Prediction of antimicrobial susceptibility of pneumococci based on whole-genome sequencing data: a direct comparison of two genomic tools to conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Determination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pneumococcal isolates is important for surveillance purposes and in a clinical context. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of pneumococci is complicated by the need for exact minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of beta-lactam antibiotics. Two next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis tools have implemented the prediction of AMR in their analysis workflow, including the prediction of MICs: Pathogenwatch (https://pathogen.

The safe development paradox of the United States regulatory floodplain.

In the United States, requirements for flood insurance, development restrictions, and federal buyout program eligibility rely on regulatory designation of hazardous zones, i.e., inside or outside the 100-year floodplain.

Amperometric determination of NADH and dehydrogenase enzymes at a redox-active nanocomposite.

Aminated carbon nanotubes, CNT, were covalently modified with glutardialdehyde (GDI) and the redox dye Azure to form a new electrode material CNT-GDI-Azure (CGA). The nanocomposite of CGA and polysaccharide chitosan was used for the anodic determination of NADH. Compared to conventional carbon and metal electrodes, the CGA electrode drastically lowered the overpotential for NADH oxidation (by > 0.