bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING WITH DISC DIFFUSION FOR NEW CEPHALOSPORINS: PRE‐DIFFUSION REVISITED
Authors: Frimodt‐MØLler NIELS , Hvass ERIK , HØJbjerg TOVE , MØLler SUSANNE , Mortensen IDA , Thomsen VILLY FRØLUND
Published: August 2010

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of 20‐hour pre‐diffusion, i.e. placing the antibiotic‐containing discs on the agar for 20 hours prior to inoculation, as compared to direct diffusion, i.e. placing the discs on the agar immediately after inoculation, for the newer 3. generation cephalosporins as represented by ceftazidime and ceftriaxone. Regression lines (zone sizes vs. inhibitory concentrations, as measured by plate‐dilution) were constructed for three groups of bacteria chosen because of their differences in growth characteristics on agar: E. coli (n = 50), Enterobacter sp. (n = 35), and streptococci (n = 51). The results for both cephalosporins were: 1) 20‐hour pre‐diffusion produced larger zones than direct diffusion, 2) regression studies for 20‐hour pre‐diffusion as compared to direct diffusion resulted in greater variation in zone sizes, numerically lower slopes, lower residual variances and higher correlation coefficients, and 3) regression lines were significantly different for the 3 groups of bacteria with direct diffusion but not so with 20‐hour pre‐diffusion. Considering the interpretation of zone sizes with disc diffusion for the cephalosporins tested, 20‐hour pre‐diffusion was superior to direct diffusion.
REINVESTIGATION AND RECLASSIFICATION OF A COLLECTION OF 56 HUMAN ISOLATES OF PASTEURELLACEAE
Authors: Bisgaard M. , Falsen E.
Published: August 2010

Incorrect diagnosis of species belonging to the family Pasteurellaceae Pohl 1981 is often due to inadequate laboratory identification techniques. Reinvestigations of 56 human isolates of Pasteurellaceae and comparison of the results obtained with those obtained from nine reference strains in 65 different tests allowed classification of 26 strains as P. multocida ssp. multocida, 11 strains as P. multocida ssp. septica, 12 strains as P. canis, 4 strains as P. dagmatis and 1 strain as P. stomatis. Two strains were tentatively classified with P. haemolytica biogroup 2(T) and the SP‐group, respectively. The present investigation also showed that the type strains of P. gallinarum and Haemophilus aphrophilus were phenotypically related. Members of the family Pasteurellacea Pohl 1981 should be considered as potential etiologic agents of any local infection following animal bites or scratches.
IMMUNOADSORBENT‐PURIFIED ANTIBODIES IN THE STUDY OF ANTIGENIC RELATEDNESS OF OUTER MEMBRANE PROTEINS OF ENTERIC BACILLI
Authors: Henriksen ARNE Z. , MæLand JOHAN A.
Published: August 2010

Immunoadsorbent chromatography was used for purification of antibodies to E. coli 055 outer membrane proteins. Antibodies to the 33.5 kD and 7.5 kD proteins were eluted when rabbit antisera were applied to an epoxy‐activated Sepharose 6B column to which the outer membrane was coupled in the presence of dioxane. ELISA coats prepared with sonicated bacteria showed binding of the eluted antibodies with strains of all of seven different species of the enteric bacilli, but not with other Gram‐negative bacilli or cocci, or with Gram‐positive cocci; immunoblot analysis of transblots of SDS‐PAGE‐separated bacteria showed that antibodies to both of the 33.5 kD and 7.5 kD E. coli outer membrane proteins cross‐reacted with the enteric bacilli of different species. Both of the anti‐33.5 kD and ‐7.5 kD antibodies were bound by intact E. coli 055 cells, but more efficiently by sonically disrupted or heat‐treated bacteria. The results show that affinity‐purified anti‐OM antibodies were useful for the study of the antigenic relatedness of E. coli OM proteins with proteins of other bacteria.
A STAPHYLOCOCCAL α‐TOXIN FRAGMENT
Authors: Blomqvist LENNART , Thelestam MONICA
Published: August 2010

A fragment (α‐13) of Staphylococcal α‐toxin was compared with intact α‐toxin as regards biochemical and biological properties, and the resulting information was used for mapping biologically‐active regions of α‐toxin. The α‐13 fragment had an apparent Mr of 18 500, judged by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, it showed the same relative mobility as α‐toxin when subjected to gel filtration on Biogel P60, high pressure liquid chromatography or electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gradient gel. The fragment had roughly the same specific hemolytic activity as intact α‐toxin. In contrast to intact α‐toxin, the fragment was neither membrane‐damaging to mouse adrenocortical (Y 1) tumour cells nor lethal to mice. However, a short treatment of Y 1 cells with the fragment completely blocked intoxication by subsequently‐added α‐toxin. Likewise, the lethal effect of α‐toxin was inhibited when the fragment was injected prior to the toxin. Thus, the fragment had lost the active region(s) responsible for Y 1 cell intoxication and lethality, while the region(s) for binding to these targets, as well as the region responsible for hemolysis, were retained. On the basis of these findings and previous reports concerning tryptic fragments of α‐toxin, a hypothetical map of the different biologically‐active regions of α‐toxin was established.
COLLECTION OF BACTERIAL AEROSOLS BY MEANS OF SLIT‐SAMPLER: A FACE‐MASK STUDY
Authors: Melvaer KIRSTEN LYCHE , Ringstad HILDE
Published: August 2010

