Complicating infectious foci in patients with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus species bacteraemia.

Complicating infectious foci resulting from haematogenous or local spread of microorganisms are observed frequently in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) or Streptococcus species bacteraemia (SSB). The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiology of complicating infectious foci during SAB and SSB in a university hospital in The Netherlands. The charts of all adult patients diagnosed with SAB or SSB (except for Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteraemia) from July 2002 until December 2004 were reviewed retrospectively.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Dolosigranulum pigrum.

Dolosigranulum pigrum is an unusual gram-positive catalase-negative coccus. It was isolated, only after prolonged incubation, from bronchial secretions from a patient with ventilator-associated pneumonia. The patient responded well to antimicrobial therapy.

Legionella pneumophila in commercial bottled mineral water.

Sixty-eight commercial bottled mineral waters (64 brands, 68 different 'best-before dates') were tested for the presence of bacteria and fungi. Six samples were Legionella antigen positive and six were Legionella pneumophila PCR positive. Two samples were both Legionella antigen and L.

Urosepsis with Actinobaculum schaalii and Aerococcus urinae.

Actinobaculum was isolated from urine only after prolonged incubation in 5% CO(2) after discrepancy between urine Gram stain and initial culture results was observed. Additional patients were diagnosed using this method. The prevalence of Actinobaculum species in urinary tract infections is underestimated since it is not isolated by routine urine culture procedures.

Comparison of the novel quantitative ARMS assay and an enriched PCR-ASO assay for K-ras mutations with conventional cytology on endobiliary brush cytology from 312 consecutive extrahepatic biliary stenoses.

Background: Extrahepatic biliary stenosis (EBS) has malignant and benign causes. Patients with EBS are at risk of having or developing malignancy. Accurate diagnostic tests for early detection and surveillance are needed.

Atmospheric O2, CO2 and delta13C measurements from aircraft sampling over Griffin Forest, Perthshire, UK.

Regular vertical aircraft sampling has been performed in the lower troposphere above Griffin Forest, near Aberfeldy, Perthshire, UK (56 degrees 37'N, 3 degrees 47'W), between February 2003 and May 2004, for analysis of O2/N2, CO2 and delta13C of CO2. We sampled flasks between 800 and 3100 m above sea level. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the seasonal cycle of O2/N2 decreases from 171 per meg at 800 m to 113 per meg at 3100 m.

Molecular diagnosis of lymphogranuloma venereum in patients with genital ulcer disease.

The detection of herpes, chancroid, and syphilis in genital ulcers is done by PCR. This is not so for lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). We report on the use of a PCR with digestion that differentiates the LGV biovar from the trachoma biovar.

Extracellular potassium effects are conserved within the rat erg K+ channel family.

The biophysical properties of native cardiac erg1 and recombinant HERG1 channels have been shown to be influenced by the extracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)](o)). The erg1 conductance, for example, increases dramatically with a rise in [K(+)](o). In the brain, where local [K(+)](o) can change considerably with the extent of physiological and pathophysiological neuronal activity, all three erg channel subunits are expressed.

Using geometric constraints through parallelepipeds for calibration and 3D modeling.

This paper concerns the incorporation of geometric information in camera calibration and 3D modeling. Using geometric constraints enables more stable results and allows us to perform tasks with fewer images. Our approach is motivated and developed within a framework of semi-automatic 3D modeling, where the user defines geometric primitives and constraints between them.

Nonlinear estimation of the fundamental matrix with minimal parameters.

The purpose of this paper is to give a very simple method for nonlinearly estimating the fundamental matrix using the minimum number of seven parameters. Instead of minimally parameterizing it, we rather update what we call its orthonormal representation, which is based on its singular value decomposition. We show how this method can be used for efficient bundle adjustment of point features seen in two views.

Aetiology of male urethritis in patients recruited from a population with a high HIV prevalence.

The aetiology of urethritis, the significance of potential pathogens and the relation of urethritis to HIV infection were determined in 335 men (cases) with and 100 men (controls) without urethral symptoms. Urethral swab specimens were tested for different organisms by PCR or by culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The prevalence of N.

Vaginal tampons as specimen collection device for the molecular diagnosis of non-ulcerative sexually transmitted infections in antenatal clinic attendees.

