Atypical Chryseobacterium meningosepticum and meningitis and sepsis in newborns and the immunocompromised, Taiwan.

From 1996 to 1999, 17 culture-documented systemic infections due to novel, atypical strains of Chryseobacterium meningosepticum occurred in two newborns and 15 immunocompromised patients in a medical center in Taiwan. All clinical isolates, which were initially misidentified as Aeromonas salmonicida by an automated bacterial identification system, were resistant to a number of antimicrobial agents. The isolates were characterized as atypical strains of C. meningosepticum by complete biochemical investigation, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, cellular fatty acid analysis, and random amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting (RAPD). This is the first report of a cluster of atypically variant strains of C. meningosepticum, which may be an emerging pathogen in newborns and the immunocompromised

Asymmetry of high-velocity lower crust on the South Atlantic rifted margins and implications for the interplay of magmatism and tectonics in continental breakup

High-velocity lower crust (HVLC) and seaward-dipping reflector (SDR) sequences are typical features of volcanic rifted margins. However, the nature and origin of HVLC is under discussion. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of deep crustal structures in the southern segment of the South Atlantic and an assessment of HVLC along the margins. Two new seismic refraction lines off South America fill a gap in the data coverage and together with five existing velocity models allow for a detailed investigation of the lower crustal properties on both margins. An important finding is the major asymmetry in volumes of HVLC on the conjugate margins. The seismic refraction lines across the South African margin reveal cross-sectional areas of HVLC 4 times larger than at the South American margin, a finding that is opposite to the asymmetric distribution of the flood basalts in the Paraná–Etendeka Large Igneous Province. Also, the position of the HVLC with respect to the SDR sequences varies consistently along both margins. Close to the Falkland–Agulhas Fracture Zone in the south, a small body of HVLC is not accompanied by SDRs. In the central portion of both margins, the HVLC is below the inner SDR wedges while in the northern area, closer to the Rio Grande Rise-Walvis Ridge, large volumes of HVLC extend far seaward of the inner SDRs. This challenges the concept of a simple extrusive/intrusive relationship between SDR sequences and HVLC, and it provides evidence for formation of the HVLC at different times during the rifting and breakup process. We suggest that the drastically different HVLC volumes are caused by asymmetric rifting in a simple-shear-dominated extension

DNA double strand breaks as predictor of efficacy of the alpha-particle emitter Ac-225 and the electron emitter Lu-177 for somatostatin receptor targeted radiotherapy

Key biologic effects of the alpha-particle emitter Actinium-225 in comparison to beta-particle emitter Lutetium-177 labeled somatostatin analogue DOTATOC in vitro and in vivo were studied to evaluate the significance of H2AX-foci formation and its downstream effects. To determine relative biological effectiveness (RBE) between the two isotopes somatostatin expressing AR42J cells were incubated with Ac-225-DOTATOC and Lu-177-DOTATOC up to 48 h and viability was analyzed using the MTT assay. DNA double strand breaks were quantified after immunofluorescence staining of H2AX. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. In vivo, uptake of both radiolabeled somatostatin-analogues into subcutaneous AR42J tumors and number of cells displaying H2AX-foci were measured. Therapeutic efficacy was assayed by monitoring tumor growth after treatment with activities translated from in vitro cytotoxicity. Ac-225-DOTATOC was synthesized with specific activities between 0.2-0.4 MBq/µg and radiochemical purity of > 90%. ED50 values were 30 kBq/ml after 24 h and 14 kBq/ml after 48 h. Lu-177-DOTATOC displayed radiochemical purity of >95% and ED50 values of 10 MBq/ml after 48 h. Number of DNA double strand breaks increased with increasing concentration of Ac 225 DOTATOC and Lu-177-DOTATOC similarly, if a factor of approximately 700 of Lu-177 activities over Ac-225 activities was applied. Already 24 h after incubation with 2.5, 5, and 10 kBq/ml Ac 225 DOTATOC cell cycle studies showed an increment of the percentage of tumor cells in G2/M phase up to 60%. After 72 h an apoptotic subG1 peak was also detectable. Tumor uptake for both radio peptides at 48 h was identical with 7.5 %ID/g, though overall number of cells with H2AX-foci was higher for tumors treated with 48 kBq Actinium-225-DOTATOC than tumors treated with 30 MBq Lutetium-177-DOTATOC (35% vs. 21%). Tumors with a mean volume of 0.34 ml reached exponential tumor growth after 25 days (44 kBq Ac-225-DOTATOC), after 21 days (34 MBq Lu-177-DOTATOC) and after 5 days (control). Thus H2AX-foci displayed the key parameter after irradiation with similar downstream effects for beta and alpha irradiation.JRC.E.5-Nuclear chemistr