A simple experimental set‐up, using a slit‐sampler, was tried in order to measure the effect of wearing face‐masks. During the experiments we discovered that when talking unmasked, the number of bacteria collected by the slit‐sampler was considerably lower than the number actually spread. When speaking, the contamination spread was mainly in the form of bacterial clusters. These were not sampled on the agar plate but withheld in the sampling equipment (wall loss) or lost. The advantage of using a slit‐sampler when comparing face‐masks is discussed.
EFFECT OF FIBROBLAST INTERFERON AND RECOMBINANT GAMMA INTERFERON ON ZYMOSAN‐INDUCED NITROBLUE TETRAZOLIUM REDUCTION IN MOUSE PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES
Authors: VON DER Lippe ELISABETH , FrØLand STIG , Rollag HALVOR , Degre MIKLOS
Published: August 2010

Mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM) were cultivated with a fibroblast interferon (IFN) preparation or recombinant gamma‐IFN (rIFN‐α) for 1, 24 or 48 h. The zymosan‐induced reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) in these MPM was then measured. Fibroblast IFN enhanced the NBT reducing capacity of MPM when the incubation period was 1 h. When the incubation period was extended to 48 h, a suppressed NBT reduction by fibroblast IFN treated MPM was recorded. The influence of rIFN‐α on MPM with regard to NBT reduction was minor. Only when the MPM were treated with a moderate dose of rIFN‐α (10 U/ml) for 48 h was an enhanced NBT reduction recorded.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THREE COMMERCIAL METHODS FOR RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF NON‐ENTERIC GRAM‐NEGATIVE RODS
Authors: SØGaard PER , Gahrn‐Hansen BENTE , Hui‐Ping ZHOU , Frederiksen WILHELM
Published: August 2010

Three commercial systems for the identification of non‐enteric gram‐negative rods were compared with conventional bacteriological methods as reference. The three systems were the API 20 NE, BIO‐TEST ID‐Trident, and ROSCO Diagnostic Tablets. The systems were tested on a set of 47 strains from the genus Pseudomonas, with the emphasis upon the yellow‐pigmented species. The overall identification accuracy was 97% with the API, 19% with the BIOTEST and 68% with the ROSCO system. The API system was thus reliable, and it presented no major practical problems. The BIOTEST system was very handy. The main reason for the low accuracy was an error in the code book. The ONPG reaction was depicted as negative in the species P. paucimobilis. A positive ONPG test is a keymark in this species and 76% of the 20 strains of P. paucimobilis included in this investigation were also found positive with the BIOTEST system. The ROSCO tablets are convenient if the result of single reactions is desired. The time consumption per strain was 5.4, 4.4, and 6.2 min for the API, BIOTEST, and ROSCO systems respectively.
VAGINAL LACTOBACILLI INHIBITING GROWTH OF GARDNERELLA VAGINALIS, MOBILUNCUS AND OTHER BACTERIAL SPECIES CULTURED FROM VAGINAL CONTENT OF WOMEN WITH BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS
Authors: Skarin ANGELIKA , Sylwan JEANNE
Published: August 2010

On a solid agar medium the growth‐inhibitory effect of 9 Lactobacillus strains cultured from vaginal content was tested on bacteria cultured from vaginal content of women with bacterial vaginosis: Mobiluncus, Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides and anaerobic cocci. Inhibition zones were observed in the growth of all of the strains isolated from women with bacterial vaginosis around all lactobacilli. The inhibitory effect of the lactobacilli was further tested on various anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic species, both type strains and fresh extragenitally cultured strains. Four Bacteroides fragilis strains as well as 2 out of 4 Staphylococcus aureus strains were clearly inhibited by the lactobacilli. The inhibition zones were generally wider at pH 5.5 than at 6.0. For all inhibited strains, (the S. aureus excepted) a low pH on the agar around the lactobacilli correlated to wider growth‐inhibition zones.
AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO TYPING OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE STRAINS BY COAGGLUTINATION
Authors: Smart LESLIE E. , Henrichsen JØRGEN
Published: August 2010

The coagglutination test, which uses staphylococcal protein A for typing strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae was extended to include typing within 13 groups. Typing was performed using the factors remaining in group antisera after absorption with a strain of a type within the group. 93 of 99 strains of S. pneumoniae, which belonged to one of the 13 groups included in the 23 valent vaccine formulation were correctly identified when compared to the capsular reaction test.
PROTEIN I SEROTYPE OF SERUM‐RESISTANT VERSUS SERUM‐SENSITIVE NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE STRAINS
Authors: ØDum LARS , Buchanan THOMAS M. , Knapp JOAN S.
Published: August 2010

In order to characterize serum‐resistant and serum‐sensitive strains of N. gonorrhoeae, the protein I serotype, auxotype, and penicillin susceptibility of 128 strains were tested. Sensitivity to the complement‐dependent bactericidal activity of normal human serum was highly associated with protein I serotype (p<0.001). Thus 85% of serotype 1–3 strains were serum‐resistant, whereas 86% of serotype 8 strains and all strains with serotypes 8 + 9 or 9 were serum‐sensitive. Serum‐resistance or sensitivity for a given serotype was independent of auxotype. The susceptibility to penicillin within the serotypes 1 – 3 was significantly associated with auxotype (p = 0.0016); all AHU‐ (requirement for arginin, hypoxanthine and uracil) strains had MICs of penicillin of 0.04 μg/ml or less and were serotypes 1 – 3. Among the non‐AHU‐strains, serotype 9 was significantly more penicillin susceptible than the other serotypes (p<0.003).
MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND COMPARISON OF PLASMID CONTENT IN SEVEN DIFFERENT STRAINS OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE
Authors: Aalen REIDUNN B. , Gundersen WENCHE BLIX
Published: August 2010

