Lie series for celestial mechanics, accelerators, satellite stabilization and optimization

Lie series applications to celestial mechanics, accelerators, satellite orbits, and optimizatio

Governance of Offshore IT Outsourcing at Shell Global Functions IT-BAM Development and Application of a Governance Framework to Improve Outsourcing Relationships

The lack of effective IT governance is widely recognized as a key inhibitor to successful global IT outsourcing relationships. In this study we present the development and application of a governance framework to improve outsourcing relationships. The approach used to developing an IT governance framework includes a meta model and a customization process to fit the framework to the target organization. The IT governance framework consists of four different elements (1) organisational structures, (2) joint processes between in- and outsourcer, (3) responsibilities that link roles to processes and (4) a diverse set of control indicators to measure the success of the relationship. The IT governance framework is put in practice in Shell GFIT BAM, a part of Shell that concluded to have a lack of management control over at least one of their outsourcing relationships. In a workshop the governance framework was used to perform a gap analysis between the current and desired governance. Several gaps were identified in the way roles and responsibilities are assigned and joint processes are set-up. Moreover, this workshop also showed the usefulness and usability of the IT governance framework in structuring, providing input and managing stakeholders in the discussions around IT governance

Critical Behavior of Light

Light is shown to exhibit critical and tricritical behavior in passive mode-locked lasers with externally injected pulses. It is a first and unique example of critical phenomena in a one-dimensional many body light-mode system. The phase diagrams consist of regimes with continuous wave, driven para-pulses, spontaneous pulses via mode condensation, and heterogeneous pulses, separated by phase transition lines which terminate with critical or tricritical points. Enhanced nongaussian fluctuations and collective dynamics are observed at the critical and tricritical points, showing a mode system analog of the critical opalescence phenomenon. The critical exponents are calculated and shown to comply with the mean field theory, which is rigorous in the light system.Comment: RevTex, 5 pages, 3 figure

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

A multiplex real-time PCR assay targeting virulence and resistance genes in Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Typhimurium is the main serotype of <it>Salmonella enterica </it>subsp. <it>enterica </it>implicated in food-borne diseases worldwide. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of ten markers combined in a macro-array based on multiplex real-time PCR. We targeted characteristic determinants located on pathogenicity islands (SPI-2 to -5, virulence plasmid <it>pSLT </it>and <it>Salmonella </it>genomic island 1 (SGI1)) as well as a specific 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer sequence of definitive type 104 (DT104). To investigate antimicrobial resistance, the study also targeted the presence of genes involved in sulfonamide (<it>sul1</it>) and beta-lactam (<it>bla</it>_TEM) resistance. Finally, the <it>intI1 </it>determinant encoding integrase from class 1 integron was also investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 538 unrelated <it>S</it>. Typhimurium strains isolated between 1999 and 2009 from various sources, including food animals, food products, human and environmental samples were studied. Based on the combined presence or absence of these markers, we distinguished 34 different genotypes, including three major genotypes encountered in 75% of the studied strains, Although SPI determinants were almost always detected, SGI1, <it>intI1</it>, <it>sul1 </it>and <it>bla</it>_TEMdeterminants were found 47%, 52%, 54% and 12% of the time respectively, varying according to isolation source. Low-marker patterns were most often detected in poultry sources whereas full-marker patterns were observed in pig, cattle and human sources.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The GeneDisc^®assay developed in this study madeit easier to explore variability within serotype Typhimurium by analyzing ten relevant gene determinants in a large collection of strains. This real-time multiplex method constitutes a valuable tool for strains characterization on epidemiological purposes.</p

Інформаційний бюлетень як засіб зв'язків із громадкістю протестантської церкви

Shigella sonnei, an emerging global cause of shigellosis, consists of four distinct lineages and the current pandemic involves several geographically associated, multidrug- resistant clones that belong to lineage III (1-3). A typing scheme based on high resolution melting (HRM) of six chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has been described to identify all lineages/sub-lineages (4)