Self-inserted vaginal tampons for the molecular diagnosis of non-ulcerative STIs were evaluated. Cervical and vaginal swabs, tampons and urines were collected from 185 first-time antenatal clinic attendees. Cultures and nucleic acid amplification assays (NAA) were performed.

Lagrangian dispersion modeling of vehicular emissions from a highway in complex terrain.

Transit traffic through the Austrian Alps is of major concern in government policy. Pollutant burdens resulting from such traffic are discussed widely in Austrian politics and have already led to measures to restrict traffic on transit routes. In the course of an environmental assessment study, comprehensive measurements were performed.

Identification of women at high STD risk among STD clinic attendees: implications for STD programmes.

We showed an association between current infection with a recognized sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogen and HIV infection in women but not in men with non-ulcerative genital disease. While the accuracy of recognition of male urethritis and genital ulcer syndromes is high, this is significantly less for non-ulcerative STIs in women. The symptoms associated with the latter have a broad differential diagnosis including conditions of a non-STI nature.

Hydration and ion pairing in aqueous sodium oxalate solutions.

Dielectric spectra have been measured for aqueous sodium oxalate solutions up to the saturation concentration (0.04 < or = c[mmol L-1] < or = 0.25) at 25 degrees C over the approximate frequency range 0.

Association between HIV-1 infection, the etiology of genital ulcer disease, and response to syndromic management.

Background: Reports on the effect of HIV-1 infection on healing rates of ulcers are conflicting.

Goal: The goal was to determine the etiology and response to treatment of genital ulcer disease (GUD) in relation to HIV-1 infection.

Study Design: This was a cohort study of patients with GUD treated with local syndromic management protocols.

Scoliosis screening revisited: findings from the District of Columbia.

The authors performed a retrospective review of scoliosis screening data collected by school health nurses annually from 1985 to 1996. The data collected included 20 variables for all in the sixth and eighth grades and follow-up data for a portion of the referred students in the District of Columbia's public schools. During the school years 1989 to 1990 and 1995 to 1996, 52,300 students were screened for scoliosis.

Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis on self-collected vaginal tampon specimens.

A vaginal tampon specimen was previously shown to be suitable for the molecular diagnosis of non-ulcerative sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Different tampon fluid preparations were evaluated for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Women with pregnancy related problems were enrolled.

Pancreatic cancer after remote peptic ulcer surgery.

Background: Peptic ulcer surgery may carry an increased risk for pancreatic cancer development. Molecular analysis of K-ras codon 12, frequently mutated in conventional pancreatic cancers, might provide insight into the aetiological mechanisms.

Methods: The relative risk of pancreatic cancer was computed by multivariate and person-year analysis in a cohort of 2633 patients who had undergone gastrectomy.

Hemivertebra in monozygotic twins.

Study Design: A case report.

Objectives: To report and discuss a case of thoracic hemivertebra in monozygotic twins.

Summary Of Background Data: The etiology of congenital scoliosis remains unclear.

CO(2) concentration measurements on air samples by mass spectrometry.

A new technique for measuring CO(2) concentration in air samples, based on mass spectrometry, is described as an alternative to the common gas chromatographic method. Using a dual inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), the ratio of the abundances of the m/z peaks 44 and 28 is determined. The precision of measurements (standard deviation <3 ppmv) is generally as good as the analysis with gas chromatography for small air samples (<1 ml STP of air).

A new gas inlet system for an isotope ratio mass spectrometer improves reproducibility.

We have developed a new inlet system for a gas sample isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). It is based on the well-known open split design from the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system due to its simplicity. The advantages over the conventional double inlet system with the metal bellows design include an improved reproducibility mainly due to a highly controllable pressure and temperature adjustment, a markedly lowered memory effect due to an uninterrupted gas flow through the ion source which limits adsorption/desorption processes on surfaces, and a single inlet capillary circumventing problems of asymmetrical behavior of sample and reference inlet paths.

Open femur fractures in children: treatment, complications, and results.

We evaluated retrospectively the treatment of 44 open femur fractures occurring between the lesser trochanter and the distal femoral physis in 43 children aged 16 years and younger. Fractures that involved the physis or that were a consequence of gunshot wounds were excluded. There were 25 grade I, 9 grade II, and 9 grade III fractures.