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

Core Polarization Amplitudes for Single-Neutron-Hole Transitions Excited in the 207-Pb(p,p') Reaction at 135 MeV and 61 MeV

This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grants PHY 76-84033A01, PHY 78-22774, and Indiana Universit

Low-Lying Transitions in the 207-Pb(p,p') Reaction at 135 MeV and a Test of the DWIA

This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant PHY 76-84033 and Indiana Universit

Groundwater : meltwater interaction in a proglacial aquifer

Groundwater plays a significant role in the hydrology of active glacial catchments, with evidence that it may buffer changes in meltwater river flow and partially compensate for glacial loss. However, to date there has been little direct research into the hydrogeology and groundwater dynamics of proglacial aquifers. Here we directly investigate the three dimensional nature of a proglacial sandur (floodplain) aquifer in SE Iceland, using hydrogeological, geophysical, hydrological and stable isotopic techniques, and provide evidence of groundwater-melt water dynamics over three years. We show that the proglacial sandur forms a thick (at least 50-100 m), high permeability (transmissivity up to 2500 m2/day) aquifer, extending over an area of approximately 6 km2. At least 35 million m3 of groundwater is stored in the aquifer, equivalent to ~23-28% of total annual river flow through the catchment. The volume of mean annual groundwater flow through the aquifer is at least 0.1-1 m3/sec, equivalent to ~10-20% of mean annual river flow. Groundwater across the aquifer is actively recharged from local precipitation and strongly influenced by individual rainfall events and seasonal precipitation. Glacial meltwater influence on groundwater also occurs in a zone extending from 20-500 m away from the meltwater river, for at least 3km down-sandur, and to at least 15 m deep. Within this zone summer recharge from the river to groundwater occurs when meltwater river flows are high, maintaining high summer groundwater levels compared to winter levels; and groundwater temperature and chemistry are strongly influenced by meltwater. Beyond this zone there is no substantial meltwater influence on groundwater. From ~2 km down-sandur there is extensive groundwater discharge via springs, supporting semi-perennial streams that form distinct local ecosystems, and providing baseflow to the main meltwater river. This research indicates that predicted continued climate change-related reductions in glacier coverage and increases in precipitation are likely to increase the significance of groundwater storage as a water resource, and of groundwater discharges in maintaining environmental river flows in glacier catchments

High-pressure induced switching between halogen and hydrogen bonding regimes in 1,4-dioxane iodine monochloride

The structure of the complex formed between 1,4-dioxane and iodine monochloride has been studied as a function of pressure using neutron powder diffraction. Initial compression was accompanied by a decrease in the O⋯I halogen bond length together with an increase in the intramolecular I–Cl bond length. Two phase transitions were observed at ∼2.8 and ∼4.5 GPa. The transient intermediate phase coexists with the ambient pressure phase during the initial phase transition and with the final high-pressure phase at the second phase transition, before its disappearance. The driving force for the first phase transition is a shearing motion of the complex causing a reduction in the dipolar interaction of two I–Cl moieties. The formation of the highest pressure phase is accompanied by a net reduction of 2 C–H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds per formula unit. From these changes we conclude that Cl⋯Cl halogen bonds are favoured over C–H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds at high pressures

A Study of the Scintillation Induced by Alpha Particles and Gamma Rays in Liquid Xenon in an Electric Field

Scintillation produced in liquid xenon by alpha particles and gamma rays has been studied as a function of applied electric field. For back scattered gamma rays with energy of about 200 keV, the number of scintillation photons was found to decrease by 64+/-2% with increasing field strength. Consequently, the pulse shape discrimination power between alpha particles and gamma rays is found to reduce with increasing field, but remaining non-zero at higher fields.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, accepted by Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research

Studies of Excited States in 208-Pb by Inelastic Proton Scattering at 100 MeV

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY 78-22774 A02 & A03 and by Indiana Universit

Spin-Orbit Effects in the Excitation of Proton and Neutron States in the (p,p') Reaction at 160 MeV, 120 MeV, and 95 MeV

Supported by the National Science Foundation and Indiana Universit

Studies of Excited States in 208-Pb by Inelastic Proton Scattering at 135 and 100 MeV

Supported by the National Science Foundation and Indiana Universit