Simulated candidemia was produced with 20 Candida isolates at three inoculum sizes (100, 10, and 1 CFU/ml of blood). Growth detection was better with larger inocula. The time to growth detection was shorter with larger inocula. Inoculum size does effect Candida growth detection and time to detection in BACTEC 9240 automated systems.

Two novel preanalysis sample treatment tools were evaluated in combination with four DNA extraction kits for the selective isolation of bacterial DNA from whole blood. The combination of performing a preanalysis sample treatment and using a larger sample volume increased the detection limit to 50 CFU per ml.

Oxygen is essential for the survival of animals. Red blood cells in the circulation, i.e. peripheral erythrocytes, are responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues. The regulation of erythropoiesis in vertebrates other than mammals is yet to be elucidated. Recently we identified erythropoietin, a primary regulator of erythropoiesis, in Xenopus laevis, which should enable us to identify target...

This paper presents some reasons to take a functional perspective in intonation modelling into account. We distinguish two functional prosodic unit types that are functionally equivalent: an elementary one the accentual units (AUs) and other, nonelementarythe AU groups (AUGs). Their functions at the communicative act level give meanings to corresponding F0 contour segments. A functional categor...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate preoperative CT-derived bone densities in Hounsfield units (HU) at implant sites that acquired primary stability, and to compare these values to the optimal bone densities proposed in the literature. Fifty-one patients, 18 males (37 implant sites) and 33 females (67 implant sites) between 2003 and 2010 were assessed. CT data for different jaw sections, ...

Heat-treated breastmilk is one infant-feeding option recommended by the WHO to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV in developing countries. Flash-heat, a simple pasteurization method that a mother could perform in her home, has been shown to inactivate cell-free HIV-1. Since heating may affect the naturally occurring antimicrobial properties found in breastmilk, storing heated breastmilk...

Although all of 14 clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae type b strains demonstrated rifampin susceptibility in vitro (minimal inhibitory concentration less than or equal to 0.4 microgram/ml) when an inoculum of 10(4) colony-forming units (CFU) was used, 10 of the 14 strains manifested resistance to this agent when an inoculum of 10(8) CFU was tested. The mutation rate for rifampin resist...

Cytotoxic effects of treating RIF-1, EMT6, and 9L tumor cell lines with c/s-diamminedichloroplatinum(ll) were measured with the sister chromatid exchange assay and compared to results obtained with the colony-forming efficiency assay. The greatest number of sister chromatid exchanges was induced in RIF-1 cells, fewer in EMT6 cells, and the least in 9L cells. Cell survival data obtained with the...

A rapid, accurate tuberculosis diagnostic tool that is compatible with the needs of tuberculosis-endemic settings is a long-sought goal. An immunofluorescence microtip sensor is described that detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex cells in sputum in 25 minutes. Concentration mechanisms based on flow circulation and electric field are combined at different scales to concentrate target bacte...

The multileaf travel range limitations on some linear accelerators require the splitting of a large intensity-modulated field into two or more adjacent abutting intensity-modulated subfields. The abutting subfields are then delivered as separate treatment fields. This workaround not only increases the treatment delivery time but it also increases the total monitor units (MU) delivered to the pa...