5,045 research outputs found
Association between genotypic diversity and biofilm production in group B Streptococcus
Background:
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis and an important factor in premature and stillbirths. Biofilm production has been suggested to be important for GBS pathogenesis alongside many other elements, including phylogenetic lineage and virulence factors, such as pili and capsule type. A complete understanding of the confluence of these components, however, is lacking. To identify associations between biofilm phenotype, pilus profile and lineage, 293 strains from asymptomatic carriers, invasive disease cases, and bovine mastitis cases, were assessed for biofilm production using an in vitro assay.
Results:
Multilocus sequence type (ST) profile, pilus island profile, and isolate source were associated with biofilm production. Strains from invasive disease cases and/or belonging to the ST-17 and ST-19 lineages were significantly more likely to form weak biofilms, whereas strains producing strong biofilms were recovered more frequently from individuals with asymptomatic colonization.
Conclusions:
These data suggest that biofilm production is a lineage-specific trait in GBS and may promote colonization of strains representing lineages other than STs 17 and 19. The findings herein also demonstrate that biofilms must be considered in the treatment of pregnant women, particularly for women with heavy GBS colonization
Cooling of cryogenic electron bilayers via the Coulomb interaction
Heat dissipation in current-carrying cryogenic nanostructures is problematic
because the phonon density of states decreases strongly as energy decreases. We
show that the Coulomb interaction can prove a valuable resource for carrier
cooling via coupling to a nearby, cold electron reservoir. Specifically, we
consider the geometry of an electron bilayer in a silicon-based
heterostructure, and analyze the power transfer. We show that across a range of
temperatures, separations, and sheet densities, the electron-electron
interaction dominates the phonon heat-dissipation modes as the main cooling
mechanism. Coulomb cooling is most effective at low densities, when phonon
cooling is least effective in silicon, making it especially relevant for
experiments attempting to perform coherent manipulations of single spins.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
Addiction in Extreme Sports: An Exploration of Withdrawal States in Rock Climbers
Background and aims Extreme sports athletes are often labeled “adrenaline junkies” by the media, implying they are addicted to their sport. Research suggests during abstinence these athletes may experience withdrawal states characteristic of individuals with an addiction (Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993; Franken, Zijlstra, & Muris, 2006; Willig, 2008). Despite this notion, no research has directly explored withdrawal experiences of extreme sports athletes. Methods Using semi-structured interviews, we explored withdrawal experiences of high (n = 4) and average-ability (n = 4) male rock climbers during periods of abstinence. We investigated the psychological and behavioral aspects of withdrawal, including craving, anhedonia, and negative affect; and differences in the frequency and intensity of these states between groups. Results Deductive content analysis indicated support for each of the three categories of anhedonia, craving, and negative affect. Consistent with existing substance addiction literature, high-ability climbers recalled more frequent and intense craving states and negative affect during abstinence compared with average-ability climbers. No differences in anhedonic symptoms between high and average-ability participants were found. Conclusions Rock climbing athletes appear to experience withdrawal symptoms when abstinent from their sport comparable to individuals with substance and behavioral addictions. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed
Structure of Supergiant Shells in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Nine supergiant shells (SGSs) have been identified in the Large Magellanic
Cloud (LMC) based on H-alpha images, and twenty-three SGSs have been reported
based on HI 21-cm line observations, but these sets do not always identify the
same structures. We have examined the physical structure of the optically
identified SGSs using HI channel maps and P-V diagrams to analyze the gas
kinematics. There is good evidence for seven of the nine optically identified
SGSs to be true shells. Of these seven H-alpha SGSs, four are the ionized inner
walls of HI SGSs, while three are an ionized portion of a larger and more
complex HI structure. All of the H-alpha SGSs are identified as such because
they have OB associations along the periphery or in the center, with younger OB
associations more often found along the periphery. After roughly 12 Myrs, if no
new OB associations have been formed a SGS will cease to be identifiable at
visible wavelengths. Thus, the presence and location of ionizing sources is the
main distinction between shells seen only in HI and those also seen in H-alpha.
Based on our analysis, H-alpha observations alone cannot unambiguously identify
SGSs, especially in distant galaxies.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal Supplemen
- …