Reference-free dual-comb spectroscopy with inbuilt coherence: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains a correction to Opt. Lett.49, 2473 (2024)10.

Identification of hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae K1, K2, K54 and K57 capsular serotypes by Raman spectroscopy.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant challenge in modern medicine, affecting public health. Klebsiella pneumoniae infections compound this issue due to their broad range of infections and the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Efficient detection of its capsular serotypes is crucial for immediate patient treatment, epidemiological tracking and outbreak containment.

Reference-free dual-comb spectroscopy with inbuilt coherence.

We demonstrate a simple system for dual-comb spectroscopy based on two inherently coherent optical frequency combs generated via seeded parametric downconversion. The inbuilt coherence is established by making the two combs share a common comb line. We show that the inbuilt coherence makes it possible to use a simple numerical post-processing procedure to compensate for small drifts of the dual-comb interferogram arrival time and phase.

Versatile optical frequency combs based on multi-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation.

This study proposes and demonstrates a versatile method for near- and mid-infrared optical frequency comb generation using multi-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation. The method allows one to divide the repetition rate by an arbitrarily large integer factor, freely tune the offset frequency, and adjust the common phase offset of the comb modes. Since all possible degrees of freedom are adjustable, the proposed method manifests itself as versatile optical frequency synthesis.

Mid-infrared frequency comb with 25 pJ threshold via CW-seeded optical parametric generation in nonlinear waveguide.

We demonstrate efficient generation of mid-infrared frequency combs based on continuous-wave-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation in nonlinear waveguides. Conversion of the near-infrared pump to signal and idler light takes place with very high efficiency (74%), and the threshold (25 pJ for 100 fs pulses) is over 300 times lower than in bulk analogs. Relative intensity noise of the mid-infrared comb is exceptionally low, below 5×10 (integrated from 10 Hz to 2 MHz).

Do high MICs predict the outcome in invasive fusariosis?

Background: Invasive fusariosis (IF) affects mostly severely immunocompromised hosts and is associated with poor outcome. Since Fusarium species exhibit high MICs for most antifungal agents, this could explain the poor prognosis. However, a clear-cut correlation between MIC and outcome has not been established.

[Repeating the Platelia™ Aspergillus test in samples positive for serum galactomannan: Is it necessary?].

Background: The manufacturers of the Platelia™ Aspergillus test recommend retesting every sample with a positive result to galactomannan detection.

Aims: To evaluate the repeated results of the Platelia™ Aspergillus test on initially positive samples, and their association with clinical and microbiological studies.

Methods: A total of 150 positive sera belonging to 92 patients were studied.

Impact of empirical treatment in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. bacteremia. A multicentric cohort study.

Background: The objective of this study is to analyze the factors that are associated with the adequacy of empirical antibiotic therapy and its impact in mortality in a large cohort of patients with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)--producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. bacteremia.

Methods: Cases of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) bacteremia collected from 2003 through 2008 in 19 hospitals in Spain.

Altered blood glucose concentration is associated with risk of death among patients with community-acquired Gram-negative rod bacteremia.

Background: Altered blood glucose concentration is commonly observed in patients with sepsis, even among those without hypoglycemic treatments or history of diabetes mellitus. These alterations in blood glucose are potentially detrimental, although the precise relationship with outcome in patients with bacteremia has not been yet determined.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study design for analyzing patients with Gram negative rod bacteremia was employed, with the main outcome measure being in-hospital mortality.

Diabetes does not affect outcome in patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.

Background: There is limited information about the effect of diabetes on the prognosis of patients with bacterial infections. We performed a retrospective cohort study to investigate possible correlations between diabetes and prognosis in patients with Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.

Methods: We reviewed the medical charts of 1112 patients who were treated at a community teaching hospital for Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia from January 1997 through June 2007.

Time-to-positivity in patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia.

The time from the start of incubation to a positive reading of blood cultures (time-to-positivity; TTP) is related to the concentration of bacteria in blood. Information concerning the correlation of TTP with clinical parameters, and its usefulness as a prognostic factor in patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia, is limited. To investigate the relationship of TTP to clinical parameters, 459 cases of monomicrobial E.

Impact of antibiotic resistance and of adequate empirical antibiotic treatment in the prognosis of patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia.

Background: Escherichia coli is the most frequent Gram-negative organism causing bacteraemia. There are few data about prognostic factors of bloodstream infections due to E. coli.

Risk factors for bacteremia in patients with limb cellulitis.

The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for bacteremia in patients with limb cellulitis. Using the administrative and microbiology laboratory databases of a community teaching hospital, a review was conducted of all cases of community-acquired limb cellulitis that occurred during the period 1997-2004 and in which blood cultures had been performed. A comparison of demographical, clinical, and analytical data of patients with bacteremia versus patients without bacteremia was performed by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Time to positivity in blood cultures of adults with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia.

Background: previous studies have established that bacterial blood concentration is related with clinical outcome. Time to positivity of blood cultures (TTP) has relationship with bacterial blood concentration and could be related with prognosis. As there is scarce information about the usefulness of TTP, we study the relationship of TTP with clinical parameters in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia.

Incidence of neutropenia during treatment of bone-related infections with piperacillin-tazobactam.

Of 41 patients with bone-related infections who were treated for > or =10 days with piperacillin-tazobactam, 14 (34%) developed neutropenia. Cumulative doses of piperacillin administered to neutropenic patients were higher than those administered to nonneutropenic ones (330 vs. 237 g; P=.

Acute bacterial arthritis caused by group C streptococci.

Objectives: To summarize the characteristics of and clinical experience with joint infection by group C streptococcus.

Methods: Two new cases of acute bacterial arthritis due to group C streptococci are reported, and a MEDLINE search was performed, which located 22 additional cases.

Results: Mean age (+/- standard deviation) of all 24 patients was 46 +/- 25 years, and most patients were men (75%).

Use of restriction fragment length polymorphism as a genetic marker for typing Mycobacterium avium strains.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to study 75 clinical isolates identified as Mycobacterium avium. Two repetitive insertion sequences, IS1311 and IS900, were used as DNA probes. Although less than 25% of isolates showed RFLP patterns with IS900, all strains gave banding patterns with IS1311.

Fluconazole in the management of endophthalmitis in disseminated candidosis of heroin addicts.

Seven heroin addicts were treated with fluconazole for endophthalmitis. All the patients had cutaneous lesions: deep-seated scalp nodules and/or pustulosis in hairy zones. One patient had an abscess at the venipuncture site.