Space station attitude disturbance arising from internal motions

A source of space station attitude disturbances is identified. The attitude disturbance is driven by internal space station motions and is a direct result of conservation of angular momentum. Three examples are used to illustrate the effect: a planar three link system, a rigid carrier body with two moveable masses, and a nonplanar five link system. Simulation results are given to show the magnitude of the attitude change in each example. Factors which accentuate or attenuate this disturbance effect are discussed

The effect of an hypoxic cell sensitizer on tumour growth delay and cell survival. Implications for cell survival in situ and in vitro.

A comparison has been made of the effects of the 2-nitroimidazole Ro-07-0582 on tumour growth delay after irradiation and tumour cell survival in vitro after irradiation in vivo. This compound has previously been shown to be a specific sensitizer of hypoxic cells. A dose of 1 mg/g body weight gave an enhancement ratio of 2-2 for both growth delay and cell survival in a system where high pressure oxygen has been shown to have no effect. However, while the hypoxic fraction in the tumour was estimated to be less then 10% from the growth delay curves, the survival curves gave a value in excess of 50%. This discrepancy probably reflects differences in the response of cells left in situ or removed and assayed in vitro

Genomic dissection of the 1994 Cronobacter sakazakii outbreak in a French neonatal intensive care unit

Background: Cronobacter sakazakii is a member of the genus Cronobacter that has frequently been isolated from powdered infant formula (PIF) and linked with rare but fatal neonatal infections such as meningitis and necrotising enterocolitis. The Cronobacter MLST scheme has reported over 400 sequence types and 42 clonal complexes; however C. sakazakii clonal complex 4 (CC4) has been linked strongly with neonatal infections, especially meningitis. There have been a number of reported Cronobacter outbreaks over the last three decades. The largest outbreak of C. sakazakii was in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in France (1994) that lasted over 3 months and claimed the lives of three neonates. The present study used whole genome sequencing data of 26 isolates obtained from this outbreak to reveal their relatedness. This study is first of its kind to use whole genome sequencing data to analyse a Cronobacter outbreak. Methods: Whole genome sequencing data was generated for 26 C. sakazakii isolates on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The whole genome phylogeny was determined using Mugsy and RaxML. SNP calls were determined using SMALT and SAMtools, and filtered using VCFtools. Results: The whole genome phylogeny suggested 3 distant clusters of C. sakazakii isolates were associated with the outbreak. SNP typing and phylogeny indicate the source of the C. sakazakii could have been from extrinsic contamination of reconstituted infant formula from the NICU environment and personnel. This pool of strains would have contributed to the prolonged duration of the outbreak, which was up to 3 months. Furthermore 3 neonates were co-infected with C. sakazakii from two different genotype clusters. Conclusion: The genomic investigation revealed the outbreak consisted of an heterogeneous population of C. sakazakii isolates. The source of the outbreak was not identified, but probably was due to environmental and personnel reservoirs resulting in extrinsic contamination of the neonatal feeds. It also indicated that C. sakazakii isolates from different genotype clusters have the ability to co-infect neonates

Cytotoxicity of adriamycin to tumour cells in vivo and in vitro.

Two mouse sarcomas have been used to assess the sensitivity to Adriamycin of tumour cells in vivo and in vitro. Both tumours were tissue-culture adapted so that cell survival could be assayed in vitro after treatment either in vivo or in vitro. For both tumours (WHFIB and CBSAF) cells were highly sensitive when treated in vitro yet very resistant to treatment in vivo, whether assayed by cell survival or regrowth delay. Cells from both tumours treated in vitro with Adriamycin immediately after excision were slightly more resistant than the cells maintained in vitro. However, this was not adequate to explain the marked discrepancy between in vivo resistance and in vitro sensitivity. The discrepancy was not due to a failure of drug delivery. Phase of cell growth was the factor was most significantly affecting chemosensitivity in vitro, plateau-phase cells being much more resistant than log-phase cells. Hypoxia was also an important factor leading to reduced chemosensitivity. Tumour diameter, in the range 2-8 mm, did not appear to be important

Draft genome sequence of "Candidatus Cronobacter colletis" NCTC 14934T, a new species in the genus Cronobacter

Members of the Cronobacter genus are associated with serious infections in neonates. This is the first report of the draft genome sequence for the newly proposed species Cronobacter colletis

Draft genome sequences of three newly identified species in the genus Cronobacter, C. helveticus LMG23732T, C. pulveris LMG24059, and C. zurichensis LMG23730T

Cronobacter helveticus, Cronobacter pulveris, and Cronobacter zurichensis are newly described species in the Cronobacter genus, which is associated with serious infections of neonates. This is the first report of draft genome sequences for these species

Draft genome sequence of the earliest Cronobacter sakazakii sequence type 4 strain, NCIMB 8272

The Cronobacter sakazakii clonal lineage defined as sequence type 4 (ST4) is associated with severe cases of neonatal meningitis and persistence in powdered infant formula. For genome sequencing of the earliest deposited culture collection strain of Cronobacter sakazakii ST4, we used the strain NCIMB 8272, originally isolated from milk powder in 1950

Boundary work during COVID-19: The transformation of research review and set-up

Background and aims: The rapid setting up of research during the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in ways of working within research organisations. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of staff involved in the research review and set-up system at a large NHS and university partnership in the UK through the lens of boundary theory. / Methods: We carried out a rapid qualitative appraisal based on telephone interviews (n=25) to explore how staff experienced the research review and set-up system during the pandemic. / Results: In light of the pressures created by the pandemic, the boundaries established to set up distinct groups and responsibilities were modified to allow for different ways of working. Some of the new structures and processes were seen positively and brought groups that previously worked at a distance closer together. / Conclusions: The reconceptualisation of relations within the research system during the pandemic added more fluidity to ways of working within the research office and contributed to closer working interactions and an expanded team ethos