Elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds over a del Pezzo surface

We consider certain elliptic threefolds over the projective plane (more generally over certain rational surfaces) with a section in Weierstrass normal form. In particular, over a del Pezzo surface of degree 8, these elliptic threefolds are Calabi–Yau threefolds. We will discuss especially the generating functions of Gromov–Witten and Gopakumar–Vafa invariants

Ultraviolet-C decontamination of hand-held tablet devices in the healthcare environment using the Codonics D6000™ disinfection system

Mobile phones and tablet computers may be contaminated with micro-organisms and become a potential reservoir for cross-transmission of pathogens between healthcare workers and patients. There is no generally accepted guidance on how to reduce contamination on mobile devices in healthcare settings. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of the Codonics D6000™ UV-C disinfection device. Daily disinfection reduced contamination on screens and on protective cases (test) significantly, but not all cases (control) could be decontaminated. The median aerobic colony count on the control and the test cases was 52 cfu/25 cm2 (interquartile range: 33-89) and 22 cfu/25 cm2 (10.5-41), respectively, before disinfection

House Market in Chinese Cities: Dynamic Modeling, In0 Sample Fitting and Out-of- Sample Forecasting

This paper attempts to contribute in several ways. Theoretically, it proposes simple models of house price dynamics and construction dynamics, all based on the maximization problems of forward-looking agents, which may carry independent interests. Simplified versions of the model implications are estimated with the data from four major cities in China. Both price and construction dynamics exhibit strong persistence in all cities. Significant heterogeneity across cities is found. Our models out-perform widely used alternatives in in-sample-fitting for all cities, although similar success is only limited to highly developed cities in out-of-sample forecasting. Policy implications and future research directions are also discussed.

Guidelines for research recruitment of underserved populations (EERC)

Despite concerted efforts to establish health equity, significant disparities persist. One roadblock to eliminating health disparities is the inadequate recruitment of underserved populations, which prevents researchers from creating culturally-tailored interventions. To further develop the science of recruitment, we argue that a systematic approach should be applied to research participant recruitment. Given the lack of practical and comprehensive recruitment conceptual frameworks or guidelines in the literature, the authors propose newly synthesized guidelines for research recruitment of underserved populations: EERC (evaluate, engage, reflect, and carefully match)

The activation cycle of Rab GTPase Ypt32 reveals structural determinants of effector recruitment and GDI binding

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116366/1/feb2s0014579311007538-sup-m0005.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116366/2/feb2s0014579311007538.pd

Comparison of Two Whole-Room UV-Irradiation Systems for Enhanced Disinfection of Patient Rooms Contaminated with MRSA, carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Clostridium difficile spores

BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet light decontamination systems are being used increasingly to supplement terminal disinfection of patient rooms. However efficacy may not be consistent in the presence of soil particularly against Clostridium difficile spores. AIM: To demonstrate in-use efficacy of two whole-room UV decontamination systems against three hospital pathogens with and without soil. METHODS: For each system, six patient rooms were decontaminated with UV-irradiation (enhanced-disinfection) following manual terminal cleaning. Total aerobic colony counts of surface contamination were determined by spot-sampling 15 environmental sites before and after terminal disinfection and after UV-irradiation. Efficacy against biological indicator coupons (stainless-steel discs) was performed for each system using test bacteria (10(6) cfu EMRSA-15 variant A, carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae) or spores (10(5) cfu C. difficile 027), incorporating low soiling (0.03% bovine serum albumin [BSA]), heavy soiling (10%BSA) or synthetic faeces (C. difficile only) placed at five locations in the room. FINDINGS: UV disinfection eliminated contamination after terminal cleaning in 8/14 (57%) and 11/14 (79%) sites. Both systems demonstrated 4 to 5 log10 reductions in MRSA and Klebsiella pneumoniae at low soiling. Lower and more variable log10 reductions were achieved when heavy soiling present. Between 0.1 and 4.8 log10 reductions in Clostridium difficile spores were achieved with low but not heavy soil challenge. CONCLUSION: Terminal disinfection should be performed on all surfaces prior to UV decontamination. In-house validation studies should be considered to ensure optimal positioning in each room layout and sufficient cycle duration to eliminate target pathogens