The plasmid content of one penicillin sensitive and six penicillin resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been examined. All strains harbour a small, phenotypically cryptic plasmid of 4.1 kilo base pairs (kb). Four of the penicillin resistant strains carry a beta‐lactamase‐producing plasmid of 7.3 kb. One of these also carries a large plasmid of about 40 kb. The two remaining penicillin resistant strains harbour a smaller beta‐lactamase‐producing plasmid of 5.5 kb. The plasmids have been subjected to digestion with a number of restriction endonucleases, and their restriction maps have been compared. Judging by the maps, the cryptic (C‐) plasmids show great similarities. Except that two of them have 54 additional basepairs (bp), and two have a Hpall site instead of a Ddel site, no differences were found. The larger beta‐lactamase‐producing (B‐) plasmids have identical maps. The smaller seem to be homologous with the larger, except for a deletion of 1.8 kb. There is no correlation between the variant of C‐plasmid and type of B‐plasmid harboured in the penicillin resistant strains. The evolutionary implications suggested by this finding are discussed.
GENETIC HETEROGENEITY OF FLAVOBACTERIUM MENINGOSEPTICUM DEMONSTRATED BY DNA‐DNA HYBRIDIZATION
Authors: Ursing JAN , Bruun BRITA
Published: August 2010

DNA‐DNA reassociation studies on 52 strains of Flavobacterium meningosepticum showed two main hybridization groups about 40–55% interrelated and comprising 4 and 48 strains respectively. The larger group could be further divided into four subgroups if differences in thermal stability of the reassociated duplexes were taken into consideration. Of a total of 20 strains isolated from cerebrospinal fluid, 18 were found in one subgroup of 28 strains, which also contained seven blood isolates. The results indicate that genetically defined subgroups within the species might differ with regard to pathogenic significance.
PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF FLAVOBACTERIUM MENINGOSEPTICUM STRAINS IDENTIFIED BY DNA‐DNA HYBRIDIZATION
Authors: Bruun BRITA , Ursing JAN
Published: August 2010

Fifty‐two strains found to belong to Flavobacterium meningosepticum on the basis of DNA‐DNA hybridization analyses were characterized and found to be phenotypically homogeneous. All strains were oxidase, catalase, indole, gelatinase and beta‐galactosidase positive, and produced acid from glucose, mannose, fructose, maltose and mannitol; nitrate was not reduced. F. meningosepticum could be differentiated from Flavobacterium group IIb by its ability to produce beta‐galactosidase, and by the latter taxon's ability to produce a bright yellow pigment in contrast to the weak or non‐existing pigmentation of F. meningosepticum. Phenotypic characteristics that could differentiate between the two main DNA relatedness groups of F. meningosepticum were not discovered, wherefore a subdivision of the present species into two species cannot be recommended. Strains from the DNA relatedness groups comprising 19 of 20 CSF isolates were found to be able to grow at 40°C and to produce a weak yellow pigment; in contrast, strains from the three other DNA relatedness groups were unable to grow at 40°C and produced no pigment.
MORPHOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SPIROCHETES IN SUBGINGIVAL PLAQUE FROM ADVANCED MARGINAL PERIODONTITIS IN HUMANS
Authors: Westergaard J. , Fiehn N.‐E.
Published: August 2010

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the distribution of spirochetes (SP), on the basis of ultrastructural criteria in subgingival plaque from patients with advanced marginal periodontitis. Samples were obtained by a paperpoint technique from 18 pockets 6–10 mm in depth from 12 individuals. On grids with negatively stained material, more than 50 SP were photographed from each sample. The SP were primarily grouped according to the number of endoflagella from each cell‐end, with the exception of SP with more than eight endoflagella, which were pooled in one group. The diameter, the length, the wavelength and the amplitude of the SP were measured and related to the number of the endoflagella. The 95 per cent and 99 per cent confidence intervals were estimated. Owing to the number of endoflagella, the distribution of SP varied in the separate samples and no relationship to pocket depth was found. SP containing two endoflagella were the pre‐dominating type. On the basis of the dimensions of the diameter, the length, the wavelength and the amplitude, the SP fell into four significantly different morphological groups characterized by 1, 2, 3–8, and more than 8 endoflagella, as the values in general increased from group to group.
TOXINS, PUTATIVE CELL ADHESINS AND FIBRONECTIN BINDING PROPERTIES OF SALMONELLA DUBLIN
Authors: Kristiansen KARINA , Baloda SURAJ B. , Larsen JENS L. , WadstrÖM TORKEL
Published: August 2010

