Molecular characterization of a novel Rickettsia species from Ixodes scapularis in Texas

Triclosan (Irgasan) is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent used in handsoaps, toothpastes, fabrics, and plastics. It inhibits lipid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli, probably by action upon enoyl reductase (FabI) (McMurry, L.M., Oethinger, M. and Levy, S.B. (1988) Nature 394, 531-532). We report here that overexpression of the multidrug efflux pump locus acrAB, or of marA or soxS, both encoding positive regulators of acrAB, decreased susceptibility to triclosan 2-fold. Deletion of the acrAB locus increased the susceptibility to triclosan approximately 10-fold. Four of five clinical E. coli strains which overexpressed marA or soxS also showed enhanced triclosan resistance. The acrAB locus was involved in the effects of triclosan upon both cell growth rate and cell lysis.     

Clinical outcomes for nursing caries treated using general anesthesia

This study did follow-up examinations of 84 Medicaid-eligible children with nursing caries after they received treatment for nursing caries utilizing general anesthesia. Results at six months suggest that parents are unresponsive to follow-up care and over half of the children seen had new smooth surface caries lesions. While results are preliminary, they suggest that major changes are needed in the tertiary care of children with nursing caries.     

Time and frequency domain identification and analysis of a gas turbine engine

The nonlinear autoregressive moving average model with eXogenous inputs (NARMAX) approach is used to analyse the dynamics of a gas turbine engine. The fuel flow-shaft speed relationship is analysed by identifying both time and frequency domain models of the system. The frequency domain analysis is studied by mapping the discrete-time NARMAX models into the generalised frequency response functions (GFRFs) to reveal the nonlinear coupling between the various input spectral components and the energy transfer mechanisms in the system. A continuous-time nonlinear differential equation model is also estimated using the GFRFs.     

Repelled from the wound,or randomly dispersed? Reverse migration behaviour of neutrophils characterized by dynamic modelling

Following neutralization of infectious threats, neutrophils must be removed from inflammatory sites for normal tissue function to be restored. Recently, a new paradigm has emerged, in which viable neutrophils migrate away from inflammatory sites by a process best described as reverse migration. It has generally been assumed that this process is the mirror image of chemotaxis, where neutrophils are drawn into the areas of infection or tissue damage by gradients of chemotactic cues. Indeed, efforts are underway to identify cues that drive neutrophils away by the reverse process, fugetaxis. By using photoconvertible pigments expressed in neutrophils in transparent zebrafish larvae, we were able to image the position of each neutrophil during inflammation resolution in vivo. These neutrophil coordinates were analysed within a dynamic modelling framework, using different forms of the drift–diffusion equation with model selection and parameter estimation based on approximate Bayesian computation. This analysis revealed the experimental data were best fitted by a model incorporating a diffusion term but no drift term—where the presence of drift would indicate fugetaxis. This result, for the first time, provides rigorous data-driven evidence that reverse migration of neutrophils in vivo is not a form of fugetaxis, but rather a stochastic redistribution.     

Motion parameter recovery and 3D scene segmentation

Motion parameter recovery for AGVs based on landmarks (or corners) has been widely used in stereo navigation. Existing methods use weighted least-squares algorithms to recover motion parameters, but these estimates usually yield a zigzagged vehicle trajectory. Based on the idea that vehicle motion must be constrained by the vehicle dynamics, a new method of recovering motion parameters is introduced, resulting in considerable improvement in positional accuracy. The method can also be used for scene segmentation     

Integrating Market Solutions into Government Flood Control Policies

Potentially useful market solutions to minimize flood damageinclude purchase of space in existing reservoirs, purchase offlooding rights from farmers and other land owners, and privately produced levees to protect housing and commercialdevelopment. These private solutions are often limited by risk considerations, free riders, and the transactions costsassociated with large groups, necessitating public sector provision of flood control measures. Thus, most market participants will be public entities.     

Treatment experiences of adults with unipolar depression: The influence of patient and life context factors.

Examined between- and within-programs variations in the amount and type of treatment obtained by 412 patients (aged 18+ yrs) who entered treatment for unipolar depression in 1 of 6 programs. Ss were assessed on the Health and Daily Living Form, the Family Environment Scale, and the Work Environment Scale. Each program had a distinctive orientation toward treatment as shown by considerable between-programs variability in Ss' treatment experiences. These between-programs differences remained significant after controlling for severity of depressive symptoms and the sociodemographic characteristics of Ss treated in each program. Within programs, there was only limited evidence for a patient–treatment matching process in which Ss with more severe depression received more intensive treatment. However, there was also little evidence of clinician bias against providing treatment to less "desirable" Ss, such as those who were older or of lower social status. Ss who experienced more recent life stressors were treated less intensively, perhaps because of a tendency to attribute their depression to situational rather than dispositional factors. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social-environmental factors in unipolar depression: Comparisons of depressed patients and nondepressed controls.

Examined the role of stress and coping factors in depression by comparing a group of 409 Ss (over age 18) entering psychiatric treatment for unipolar depression with a sociodemographically matched group of 409 nondepressed Ss. In addition to reporting significantly more stressful events than controls, depressed Ss also experienced more severe life strains associated with their own and their family members' physical illness, their family relationships, and their home and work situations. Depressed Ss were less likely to use problem-solving and more likely to use emotion-focused coping responses and had fewer and less supportive relationships with friends, family members, and co-workers. These group differences were consistent for both depressed women and men. Findings indicate the value of expanding the consideration of psychosocial factors in depression to include individuals' chronic strains and acute stressors as well as their coping responses and social resources. (53 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)