5% (39/40) and 45% (18/40), respectively. All of the 21 strains susceptible to clindamycin and resistant to erythromycin had MLSB-inducible phenotypes. Sequence type (ST) 72-SCCmec type IV was the predominant clone (n = 23; 57.5%), followed

by ST72-SCCmec type II (n = 6; 15%), ST1765-SCCmec type IV (n = 4; 10%), ST1765-SCCmec type II (n = 2; 5%), and ST1-SCCmec type IV (n = 2; 5%). No clone was positive for PVL genes.

Conclusions: ST72 strains, which were previously found in hospital-associated MRSA, are now widely distributed in healthy Korean children. In addition, the prevalence of inducible resistance of clindamycin should be considered when selecting empirical antibiotics for community-associated MRSA infections in Korea. (C) 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier

Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Conclusive data about the prevalence of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerotic process in ankylosing click here spondylitis (AS) patients with respect to the general population are lacking. Elevated plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, have been reported in clinical GSI-IX conditions associated with endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerotic disease. We performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate plasma ADMA levels and atherosclerotic disease in AS patients. Seventeen consecutive AS patients free of any cardiovascular disease and 17 healthy controls [strictly matched for sex, age (+/- 5 years) and atherosclerotic risk factors] were recruited. Plasma ADMA levels were assessed by capillary electrophoresis. Common carotid artery intima media thickness (CCA-IMT), flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and arterial stiffness (aS) were registered as surrogate markers of atherosclerotic disease. Plasma ADMA levels appeared significantly (p=0.001) higher in AS patients (0.65 +/- 0.10 mu moli/L) than in the control subjects (0.54 +/- 0.07 mu moli/L) while no statistically significant differences between AS and controls were demonstrated in CCA-IMT, FMD, and aS. AS

patients showed increased plasma ADMA levels with respect to control subjects. On the contrary, we were not able to document a significant difference in atherosclerotic process between patients LY3039478 order and controls.”
“This article presents the results of the synthesis and morphological characterization of carbon nanostructures obtained from the decomposition of residual solid from waste tires (RSWT) in quartz tubes under reduced pressure (1.33 Pa) at 900 degrees C for 15 min. The synthesis led to the formation of two phases, a fragmented solid black powder composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), onion-type fullerenes, and spheres, and a very bright metallic dark film. Analysis by microscopy (SEM and TEM) showed that the MWCNTs had an average diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length greater than 100 nm while the diameter of the onion-type fullerenes was found to be 8 nm.