Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a rare cause of community acquired soft tissue infection in Europe. We report a case of severe soft tissue infection caused by a MRSA strain ...originating from a pig bite.
Gold-dendrimer nanocomposites were obtained for the first time by a simple colloidal approach based on the use of polyamidoamine dendrimers with succinamic acid terminal groups and dodecanediamine ...core. Spherical and highly crystalline nanoparticles with dimensions between 3 nm and 60 nm, and size-polydispersity depending on the synthesis conditions, have been generated. The influence of the stoichiometric ratio and the structural and architectural features of the dendrimers on the properties of the nanocomposites has been described. The self-assembling behaviour of these materials produces gold-dendrimer nanostructured porous networks with variable density, porosity, and composition. The investigations of the reaction systems, by TEM, at two postsynthesis moments, allowed to preliminary establish the control over the properties of the nanocomposite products. Furthermore, this study allowed better understanding of the mechanism of nanocomposite generation. Impressively, in the early stages of the synthesis, the organization of gold inside the dendrimer molecules has been evidenced by micrographs. Growth and ripening mechanisms further lead to nanoparticles with typical characteristics. The potential of such nanocomposite particles to induce calcification when coating a polymer substrate was also investigated.
The RD48 (ROSE) collaboration has succeeded to develop radiation hard silicon detectors, capable to withstand the harsh hadron fluences in the tracking areas of LHC experiments. In order to reach ...this objective, a defect engineering technique was employed resulting in the development of Oxygen enriched FZ silicon (DOFZ), ensuring the necessary O-enrichment of about 2×10
17 O/cm
3 in the normal detector processing. Systematic investigations have been carried out on various standard and oxygenated silicon diodes with neutron, proton and pion irradiation up to a fluence of 5×10
14
cm
−2 (1
MeV neutron equivalent). Major focus is on the changes of the effective doping concentration (depletion voltage). Other aspects (reverse current, charge collection) are covered too and the appreciable benefits obtained with DOFZ silicon in radiation tolerance for charged hadrons are outlined. The results are reliably described by the “Hamburg model”: its application to LHC experimental conditions is shown, demonstrating the superiority of the defect engineered silicon. Microscopic aspects of damage effects are also discussed, including differences due to charged and neutral hadron irradiation.
Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is a rare cause of community acquired soft tissue infection in Europe. We report a case of severe soft tissue infection caused by a MRSA strain ...originating from a pig bite.
This report summarises the final results obtained by the RD48 collaboration. The emphasis is on the more practical aspects directly relevant for LHC applications. The report is based on the ...comprehensive survey given in the 1999 status report (RD48 3rd Status Report, CERN/LHCC 2000-009, December 1999), a recent conference report (Lindström et al. (RD48), and some latest experimental results. Additional data have been reported in the last ROSE workshop (5th ROSE workshop, CERN, CERN/LEB 2000-005). A compilation of all RD48 internal reports and a full publication list can be found on the RD48 homepage (http://cern.ch/RD48/). The success of the oxygen enrichment of FZ-silicon as a highly powerful defect engineering technique and its optimisation with various commercial manufacturers are reported. The focus is on the changes of the effective doping concentration (depletion voltage). The RD48 model for the dependence of radiation effects on fluence, temperature and operational time is verified; projections to operational scenarios for main LHC experiments demonstrate vital benefits. Progress in the microscopic understanding of damage effects as well as the application of defect kinetics models and device modelling for the prediction of the macroscopic behaviour has also been achieved but will not be covered in detail.
Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films were deposited on glass substrate by precipitation from aqueous solution technique. The films were doped with copper using the direct method consisting in the ...addition of a copper salt (CuCl
2) in the deposition bath of CdS. The doped films were annealed in air, at 300°C, for 1 h. We report some structural, optical, electrical and photoelectrical properties of CdS thin films before and after Cu doping, correlated with investigation of trapping levels by Thermally Stimulated Currents (TSC) method.
The reaction of two iron-containing nitrile hydratases (NHase) with NO has been studied: NHase from
Rhodococcus sp. R312, which is probably similar to the photosensitive N771 NHase, and the new NHase ...from
Comamonas testosteroni NI1 whose aminoacid sequence is quite different from those of BR312 and N771 NHases. Both enzymes are equally inactivated after addition of stoichiometric amounts of NO added as an anaerobic solution or produced in situ under physiological conditions by a rat brain NO-synthase. Both enzymes are reactivated by photoirradiation, and two cycles of NO inactivation/photoactivation can be performed without significant loss of activity. Both iron-containing NHases have a high affinity for NO, similar to that of methemoglobin.
Arthroscopic subacromial decompression is traditionally performed through a posterolateral viewing portal and a lateral working portal. We describe the same procedure by using a posterolateral ...viewing portal and a posteromedial working portal. Because this portal is in the same sagittal plane as the ipsilateral acromioclavicular joint, it allows performing an arthroscopic excision arthroplasty of this joint.
Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 15, No 4 (May-June), 1999: pp 456–458
Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) are frequently used as synthetic bone substitute, but their intrinsic low fracture toughness impedes their application in highly loaded skeletal sites. However, ...fibers can be used to reduce the brittleness of these CPCs provided that the affinity between the fibers and cement matrix facilitates the transfer of loads from the matrix to the fibers. The aim of the present work was to improve the interface between hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) microfibers and hydrophilic CPC. To this end, calcium-binding alendronate groups were conjugated onto the surface of PLA microfibers via different strategies to immobilize a tunable amount of alendronate onto the fiber surface. CPCs reinforced with PLA fibers revealed toughness values which were up to 50-fold higher than unreinforced CPCs. Nevertheless, surface functionalization of PLA microfibers with alendronate groups did not improve the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced CPCs.
Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films were deposited on glass substrates using the homogeneous precipitation technique and different cadmium salts. The structure of the films was analysed using scanning ...electron microscopy (SEM). Thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements had revealed the existence of several trapping levels in as deposited and annealed films. The activation energy of these traps was determined from TSC measurements. The following values were found for CdS films deposited from cadmium acetate:
E
1 = 0.3 eV;
E
2 = 0.45 eV,
E
3 = 0.51 eV. For CdS films deposited from cadmium chloride several trapping levels were found with the activation energies between 0.04 and 0.33 eV. A considerable enhancement of photoconduction after annealing in air was found. The experimental results were explained considering a sensitizing process due to the chemisorbtion of the oxygen.
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