Fifty Salmonella dublin strains isolated from cattle and human diarrhoeal cases were assayed for toxin production, haemagglutination, cell‐surface hydrophobicity and fibronectin‐binding properties. Most strains (65% of tested) produced cytotonic toxins and cytotoxic factors when tested on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and rabbit skin test. However, only three strains produced a skin‐permeability factor as determined in pig skin intra‐dermal tests. None of the strains were positive in pig intestinal loop tests. Six of the 32 strains tested for 125I‐fibronectin and its 125I‐29 kDa N‐terminal domain binding showed 10–17% and 6–10% binding, respectively. Most of the strains expressed mannose‐sensitive haemagglutination (MSHA) (76%) and high cell‐surface hydrophobicity (74%) when grown at 37 °C. At 20 °C the expression of MSHA and especially the expression of high cell‐surface hydrophobicity were reduced. Twelve strains grown at 37 °C did not haemagglutinate erythrocytes from five animal species used in this study, while six of these strains expressed high cell‐surface hydrophobicity. Salmonella dublin strains isolated in Denmark appeared to express a higher frequency of fimbriae type 1 (MSHA) and a lower frequency of high cell‐surface hydrophobicity than the strains from external sources.
CAN DECREASED PHAGOCYTOSIS AND KILLING OF AUTOLOGOUS GRAM‐POSITIVE BACTERIA EXPLAIN THE FINDING OF GRAM‐POSITIVE BACTERIA IN “NON‐BACTERIAL PROSTATITIS”?
Authors: WedrÉN HANS , Holm STIG E. , Bergman BO
Published: August 2010

Immunological deficiency is seldom considered in the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis, despite clinical symptoms of prostatic inflammation and occasionally also in other tissues. Investigations in three patients with severe bacterial prostatitis with Gram‐positive bacteria in the prostatic secretion revealed a decreased phagocytotic activity of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN‐cells) derived from the patients' sera towards the autologous Gram‐positive bacteria from their own prostatic secretions but not towards heterologous Gram‐positive bacteria from other patients or controls. These observations indicate a hitherto unobserved, altered host‐parasite interaction in patients with prostatitis possibly caused by Gram‐positive bacteria.
CUTANEOUS ALTERNARIOSIS
Authors: Stenderup J. , Bruhn MARIANNE , Gadeberg C. , Stenderup A.
Published: August 2010

A case of cutaneous alternariosis is reported in the wife of a 73‐year‐old farmer. The diagnosis was verified culturally and histologically. The skin lesions were localized to legs, arms and face and were characterized by alternating spontaneous healing and formation of new lesions possibly due to autoinoculation from the lesions or re‐exposure to the environment. The patient had a decreased resistance to infections owing to cancer – for which she had received X‐ray treatment, chemotherapy and cortisone. This is the first reported Danish case.
DETECTION OF GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL ANTIGEN FROM THROAT SWABS BY USE OF A LATEX AGGLUTINATION TEST KIT IN GENERAL PRACTICE
Authors: Hoffmann STEEN , Henrichsen JØRGEN
Published: August 2010

In 11 general practice offices, with a total of 29 general practitioners, throat swabs from 468 patients with acute pharyngotonsillitis were assayed for group A streptococci with a commercial antigen detection test kit (Culturette Brand Ten‐Minute Group A Strep ID; Marion Scientific, Div. of Marion Laboratories, Inc., Kansas City. MO 64114, USA). Compared to aerobic cultures carried out in our laboratory, the sensitivity of the antigen detection test was 73%; the specificity, 98%; the positive predictive value, 96%; the negative predictive value, 84%; and the overall agreement with laboratory findings, 88%. The prevalence of group A streptococci was 42%. Tests performed by assistants were significantly less sensitive (52%) than tests carried out by the physicians themselves (77%). The sensitivity of office cultures was 83% for blood agar plates supplemented with bacitracin discs, and 77% for Streptocult. We conclude that antigen detection tests should not presently be substituted for office cultures in the diagnosis of group A streptococcal throat infections.
STRUCTURAL VARIABILITY OF 40–50 MDAL VIRULENCE PLASMIDS FROM YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA Geographical and Ecological Distribution of Plasmid Variants
Authors: Nesbakken TRULS , Kapperud GEORG , SØRum HENNING , Dommarsnes KARI
Published: August 2010

Restriction endonuclease analysis (Bam HI and Eco RI) was used to investigate the structural variability of 40–50 Mdal plasmids from 129 Yersinia enterocolitica strains isolated from human patients, animals, and food in 12 countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. A total of 12 restriction patterns was detected among plasmids from the six serogroups examined. The DNA fragment profiles were found to vary, not only between serogroups, but also among plasmids isolated from strains with the same serogroup affiliation. Despite widespread geographical and ecological origin, the plasmids isolated from the 0:3 and 0:9 strains examined revealed a surprising stability, whereas plasmids from 0:8 and 0:5,27 showed substantial diversity. The genes associated with autoagglutination, calcium dependency, and mouse virulence were conserved in all 12 plasmid variants detected. Our finding that porcine and human isolates harboured plasmids with identical restriction patterns, provides additional support for the importance of pigs in the epidemiology of human Y. enterocolitica infection.
A SIMPLE AND EXACT TWO‐POINT INTERPOLATION METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF HAEMOLYTIC ACTIVITY IN MICROTITER PLATES
Authors: Kanclerski KRZYSZTOF , MÖLlby ROLAND
Published: August 2010

