mixed-bed ion-exchange resin containing unit. Biocides were tested against bacteria previously isolated from the same system; effect of biocides was checked also in laboratory model systems, and based on the results, a biocide treatment was carried out in the mixed-bed ion-exchange resin columns of the working power plant. Kathon WT was the most effective from the studied chemicals, being effective already in low concentration against most studied microorganisms. In case of the handling of the mixed-bed ion-exchange resin, 8-h treatment with 25ppm biocide concentration was effective. Following the treatment, the quality of the produced UPW met the standards (specific electric conductivity was<1.0x10(-3)mu Scm(-1) at 25 degrees C) and water production capacity increased; moreover, the run-down time of the mixed-bed ion-exchange resin significantly grew

Multiple Benefits of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Determinants in Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 High-Risk Clone and Recently Emerging ST307 Clone

International high-risk clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae are among the most common nosocomial pathogens. Increased diversity of plasmid-encoded antimicrobial resistance genes facilitates spread of these clones causing significant therapeutic difficulties. The purpose of our study was to investigate fluoroquinolone resistance in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains, including four K. pneumoniae and a single K. oxytoca, isolated from blood cultures in Hungary. Whole-genome sequencing and molecular typing including multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed in selected strains. Gene expression of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants (PMQR) was investigated by quantitative-PCR. MLST revealed that three K. pneumoniae strains belonged to ST11 and one to ST307 whereas K. oxytoca belonged to ST52. The isolates harbored different β-lactamase genes, however, all K. pneumoniae uniformly carried blaCTX-M-15. The K. pneumoniae isolates exhibited resistance to fluoroquinolones and carried various PMQR genes namely, two ST11 strains harbored qnrB4, the ST307 strain harbored qnrB1 and all K. pneumoniae harbored oqxAB efflux pump. Levofloxacin and moxifloxacin MIC values of K. pneumoniae ST11 and ST307 clones correlated with qnr and oqxAB expression levels. The qnrA1 carrying K. oxytoca ST52 exhibited reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. The maintained expression of qnr genes in parallel with chromosomal mutations indicate an additional protective role of Qnr proteins that can support dissemination of high-risk clones. During development of high-level fluoroquinolone resistance, high-risk clones retain fitness thus, enabling them for dissemination in hospital environment. Based on our knowledge this is the first report of ST307 clone in Hungary, that is emerging as a potential high-risk clone worldwide. High-level fluoroquinolone resistance in parallel with upregulated PMQR gene expression are linked to high-risk K. pneumoniae clones

A nagyérvasculitisek képalkotó vizsgálatának lehetőségei és azok jelentősége [The potentials and importance of imaging in large-vessel vasculitis]

According to the nomenclature of the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference, giant-cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis belong to the group of large-vessel vasculitis. Recognition of these diseases is primarily based on the clinical assessment and the use of various vascular imaging modalities. With regard to the latter one, significant technological advances have been observed in recent years, which allow not only to make a diagnosis but also to evaluate the extent of the disease and the degree of vascular inflammation. In addition, subsequent complications of vascular inflammation can be examined. Ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron-emission tomography represent imaging modalities that are essential for recognizing affected patients and planning effective treatment and follow-up. The review of this topic may be of interest to a number of medical specialties that are potentially involved in the care of these patients

Validation of an automated morphological MRI-based 123I-FP-CIT SPECT evaluation method

INTRODUCTION Dopamine transporter imaging with (123)I-FP-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is helpful for the differential diagnosis between Parkinsonian syndrome (PS) and essential tremor (ET). Although visual assessment and time-consuming manual evaluation techniques are readily available, a fully objective and automated dopamine transporter quantification technique is always preferable, at least in research and follow-up investigations. Our aim was to develop a novel automated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based evaluation technique of dopamine transporter SPECT images and to compare its diagnostic accuracy with those of the gold-standard visual grading and manual dopamine transporter binding quantification methods. METHODS (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT and MRI sessions were conducted in 33 patients with PS (15 men; mean age: 60.3 ± 9.7 years) and 15 patients with ET (8 men; mean age: 54.7 ± 16.3 years). Striatal dopamine transporter binding was visually classified by 2 independent experts as normal or abnormal grade I, II and III. Caudal and putaminal specific uptake ratios were calculated by both automated MRI-based and manual evaluation techniques. RESULTS We found almost perfect agreement (κ = 0.829) between the visual scores by the 2 observers. The automated method showed strong correlation with the visual and manual evaluation techniques and its diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity = 97.0%; specificity = 93.3%) was also comparable to these methods. The automatically determined uptake parameters showed negative correlation with the clinical severity of parkinsonism. Based on ordinal regression modelling, the automated MRI-based method could reliably determine the visual grading scores. CONCLUSION The novel MRI-based evaluation of (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT images is useful for the differentiation of PS from ET