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In this paper, we present a method for automatic verification of real-time control programs running on LEGO(R) RCX(TM) bricks using the verification tool UPPALL. The control programs, consisting of a number of tasks running concurrently, are automatically translated into the mixed automata model of UPPAAL. The fixed scheduling algorithm used by the LEGO(R) RCX(TM) processor is modeled in UPPALL, and supply of similar (sufficient) timed automata models for the environment allows analysis of the overall real-time system using the tools of UPPALL. To illustrate our technique for sorting LEGO(R) bricks by color.

A three-month prospective surveillance study was undertaken in four dialysis centres to establish the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus carriage in a Danish population of patients on haemodialysis (HD) or on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). General data such as sex, age, diagnosis, number of months in dialysis, hospital and ward were registered on a precoded form. Standardized nose and four skin swabs (axillae, groins, perineum) were performed on the first day of the survey. After one and two months, nose swabs were collected. Infections were registered and cultures were sent for phage-typing together with the S. aureus strains isolated from the swabs; 59.5% of HD patients and 51.2% of CAPD patients carried S. aureus. Permanent carriage was most frequent (P < 0.00009), primarily in the nose (44.0 and 34.9%, respectively in HD and CAPD). Skin carriage alone was rare (2.4 and 4.7%). Approximately one third (36.6 and 40.7%) of infections were caused by S. aureus. Although diabetics were not significantly more frequent carriers (60.5%) than non-diabetics (55.0%), the incidence of infection was much higher (26.3% vs. 10.3%, P = 0.004). In CAPD, peritonitis and tunnel/exit-site infections predominated (81.4%), often caused by S. aureus (34.8%). More than two thirds of the infections in HD patients were related to intravascular catheterization. The most serious infection was septicaemia, in all cases due to S. aureus. S aureus infections occurred significantly more frequently among carriers (P = 0.005), and more than half the patients were infected by the same or possibly the same strain as they carried in the nose or on skin. Different regimens for the elimination of S. aureus carriage in dialysis patients are discussed. A policy for risk assessment of patients should be developed, and the elimination of S. aureus carriage before dialysis should be encouraged. Controlled trials comparing the cost-effectiveness of recommended regimens to eliminate carriage in HD/CAPD patients are needed. Nose swabs are reliable indicators of carriage in dialysis patients.

In vitro tests of cellular immune responses, using lymphocyte transformation tests and rosette tests for T and B lymphocytes, were studied in a cross-section analysis of a total of fifty-five patients in six groups (non-pregnant, 2--3 months pregnant, 4--5 months pregnant, 6--7 months pregnant, at parturition and 3 months after parturition). No pregnancy-related changes were found in the numbers of T, B or null cells, nor changes in PHA, PWM or MLC responses, but a significant reversible depression of the PPD response was found in the second half of pregnancy.

Udgivelsesdato: 1981-May-24

Typing of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) by whole genome sequencing (WGS) is performedroutinely in Copenhagen since January 2013.We describe the relatedness, based on WGS data andepidemiological data, of 341 MRSA isolates. Thesecomprised all MRSA (n = 300) identified in Copenhagenin the first five months of 2013. Moreover, becauseMRSA of staphylococcal protein A (spa)-type 304(t304), sequence type (ST) 6 had been associated witha continuous neonatal ward outbreak in Copenhagenstarting in 2011, 41 t304 isolates collected in the citybetween 2010 and 2012 were also included. Isolatesfrom 2013 found to be of t304, ST6 (n=14) were comparedto the 41 earlier isolates. In the study, isolatesof clonal complex (CC) 22 were examined in detail,as this CC has been shown to include the hospitalacquiredepidemic MRSA (EMRSA-15) clone. Finally,all MRSA ST80 were also further analysed, as representativesof an important community-acquired MRSAin Europe. Overall the analysis identified 85 spa-typesand 35 STs from 17 CCs. WGS confirmed the relatednessof epidemiologically linked t304 neonatal outbreakisolates. Several non-outbreak related patientshad isolates closely related to the neonatal isolatessuggesting unrecognised community chains of transmissionand insufficient epidemiological data. Onlyfour CC22 isolates were related to EMRSA-15. No communityspread was observed among the 13 ST80 isolates.WGS successfully replaced conventional typingand added information to epidemiological surveillance.Creation of a MRSA database allows clusteringof isolates based on single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) calling and has improved our understanding ofMRSA transmission. Typing of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by whole genome sequencing (WGS) is performed routinely in Copenhagen since January 2013. We describe the relatedness, based on WGS data and epidemiological data, of 341 MRSA isolates. These comprised all MRSA (n = 300) identified in Copenhagen in the first five months of 2013. Moreover, because MRSA of staphylococcal protein A (spa)-type 304 (t304), sequence type (ST) 6 had been associated with a continuous neonatal ward outbreak in Copenhagen starting in 2011, 41 t304 isolates collected in the city between 2010 and 2012 were also included. Isolates from 2013 found to be of t304, ST6 (n=14) were compared to the 41 earlier isolates. In the study, isolates of clonal complex (CC) 22 were examined in detail, as this CC has been shown to include the hospital-acquired epidemic MRSA (EMRSA-15) clone. Finally, all MRSA ST80 were also further analysed, as representatives of an important community-acquired MRSA in Europe. Overall the analysis identified 85 spa-types and 35 STs from 17 CCs. WGS confirmed the relatedness of epidemiologically linked t304 neonatal outbreak isolates. Several non-outbreak related patients had isolates closely related to the neonatal isolates suggesting unrecognised community chains of transmission and insufficient epidemiological data. Only four CC22 isolates were related to EMRSA-15. No community spread was observed among the 13 ST80 isolates. WGS successfully replaced conventional typing and added information to epidemiological surveillance. Creation of a MRSA database allows clustering of isolates based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling and has improved our understanding of MRSA transmission.