A new haemolytic test based on direct reading of the optical density of unlysed erythrocytes was developed and adapted for use with microtiter plates and an appropriate reader. The relationship between the concentration of erythrocytes and the optical density was not strictly linear, but a high reproducibility of the curve was noted. There was a linear relation between the optical density of unlysed erythrocytes and ‐log2 of the haemolysin dilution in a wide range. The correlation coefficient was higher than 0.99. Because of this strong linearity, only two points of the two‐fold dilution series, representing the dilutions before and after 50% lysis, were used to interpolate the exact haemolysin titer. These calculations were preferably performed automatically by a connected personal computer. The titers obtained by this method were identical with those obtained by the traditional tube test based on measurement of the absorbance of released haemoglobin. The standard deviations obtained for different haemolysin preparations were found to be 3.7–8%.
BINDING OF ALBUMIN FRAGMENTS TO SURFACE RECEPTOR IN A, C, AND G STREPTOCOCCI
Authors: WidebÄCk KRISTINA
Published: August 2010

Fragments of human and bovine serum albumin were produced by treatment with trypsin at pH 8.15 and with pepsin at pH 3.5 and 3.7 in the presence of octanoic acid. A large fragment which included the C‐terminal part of the native molecule was produced by trypsin treatment. The tryptic digest was subsequently treated with pepsin, resulting in smaller fragments. The ability of the fragments to bind to albumin‐receptors on streptococci was investigated. According to Western blots only fragments with a mol. wt. of 23 kDa or more were able to bind to albumin‐binding structures obtained from streptococci. The 23 kDa fragment was radiolabelled and tested for binding to whole bacteria. The fragment was capable of binding to albumin‐reactive structures on group A, C, and G streptococci with the same species‐specificity as native human and bovine serum albumin, respectively. Both the large 45 kDa tryptic fragment and the small 23 kDa fragment could bind to streptococci and could be dissociated by 2 M KSCN.
THE BACTERIOLOGY OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS AT TIKUR ANBESSA TEACHING HOSPITAL, ADDIS ABABA
Authors: Gedebou MESSELE , Kronvall GöRAN , Habte‐Gabr EYASSU , Ringertz SIGNE
Published: August 2010

Patients admitted to a teaching hospital in Addis Ababa were studied for nosocomial infection. Of 2506 patients, 13% developed clinical infections, with the‐highest rate among obstretric/gynaecologic patients (17.0%). Wound infection was the most frequent type of nosocomial infection (49%) followed by urinary tract infection (25%). Antibiotic prophylaxis was given to 43% of the patients. Gram‐negative bacteria comprised 88% of all isolated strains Enterobacteriaceae; 75% of all isolates were found in over 60% of the infection, Proteus 25%, Escherichia coli 20% and Klebsiella 19%. The most widely used antibiotics were ineffective against 65 to 85% of the Gram‐negative strains. Cefotaxime and gentamicin were more effective. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were also similarly resistant, against which cephalothin, lincomycin and gentamicin were the more effective ones. Over 70% of the strains were multiple resistant. The findings underscore the need for a surveillance program and infection control system to reduce the high rate of infection and to institute appropriate guidelines for the use of prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotics.
IN VITRO ACTIVITY OF CEFTAZIDIME, CEFOTAXIME AND GENTAMICIN AGAINST 11,521 CLINICAL ISOLATES OF BACTERIA
Authors: Steinbakk MARTIN , Midtvedt TORE , Lingaas EGIL , Gardsjord GUNNHILD
Published: August 2010

The in vitro activity of ceftazidime has been compared with those of another third‐generation cephalosporin, cefotaxime, and the aminocyclitol aminoglycoside, gentamicin. A total of 11,521 clinical isolates of aerobic bacteria were employed, and an agar diffusion method was used for sensitivity testing. The MIC‐values were calculated from regression lines. The mean inhibition zones for ceftazidime against Gram‐positive organisms were significantly less than those against Gram‐negative isolates (23 mm vs. 33 mm, p<0.0001). Cefotaxime inhibited 74.0%, gentamicin 66.3% and ceftazidime 20.4% of the Grampositive isolates at a concentration of ≤ 2 mg/ml. Ceftazidime and cefotaxime were equally active against fermentative Gram‐negative rods, inhibiting 92.7% of each of these isolates at 2 mg/l. Against Ps. aeruginosa, ceftazidime (MIC90 2.2 mg/l) was found to be almost as active as gentamicin (MIC90 1.2 mg/l), and far more active than cefotaxime (MIC90 434 mg/l). Gentamicin was the most active agent against Acinetobacter sp. (MIC90 6.0 mg/l), followed by ceftazidime (MIC90 18 mg/l) and cefotaxime (MIC90 83 mg/l).
INFECTION DUE TO “CORYNEBACTERIUM ULCERANS”, PRODUCING DIPHTHERIA TOXIN
Authors: Pers CHARLOTTE
Published: August 2010

A diphtheria toxin producing strain of “C. ulcerans” was isolated from the throat of a 9‐year‐old boy who was previously immunized against diphtheria. This is the first reported case of human infection due to this organism in Denmark.
THE VETMOUSETRAP™: A DEVICE FOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF THE THORAX OF AWAKE CATS
Authors: OLIVEIRA CINTIA R. , RANALLO FRANK N. , PIJANOWSKI GERALD J. , MITCHELL MARK A. , O'BRIEN MAURIA A. , McMICHAEL MAUREEN , HARTMAN SUSAN K. , MATHESON JODI S. , O'BRIEN ROBERT T.
Published: August 2010

