Development of an innovative method for the evaluation of fungal contamination of surfaces

The objective of this technical report is to compare the ability to capture fungal spores through samples performed with three different methods: Rodac contact plates, cotton pad and a pad prepared with a dusting cloth (DC pads) selected from those available on the market. The tests were conducted using a suspension of Aspergillus niger conidia equal to 0.5 MacFarland diluted 1/30, 1/40, 1/50, 1/100. With each of these dilutions 3 sterile tiles of stainless steel were contaminated, each divided into 16 small squares, in the center of which 0.1 ml of the dilution chosen was placed and left to dry (for a total of 12 sheets). In addition, we have used other 6 tiles to repeat the experience with dilutions 1/40 and 1/50. A total of 288 squared surfaces were contaminated: 96 of these were sampled with Rodac contact plates, 96 with cotton pads and 96 with DC and then inseminated in Petri plates. Sabouraud dextrose agar was used as culture medium for the first 12 plates, while, for the other 6 plates Sabouraud dextrose agar added with lecithin and polysorbate 80 was used. All plates were incubated at 37 degrees for 18 hours. To estimate the differences among the sampling methods and the dilutions tested, multiple linear regression was used. The analysis showed that the number of colonies harvested at dilution 1/40 is 13% higher (P = 0.09) than the number harvested at dilution 1/50 and the number of colonies harvested at dilution 1/30 is 6% higher than dilution 1/50 (P = 0.52). With regard to the comparison between the number of colonies harvested with Rodac contact plates, with cotton pads and DC pads, regression analysis shows that cotton pads harvest a number of fungal cfu 5 times higher than those detected with Rodac plates, while DC pads harvest a number of fungal ufc 6 times higher than those detected with Rodac plates (P < 0.00005). These results, although preliminary, indicate that DC pads are a sensitive and simple approach for the environmental control of fungal contamination

The Development of Security Community in Croatia: Leading the Pack

Of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia is in an enviable position. After years of difficult reforms and restructuring, its efforts are paying off. The country recently assumed a seat on the UN Security Council, it joined NATO and there is an expectation of forthcoming EU membership. Through these steps, the country has begun to integrate into the well-established Euro-Atlantic community. This article explores the depths of this integration through the theoretical lens of security community. We draw conclusions regarding security community in Croatia to provide lessons for NATO’s New Strategic Concept. Ultimately, we argue that NATO must remember that there remain security concerns in the European neighborhood, even in apparent successes like Croatia

Occupational therapy home modification program : a program development plan

Capstone project (O.T.D.)

Hormonal and morphological predictors of women’s body attractiveness

Does women’s body attractiveness predict indices of reproductive capacity? Prior research has provided evidence that large breast size and low waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are positively associated with women’s estrogen and progesterone concentrations, but no previous studies appear to have directly tested whether ratings of women\u27s body attractiveness are predicted by higher concentrations of ovarian hormones measured across broad regions of the menstrual cycle. Here, we collected daily saliva samples across 1–2 menstrual cycles from a sample of young women; assayed the samples for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone; obtained anthropometric measurements of the women’s bodies; and also obtained attractiveness ratings of the women’s bodies from photographs of them taken in standardized clothing with faces obscured. Contrary to previous research, mean hormone concentrations were uncorrelated with breast size and WHR. Body mass index (BMI) was a very strong negative predictor of body attractiveness ratings, similar to previous findings. Zero-order associations between women’s mean hormone concentrations and mean attractiveness ratings were not significant; however, after controlling for BMI, attractiveness ratings were independently and positively associated with both estradiol and testosterone concentrations. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for whether attractiveness assessment mechanisms are specialized for the detection of cues of differential fecundity in young women’s bodies

Performance of the Now Malaria rapid diagnostic test with returned travellers: a 2-year retrospective study in a French teaching hospital

ABSTRACTMalaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains the major life-threatening parasitic infection in the world. The number of cases in non-endemic countries continues to increase, and it is important that misdiagnosis of malaria should not occur, especially in non-immune travellers, because of the high risk of a fatal outcome. In a retrospective study of 399 sera, the Now Malaria rapid test was compared with the quantitative buffy coat (QBC) test and microbiological examination of thin blood films. Compared with the QBC test and thin blood films, the Now Malaria test had sensitivity and specificity values of 96.4% and 97%, respectively, for the detection of pure P. falciparum infection. A negative predictive value of 99.4% allows this test to be included in diagnostic strategies for patients presenting with clinical suspicion of malaria. Two false-negative results were associated with low levels of parasitaemia in the specimens. Thus, use of the Now Malaria test alone to detect P. falciparum infection in non-endemic countries could lead to misdiagnosis of malaria. This rapid diagnostic test should therefore be performed in association with another prompt traditional method such as examination of thin blood films

Challenging assumptions of the enlargement literature : the impact of the EU on human and minority rights in Macedonia

This article argues that from the very start of the transition process in Macedonia, a fusion of concerns about security and democratisation locked local nationalist elites and international organisations intoa political dynamic that prioritised security over democratisation. This dynamic resulted in little progress in the implementation of human and minority rights until 2009, despite heavy EU involvement in Macedonia after the internal warfare of 2001. The effects of this informally institutionalised relationship have been overlooked by scholarship on EU enlargement towards Eastern Europe, which has made generalisations based on assumptions relevant to the democratisation of countries in Eastern Europe, but not the Western Balkans

Epstein–Barr virus LMP2A imposes sensitivity to apoptosis

In cell lines, the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-encoded protein latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) protects B-cells from apoptosis by blocking B-cell receptor (BCR) signalling. However, EBV-infected B-cells in vivo are extremely different from cell lines. This study used a murine transgenic model in which B-cells express LMP2A and a BCR specific for hen egg lysozyme to determine whether LMP2A protects resting and antigen-activated B-cells from apoptosis. LMP2A allows BCR signal transduction and induces constitutive activation of NF-κB to increase Bcl-2 levels that afford LMP2A-mediated protection from apoptosis in the absence or presence of antigen. In contrast, low levels of NF-κB inhibitor only affected Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL levels and increased apoptosis in LMP2A-negative B-cells after BCR cross-linking. These data suggest that LMP2A uniquely makes resting B-cells sensitive to NF-κB inhibition and apoptosis and suggest that NF-κB may be a novel target to eradicate latently EBV-infected B-cells

The Effect of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 2 Expression on the Kinetics of Early B Cell Infection

Infection of human B cells with wild-type Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in vitro leads to activation and proliferation that result in efficient production of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Latent Membrane Protein 2 (LMP2) is expressed early after infection and previous research has suggested a possible role in this process. Therefore, we generated recombinant EBV with knockouts of either or both protein isoforms, LMP2A and LMP2B (Δ2A, Δ2B, Δ2A/Δ2B) to study the effect of LMP2 in early B cell infection. Infection of B cells with Δ2A and Δ2A/Δ2B viruses led to a marked decrease in activation and proliferation relative to wild-type (wt) viruses, and resulted in higher percentages of apoptotic B cells. Δ2B virus infection showed activation levels comparable to wt, but fewer numbers of proliferating B cells. Early B cell infection with wt, Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not result in changes in latent gene expression, with the exception of elevated LMP2B transcript in Δ2A virus infection. Infection with Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not affect viral latency, determined by changes in LMP1/Zebra expression following BCR stimulation. However, BCR stimulation of Δ2A/Δ2B cells resulted in decreased LMP1 expression, which suggests loss of stability in viral latency. Long-term outgrowth assays revealed that LMP2A, but not LMP2B, is critical for efficient long-term growth of B cells in vitro. The lowest levels of activation, proliferation, and LCL formation were observed when both isoforms were deleted. These results suggest that LMP2A appears to be critical for efficient activation, proliferation and survival of EBV-infected B cells at early times after infection, which impacts the efficient long-term growth of B cells in culture. In contrast, LMP2B did not appear to play a significant role in these processes, and long-term growth of infected B cells was not affected by the absence of this protein. © 2013 Wasil et al