Surface disinfection challenges for Candida auris: an in-vitro study

The emerging pathogenic multidrug-resistant yeast Candida auris is an important source of healthcare-associated infections and of growing global clinical concern. The ability of this organism to survive on surfaces and withstand environmental stressors creates a challenge for eradicating it from hospitals. A panel of C. auris clinical isolates was evaluated on different surface environments against the standard disinfectant sodium hypochlorite and high-level disinfectant peracetic acid. C. auris was shown to selectively tolerate clinically relevant concentrations of sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid in a surface-dependent manner, which may explain its ability to successfully persist within the hospital environment

Synthesis and characterization of nickel ferrite magnetic nanoparticles by co-precipitation method

Magnetic nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles have been synthesized via co-precipitation method by varying the metal precursors ratio. Four different precursors ratio (Fe:Ni) are varied at 40:60, 50:50, 60:40 and 80:20. The size of the nanoparticles is found to increase with increasing iron (Fe) content. In addition, the morphology of the particles are observed to change from spherical to a shape similar to a nanooctahedral particle when the Fe content in the initial precursors ratio increases. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns have proved the presence of nickel ferrite nanoparticles. The magnetic properties characterized by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature proved that the assynthesized nickel ferrite nanoparticles are ferromagnetic and the saturation magnetization (Ms) increases with the content of Fe in the sample

General duality for abelian-group-valued statistical-mechanics models

We introduce a general class of statistical-mechanics models, taking values in an abelian group, which includes examples of both spin and gauge models, both ordered and disordered. The model is described by a set of ``variables'' and a set of ``interactions''. A Gibbs factor is associated to each variable and to each interaction. We introduce a duality transformation for systems in this class. The duality exchanges the abelian group with its dual, the Gibbs factors with their Fourier transforms, and the interactions with the variables. High (low) couplings in the interaction terms are mapped into low (high) couplings in the one-body terms. The idea is that our class of systems extends the one for which the classical procedure 'a la Kramers and Wannier holds, up to include randomness into the pattern of interaction. We introduce and study some physical examples: a random Gaussian Model, a random Potts-like model, and a random variant of discrete scalar QED. We shortly describe the consequence of duality for each example.Comment: 26 pages, 2 Postscript figure

Measuring Basal Force Fluctuations of Debris Flows Using Seismic Recordings and Empirical Green's Functions

We present a novel method for measuring the fluctuating basal normal and shear stresses of debris flows by using along‐channel seismic recordings. Our method couples a simple parameterization of a debris flow as a seismic source with direct measurements of seismic path effects using empirical Green's functions generated with a force hammer. We test this method using two large‐scale (8 and 10 m³) experimental flows at the U.S. Geological Survey debris‐flow flume that were recorded by dozens of three‐component seismic sensors. The seismically derived basal stress fluctuations compare well in amplitude and timing to independent force plate measurements within the valid frequency range (15–50 Hz). We show that although the high‐frequency seismic signals provide band‐limited forcing information, there are systematic relations between the fluctuating stresses and independently measured flow properties, especially mean basal shear stress and flow thickness. However, none of the relationships are simple, and since the flow properties also correlate with one another, we cannot isolate a single factor that relates in a simple way to the fluctuating forces. Nevertheless, our observations, most notably the gradually declining ratio of fluctuating to mean basal stresses during flow passage and the distinctive behavior of the coarse, unsaturated flow front, imply that flow style may be a primary control on the conversion of translational to vibrational kinetic energy. This conversion ultimately controls the radiation of high‐frequency seismic waves. Thus, flow style may provide the key to revealing the nature of the relationship between fluctuating forces and other flow properties

Measuring Basal Force Fluctuations of Debris Flows Using Seismic Recordings and Empirical Green's Functions

We present a novel method for measuring the fluctuating basal normal and shear stresses of debris flows by using along‐channel seismic recordings. Our method couples a simple parameterization of a debris flow as a seismic source with direct measurements of seismic path effects using empirical Green's functions generated with a force hammer. We test this method using two large‐scale (8 and 10 m³) experimental flows at the U.S. Geological Survey debris‐flow flume that were recorded by dozens of three‐component seismic sensors. The seismically derived basal stress fluctuations compare well in amplitude and timing to independent force plate measurements within the valid frequency range (15–50 Hz). We show that although the high‐frequency seismic signals provide band‐limited forcing information, there are systematic relations between the fluctuating stresses and independently measured flow properties, especially mean basal shear stress and flow thickness. However, none of the relationships are simple, and since the flow properties also correlate with one another, we cannot isolate a single factor that relates in a simple way to the fluctuating forces. Nevertheless, our observations, most notably the gradually declining ratio of fluctuating to mean basal stresses during flow passage and the distinctive behavior of the coarse, unsaturated flow front, imply that flow style may be a primary control on the conversion of translational to vibrational kinetic energy. This conversion ultimately controls the radiation of high‐frequency seismic waves. Thus, flow style may provide the key to revealing the nature of the relationship between fluctuating forces and other flow properties

Burgers velocity fields and dynamical transport processes

We explore a connection of the forced Burgers equation with the Schr\"{o}dinger (diffusive) interpolating dynamics in the presence of deterministic external forces. This entails an exploration of the consistency conditions that allow to interpret dispersion of passive contaminants in the Burgers flow as a Markovian diffusion process. In general, the usage of a continuity equation $\partial_t\rho =-\nabla (\vec{v}\rho)$, where $\vec{v}=\vec{v}(\vec{x},t)$ stands for the Burgers field and $\rho$ is the density of transported matter, is at variance with the explicit diffusion scenario. Under these circumstances, we give a complete characterisation of the diffusive matter transport that is governed by Burgers velocity fields. The result extends both to the approximate description of the transport driven by an incompressible fluid and to motions in an infinitely compressible medium.Comment: Latex fil

The effects of changes in the order of verbal labels and numerical values on children's scores on attitude and rating scales

Research with adults has shown that variations in verbal labels and numerical scale values on rating scales can affect the responses given. However, few studies have been conducted with children. The study aimed to examine potential differences in children’s responses to Likert-type rating scales according to their anchor points and scale direction, and to see whether or not such differences were stable over time. 130 British children, aged 9 to 11, completed six sets of Likert-type rating scales, presented in four different ways varying the position of positive labels and numerical values. The results showed, both initially and 8-12 weeks later, that presenting a positive label or a high score on the left of a scale led to significantly higher mean scores than did the other variations. These findings indicate that different arrangements of rating scales can produce different results which has clear implications for the administration of scales with children