The VetMousetrap™, a novel device that allows computed tomography (CT) of awake cats and provides a clinically supportive environment, is described. Ten normal cats were used to test the device for ambient internal oxygen, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature. Twenty‐two awake normal cats were imaged using a 16‐multi‐slice helical CT unit to evaluate dose‐equivalent protocols. Two different X‐ray tube potentials (kV), 80 and 120, and two different helical pitches, 0.562 and 1.75, were evaluated. The signal intensity of the pulmonary parenchyma (SIlung), signal intensity of background (SIbackgr), contrast, noise, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Three evaluators ranked the images for sharpness of liver margins, motion, helical, and windmill artifacts. CT was successfully completed in 20 of 22 cats. No artifacts directly related to the device were detected. Overall, 75 of 80 (94%) examinations were judged to have absent or minimal motion artifact. A statistically significant difference was found for SNR (P=0.001) and CNR (P=0.001) between all protocols. The higher pitch protocols had significantly lower noise and higher SNR and CNR, lower motion artifact but greater helical artifacts. A protocol using 80 kV, 130 mA, 0.5 s, and 0.562 pitch with 1.25 mm slice thickness, and 0.625 mm slice reconstruction interval is recommended. The VetMousetrap™appears to provide the opportunity for diagnostic CT imaging of the thorax of awake cats.
DISPLAY QUALITY OF DIFFERENT MONITORS IN FELINE DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY
Authors: LUDEWIG EBERHARD , BOELTZIG CHRISTIAN , GÄBLER KATRIN , WERRMANN ANJA , OECHTERING GERHARD
Published: August 2010

In human medical imaging, the performance of the monitor used for image reporting has a substantial impact on the diagnostic performance of the entire digital system. Our purpose was to compare the display quality of different monitors used in veterinary practice. Two medical‐grade gray scale monitors (one cathode‐ray tube [CRT], one liquid crystal display [LCD]) and two standard consumer‐grade color monitors (one CRT, one LCD) were compared in the ability to display anatomic structures in cats. Radiographs of the stifle joint and the thorax of 30 normal domestic shorthair cats were acquired by use of a storage phosphor system. Two anatomic features of the stifle joint and five anatomic structures of the thorax were evaluated. The two medical‐grade monitors had superior display quality compared with standard PC monitors. No differences were seen between the monochrome monitors. In comparison with the color CRT, the ratings of the color LCD were significantly worse. The ranking order was uniform for both the region and the criteria investigated. Differences in monitor luminance, bit depth, and screen size were presumed to be the reasons for the observed varying performance. The observed differences between monitors place an emphasis on the need for guidelines defining minimum requirements for the acceptance of monitors and for quality control in veterinary radiography.
Creativity East and West: Perspectives and Parallels
Authors: Morris Michael W. , Leung Kwok
Published: August 2010

This Editors' Forum – ‘Creativity East and West’ – presents five papers on the question of cultural differences in creativity from the perspective of different research literatures, followed by two integrative commentaries. The literatures represented include historiometric, laboratory, and organizational studies. Investigation of cultural influences through country comparisons and priming manipulations, focusing on how people perform creatively and how they assess creativity. This introduction notes parallels in the findings across these research perspectives, suggesting some cultural universals in creativity and some systematic differences. Many differences can be explained in terms of the model that creativity means a solution that is both novel/original and useful/appropriate, yet that Western social norms prioritize novelty whereas Eastern norms prioritize usefulness – an account which predicts cultural differences would arise in contexts that activate social norms. The commentaries elaborate this argument in terms of processes – at the micro cognitive level and at the macro societal level – through which creativity occurs.
The health benefits following regular ongoing exercise lifestyle in independent community‐dwelling older Taiwanese adults
Authors: Wang Ching‐Yi , Yeh Chih‐Jung , Wang Chia‐Wei , Wang Chun‐Feng , Lin Yen‐Ling
Published: August 2010

Aim:  To examine the effect of regular ongoing exercise lifestyle on mental and physical health in a group of independent community‐dwelling Taiwanese older adults over a 2‐year period.

Methods:  197 older adults (mean age 72.5 years; 106 men and 91 women) who were independent in walking, instrumental and basic activities of daily living completed the baseline and a 2‐year follow‐up assessment. Older adults regularly performing exercises during the 2‐year study period were grouped into regular exercise group; otherwise in the irregular exercise group. Baseline and follow‐up assessments included a face‐to‐face interview and a battery of performance tests.

Results:  The regular exercise group showed significantly less depression (P= 0.03) and tended to regress less on the performance tests (P= 0.025–0.410) across 2 years compared to the irregular exercise group.

Conclusion:  Regular exercise is important for maintaining or even improving mental and functional health, even for independent community‐dwelling older adults.
The 13Carbon footprint of B[e] supergiants
Authors: Liermann A. , Kraus M. , Schnurr O. , Fernandes M. Borges
Published: August 2010

We report on the first detection of 13C enhancement in two B[e] supergiants (B[e]SGs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Stellar evolution models predict the surface abundance in 13C to strongly increase during main-sequence and post-main-sequence evolution of massive stars. However, direct identification of chemically processed material on the surface of B[e]SGs is hampered by their dense, disc-forming winds, hiding the stars. Recent theoretical computations predict the detectability of enhanced 13C via the molecular emission in 13CO arising in the circumstellar discs of B[e]SGs. To test this potential method and to unambiguously identify a post-main-sequence B[e] SG by its 13CO emission, we have obtained high-quality K-band spectra of two known B[e] SGs in the Large Magellanic Cloud, using the Very Large Telescope's Spectrograph for INtegral Field Observation in the Near-Infrared (VLT/SINFONI). Both stars clearly show the 13CO band emission, whose strength implies a strong enhancement of 13C, in agreement with theoretical predictions. This first ever direct confirmation of the evolved nature of B[e]SGs thus paves the way to the first identification of a Galactic B[e]SG.
Prevalence of post‐traumatic stress disorder in first‐episode psychosis
Authors: Sin Gwen‐Li , Abdin Edimansyah , Lee Jimmy , Poon Lye‐Yin , Verma Swapna , Chong Siow‐Ann
Published: August 2010

