A PMT-Block test bench

The front-end electronics of the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter (Tile Cal) is housed in a unit, called {\it PMT-Block}. The PMT-Block is a compact instrument comprising a light mixer, a PMT together with its divider and a {\it 3-in-1} card, which provides shaping, amplification and integration for the signals. This instrument needs to be qualified before being assembled on the detector. A PMT-Block test bench has been developed for this purpose. This test bench is a system which allows fast, albeit accurate enough, measurements of the main properties of a complete PMT-Block. The system, both hardware and software, and the protocol used for the PMT-Blocks characterisation are described in detail in this report. The results obtained in the test of about 10000 PMT-Blocks needed for the instrumentation of the ATLAS (LHC-CERN) hadronic Tile Calorimeter are also reported.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

The Fortetsa Gold Rings

The floruit of the Cretan jewellery workshop in the Iron Age is attested by many finds. To these are now added two gold finger-rings, each decorated with two attached embossed heads, recently acquired by the Metaxas Collection in Heraklion (Plate 23, a). They not only enrich our knowledge of this important branch of the art of Crete, but also prove Cretan priority in the adoption of a decorative technique widely used in the islands and in Ionia. I am greatly indebted to Mr. N. Metaxas for permission to publish these important works.</jats:p

Emergence of VIM-1 metallo-β-lactamase-producing escherichia coli in a neonatal intensive care unit

A carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli isolate was recovered from rectal swab of a 12-day-old female neonate, which was admitted to a Greek neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Phenotypic testing, polymerase chain reaction assays with sequencing, and plasmid analysis revealed that the isolate harbored a plasmid-mediated blaVIM-1 metallo-β-lactamase gene. The appearance of a metallo-β-lactamase-producing E. coli in NICU is worrisome. Further surveys are needed to determine whether such Enterobacteriaceae may also be spreading in other NICUs. Copyright © 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Nosocomial spread of OXA-58-positive carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in a paediatric hospital in Greece

ABSTRACTTwelve non-repetitive Acinetobacter baumannii isolates producing the carbapenem-hydrolysing oxacillinase OXA-58 were recovered from patients in the same paediatric hospital in Athens, Greece, between November 2003 and May 2005. All isolates were clonally related, but the blaOXA-58 gene was not always plasmid-located and there were variations in the DNA sequences surrounding the OXA-58 gene in different isolates. This study emphasises the importance of the blaOXA-58 carbapenemase gene in conferring carbapenem resistance among A. baumannii isolates in Greece

Scedosporium apiospermum skeletal infection in an immunocompetent child

This is a case of Scedosporium apiospermum skeletal infection in a 10-year-old immunocompetent girl whose chief complaint was left knee swelling and pain. The child had a history of a bicycle accident two months before with a resultant deep penetrating trauma. Systematic administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics for 10 days was used, with no clinical improvement. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and arthrotomy of the affected joint revealed findings suggestive of osteomyelitis. Empirical intravenous antimicrobial therapy was instituted for a total of two months but one month after completion of antibacterial therapy the child returned to the hospital because of persistent knee swelling and pain. Following a new arthrotomy, Scedosporium apiospermum was isolated. The patient was cured with intravenous administration of voriconazole without any side effects and has no evidence of relapse after four years of follow-up

CMY-13, a Novel Inducible Cephalosporinase Encoded by an Escherichia coli Plasmid

An IncN plasmid (p541) from Escherichia coli carried a Citrobacter freundii-derived sequence of 4,252 bp which included an ampC-ampR region and was bound by two directly repeated IS26 elements. ampC encoded a novel cephalosporinase (CMY-13) with activity similar to that of CMY-2. AmpR was likely functional as indicated in induction experiments

Emergence of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome associated with a new toxinogenic, methicillin-susceptible staphylococcus aureus clone

A sharp increase in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) cases has been recorded in our settings since 2015, with 31 cases having been documented during the period 2014–2017. The molecular investigation of strains from the above period showed the emergence of a methicillin-susceptible, mupirocin-and fusidic acid-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus clone that belongs to the ST121 complex and carries both epidermolysin (eta/etb) genes. We concluded that the SSSS caused by the newly emerged, highly virulent community-associated-methicillin sensitive S. aureus strains that have been encountered lately is more severe than impetigo. Physicians should be aware of the probability of SSSS epidemics from strains that are resistant to mupirocin and fusidic acid, which have been used irrationally and excessively. © 2019 The Authors