Improved Search for Muon-Neutrino to Electron-Neutrino Oscillations in MINOS

We report the results of a search for ν_e appearance in a ν_μ beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of 8.2×10^(20) protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))<0.12(0.20) at 90% confidence level for δ=0 and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best-fit of 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))=0.041^(+0.047)_(-0.031)(0.079^(+0.071)_(-0.053). The θ_(13)= 0 hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level

Identification of bacteria in drinking and purified water during the monitoring of a typical water purification system

BACKGROUND: A typical purification system that provides purified water which meets ionic and organic chemical standards, must be protected from microbial proliferation to minimize cross-contamination for use in cleaning and preparations in pharmaceutical industries and in health environments. METHODOLOGY: Samples of water were taken directly from the public distribution water tank at twelve different stages of a typical purification system were analyzed for the identification of isolated bacteria. Two miniature kits were used: (i) identification system (api 20 NE, Bio-Mérieux) for non-enteric and non-fermenting gram-negative rods; and (ii) identification system (BBL crystal, Becton and Dickson) for enteric and non-fermenting gram-negative rods. The efficiency of the chemical sanitizers used in the stages of the system, over the isolated and identified bacteria in the sampling water, was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. RESULTS: The 78 isolated colonies were identified as the following bacteria genera: Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium and Acinetobacter. According to the miniature kits used in the identification, there was a prevalence of isolation of P. aeruginosa 32.05%, P. picketti (Ralstonia picketti) 23.08%, P. vesiculares 12.82%,P. diminuta 11.54%, F. aureum 6.42%, P. fluorescens 5.13%, A. lwoffi 2.56%, P. putida 2.56%, P. alcaligenes 1.28%, P. paucimobilis 1.28%, and F. multivorum 1.28%. CONCLUSIONS: We found that research was required for the identification of gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria, which were isolated from drinking water and water purification systems, since Pseudomonas genera represents opportunistic pathogens which disperse and adhere easily to surfaces, forming a biofilm which interferes with the cleaning and disinfection procedures in hospital and industrial environments

Search for the disappearance of muon antineutrinos in the NuMI neutrino beam

We report constraints on antineutrino oscillation parameters that were obtained by using the two MINOS detectors to measure the 7% muon antineutrino component of the NuMI neutrino beam. In the Far Detector, we select 130 events in the charged-current muon antineutrino sample, compared to a prediction of 136.4 ± 11.7(stat)^(+10.2)_(-8.9)(syst) events under the assumption │Δm^2│ = 2.32 X 10^(-3) eV^2, sin^2(2θ) = 1.0

An improved measurement of muon antineutrino disappearance in MINOS

We report an improved measurement of muon anti-neutrino disappearance over a distance of 735km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam in a muon anti-neutrino enhanced configuration. From a total exposure of 2.95e20 protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of the anti-neutrino "atmospheric" delta-m squared = 2.62 +0.31/-0.28 (stat.) +/- 0.09 (syst.) and constrain the anti-neutrino atmospheric mixing angle >0.75 (90%CL). These values are in agreement with those measured for muon neutrinos, removing the tension reported previously.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. In submission to Phys.Rev.Let

Never Resting Brain: Simultaneous Representation of Two Alpha Related Processes in Humans

Brain activity is continuously modulated, even at “rest”. The alpha rhythm (8–12 Hz) has been known as the hallmark of the brain's idle-state. However, it is still debated if the alpha rhythm reflects synchronization in a distributed network or focal generator and whether it occurs spontaneously or is driven by a stimulus. This EEG/fMRI study aimed to explore the source of alpha modulations and their distribution in the resting brain. By serendipity, while computing the individually defined power modulations of the alpha-band, two simultaneously occurring components of these modulations were found. An ‘induced alpha’ that was correlated with the paradigm (eyes open/ eyes closed), and a ‘spontaneous alpha’ that was on-going and unrelated to the paradigm. These alpha components when used as regressors for BOLD activation revealed two segregated activation maps: the ‘induced map’ included left lateral temporal cortical regions and the hippocampus; the ‘spontaneous map’ included prefrontal cortical regions and the thalamus. Our combined fMRI/EEG approach allowed to computationally untangle two parallel patterns of alpha modulations and underpin their anatomical basis in the human brain. These findings suggest that the human alpha rhythm represents at least two simultaneously occurring processes which characterize the ‘resting brain’; one is related to expected change in sensory information, while the other is endogenous and independent of stimulus change