Background: Psychosis can be considered one of the most severe stressors that an individual may face. Previous studies have suggested that the traumatic experience of psychotic symptoms and hospitalization may provoke a post‐traumatic type reaction.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish the point prevalence of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among patients recovering from a first‐episode of psychosis in Singapore, and to elucidate the factors associated with it.

Methods: Patients from the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme in Singapore, who were recovering from their first psychotic episode, participated in this study. Diagnoses were made using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) – Text Revised Axis I Disorders. The Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale, an interviewer‐rated semi‐structured interview, was used to diagnose PTSD.

Results: Sixty‐one patients (30 males, 31 females) were recruited. Twelve (19.7%) patients were diagnosed with PTSD. Hospitalization for treatment, whether compulsory or otherwise, did not increase the rate of PTSD. The Chinese ethnic group had lower risk of developing PTSD (adjusted odds ratio 0.14, P = 0.018).

Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of PTSD in patients recovering from their first psychotic episode. This study raises awareness among clinicians and hopes to promote early recognition and treatment of PTSD so as to potentially improve outcome.
Brucella canis in a HIV‐Infected Patient
Authors: Lawaczeck E. , Toporek J. , Cwikla J. , Mathison B. A.
Published: August 2010

The true incidence of Brucella canis in humans is unknown, but immunocompromised patients in direct contact with dogs are thought to be at a higher risk for infection. In this case report, we present a human case of B. canis in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
The Politics of Reproduction: Households in the Mexican Industrial Transition*
Authors: Cravey Altha J.
Published: August 2010

Abstract:A household‐level analysis helps to reveal the dynamics of a transition in Mexican industrial strategy from the state‐led import substitution strategy dominant from 1930 to 1976 to the neoliberal one dominant today. The results suggest that gender restructuring was a crucial element of industrial restructuring. The new industrial strategy, which relies on substantial foreign investment and adopts many of the norms ofmaquiladoraproduction, has reshaped the industrial household into a multitude of forms. In the case study presented, these range from huge company‐run single‐sex dormitories to a variety of extended family households. In these new households the gender division of domestic labor has been renegotiated. Indepth interviews reveal that such micro‐scale struggles result from, and influence, the new factory regime. There is a dialectical connection between gender relations (that is, specific gender divisions of domestic labor) and production regimes in Mexico. Public social policies reinforce this dynamic by shaping factory regimes gendered in specific ways. More generally, this research indicates that the dynamics of household and gender relations are essential to an understanding of largescale socioeconomic change.
The Creation of an Ethnic Economy: Indochinese Business Expansion in Saint Paul*
Authors: Kaplan David H.
Published: August 2010

Abstract: Research on ethnic diversity in U.S. cities has focused on how the growth of a particular population within a defined, and often segregated, geographic area fosters the emergence of an ethnically oriented business and labor market. While several studies have looked at ethnic economies in U.S. cities, comparatively little attention has been paid to how well these examples meet the definition of ethnic enclave economies, a special type of ethnic economy that may afford opportunities equal to that of the mainstream economy. In Saint Paul, Minnesota, refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos have established a set of businesses within a geographically specific section of the city. Data from the 1990 U.S. census and a special data set that records businesses by location, type, and size for 1981 and 1991 are used to assess how well this emerging economy satisfies certain criteria for an ethnic enclave economy and to gauge the level of resources enjoyed by the Indochinese community. In this paper I conclude that the Indochinese ethnic economy in Saint Paul satisfies some aspects of the ethnic enclave economy and that this has been accomplished with a minimum of individual financial or educational resources. At the same time, the Indochinese economy has yet to develop the broad employment opportunities, sectoral diversity, and business‐to‐business linkages that would position it as a true alternative to the mainstream economy. This may change as the Indochinese in Saint Paul begin to deepen and broaden their economic niche.
Business Networks and Transnational Corporations: A Study of Hong Kong Firms in the ASEAN Region*
Authors: Yeung Henry Wai‐chung
Published: August 2010

Abstract: In recent years, the question of how business firms are embedded in society and space has received serious attention in economic geography. Arising from empirical research into the transnational operations of Hong Kong–based firms in Southeast Asia, this paper is concerned with the organizational processes of transnationalization—that is, how transnational operations are accomplished through networks of personal and business relationships. A network perspective specifies that three dimensions of transnational organizations—extrafirm, interfirm, and intrafirm networks—must be addressed simultaneously. Based on personal interviews with top executives from 111 headquarters and 63 subsidiaries of Hong Kong transnational corporations operating in the ASEAN region, I argue that social and business networks are necessary mechanisms of transnationalization. Political connections at the highest level enable Hong Kong entrepreneurs and business firms to tap into extrafirm networks and to penetrate local markets in Southeast Asia. Business connections and personal relationships are cornerstones of interfirm transactional governance structures through which Hong Kong firms establish their ASEAN operations. At the intrafirm level, personal trust and experience are keys to coordination and control in transnational operations. By showing how these Hong Kong firms and their ASEAN operations are socially and culturally embedded in networks of relationships, this paper serves also as a critique of economistic arguments and transaction cost analysis commonly found in leading international business research.
Evolution, Process Variety, and Regional Trajectories of Technological Change in U.S. Manufacturing*
Authors: Rigby David L. , Essletzbichler Jürgen
Published: August 2010

