SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats is associated with contact to COVID-19-positive household members.

Several domestic and wild animal species are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Reported (sero)prevalence in dogs and cats vary largely depending on the target population, test characteristics, geographical location and time period. This research assessed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-positive cats and dogs (PCR- and/or antibody positive) in two different populations.

Fast Detection of Heat Accumulation in Powder Bed Fusion Using Computationally Efficient Thermal Models.

The powder bed fusion (PBF) process is a type of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique which enables fabrication of highly complex geometries with unprecedented design freedom. However, PBF still suffers from manufacturing constraints which, if overlooked, can cause various types of defects in the final part. One such constraint is the local accumulation of heat which leads to surface defects such as melt ball and dross formation.

Global outbreak of severe Mycobacterium chimaera disease after cardiac surgery: a molecular epidemiological study.

Background: Since 2013, over 100 cases of Mycobacterium chimaera prosthetic valve endocarditis and disseminated disease were notified in Europe and the USA, linked to contaminated heater-cooler units (HCUs) used during cardiac surgery. We did a molecular epidemiological investigation to establish the source of these patients' disease.

Methods: We included 24 M chimaera isolates from 21 cardiac surgery-related patients in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, 218 M chimaera isolates from various types of HCUs in hospitals, from LivaNova (formerly Sorin; London, UK) and Maquet (Rastatt, Germany) brand HCU production sites, and unrelated environmental sources and patients, as well as eight Mycobacterium intracellulare isolates.

Identifying targets for quality improvement in hospital antibiotic prescribing.

Objectives: To audit antibiotic use in a university hospital and to identify targets for quality improvement in a setting with low antibiotic use and resistance rates.

Methodology: A point-prevalence survey (PPS), using a patient-based audit tool for antibiotic use, was executed in the Radboud University Medical Centre in May 2013. On one index day, all patients on systemic antibiotics hospitalised > 24 hours were included.