Circulation of multiple dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in a locale has resulted in individuals becoming infected with mixed serotypes. This research was undertaken to study the clinical presentation, presence of DENV serotypes and serological characteristics of DENV infected patients with co-infections from three Provinces of Sri Lanka where DENV-1 and -2 predominated during the study. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed on 1249 patient samples and 301 were positive for DENV (24.1%). DENV-1 was the predominant serotype detected in 137 (45.51%) followed by DENV-2 in 65 (21.59%), DENV-3 in 59 (19.6%) and DENV-4 in 4 (1.32%) patients with mono-infections. Thirty-three patients (10.96%) had DENV co-infections with two or more serotypes. The highest number of co-infections was noted between DENV-1 and DENV-2 (57.57%) suggesting co-infection is driven by the frequency of the circulating serotypes. Platelet counts were significantly higher in DENV co-infected patients although clinical disease severity or white blood cell count, packed cell volume or viraemia were not significantly different in the co-infected compared to the mono-infected patients. Thus co-infection with multiple DENV serotypes does occur but with the exception of improved platelet counts in co-infected patients, there is no evidence that clinical or laboratory measures of disease are altered.

Cryptosporidium has become increasingly recognized as a pathogen responsible for outbreaks of diarrhoeal illness in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons. In August 2001, an Illinois hospital reported a cryptosporidiosis cluster potentially linked to a local waterpark. There were 358 case-patients identified. We conducted community-based and waterpark-based case-control studies to examine potential sources of the outbreak. We collected stool specimens from ill persons and pool water samples for microscopy and molecular analysis. Laboratory-confirmed case-patients (n=77) were more likely to have attended the waterpark [odds ratio (OR) 16·0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3·8–66·8], had pool water in the mouth (OR 6·0, 95% CI 1·3–26·8), and swallowed pool water (OR 4·5, 95% CI 1·5–13·3) than age-matched controls. Cryptosporidium was found in stool specimens and pool water samples. The chlorine resistance of oocysts, frequent swimming exposures, high bather densities, heavy usage by diaper-aged children, and increased recognition and reporting of outbreaks are likely to have contributed to the increasing trend in number of swimming pool-associated outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis. Recommendations for disease prevention include alteration of pool design to separate toddler pool filtration systems from other pools. Implementation of education programmes could reduce the risk of faecal contamination and disease transmission.

Pale soft exudative pork (PSE) is a major problem affecting swine industries worldwide that results in significant economic loss because it reduces processing and saleable product yields. The PSE condition results from a rapid rate of muscle glycolysis early postmortem and a rapid drop in muscle pH while the temperature of the carcass is still high. Stress prior to slaughter can increase the rate of glycolysis and postmortem acidification. Blood acid-base has been used as an indicator of stress in pigs. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the relationship between blood acid-base status at slaughter and fresh meat quality in pigs.

In this paper, we present and compare the two different XUV interferometric techniques using high-order harmonics that have been developed so far. The first scheme is based on the interference between two spatially separated phase-locked harmonic sources while the second uses two temporally separated harmonic sources. These techniques have been applied to plasma diagnostics in feasibility experiments where electron densities up to a few 1020 e−/cm3 have been measured with a temporal resolution of 200 fs. We present the main characteristics of each technique and discuss their respective potentials and limitations.

A number of prospective randomized comparator studies have suggested that there is a reduction in post-operative nausea and vomiting following maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol compared with inhalational agents. We analysed these studies in more detail by examining the effects of induction agent, choice of inhalation agent, presence/absence of nitrous oxide, age of patient or use of opiate on the incidence of emesis. A search of the Zeneca database MEDLEY was undertaken and prospective randomized comparator studies identified. These were examined individually and independently by two of the authors and log-odds ratios, calculated from the incidence data of each individual trial, were determined and combined using a fixed-effects meta-analysis approach. Patients who received maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol had a significantly lower incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting in comparison with inhalational agents regardless of induction agent, choice of inhalation agent, presence/absence of nitrous oxide, age of patient or use of opiate.

Electrically conducting composite polypyrrole/poly(p-phenyleneterephthalamide) (PPTA or KEVLAR) fibers have been prepared by chemical polymerization of pyrrole within the interstices of the hydrogen-bonded gel structure of never-dried PPTA fibers. The resultant fibers contain a uniform dispersion of polypyrrole, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy. The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of these hybrid fibers is presented. The conductivity is well described by the fluctuation-induced charge transport model over the entire temperature range of interest. However, the low temperature electrical conductivity also exhibits a hoppinglike temperature dependence, and an Arrhenius-like temperature dependence is observed in the high temperature limit. Measurements of the temperaturedependent tbermopower are indicative of a p-type carrier.