A Self-Stabilizing Distributed Branch-and-Bound Algorithm

: The Branch-and-Bound algorithm is fundamental for a variety of applications in Combinatorial Optimization. Known distributed algorithms for this problem do not tolerate faults. This paper presents the first distributed self-stabilizing branch-and-Bound algorithm. This algorithm is inherently tolerant to transient faults and can recover from transmission errors between nodes. Key-words: Branch-and-Bound method, parallel and distributed algorithms, selfstabilization, fault-tolerance. (R'esum'e : tsvp) z Email : [email protected] Laboratoire PRiSM Universit e de Versailles - Saint Quentin en Yvelines 78035 Versailles Cedex, FRANCE. T el ephone/Phone : (33 1) 39 25 40 56 -- T el ecopie/Fax : (33 1) 39 25 40 Un Algorithme Branch-and-Bound Distribu'e Auto-Stabilisant R'esum'e : L'algorithme Branch-and-Bound est fondamental pour une vari'et'e d'applications dans le domaine de l'Optimisation Combinatoire. Les algorithmes connus de ce type ne sont pas tol`erants aux pannes. Ce papier pr'..

Contribution of horizontal gene transfer to the emergence of VIM-4 carbapenemase producer Enterobacteriaceae in Kuwait

Ágnes Sonnevend,1 Nour Yahfoufi,1,2 Akela Ghazawi,1 Wafaa Jamal,3 Vincent Rotimi,3 Tibor Pál1 1Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE; 2Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait Abstract: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae encountered in countries of the Arabian Peninsula usually produce OXA-48-like and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamases (NDM) carbapenemases. However, a temporary increase in VIM-4-producing, clonally unrelated Enterobacteriaceae strains was described earlier in a Kuwaiti hospital. We investigated the genetic support of blaVIM-4 in six Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, one Escherichia coli, and one Enterobacter cloacae strain and compared it to that of VIM-4-producing isolates from other countries of the region. Five K. pneumoniae strains and the E. coli strain from Kuwait carried an ~165 kb IncA/C-type plasmid indistinguishable by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The complete sequence of one of them (pKKp4-VIM) was established. pKKp4-VIM exhibited extensive similarities to episomes pKP-Gr642 carrying blaVIM-19 encountered in Greece and to the partially sequenced pCC416 harboring blaVIM-4 detected in Italy. In other countries of the region, the only similar plasmid was the one detected in the isolate from the UAE. In all Kuwaiti strains, irrespective of the species and their VIM plasmids, the blaVIM-4 gene was located within the same integron structure (In416), different from those of other countries of the region. Our data show that the spread of this IncA/C plasmid and particularly that of the In416 integron caused a considerable, albeit temporary, increase in the rate of mostly clonally unrelated VIM-producing Enterobacteriaceae strains of multiple species. Monitoring of such events is of high importance as the interference with the spread of mobile genetic elements may represent a formidable challenge to infection control. Keywords: Enterobacteriaceae, VIM carbapenemase, horizontal gene transfer, multidrug resistance, Middle Eas

Comparison of the effects of cetylpyridinium chloride with an essential oil mouth rinse on dental plaque and gingivitis - a six-month randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of an experimental mouth rinse containing 0.07% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) (Crest Pro-Health) with those provided by a commercially available mouth rinse containing essential oils (EOs) (Listerine) on dental plaque accumulation and prevention of gingivitis in an unsupervised 6-month randomized clinical trial. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This double-blind, 6-month, parallel group, positively controlled study involved 151 subjects balanced and randomly assigned to either positive control (EO) or experimental (CPC) mouth rinse treatment groups. At baseline, subjects received a dental prophylaxis procedure and began unsupervised rinsing twice a day with 20 ml of their assigned mouthwash for 30 s after brushing their teeth for 1 min. Subjects were assessed for gingivitis and gingival bleeding by the Gingival index (GI) of Löe ; Silness (1963) and plaque by the Silness ; Löe (1964) Plaque index at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of rinsing. At 3 and 6 months, oral soft tissue health was assessed. Microbiological samples were also taken for community profiling by the DNA checkerboard method. RESULTS: Results show that after 3 and 6 months of rinsing, there were no significant differences (p=0.05) between the experimental (CPC) and the positive control mouth rinse treatment groups for overall gingivitis status, gingival bleeding, and plaque accumulation. At 6 months, the covariant (baseline) adjusted mean GI and bleeding sites percentages for the CPC and the EO rinses were 0.52 and 0.53 and 8.7 and 9.3, respectively. Both mouth rinses were well tolerated by the subjects. Microbiological community profiles were similar for the two treatment groups. Statistically, a significant greater reduction in bleeding sites was observed for the CPC rinse versus the EO rinse. CONCLUSION: The essential findings of this study indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis benefits between the experimental CPC mouth rinse and the positive control EO mouth rinse over a 6-month period

Clinical and microbiological changes associated with an altered subgingival environment induced by periodontal pocket reduction.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of an altered subgingival environment, induced by changing the local soft tissue morphology, i.e., pocket depth reduction, on the subgingival microbiota and the clinical conditions. 7 patients aged 30-60 years with generalized marginal periodontitis were selected. Patients were instructed in proper oral hygiene and all teeth were cleaned supragingivally. Mucoperiosteal flaps were raised and the bone re-contoured to eliminate angular bony defects. While the control teeth were carefully debrided and thoroughly root planed, no root instrumentation was performed on the test teeth. Calculus deposits visible to the naked eye were only chipped-off with the tip of a scaler. The flaps were apically repositioned and sutured at the level of the bone crest. Clinical parameters showed a similar pattern of response in the test and control sites over a one year observation period post therapy. Probing depths and probing attachment levels were significantly reduced one month after surgery and remained at a lower level. A significant decrease was also noted for total anaerobic viable bacterial counts. The proportion of the Gram-negative anaerobic rods decreased significantly in both groups. P. gingivalis, Fusobacterium sp., C rectus were detected significantly less often after treatment in both groups. Capnocytophaga and A. odontolyticus, on the other hand, were more frequently isolated after therapy. These findings corroborate the concept that the reduction of selected subgingival microorganisms is the key element for the success of periodontal therapy, rather than the removal of tooth substance and mineralized deposits by root instrumentation.link_to_subscribed_fulltex