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Background: A nosocomial outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infections (Ab-BSI) was identified in Diyarbakir Children's Hospital's (Diyarbakir, Turkey) 60-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in 2006 and 2007. Methods: The investigation and control of the outbreak were based on case-control and epidemiological studies as well as multifaceted interventions. Sixty-four neonates (case patients) with Ab-BSI and 128 neonates (control patients) free of Ab-BSI, who had been hospitalized at the unit during the outbreak period, were included in the study. Case and control patients were compared for possible predisposing factors (e.g., gender, length of NICU stay, antibiotic use, intubation, etc.). An intervention program (cohorting, education, reinforcing hand hygiene, antibiotic restriction, improving processes of patient care, environmental cleaning, and barrier isolation) was implemented to control the outbreak. Surveillance cultures were collected from all possible sources, and the epidemiological investigation was supplemented by a pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) study. Results: Fifty-three neonates (82.8%) died in the case group and 51 (39.8%) in the control group ( P < 0.001). The duration of stay at the NICU [odds ratio (OR) 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.23; P < 0.001] and re-intubation (OR 38.62; CI 12.66-117.87; P < 0.001) were found to be significant risk factors for Ab-BSI. Surveillance cultures showed a heavy contamination in the NICU, and the outbreak ended after a series multifaceted interventions. All A. baumannii isolates, both from the cases and environmental samples, had an identical PFGE fingerprint pattern. Conclusion: The control of Ab-BSI requires a multifaceted intervention program and complex efforts and implementations, especially if the ICU does not implement any suspension of care provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kayranlik Mountain (Goksun) in Kahramanmaras is a rich resource of an attractive conglomerate with many uses in the construction industry including blocks, shaped stones, pavement, sidewalks and landscape architecture. The paper reports a study to assess their compliance with the relevant Turkish and European Standards and provides correlations between the uniaxial compressive strength, flexural strength, Brazilian tensile strength, water absorption, abrasion and density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Si on the austenite stabilization, martensite morphology, and magnetic properties in Fe-26%Ni- x%Si ( x=3.5, 5, and 6) alloys have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Mössbauer spectroscopy techniques. TEM observations reveal that the martensite morphology is closely dependent on the Si content. The volume fraction changes of martensite and austenite phases, the hyperfine magnetic field, and isomer shift values have been determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer study reveals that the hyperfine magnetic field, the isomer shift values and the volume fraction of martensite decrease with increasing Si content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kayranlik Mountain (Goksun) in Kahramanmaras is a rich resource of an attractive conglomerate with many uses in the construction industry including blocks, shaped stones, pavement, sidewalks and landscape architecture. The paper reports a study to assess their compliance with the relevant Turkish and European Standards and provides correlations between the uniaxial compressive strength, flexural strength, Brazilian tensile strength, water absorption, abrasion and density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of austenitizing time on the formation of martensite in Fe–24.5%Ni–4.5%Si alloy has been studied by means of transmission electronmicroscope (TEM), scanning electronmicroscope (SEM) and Mössbauer spectroscopy technique. TEM and SEM observations revealed that the martensite morphology was found to be closely dependent on the austenitizing time. The orientation relationship between austenite and thermally induced martensite was found as the Kurdjumov-Sachs type. The volume fraction changes of martensite and austenite phases, the hyperfine magnetic field of martensite phase and isomery shift values have been determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer study also revealed that the martensite volume fractions increased with increasing austenite grain size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Control of an Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in a neonatal ICU without suspension of service: a devastating outbreak in Diyarbakir, Turkey," published in a previous issue is presented.