Abstract:Technological variety is a central component in evolutionary accounts of economic growth and change. Without variety, the process of selection, by which certain products and processes of production are favored in the market, cannot operate. Empirical analysis confirms that U.S. production technology, measured by a pair of capital and labor input coefficients, varies markedly over space. Furthermore, the relative positions of regions in a two‐dimensional technology‐space appears consistent across industries. With industry‐mix effects partially removed, multivariate analysis of variance confirms that regional differences in production techniques are statistically significant. Additional investigation reveals that spatial variations in techniques of production persist over time. These findings support the claims of evolutionary theorists, demonstrating that in U.S. manufacturing industries regions tend to move along distinct trajectories of technological change.
U.S.‐Mexico Economic Integration: Labor Relations and the Organization of Work in California and Baja California Agriculture*
Authors: Zabin Carol
Published: August 2010

Abstract: Through a case study of tomato production in Baja California and California, this paper examines the impact of U.S.‐Mexico economic integration on the organization of work and on wage trends and labor costs. In contrast to most previous scholarship, which is based on aggregate economic modeling, this paper provides an institutional approach to the study of NAFTA and longer‐term U.S.‐Mexico economic integration. I explore the impact of cross‐border links in capital, product, and especially labor markets on labor costs, worker income, regional competitiveness, and the location of production. The paper demonstrates that in response to differing economic conditions and institutions in California and northwest Mexico, employers choose different labor management strategies, even though they use similar production technologies. In California, growers extract much higher productivity from workers by paying piece rates and are able to externalize the costs of recruiting, transporting, housing, and retaining their seasonal labor force. As a consequence, the binational differential in wages is much greater than the differential in per unit labor costs, Baja's competitiveness is constrained by low productivity, and downward convergence in workers' net income is occurring.
The Cosmopolitanization of Trade Regions: Global Trends and Implications, 1965–1990*
Authors: Poon Jessie P.
Published: August 2010

Abstract: Postwar international trade relations are built on multilateral free trade principles that regard regional trade coalitions as suboptimal arrangements. A rising share of international trade, however, appears to be occurring within regions, raising the fear that the world economy is disintegrating into inward‐looking trading blocs. Such fears are now being challenged because the regionalization of world trade is said to be a “natural” process strongly influenced by geographic proximity. Furthermore, prevailing regionalization is taking place in a context of stronger global linkages.

This paper examines global regionalization tendencies by tracing trade interactions from 1965 to 1990 and finds a trend toward a less spatially fragmented world economy. Five dominant trade regions may be identified in 1990 as compared to eight smaller regions in 1965. The regions have become more geographically oriented, with the majority of members associated with the regional cores of Japan, Germany, and the United States. Greater regionalization, however, need not contradict multilateralism. By examining the time‐trends of each region's propensity to trade extraregionally, I show that regions have also increased their inclination to trade a larger share of their gross domestic product with the rest of the world. This suggests that the world economy is increasingly characterized by regional cosmopolitanism and may not disintegrate into isolated trading blocs.
Profitability and Growth in Multiregion Systems: Prologue to a Historical Geography
Authors: Webber Michael
Published: August 2010

Abstract: Consider the OECD, and divide it into two regions: Japan and the rest. How have rates of profit, the history of capital accumulation and the growth of demand and supply, interregional investment and trade interacted to produce their historical geography? What can we learn from that data about theories of profit, growth, and interregional competition? In this paper, I estimate the parameters of a disequilibrium, dynamic, interregional model that illuminates these questions, paying particular attention to the manner in which investment is generated and flows between regions.

I find a complex relationship between productivity and costs, profitability and accumulation. These variables are not well correlated over space. The evidence prompts questions about the weight that is given to profitability in interpreting the growth of regions. More important are the availability of funds (generated by the existing capital stock), the production intentions of corporations, and the investment policies of financiers. Likewise, over time profitability and accumulation are correlated, but this correlation is strong only in the long run; in the short run, rates of growth are determined far more by production decisions and investment policies than by changes in the rate of profit.
Spatial Routes to Gender Wage (In)equality: Regional Restructuring and Wage Differentials by Gender and Education*
Authors: McCall Leslie
Published: August 2010

Abstract: I examine how different dimensions of restructuring are related to gender wage inequality. The analysis extends research on regional wage differentials to include differentials between men and women in two educational groups at opposite ends of the educational hierarchy. Relative wages across regional labor markets in the United States are modeled in a multilevel framework as outcomes of variation in economic conditions associated with restructuring. Using microdata from the 1990 PUMS‐A 5 percent census files, as well as independent sources of macro‐data on counties, I show that the direction of wage changes associated with each dimension of restructuring generally does not differ by gender or education. Wages are either higher or lower than the average labor market for all groups. However, there are significant differences in relative wages by gender and many important differences between the two educational groups in the spatial distribution of gender wage inequality. Several “spatial routes” to gender wage equality emerge that differ from the dominant temporal explanations of the declining gender wage gap and differ according to the educational background of workers.