Multiresistant Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- in Europe: a new pandemic strain?

A marked increase in the prevalence of S. enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- with resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and tetracyclines (R-type ASSuT) has been noted in food-borne infections and in pigs/pig meat in several European countries in the last ten years. One hundred and sixteen strains of S. enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- from humans, pigs and pig meat isolated in England and Wales, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands were further subtyped by phage typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis to investigate the genetic relationship among strains. PCR was performed to identify the fljB flagellar gene and the genes encoding resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and tetracyclines. Class 1 and 2 integrase genes were also sought. Results indicate that genetically related serovar 4,[5],12:i:- strains of definitive phage types DT193 and DT120 with ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamide and tetracycline resistance encoded by blaTEM, strA-strB, sul2 and tet(B) have emerged in several European countries, with pigs the likely reservoir of infection. Control measures are urgently needed to reduce spread of infection to humans via the food chain and thereby prevent the possible pandemic spread of serovar 4,[5],12:i:- of R-type ASSuT as occurred with S. Typhimurium DT104 during the 1990s

USCID fourth international conference

Presented at the Role of irrigation and drainage in a sustainable future: USCID fourth international conference on irrigation and drainage on October 3-6, 2007 in Sacramento, California.Includes bibliographical references.Centre pivot irrigation systems are known for their irrigation distribution performance potential. Unfortunately the performance analysis of centre pivot irrigation systems is often restricted to the uniformity of distribution. Depending on the characteristics of the applied rainfall, a system designed for high uniformity does not guarantee a high application efficiency once the system is in operation. A method is proposed in the present paper to analyse the average rainfall depth of application and kinetic energy delivered to the soil by individual droplets all over the machine. The method requires water distribution profiles, the distribution of droplet size and velocity along the radius of coverage for any nozzle, and pressure and height of the emitter installed on the machine. Considering the number of nozzles and the range of pressure applied, there is the need for a method calculating: the emitter maximum radius of coverage, then the rainfall distribution profile, then the droplet distribution and finally the associated kinetic energy delivery. These parameters are calculated on a new model of classical design sprayers proposed by IWT Company. These results are being integrated on a centre pivot nozzle chart design software presented in the poster session

Experimental Studies of Prompt Fission Neutron Energy Spectra

AbstractPrompt fission neutron spectra were measured in the reactions 238U(n,f), 235U(n,f) and 237Np(n,f) at different incident neutron energies. The neutrons were detected using a coaxial doped p-terphenyl scintillation detector in coincidence with fission fragments and their time-of-flight was recorded. The properties of the neutron detector were determined and the results are presented in this work. A preliminary neutron detection efficiency was applied to data from the neutron-induced fission of 238U at En = 5.2 MeV, leading to encouraging results

Precision estimation and second-order prediction errors in cortical circuits

Minimization of cortical prediction errors is believed to be a key canonical computation of the cerebral cortex underlying perception, action and learning. However, it is still unclear how the cortex should form and use knowledge about uncertainty in this process of prediction error minimization. Here we derive neural dynamics minimizing prediction errors under the assumption that cortical areas must not only predict the activity in other areas and sensory streams, but also jointly estimate the precision of their predictions. This leads to a dynamic modulatory balancing of cortical streams based on context-dependent precision estimates. Moreover, the theory predicts the existence of second-order prediction errors, i.e. errors on precision estimates, computed and propagated through the cortical hierarchy alongside classical prediction errors. These second-order errors are used to learn weights of synapses responsible for precision estimation through an error-correcting synaptic learning rule. Finally, we propose a mapping of the theory to cortical circuitry

Cretaceous Roveacrinids from Mexico revisited: Overcoming the taxonomic misidentifications and subsequent biostratigraphic abuse

The Mesozoic carbonate deposits of Mexico yield a number of overlooked, ill-known, and even enigmatic microfossils, among which are roveacrinoids (Echinodermata, Crinoidea, Roveacrinida). Most of these pelagic organisms probably came from the central Tethysian seaways, and later on from the early central Atlantic Ocean through the northwestern Tethysian neck, thus reaching the Central American platforms (Comanchean shelf, Central Texas platform, and Coahuila platform) and the Western Interior seaway. The present work intends to enlist as comprehensively as possible the Mexican records of roveacrinid crinoids, to propose a revised interpretation of the sections illustrated (most of them being originally erroneously assigned) and to provide a sound data base for further systematic and biostratigraphic research

Emerg. Infect. Dis

The multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serotype Newport strain that produces CMY-2 β-lactamase(Newport MDR-AmpC) was the source of sporadic cases and outbreaks in humans in France during 2000–2005. Because this strain was not detected in food animals, it was most likely introduced into France through imported food products